Great building with an awesome management team. Always clean and pretty quiet for DTLA!

STOA might look great at first. The building is fairly new and has cool amenities like a rooftop and a gym. But actually living here has been a constant headache. Security is a major problem. Homeless people regularly get into the building, go through the trash, sleep in stairwells, and sometimes act aggressively toward residents. Cars have been broken into multiple times. We are told to call an after hours security line, but they either do not answer or say no one is available. It makes many of us feel unsafe. Packages are often stolen from outside apartment doors and the mail room. The rooftop and trash rooms are dirty, and trash is not handled properly. There are frequent water and gas shut offs, sometimes with barely any notice, yet we still pay very high utility fees. Management is slow to respond and often sends copy and paste replies instead of actually fixing problems. Broken gates and doors can stay unfixed for months. On top of that, short term rentals like Airbnb have brought loud parties and more damage to common areas. The rent is extremely expensive for how many issues there are. If you are thinking about moving here, I would seriously reconsider. read more

I'm writing this review as someone who is gay, has a disability, and holds a Section 8 voucher. **DO NOT MOVE HERE!** While the location is decent, that's about where the positives end. I was initially drawn to STOA because of its proximity to Little Tokyo and the gay bars of DTLA. The leasing staff seemed friendly at first, and I worked with Jared Jimenez. He was helpful during the initial tour and quick to send me a lease application. However, when I explained that the Section 8 process needed to move quickly due to potential cuts at the Housing Authority, he became uncooperative. He dismissed the urgency and frequently argued about what needed to be done. When I explained that we had to complete a pre-inspection form together before submitting the RFTA packet, he stopped responding to calls and emails. Despite multiple messages emphasizing the urgency (as stated by the HACLA Housing Counselor, which he read), he finally responded--only 15 minutes before my scheduled arrival from Anaheim. When I returned to complete the form with the STOA leasing team (as per City instructions), I was met by Jhonny A., who was unhelpful and dismissive. I had previously encountered him while touring HIKARI Apartments, where he was supposed to guide me on the tour but simply handed me a fob to tour on my own. At STOA, despite an appointment made by Jared, Jhonny refused to assist with the form, claiming he was busy with other tours. His attitude made it clear that Section 8 voucher holders were not welcome. STOA does not want Section 8 tenants. While they can't legally deny applicants with vouchers, they make the process as difficult as possible through uncooperative staff and unprofessional behavior. Lastly, while the individual apartments are accessible, the building itself is not particularly disabled-friendly. There are two separate keypad-controlled entrances to enter, and each elevator requires a keypad for access. Avoid this place if you have a Section 8 voucher or need a leasing team that is professional and responsive. read more

I loved living at STOA. The access to markets, eateries, and where all the local events happen are so close by. For any internal apartment issues, Leslie was an amazing help! The response to emergency issues or any service, the help came right away or took a day. Suzanne and Vanessa were so helpful with my leasing questions or any other concerns for the apartment. I appreciate the whole STOA team! Luckily, STOA is close to LAPD and Redbird, so it's not bad walking around Historic Core and Little Tokyo areas. With that being said, it is important to be careful with your surroundings. The outside security at STOA used to be somewhat better before and now, security workers are mostly on their phones. Even with all the outside noise/sirens, the windows are pretty thick to keep the noise out (it'll feel like you're in your own world). But hey, it's downtown! The inside gym was always clean and the rooftop view is beautiful. I would def move out here again if I wanted to come back to the downtown life. The team and the security from the past were great to talk to and work with when I threw an event in the Clubroom. Some issues at STOA: people at times on some floors leave their trash out by the bin area, don't pick up after their pet, and park in your reserved space. Besides that, I enjoyed my time there! I would def recommend this place to someone who is looking to try out the downtown life (single or not)! It's pretty safe compared to other areas in downtown. Pricing does go up after the 13 months so keep that in mind while you are reflecting on the pros and cons. read more

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STOA has been amazing so far. Jhonny the leasing consultant has been awesome and kind and very attentive to my needs as a tenant. The apartment itself has been great too - clean, functional and beautiful with awesome amenities. read more

