Crystal Place Apartments — Local services in Washington

First of all, be aware that Equity Residential attempts to censure its tenants with legal threats, like the ones in the letter I keep posting photos of and they keep deleting. Despite that, ask yourself why the positive reviews are so vague and why there are so few reviews in general on sites they can’t control as easily as Google. Generally, happy residents don’t need to be threatened with being sued for posting honest reviews. Second of all, this building was run by a completely different management company and was amazing before ~2013 so understand those reviews may as well be about a different building.

Now the important stuff. The concierges are amazing, Herman in particular. Without them, I would have moved 3 years ago. Most likely, your experience with the leasing agents will also be pleasant. In fact, any minor issues you need fixed by the Service team will also be taken of quickly and professionally.

Heaven help you if you have any major issues like mold in the air vents (my own personal hell), backing up drains with someone else’s waste water, recurrent leaks, continuous sound complaints, car vandalism, or expect or need the elevators or garage doors to be in working order on a routine basis. These issues require major maintenance actions, outside contractors and approval from management to spend the necessary amount to properly fix the issue. Now, if you thought that when issues affected people’s health or safety management would of course be all over it to ensure quick resolution, think again. Management actually did the exact opposite of proper protocol when I had visible mold in my apartment not once but FIVE TIMES. They painted over it; vacuumed it up themselves; and even hired cut rate contractors to vacuum my air ducts, spreading the spores all over my personal property, making me incredibly ill. They even allowed these contractors to spray pesticide inside my home, on my personal belongings and inside my HVAC and air ducts, against EPA guidelines, and not only failed to give me 48 hours notice, but didn’t even tell me about the pesticide usage until days after it was applied in an off-label manner by an unlicensed technician.

So now, not only do I pay these slum lords over $3000 a month to put my health at risk, but they have also damaged all of my personal property and failed to repair it or compensate me for the loss, and even caused me to be dislocated from my apartment for 5 days, agreeing in writing to provide alternate accommodations but then didn’t, which caused me to have to procure my own short-notice accommodations at a cost of over $1,195.

And wouldn’t that be enough? But it’s not! B/c the manager, Rosie Challender, who maintains the professionalism, care and trust of the spawn of Satan himself has threatened the quiet enjoyment of my residence every single month that I have lived here since I signed my newest lease. So I pay over $3K a month and can’t even sit in peace in this horrible, horrible death trap of an apartment. The best part was when they refused to replace the outer barrier of the building and my inner wall with anything more than plastic sheeting this winter while a blizzard ravaged the area, and then threatened to hold me financially responsible for any damage done to the building if I didn’t let them in to repair the walls in the days following, which as I had to warned them weeks earlier was when I was having surgery. Really, I’d like to think that even the spawn of satan gives you a pass when you get your abdomen cut open in three places, but not Ms. Challender of Equity Residential. No, she’ll threaten you in writing and disclose your medical condition to the entire apartment employee distribution list, including the weekend concierge temps. Oh, and the best part is, even though they disturbed me the next day, they didn’t even contract someone to build back the wall till over three weeks later. Clearly, urgent maintenance worth threatening someone about to go under the knife.

Don’t live here unless you don’t value your health or...

---- EDIT AS OF 04/01/2023 ---- Charged $283 for electricity in Feb when I had my heat off the majority of the time and was constantly wearing sweatshirts in my unit / slippers / sleeping with numerous blankets. Exploitative company. DO NOT RENT HERE. The situation will not improve. I've been a tenant since Dec 2021. I just renewed my lease, but regret it. Living here would be perfect if it weren't for the astronomical utility prices Equity Residential charges at Crystal Place. I love how clean and safe it is here. I renewed thinking our inflated utility bills would be a temporary issue but management refuses to work alongside residents to implement solutions. Read on for details.

