The Heights at Columbia Knoll

Carpets are filthy and torn. Replacement has been “scheduled “ since before we moved in 4 years ago. Outside of windows have not been washed in more than 5 years. 1 of 3 elevators out of service since Dec 2022. Activities director left and was not replaced. Currently no devices except weekly grocery trip for 10-20 people. Management and residents always at odd, daily rule changes. Good apartments for price if that’s all you’re looking for. Completely inadequate parking. Hard to get out and walk because of hill and bad neighborhood.

My dad has been living here for about 5 years and the management has gotten worse. The front desk person is rude, doesn’t speak when I come in, and if she does speak, her tone let’s me know how sincere her hello is. The management has falsely accused my dad of doing things that he hasn’t done and didn’t sincerely apologize. They continue to find reasons why he shouldn’t be “here” anymore when he isn’t bothering anyone. All the residents like him and know he is dealing with dementia, but the management has treated him, my sisters and I like we have personally done something to offend them. I plan to take this situation all the way to the top.

The male manager of this building slipped and told someone the Heights now has 29 units infected with bedbugs. People wait up to 2 months for the exterminator. Meanwhile the bedbugs breed. This is a health hazard. People here are elderly and many are frail. Moving is expensive and all the residents are low-income. I am posting this review anonymously because I'm concerned about retaliation toward my mother-in-law.

This is a beautiful property that has been plagued with management issues. If you consider living here, I strongly advise you NOT to buy your basic cable services through the building. They charge $45 and you receive no credit on your regular Comcast bill. When I told them I could get a better deal going directly through Comcast, I was told they would turn off my services through the building's cable box, if I 'opted out' of their basic cable charge. I am in the process of contacting senior management to resolve this. There is no legitimate reason I should pay $45 to the building, without this amount being credited on my Comcast bill (for phone, Internet, DVR and modem.) Caveat emptor.

The application process at The Heights at Columbia Knoll was exhausting and frustrating. It took over two and a half months to get approved. After speaking with the tenants and local senior advocates along with reflecting on the way we were treated by the management, we concluded this was not the place for us. The staff is not properly trained and cannot answer basic questions. The Compliance Manager is arrogant and lacks any/all compassion. It's basically "his way or the highway" and there is no consideration extended to the prospective tenant whatsoever. Needless to say, he should not be dealing with seniors nor the public at all for that matter. If you're considering the Life Enrichment Program....don't, the food is awful. Just sample it or speak with the tenants that were fooled into purchasing it as part of their lease agreement. On a positive note, the apartments are nice (small but nice) and given the reasonable price this place should be full with a waiting list but alas it isn't, perhaps you should ask yourself why.

The application process at The Heights at Columbia Knoll was exhausting and frustrating. It took over two and a half months to get approved. After speaking with the tenants and local senior advocates along with reflecting on the way we were treated by the management, we concluded this was not the place for us. The staff is not properly trained and cannot answer basic questions. The Compliance Manager is arrogant and lacks any/all compassion. It's basically "his way or the highway" and there is no consideration extended to the prospective tenant whatsoever. Needless to say, he should not be dealing with seniors nor the public at all for that matter. If you're considering the Life Enrichment Program....don't, the food is awful. Just sample it or speak with the tenants that were fooled into purchasing it as part of their lease agreement. On a positive note, the apartments are nice (small but nice) and given the reasonable price this place should be full with a waiting list but alas it isn't, perhaps you should ask yourself why.

The food is actually execrable! Tonight, for instance: can you imagine anyone combining shrimp scampi with brussel sprouts? ...and then, the scampi consists of overcooked shrimps, butter substitute and rancid garlic...and the brussel sprouts were, of course, too old and over-cooked. These were served with dry, mealy mashed potatoes. Twice a week we get some kind of ground beef that is so over-cooked (and over-salted) that it takes a chef knife to cut it! The beef, pork and chicken are all the oldest and poorest cuts legally available. The 'fresh harvest vegies', better known as frozen peas, carrots, corn and green beans have lately been enhanced with a soupcon of soap! The daily soups are last night's left-overs scraped into a pot with an addition of the cheapest soup base currently available. (Every now and then, perhaps once a month, there is a fabulous creme soup...there must be a 'soup fairy' who occasionally drops by in the dark of night!) All summer long, here in the foodie capitol of the country, there have been NO fresh berries, peaches, plums or lettuce, cukes, beets, carrots or squashes. All to say, they are trying to make their bottom line by cutting all costs possible in the kitchen.

