I've lived at The Colony for almost four years and it has become a real dump. The stove in our rental apartment is one of those old push button stoves from the late sixties or early seventies. The maintenance was just OK under the old management but became horrible when the new management took over. They stopped trimming the hedges and the place began looking like a jungle. They even stopped the pest control. Under the old management they spayed every other month and I never saw and bugs. Now they are everywhere. I spray my own apartment but anytime work is done in an apartment near mine or when someone moves out here they come. The former owner had pride in the complex and did timely quality repairs. He sold the complex after the 2005 hurricanes.

We were living here when the new management company took over. They made us pay a huge increase in rent and then only provided us only a 7 month lease versus a 12 month because they we planning to go condo. In Sep 2006 our rent for a 2 bedroom 1 bath when from $930 per month to $1025 a 10.3% increase in one year.

In Apr 2007 they announced the complex would be converted to condos. They announced that the current tents would have the opportunity to purchase their apartment. They actually offered the apartment I was renting to me for a little over $184,000 as is. What a joke' These apartments are full of termites, they treated mine in 2006 but they were back last year. During last year they did not care about the renters, only trying to sell these old run down apartments as condos. The few conversions they have done look to be done with cheap labor and materials. I went around looking at the models when they had their grand opening and was rather disappointed with the craftsmanship. They paved the entrance and beautified the office gave it a face lift with lush landscaping to make it look nice to people buying. But if you drive towards the back of the complex the street has numerous potholes and not enough of or proper speed bumps to control the many speeders that live in the complex. This is not a safe place for children to play. There is no playground and with the many speeders the street is definitely not safe to play in.

The complex s security is far from satisfactory. Most of the security guards that sit at the front gate can not speak English and it seems every few weeks it is a different company providing security. This is suppose to be a gated community however the only the main gate is manned and only at night. The north and south gates are suppose to be closed by a certain time but rarely on time. I do not know why they bother the gates are only 4 feet tall and I have watched many individuals just jump over them instead of going to the main gate. I walk around the complex every night for exercise but rarely have I seen the complex security personnel checking out the complex only sitting on their behind at the front gate. The previous owner at least had a decent security company. This is the same complex that University of Miami s football player Brian Pata was murdered. The same are where he was murdered is the same area where the security lights have not worked since the new management took over. As of today 2 March 2008 they still do not work. The reason we are still here is my wife and I just finished school and are now looking to leave this area soon. I would not recommend this complex as long as the current management still controls it.

User Responses
From: SouthMiamiRenter	Date: 03/02/2008
You speak 100% the truth. I'm sure glad I escaped from that dump after being there one year when the new owner took over. For those looking to live in a ghetto, this would be a great place!! LOL

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