I already pay 200/ month for reserved parking but my electricity bills are over 300/month when I work 60 hours a week and am barely home. Our building allocates your electricity bill based on square footage, not individual meters. And, our building managent purchases energy through what's called a "Competitive Service Provider" that is NOT regulated. The provider in question, Calpine energy, charges significantly more per kWH compared to local providers such as Dominion.

I kept my apartment at 76 F for the duration of this summer and did what I could to cut energy usage. Residents are powerless in alleviating our utility bills due to the aforementioned "averaging" of costs by square footage, and management's refusal to find a better priced energy provider. Management insists on keeping lots of lights turned on in the hallways at all hours, and maintaining a hallway temperature of 68-70 F even in the midst of heatwaves. Yes, there is a deduction in our utilities for amenities, but the fact remains management willingly signed us up to pay significantly higher electricity bills than the average VA consumer and refuses to assuage the issue in any way.

Numerous residents in this building and a sister building (also owned by equity) banded together to brainstorm ideas to address these utility woes. Equity management repeatedly declined to attend resident meetings in any manner (despite adequate advance notice). Management as a whole refuses to take any responsibility for signing a contract with Calpine that is not in residents' best interests. Temporary savings in the first year of the contract gave way to energy that costs 2x more than competitors such as Dominion.

In an email to residents, Management said Calpine justifies their higher rates due to "anticipating upcoming worldwide increase in energy demand and a need to invest in renewable energy sources." As a PhD Chemist that previously researched carbon capture technologies, I intimately understand this issue and agree we need to pursue renewable energy. HOWEVER, I have two major issues with Calpine's statement. 1. Residents deserve to consent to whether they're willing to pay these higher rates. 2. Calpine stated they anticipate these costs. The word choice of "anticipate" instead of "incurred" indicates that Calpine is preemptively charging higher rates (to residents like me!) to pad their savings account.

You'd think Equity would stick solar panels on the roof of our building, initiate an optional energy usage audit, or reduce amenity energy usage to get residents like me to complain less. Equity's building management practices should reflect an eco-friendly attitude if they're willing to defend Calpine to such an egregious extent. It's frustrating that Equity's words and actions reflect a lack of empathy or care for residents. When I lived in Minneapolis, I willingly paid higher energy costs to Xcel because I enrolled in their renewable energy program. The main difference is that I chose to do that and I possessed an individual meter. I could scale back usage when costs increased. Here, residents are not given the choice nor ability to reduce costs due to the way our utilities are calculated and the ongoing contract with Calpine. How is...

My review focuses on Ms. Laura Moore, the Leasing Manager at Equity Residential’s Crystal Place Apartments, for her outstanding professionalism and dedication. From my first interaction with her, Laura has consistently demonstrated a rare combination of competence, warmth, and responsiveness. She manages every resident interaction with thoughtfulness and clarity, ensuring each resident feels welcomed, heard, and supported.

Laura’s genuine concern for the well-being and happiness of Crystal Place residents is evident in everything she does. She approaches each conversation with empathy and patience and follows through on every request or question with care and consistency. It’s clear that Laura doesn’t see her role as just a job—she takes pride in helping people feel at home and works diligently to ensure the building community is one of comfort, respect, and kindness.

In addition to her leasing responsibilities, Laura effectively fulfills the role of Property Manager. She handles all building issues—from coordinating maintenance and resolving apartment concerns to managing parking logistics and communicating policy updates—with a level of efficiency and attention to detail that is truly commendable. Residents know they can turn to her for help with any issue, and she handles each matter promptly, calmly, and with a clear sense of accountability.

Her consistently positive, cheerful demeanor makes Laura so beloved by residents. She is approachable, dependable, and always greets people with a smile—traits that foster a sense of trust and community throughout the building. It’s no surprise residents speak highly of her and deeply value her presence here. Laura Moore is the heart of Crystal Place Apartments, and her work is a shining example of what exceptional property management should look like.

If you are looking for an apartment in Arlington, VA, I highly recommend contacting...