AVA Toluca Hills

8 months ago

On Friday, there was a major kitchen fire in the unit directly above mine at Ava Toluca Hills. We share the same layout, and their kitchen was badly burned. Despite this, we were allowed back into our apartment almost immediately, even though the unit reeked of chemicals and smoke and had visible water damage from the firefighters. Management came in and told us they would follow up that night with information about safety and water damage repairs. They never did. I called the emergency line, which is just an automated message system. The only person who actually called me back was Steve from maintenance, a hardworking older guy who did his best, and he said management would contact me about feeling unsafe due to the fumes. They never did. Because the chemical smell was giving me a headache and burning my throat, I did not feel safe staying there and paid out of pocket for a hotel. Management did not offer any temporary housing or alternatives. The next day, the manager told me the unit was “completely habitable,” even though they also said they would be tearing down parts of our walls and ceiling because our apartment is directly connected to the burned unit. We were asked to leave while they removed walls and part of the roof. When we returned, the only barrier between our apartment and the fire-damaged unit was a thin sheet of plastic taped to the ceiling, with holes in it. That damaged unit is connected to a tunnel system that filters air, and that air is being pulled into our apartment. The smell of chemicals and smoke was still strong. On Monday, Carlos told me the gaps in the plastic would be fixed. They never were. I explained that I am extremely uncomfortable living in a unit that is sharing air with an active fire restoration zone. Management showed no real concern and instead shifted all responsibility to a vendor who has never even contacted me. If the workers upstairs are wearing hazmat suits and masks, why are we expected to live downstairs breathing that same air? Our microwave is still caked with smoke residue. We have also had no Wi-Fi for a week. This is not the first serious incident here. When I first moved in five years ago, there was a major flood and I was immediately placed in another unit and a hotel, which shows they know how to handle emergencies when they choose to. There was also a past incident where a bullet from a neighbor’s gun went through my wall. The bottom line is this: residents should not be kept in units with active fire damage, demolition, and contaminated air. The management and emergency response here are slow, hard to reach, and dismissive of real health concerns. We deserve a system where residents can reach management immediately in emergencies and where our safety is actually treated as a priority. Right now, that is not happening at Ava Toluca Hills.