Overall sentiment across the reviews for Forest Dale Apartments is mixed but leans toward value-oriented positives tempered by serious operational and pest-related concerns. Many reviewers highlight affordability as a primary strength: several people describe the complex as inexpensive or low-cost, with at least some units including electricity in the rent. The location is repeatedly praised for convenience — shoppers and errands are easy due to proximity to groceries and neighborhood amenities. Long-term residents report a supportive social environment and many friendships, and multiple on-site amenities (laundry rooms, game room, TV room, computer lab, library, art room, garden nursery, and a fitness center) contribute to an active community life. The physical accessibility of the site is noted: elevators, ramps, and multiple entrances make the building easier to navigate, and residents appreciate on-site services such as helpful maintenance staff and a reliable security guard. A recent change of ownership (about two months prior to the reviews) and reported renovations/upgrades suggest investment is underway to reverse previous decline.
However, the reviews raise several serious and recurring concerns. Pest infestations — notably bed bugs and roaches — appear in multiple accounts, with at least one reviewer describing improper or slow treatment that did not follow recommended protocols and expressing significant health risk concerns. These reports are among the most serious negative themes and contrast sharply with other reviewers who describe the property as clean. Maintenance responsiveness is described inconsistently: some reviewers praise fast maintenance and a helpful maintenance man, while others report ignored repairs, slow response times, and long-standing issues such as dark, filthy carpeting and malodors on upper floors. Management performance is another key pain point; reviewers describe unresponsive or poorly run office staff, phones that are often full, and past management leaving the property in a rundown state. One reviewer explicitly called management 'horrible.' These operational failures appear to be part of the reason for the property's mixed condition, though the new ownership and ongoing upgrades could be addressing some of those issues.
Services and care-level expectations should be clarified for prospective residents: Forest Dale is described as a senior apartment complex without nursing or housecleaning services, meaning it is suitable for relatively independent seniors who do not require assisted living care. The building layout and unit size also matter — multiple reviews mention small one-bedroom apartments and a sprawling building footprint that can create mobility challenges for some residents. There are also gaps in transportation and dining services: no shuttle van and no on-site cafeteria were noted. Wait times to get an apartment can be long, indicating demand, but prospective residents should weigh that against reports of upkeep issues.
Notable patterns and contradictions deserve attention. Several reviewers emphasize a clean, safe, and friendly atmosphere with engaged staff and an active calendar of activities (bingo, art, social events), while others describe severe problems including infestations and visible neglect. This split suggests variability over time and possibly across different building sections or management eras. The presence of new ownership and ongoing renovations is an important contextual detail: some of the negative commentary refers to conditions left by previous management, while positive comments about recent upgrades suggest improvements may be in progress. Specific operational issues that need urgent attention are pest control practices (bed bug and roach reports), building cleanliness in common areas (carpets, hallways), and responsiveness of management/office communications. The long-standing air conditioning outage reported since January 2024 is a serious facilities concern that should be confirmed and tracked by prospective residents.
In summary, Forest Dale Apartments presents a strong value proposition in terms of rent, location, and community amenities for independent seniors, with many residents praising its social environment and accessible features. At the same time, multiple reviewers raise red flags about pest infestations, inconsistent maintenance, and management responsiveness — issues that can materially affect livability. The new ownership and renovations are a positive sign, but prospective residents or family members should probe recent pest-control outcomes, current status of the HVAC system, concrete timelines for repairs, and the specific services included with rent before deciding. Visiting in person, speaking with current residents, and verifying recent inspection or pest-treatment records would be advisable steps to reconcile the mixed reports seen in these reviews.
