This was my first apartment out of college, and if nothing else, I learned a lot about what to look for in my next apartment. When I first visited Foxchase, it seemed decent, I visited some other places in the area but got sold on Foxchase because of the secure entrance (which doesn't really matter when your neighbors leave the door propped open). My first indication that something wasn't right should have been when I went to sign the lease, and they bumped my rent up 40 dollars from what they told me it would be when I turned in the application. My area coordinator was also pretty unhelpful and cold. She left and there is a new girl there that won't return phone calls or emails, needless to say, I have a pretty negative view of the staff.
Another major problem when you first move in is that they don't let you see your apartment until the day you move in, and they don't walk through it with you. I understand it is a very large community, but in my opinion, this should be a requirement. I had a few issues that they had to come in and fix right away, including a huge hole in the balconey.
Aside from that, my first year was decent although I have pretty much written maitnence off and take care of things myself. One night I went to take my dog out and the door would not open from the inside, I tried everything to get out, but couldn't, the deadbolt was jammed and wouldn't unlock. I called the emergency maitnence number and they told me someone would be out in the moring to fix it and that it wasn't an emergency. I was very upset and called my parents who live close. My Dad came over and ended up in a full out argument with maitnence and they finally came out after he told them it was an emergency, I am on the 3rd floor and wouldn't be able to get out if there was a fire or something. After opening the door, the guy said he wasn't going to fix the lock and someone would be out in the morning, so I was supposed to sleep with my door unlocked all night''''' Luckily my Dad was there and forced him to fix it before he would leave.
Like many of the reviews have said, there is a huge mice problem. Its not totally managements fault, they can only control people and their messes so much, but they are not very responsive about taking care of it. I ended up buying my own traps and by passing management after a few inquiries that had no response.
I have a dog and live in the dog area, which for the most part has been nice. Most of the other dog owners are very nice and its fun to be around so many other dogs. However, a lot of people don't pick up after their animals, you really have to watch your step. And there are no consequences for that. I know its hard to inforce that, but they don't even try.
The buildings are kind of gross on the inside. Unfortunately I've been stuck in a building where obviously many of the residents just don't care how it looks. They throw trash everywhere, leave their junk mail all over the floor, etc. I know that again management really can't control that, but they should at least try to send notices about it. Also, since its a building with indoor entry to your unit, you get the horrible smells from other people's apartments. I have to keep febreeze plug ins and light candles every night for it to smell ok. Whenever someone burns something cooking, it goes through the whole building.
Safety is a HUGE issue. I do not feel safe at all at night. There is a lot of drugs and violence in the area, and management does nothing to alert the residents after any incidents. Its even more unsettling when there is a unit in your building that gets a lot of drug traffic, which you can smell through the whole building and management doesn't care to do anything about it.
I'm sure Foxchase isn't the worst place out there, but if you have the extra money to live somewhere else, then I would. Fortunately my lease is over in April, I have switched jobs and am moving to a much nicer, safer facility in Maryland. Its all about asking the right questions. Make sure you ask about area demographics and crime, if you don't want to live with Section 8 housing, make sure they don't accept that (Foxchase does), ask anything you feel you need to, if you are going to be living there, it is your right.

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 02/10/2009
I've lived here for a year and have not experienced any of the problems that you listed above. Some of the things you mentioned just come with apartment living. If you have dirty neighbors, you're building will have mice. The leasing office cannot go in and make people clean their house. No I do not work for the leasing office at all, but I grew up in NYC and understand what comes with apartment living. Depending on your unit, you may have some things wrong with it. I will give you the "emergency" maintanence thing because they are kind of crappy with coming out and actually fixing something that night, they try to just mend it until the morning. But anytime we've had problems that needed maintainence, they came and did their job. I don't understand why you don't feel safe at night because if you walk down the street at any time of the night, there is nobody out. Now across Duke Street by the 7/11 might be a different story. But I've walked to the Harris Teeter and back, by myself, at a very late hour and never felt threatened. You want more safety than that? Move to Woodbridge. You live in a DC suburb. You want to live 15 minutes from the city, then you get a more congested area with a more diverse group of people in the neighborhood. Foxchase aint the Ritz, I'm not saying that. But it's not as bad as you make it seem
From: Anonymous	Date: 02/10/2009
Do a crime search of the area, its not safe.
From: Anonymous	Date: 02/16/2009
I agree with the 2nd comment. I've lived here for 2 years and haven't experienced any of the issues this young lady discusses. I have never seen a rat or bugs for that matter and I live on the bottom floor. I've never experienced "high crime" in this area. If you don't think break ins and crime happen in "non-high crime" areas then maybe you should reevaluate your perception on city living. It is not the responsibility of the apartment staff to inform you of surrounding crime activity. That's your responsibility; ignorance of the law is no excuse. The apartment staff and maintenance staff have always been attentive to my needs. Like the last person said, this is no Ritz, but it's safe, clean and liveable.

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