STOA looks great when you tour - a new-ish building, nice amenities like the rooftop and gym. But it's been issue after issue after issue living here. A lack of security resulting in homeless people constantly trespassing, going through trash, threatening and even attacking residents. I've lost count of the number of times residents have said their cars have been broken into by homeless people. We're told to call an after hours security hotline when things like these happen, but they either don't answer, or tell us that no one is available to come to the building to deal with the problem. The latter happened to me four times when I've reported homeless people on the property acting erratically and sleeping in the stairwell. We don't feel safe here. Packages are constantly being stolen from outside apartment doors and from the mail room. There's dog shit and piss all over the roof. Trash chute rooms are constantly filled with bags of trash and boxes that aren't being disposed of correctly. CONSTANT water shut-offs, most recently one with much less than 24 hours noticed that went on for half a day longer than they said it would. Regular gas shut-offs too. We pay an extortinate amount for utilities like water, gas, trash disposal etc, but these services are compromised every month. Management is either non-responsive to issues when they're raised or they gaslight residents with patronizing copy and paste responses. They truly don't give a shit. Gates and doors to the building that are broken/not functional for months without being fixed. Residents are fed up with all these problems that are not being addressed by management, and are taking it out on each other...the vibes here are very bad. Plus they now allow people to rent out their apartments on AirBnB, which has been so disruptive to this "community." A stream of loud, disrespectful people partying late at night and trashing common areas. Equity Residential make it impossible to get out of your lease without major penalty, so I'm stuck here for now but cannot wait till my lease is up and I can move somewhere that's functional and where residents are respected. Rent is extortionate considering how many problems there are here. Do yourself a favor and DO NOT MOVE HERE. read more

My Fiance and I have been living here for almost 2 months now and we have had nothing but the best experience. Jorge the leasing manager really made us feel welcomed the moment we stepped foot in STOA apartments. Jorge has also done everything to make sure we are having the best experience living at STOA. I recommend STOA to anyone who is looking to live here! Thanks again Jorge! read more

Living at STOA the first year was great (lived there almost three years). Was far from perfect, but nothing compared to last year, 2024. This led me and my partner to look for new housing before our lease was up. Which, don't get me started on breaking your lease. There is no humanity to really listening to concerns, and therefore having to take your security and well being into your own hands. Just be prepared to pay dearly for it. That cost alone is angering, but that's a rant for another time. As some other reviewers have left feedback avoid leasing at this building (just don't, its not worth it) unless you are prepared for the following: break-ins, stolen mail (to the point the main USPS master key might have been stolen?) , random gas and hot water shut-offs lasting for hours (and most times without adequate heads up, you just wake up and no hot water - good luck getting to work clean and ready to start your day). Parking issues. Which again, you pay dearly for. Plus, don't get me started on the utilities. You are better off renting a house, or elsewhere. You pay upwards of $100-$150 /month for gas, water, trash, sewage, and pest control. Yup, you pay for the luxury of renting! I get gas, but seriously everything else? Don't even get me started with the homeless individuals entering the building, and the total lack of security. For the amount you pay in rent, clearly Equity pockets the money and cares not to spend for a physical body to patrol. Instead four adjacent properties share one security guard. And, have fun with the "24 Hour Camera" security alert going off in the middle of the night and disrupting your sleep several nights on end. That was anxiety inducing at 1-2am for it to go off, and have zero insight as to why. Management tries, if that's what you want to call it. But, their hands are tied in corporate tape and lingo they might as well be AI bots responding to resident concerns. Just take your money elsewhere, seriously. The "great" STOA of past is no more. And, I don't see it changing any time soon. read more

Avoid moving here! If you do, expect break-ins, stolen mail, random gas and hot water shut-offs lasting for hours, and even homeless individuals entering the building and causing safety issues. The management does not care about their residents, is unresponsive and consistently ignores resident concerns. read more

Although I did not move into the STOA Apartments, it was on my shortlist. The STOA is east of the historical core and it is on the western side of Little Tokyo. They have a lovely rooftop since there is a garden, lounging areas, dog areas, and BBQ stations, and you can make your way to the pool. They don't have a jacuzzi, and if I remember correctly, the pool is heated and has a lovely view of DTLA buildings. I really liked their clubhouse a lot because of its full kitchen and nice layout. I generally liked the unit layouts I saw, but I was not a fan of the Juliet Balconies since it is more window than balcony. I ultimately went for an apartment a block away closer to the heart of Little Tokyo and shops I know I would frequent. I would've loved living at STOA. read more

