5/2/25
Serious Decline in Quality, Safety, and Cleanliness
I lived at Vespr for almost a year. When I first moved in, it felt like the nicest building in Downtown Oakland, but it has gone downhill quickly.
Staff are rarely available and often unprofessional when they are. The concierge desk has become a mess, and basic maintenance is neglected. We are charged a monthly porter fee, but the hallways often stay dirty for weeks.
Pet owners routinely let their dogs urinate in the elevators and outside on the columns, benches, and even on the ButterflyMX... systems at the entrances. Flies and bugs are now a regular problem. Some residents have aggressive, poorly trained dogs that create safety concerns, and management does little to address it.
The gym TV has been broken for months with no replacement. People openly smoke marijuana and cigarettes in the garage, filling it with smoke, and no action is taken.
Security is also an issue. The garage gate stays open far too long, making it easy for unauthorized people to enter behind residents.
On top of the rent, Vespr charges a 20% Oakland rent tax and a 1.395% city tax that are not clearly disclosed upfront.
Vespr once showed promise but now feels poorly managed, unsafe, and far from luxury living. I would not recommend it.
Review from Apartments.com
Property Manager at Vespr responded to this review
Hello. Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear your experience hasn’t met expectations. We’re actively working on improving cleanliness, security, maintenance, and enforcement of pet and smoking policies. We also strive for transparency with... fees and are happy to clarify any questions. Please feel free to reach out if you’d like to discuss further.
Ashia Williams, Property Manager