We told financial manager our monthly income (which turned out to be net because of Medicare Part A taken out before we see bank direct deposit0. When we presented SS award letters and another award letter for prove of income, each plainly stated gross income (as well as net) with us sitting right in front of financial manager, he could have done the math is his head, realized we had too much gross income to qualify for their program and sent us on our way. Instead he assured us everything looked good, took application money and said it might take 10 (I figured business days) to have everything cleared by gov't entity involved with this program. We also told him us had given notice where we were living and had to move by end of July. We waited, heard nothing for over 10 business days then started calling and leaving voice messages on his personal business phone or email daily. No response. July 23nd (one week from end of month, we physically presented ourselves at his office. He told us then, that we didn't qualify. When we asked why he hadn't contacted us, first he denied our attempts to reach him, said we should have gotten a letter (which we didn't), then said he got a couple of our (can't remember adjective he used but something like frantic or maybe hysterical) messages. Our messages were polite, direct and expressed our anxiety about his lack of response to our serious situation and deadline but, they were not hysterical. It should have been a clue to him when we kept trying to reach him, that we didn't know the application outcome. All he needed to do was take 5 minutes or less to call us and let us know. Instead he left us hanging. No apology. Very clear that once he saw we didn't qualify, he could care less about us. No empathy, compassion or professional courtesy. Then, I found out from a friend that a similar thing happened to her and her husband regarding this financial manager not long before our experience. He has no business being in a position of serving people. He obviously doesn't care about people as humans. I sincerely hope he learns to treat people better or gets in a situation where he is on the receiving end of such carelessness and thoughtlessness to bring the impact home to him.

Do you like BEDBUGS? Then come to Columbia Heights. Eight apartments now have bedbugs, probably spread by the cleaning staff when they vacuum. What has management done about it? Nothing! Oh, they HAVE told people that they have to get rid of their mattresses and buy new ones with their own money--in spite of the fact that the bedbugs are being spread by staff. The new management is so horrible that they've alienated almost everyone. They've changed rules that made the place livable, they're planning to shut off all entrances except for the front door, which means that older people are going to have to walk a long way to get around the building from parking to the door. The managers gossip about people, accuse people of things they didn't do, and the male manager when so far as to put his hands on a resident and force her out of the dining room because he thought she shouldn't be in there with a urine bag. They've been here about 9 months, and residents have started to call lawyers and HUD to try to get some help and protection against the managers. And the low prices of the apartments is a thing of the past, because all new residents MUST buy into the Services program (the same services that are spreading the bedbugs). So now, instead of renting an apartment for $850, you MUST buy the Services for an additional $600 a month. This place no longer offers value, and it doesn't buy friendliness or respect from the management, either. A lot of people are afraid to complain because they know the management targets those who do. A Place For Mom needs to stop recommending this place.

If you can go any where else, DO. This apartment complex has some built-in problems--the food is bad, and the dining room doesn't serve many healthful options, and the turn-over rate among staff is high. There's a new manager in place who is in the process of instituting new rules that make life for residents more difficult. Now they say they're going to only allow residents to come in the front door--so all of the people who are forced to park in the back are going to have to walk around the building with their grocery bags or whatever else. This is hard and unsafe, since the property perches on a hill. Worst of all is management's new insistence on new people being on LEP--the 'life enrichment program' that includes the unpalatable meals. A regular apartment is about $800, but with LEP, the rate is raised to almost $2000, and they're going to start insisting that new residents sign up. Go elsewhere if you can.

My overall experience here has been very positive. They have a new director and in the short time they have been there they have tackled a lot of the problems other reviews spoke of. I love the food they serve and they have brought back the continental breakfast so now there’s 3 meals a day. The meals have flare to them, I believe there’s going to be prime rib for Christmas dinner ??

The lifeplan is high. Some of the services I would like them to offer without having to pay the full amount. You either pay the full amount to receive the services or not.

I think it's a pleasant place to live overall. This is an independent living facility but most of the people seem to be 1000 years old. It can be kind of depressing in the hallway. It would be a lot nicer if they kept the carpet in the hallways clean. Other than that, it has been a good experience. The staff is very friendly. They are helpful. I can't rate the care services because it is not applicable.

The current "director" is awful. Food is terrible and concierge is the worst. No help at all.

Lots of changes, parking issue, needs paint in halls. Lots of staff turnover. Price is right food is awful

I think it is a nice place. We visited early December and enjoyed our time there.

I have lived here at The Heights at Columbia Knoll for almost two months, and I am still getting acclimated. Unfortunately my husband passed away shortly after I got settled in, so I have been somewhat keeping to myself and not able to get to know the facility too well, but my overall impression of it has been decent. The people are very friendly.

If you are looking for a place to live for yourself or your loved one, keep looking. This is not a good place to be. The residents are great, but management is horrible! Stay away.

As of today we no longer have driver or a real manager and all good staff have left within weeks of each other. The stand in manager is rude and condescending and has been caught in several lies. Management is some of the worse I've ever experienced in my 76 years of living. I moved here from a wonderful retirement home when money started to get low. So far.. It has not been worth it . Unless you want to feel like your living in an insane asylum keep looking. Strange bunch of people. Wish I could leave but am stuck for now.

There are several issues with this place. 1. It's dirty. Not well kept up 2. It's overpriced for the quality/quantity you receive for the money 3. There are people here who clearly belong in assisted living. My neighbor used to get up at all times throughout the night, naked and urinate in the halls and on lobby furniture 4. We are cash cows. That's it. 5. Food is getting worse 6. High staff turnover 7. No respect from the managers 8. Bad location 9. Always changing the rules on us 10. Constantly losing checks and rent payments then handing out eviction notices when it's the not the residents fault!