OB Tenants on Orchard Complain of Mistreatment by Property Management Company

See Update Below

By Dave Schwab / Peninsula Beacon / Dec. 3, 2021

After receiving a 60-day notice to vacate, tenants in an Ocean Beach apartment complex are complaining of improper treatment by their management company, which they claim is forging ahead with remodeling plans to their detriment before they’re out.

The dispute is between residents in the two-building apartment complex at 4802 Orchard Ave. and their property manager, Lifestyle Property Management Group, Inc.

“It was rumored for a long time and was made official Nov. 4,” said Sam Montero, a tenant in the complex of his notice to vacate. “The stated reasons are remodeling and repairs. But they started remodeling, demolishing, even before issuing us our notice.”

“The apartment complex has been almost uninhabitable, and the stress of finding a new place right now is intense,” said Taylor Owen, another remaining Orchard Avenue apartment tenant. “The percentage is at its highest rate of people looking for apartments. I have been scammed and let down many times throughout this process. The landlords have given zero compensation for what they have put on our plate.”

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Update from the tenants regarding the “60 Day Notice of Termination of Tenancy” statement sent out on 11/23/21.

12/1/21 Update:

The tenants at 4802 Orchard Ave. are still seeking proper guidance ASAP on the questions regarding water and air safety listed in a prior email and sent to Lifestyle Property Management Group, Inc. – as well as other parties – on November 25th, 2021.

As of the time of this writing (on December 1st, 2021), a demolition/renovation/repairs process is currently underway at Orchard Apartments (address: 4802 Orchard Ave., San Diego, Ca. 92107)

Due to serious health concerns over water and air quality, as well as noise pollution, as well as structural shaking (see documentation links below), tenants are currently living in nearly uninhabitable conditions.

At least one tenant is currently showering at a nearby public shower. This tenant is also currently unable to wash dishes and has placed these dishes in a closed plastic bin in the alley behind the apartment units (see documentation links below). Regarding the current demolition/renovation/repairs process (witnessed today on December 1st, 2021) – multiple workers were seen entering and exiting the apartment complex this morning while wearing air filtration masks (see documentation links below). This is despite current tenants still being unclear as to the air and water quality in the apartment units as of the time of this writing.

The Better Business Bureau as well as the City of San Diego – Code Enforcement department – have been notified of the current living conditions at 4802 Orchard Ave., San Diego, Ca.

The Red Cross was notified of current living conditions as early as last week, on November 24th, 2021.

Multiple (4) Auto-Replies have been sent from the Red Cross to a current tenant, beginning on November 24th, 2021 and ending on November 29th, 2021 with nearly identical pre-written statements. The latest statement reads:

“Dear Valued American Red Cross Client:

Thank you for your inquiry. Case number 11886054 has been created to address your concern. An American Red Cross representative will contact you within 48 hours or two business days for resolution…”

As of the time of this writing (on December 1st, 2021 – 2:15 local time), Current tenants at 4802 Orchard Ave., San Diego, CA have still not received a response from Lifestyle Property Management Group, Inc. with regards to the following questions, sent to Lifestyle Property Management Group, Inc. – as well as other parties – on November 25th, 2021):

1) Is the water safe to drink, shower with, and wash the dishes?

2) There is demolition work that has been taking place over the last several days (Mon-Sat.) Is the air safe?

3) What materials, chemicals, and substances are being released in the air as a result of the demolition work? And how long has this been occurring?

4) What is the cause and the extent of the remodeling, repairing, and demolishing being done? Is it just remodeling or just repairing or just demolishing being done up to this point? Or a combination of all three?

5) How much time were we given to find another residency? Was it 60 days or 20 days? The notice we received was 20 days ago (on 11/4/21.)

6) Is our unit currently habitable given the work currently being done Mon-Sat? Why is demolition work being done on Saturdays when we were only given notice that work would be done Mon-Fri?

7) What is the full name of the contractor and what is the company name of the contractor?

8) If the water hasn’t been tested yet, how do we know that it is safe?

9) Has the air been tested?

10) Are there any cancerous and/or toxic substances being released in the air and/or the water?

11) Does the contractor have the proper certification to test for these substances? If not, who should we contact?

12) Is it normal for the water that we’ve been using since we moved in to have a cloudy, white-ish appearance?

13) Why is a demolition cart currently blocking the front entrance to the apartment complex?