Great building, great staff, great location but unbearably loud adjacent businesses that will play percussion music that will penetrate the double paned windows and keep your blood pressure high. I'll start with the noise issue (which is the only main problem I've experienced here) and then focus on all the positives (which are many). The noise disturbances: STOA is sandwiched between Terasaki Budokan (a community center) and the Lexington bar on the 3rd street side, and Vibiana/Redbird on the 2nd street side. The community center facing 3rd street will have drum classes during the afternoons on weekdays and during the morning/afternoon on weekends. If this doesn't bother you, hopefully the EDM and other music that comes of out Lexington bar at night doesn't ruin your sleep. On the 2nd street side, Chef Neal Fraser and Amy Knoll, who own redbird and vibiana, also have DJ and live music events. Vibiana looks like a church (and is facing Main St), and shares part of the public space between STOA and Vibiana. Vibiana has a door facing STOA units with heavy employee traffic and the DJ booth is in that area. Employees use this door and outdoor space to walk between Vibiana and Redbird and all the storage stuff they have in the back. This means you'll not only hear loud music that exceed 80 dbs (sometimes up to 1 am) but also employees laughing, talking, and moving plates/silverware and food carts. As for redbird (which has more of an impact on STOA units that are mid building and up to units by Los Angeles Street. RedBird has events in the day and evenings, especially on the weekends and in their outdoor space so there is no insulation for their music. Overall, the noise impacts some units more than others but I wanted to elaborate on this issue since its something I wasn't aware of before moving into STOA months ago. The only remedy for those that move in are to call the non emergency police line, wait an hour to speak to an operator, and hope the police show up to ask Vibiana or Redbird to lower or stop their music. Management has been great at reaching out to Chef Neal Fraser and Amy Knoll team about the noise complains but they dont care if they violate our local noise ordinances. Bottom line, if you are noise sensitive, this may not be the best place for you. If noise isn't an issue and you want to live in downtown, then this is a great building. Here is a breakdown: Service: request via app or in person and they respond right away. I've interacted with Johnathan O. and he is extremely friendly and professional. Management: extremely accessible and friendly, shout out to Suzanne the manager that does her best to accommodate residents, she is amazing, better than many managers I've had in other buildings in downtown. Parking: Two options, reserved or unreserved and its underneath the building. This was important to me as I commute to work early and its safer to get to my car when its reachable by elevator. Reserved parking is on the 1st floor (not sure if they have any on the other floors) and unreserved parking on the lower levels. For unreserved spots, I've heard residents complain that they can't find a spot parking at night, but this is because there are inconsiderate folks that illegally park downstairs. Management will work with residents to address this issue. I have a reserved spot and no issues yet. Shared community space hygiene: The spaces are kept keep, including the elevators, waste rooms and hallways. There are times when the hallways have an occasional smell but not often. Like most places that allow dogs, you may smell dog urine in the elevators, which is disgusting but I haven't encountered that often. Gym: Is modest clean and open 24 hours. They have multiple tread mills, cable machines, leg extension, leg press machines and range of dumbell weights. Community/co working space: Clean, large TV, space can be rented for events, and includes a kitchen. Rooftop: there is a small pool and a place for dogs to potty. I dont use this area at all so can't speak to it. Building unit noise: The first three floors have concrete floors and ceilings, so this was important to me, I barely hear my upstairs neighbors or my side neighbors. The noise levels may vary in the upper units, but that also depends on how considerate your neighbors may be. Management is good about reaching out on your behalf if your neighbor is too loud. In unit appliances and features: The first 3 floors have concrete flooring, which I love, all appliances are in great condition (dish water, Fridge, gas range/stove) and in unit washing and driers (stacked). Internet: Spectrum or AT&T (as of this post). high speed options. Location: Very walkable, just be safety minded as there are mentally unstable people in the area (like most places in DTLA). STOA is walking distance to grand central market and all the places in little tokyo. Grand park is also near by and they have fun events. read more

I want to extend my sincerest thanks to Alonzo for the exceptional job you provided recently. Your responsiveness and willingness to go above and beyond was truly appreciated. Your service was outstanding and does not go unnoticed and deserves recognition. read more

This review is about Leslie at Stoa. Leslie has always been our maintenance go to, and her passion for her work is clear to me every time. when I put an order in, I think GO BEYOND. Some people may think "Go Beyond" is just a phrase, when you think of Leslie; but she really does go beyond her maintenance duties. That means something to me! read more

