Review for Oak Park Apartments

My wife and I lived here for 3+ years. We USED to love and praise it. In fact, we even recommended it to someone once. Sure, there were always inconveniences, but what place doesn't have them? But after it was taken over by new management last year, it really went downhill. We were glad to escape recently. I'm sad to do this, but I must write a negative review. Oak Park is no longer a good place to live.

The main problem for us was roaches. They have infested several of the buildings in the complex. We kept a clean home, but roaches invaded through the walls, ducts, and other places, and there's no way to keep them at bay. We were killing on average 10 per day for three months before we moved out. The management sent maintenance to spray 3 times, and we fumigated 3 other times. We also used foam sealant to patch up under the cabinets and any other cracks we could find. But behind the kitchen cabinets the wall does not meet the floor! Roaches have free access! We sealed those gaps as well, but roaches still found ways in. All of our efforts to stop them were completely in vain. (By the way, management did not attempt to help beyond ineffective spraying of our single unit. They needed to nip the problem in the bud by sending pest control to clear out the entire building at once, but they refused. So the pest problem remains.)

The new management (Bell Properties) is not good. If you call the office, you will almost certainly NOT speak to a live person. You will leave a message, which they will not return for two days. Not all the agents are rude. We've had good and bad experiences with them. But they don't go out of their way to help you.

Management makes superficial "improvements" to the complex, but doesn't seriously address important problems. They painted nice-looking brick buildings ugly shades of brown. They resurfaced the blacktop and gave us new mailboxes (the old ones were fine). They've done minor landscaping, but never thought to put down grass to cover the bare dirt that just washes a mudslide over the sidewalk every time it rains. They PAINTED THE TENNIS COURT'S CHAIN-LINK FENCE, BUT DIDN'T FIX THE TORN NETS! This superficial "beautification" comes at the cost of living with roaches.

I've read the other complaints people have posted, and they are all true. Security gates don't work. Fitness center is a disappointment (when it's open). I've heard crime is a problem in some parts of the community. But we lived in the northwest corner and never had any major crime problems or bad disturbances (except a murder that happened there a couple years back). Parking was good, and no one ever bothered our cars. And actually, I even have to admit that our move-out went fine. No trouble with management, and we got our full deposit back.

Because we don't want anyone to have to suffer the way we did these last months, and because it would be especially horrible for those with children to have roaches rampant all night long, we will specifically tell you to stay away from building 5. Two of our neighbors also have roaches. And management didn't replace the carpet when we left, so I'm sure the roaches will still be there for the next tenant, even though they were going to remodel the kitchen.