A wonderful place to live. They have a great location and I feel very safe and convenient living here. The best thing is that they have a great staff team: definitely the kindest and most attentive people in the world! Special thanks to Jorge - he responds to my requests very fast and always helps me solve the problems. Without his help my moving to LA would not be that easy and smooth. Overall I highly recommend this great apartment!! -- Parker read more

We live on the top floor and had a significant water leak feb 2024 (the rains that made national headlines). Worse, it happened at midnight on a sunday. Calling the emergency help number, the maintenance person Jonathan arrived within an hour. He first immediately helped us to find a different unit to stay in. I had fears that at 1am he would say there was nothing he could do, but he did it, to my huge relief. Then he went outside and spent the next 3 hours investigating and trying to repair the leak on the roof... in the dark.... at 2am.... while its POURING cats and dogs. Thats outstanding service. Mon I woke up, went back to the unit, and to my shock, its dry. There was a lot of water in buckets, but the floor was dry and it was still raining... he did it! Im writing this the day after, so we will see, but I cannot be more impressed. Also Kennia the GM was involved in some other issues that resulted from this, and she came thru and helped us out in a big way. Jonathan then called at 7am and said he was coming over to check in. Which means he got like 3 hours of sleep. Amazing. Overall, I want to add a few things being here a year. Nice, clean gym. Very large and clean lounge. Management is very good (Suzanne before, now Jorge). A negative, but not detracting from 5 stars... the church next door (Vibiana) is basically a dance hall with 50,000 watt music occasionally, moreso in the summer. If you need to wake up early for work and noise bothers you, keep this in mind. Avoid a unit facing the church (north side). read more

This place is great. The best apartment I've lived in Los Angeles, and I've lived in many in the past 13 + years. Clean, friendly staff, great location, as quiet of and area as you can get for DTLA. Most importantly, we have a guardian cat from the Underworld in the front court yard that protects the building and its occupants from unseen horrors. Any complaints are Covid related, like we can't use the gym yet. read more

So far, my time at STOA has been so easy-going thanks to Suzanne and Rory being so helpful through my move in process and continuously checking in to see how I am doing (: thank you ! read more

Due to my line of work I often relocate after a few years. Out of those many experiences my time here at STOA has been one of the most enjoyable. The amazing staff here truly makes it feel like home. Jayvon, Allan and Jorge all work extremely hard to make sure that we enjoy living here and they do an excellent job! Everyone from the leasing team to the maintenance staff works so hard to make staying here enjoyable and it is much appreciated!! read more

just moved in a few weeks ago helped by Suzzane and Rory. Both were super helpful and professional and made the move very easy. it's clean + quiet and the facilities are nice. would recommend if anyone is on the fence read more

A great location, awesome building, and responsive staff. The move-in process was extremely easy and Vanessa has been incredibly helpful at every step. Very thankful to have found this hidden gem! read more

My wife and I have lived here since 2017, and have really enjoyed it so far. Apartment building is in great condition, and tastefully designed. One of the best features of the units are the quality of the appliances. They're the best I've seen in any rental unit. One other positive thing to note is the location, which is convenient because you can easily access both the arts district and the rest of downtown on foot. The apartment is managed by equity residential, which is one of the biggest leasing companies in America. So they have the resources to respond quickly to any issues that might arise. Jayvon in the leasing office is particularly nice, and has helped me out a bunch of different times. I'd really recommend living here if you're looking for a nice apartment managed by a big company. read more

Just moved in to STOA, and we've had a great experience so far. The staff, including our main contact Vanessa, have all been helpful, responsive and friendly. The amenities, including the gym, rooftop areas, pool and club room are all beautifully designed. The maintenance team is also very quick and responsive for the few small issues we've had fixed. Our apartment is modern with everything you need, a good layout and good lighting from the huge windows. And the location in Little Tokyo is amazing with all of the great restaurants and shops! We love it here! read more

I love living at STOA. Vanessa and the team have been incredibly helpful, answer all of our questions, and take care of any requests we have. When we report something that needs maintenance, it's taken care of promptly. The location and community are great. I am extremely pleased with everything about living here. read more

STOA is an amazing and beautiful community. Management is awesome. Vanessa and Suzanne are the SWEETEST, extremely helpful, and responsive. They made the process smooth for me and were extremely welcoming. I am beyond excited to live here. My studio is beautiful, and so is the entire building. The rooftop was one of my selling points. read more

Staff is extremely helpful and nice, they always put a smile on my face, especially Jayvon. The amenities are always available and clean and the location is amazing. We have awesome security so I feel safe and comfortable where I live. read more

Made an appointment today at 12:30. Arrived 15 mins early prior. I proceeded to try and get ahold of management and no one answered I was there for over 25 mins waiting and decided to leave then after the fact get a call from one of there team members stating they are "low staff" and was on tour with another person when I had the tour for 12:30. Therefore LOW STAFF, UNORGANIZED AND VERY UNPROFESSIONAL! Will be looking some place where they actually have someone picking up the calls. read more

STOA Apartments is such a Wonderful place to live. Everyone here is so kind and friendly. Jorge is such a great Agent. Anything I need he always make sure to get it done in a timely manner!. Thank you to the whole staff for all that you guys do to make this a comfortable living space for me ! read more

We have lived at STOA for 5 months and we LOVE it here. Our apartment has the finished concrete floors we love, plenty of natural light, and a great open floor plan. Jorge and Jayvon in the leasing office are so wonderful and responsive! They are always there to help us with anything and they made the move-in process so easy. I cannot say enough great things about them and the whole staff. STOA is 1000% better than any other place we've lived in LA. Whether you like to be in Little Tokyo or Downtown, STOA is close enough to enjoy both. read more

Jayvon was just utterly amazing, made you feel like you were home, his performance, respect, care, and patience that he has for customers coming in for a new apartments was top of the line, his eye for detail and no confusing words just straight to the point, blunt and precise, just the kind of business man we love making business with, we would definitely give this place a shot when the times comes for it. read more

Lovely apartment, great location close to everything in DTLA, cute roof pool and courtyard!

Leslie was so wonderful. Our kitchen sink was clogged and overflowing. She showed up in less than 10 minutes since I made a emergency repair call on a Friday night. She knew exactly what needed to be done and even fixed the faucet. Such attention to details! Positive attitude all throughout. Thank you read more

Love living at Stoa. My apartment is so cozy, warm, modern and updated. All of the amenities are fantastic. But the staff is the best part. They truly make living at Stoa such an amazing experience! Bree read more

Staff is always willing to help and go above and beyond to make sure you're satisfied! Awesome community as well. Love living here!

Great service. The staffs are quick to respond to my request. and very pleasant and wonderful. I communicated with Jorge and Brett and they are just wonderful. They are always there to help us with anything and they made the move-in process so easy. I cannot say enough I give them A+ ratings. Shirimattie read more

Wonderful staff Wonderful building Wonderful amenities And a great location! Staff is very fast when it comes to dealing with issues/ questions/ concerns. read more

STOA is a pretty fantastic place to live! Everybody that I've met, staff included, has been pretty fantastic. They keep the building safe with guard roaming 24/7, and are doing their due-diligence sanitation schedules in preparation for the Corona virus! Thanks STOA FOR BEING AWESOME! read more

Love it here! Jorge, Jayvon and Jason are always courteous, and quick to respond and remedy any issues or concerns.

I am really enjoying the location of my new STOA apartment! Moving downtown and exploring the area has been awesome. Grand central market and the last bookstore are super close, just a few blocks away offering endless food choices and reads. The building itself is in great condition as are he bedrooms. There's not a ton of noise from the tenants above but I can sometimes hear movement. The drains to our shower needed some draino but now work perfectly. Claudia is super helpful and he team is always friendly. read more

It has been such a great experience living at Stoa. The entire team, office and service have been so accommodating and I love my apartment. I love the top quality service. I highly recommend Stoa Apartments. read more

This is my first time living in LA and I have to say STOA is the best apartment out here and the best apartment i've ever lived in. The area around STOA is pretty nice and as safe as you can get living in downtown. Little Tokyo plaza is about a 5ish minute walk and there's so many cute restaurants and shops around. I also wanted to acknowledge whole management team because they are so wonderful. Brett, Jason and Jorge are so helpful and accommodating. What I love most about the management is that how much they care for their residents and they get to know everyone who lives here and it's really nice to see because you don't always get that at apartments. I plan on living here a very long time and I recommend this apartment 10/10! read more