The Elm

Disclaimer: This review reflects our personal experience as current residents of The Elm.

We’ve met many residents who love living here, and we understand why. We’re also genuinely fond of the building. The location is great, the amenities are nice, and the maintenance team is excellent. They’re responsive, kind, and always go above and beyond. Kiara in leasing was also incredible to work with and made the moving experience great.

That said, our experience following a fire in our apartment on... July 5, 2025 raised serious safety and accountability concerns. Afterward, we learned from Samsung that our range was part of a CPSC-issued recall from August 2024 due to a fire hazard. Despite that, the building initially downplayed the issue and stated the recall “only involved knobs.” We first notified Montgomery County due to concerns for other residents, and only after filing that report did the building formally acknowledge the recall and begin scheduling building-wide safety work.

We’re thankful that no one was injured, but it’s alarming that it took county and state involvement for corrective action to occur on a known fire-risk recall affecting many units. Safety should always be the top priority, especially in a high-rise building where a single incident can impact hundreds of residents.

If you choose to live here, make sure you have strong renters insurance with a low deductible. It’s not uncommon to get notices that pipes have burst, flooding multiple floors (see past reviews). Elevators are frequently out of service, and any time there are water issues, whether internal or from nearby construction/water main breaks, the HVAC systems must be turned off, which can leave you without air conditioning or heat for extended periods. It’s smart to keep extra water stored for yourself and your pets just in case.

We share this experience not to discourage anyone, many residents are happy here, but to emphasize that accountability and safety communication from management have fallen short. It shouldn’t take government intervention for resident safety to be prioritized. Lee mas

This past weekend, I helped my son move into an apartment at The Elm as he just accepted a new job in DC. I was absolutely blown away by the luxury living and amenities provided. Furthermore, Hana, the general manager at The Elm, could not have been any more welcoming and accommodating during the move-in process. She went above and beyond to ensure that everything went smoothly with our move. We cannot be any more appreciative! I came away more than impressed with the overall experience! Thank... you so much Hana! - Jeff P. Lee mas

I can't wait to move out. This building used to be a great place to call home, but since AIR Properties has taken over my experience has been very disappointing. I've lived here for a year and will not be renewing my lease!

Fees added or increased since AIR properties took over:
1) Residents are expected to pay a percentage of the common area utilities.
2) Luxar Package delivery service
3) Energy conservation fee
4) Pet rent increased/month
5) Increased parking fees including making nearly all... parking assigned parking which costs significantly more. 

Services removed since AIR properties took over:
1) Packages are almost never logged in the system even if they make it to the designated "secured" package area. This means that packages are left all over the building and, unless you know a package was delivered for sure, you need to hunt it down on your own.
2) They have eliminated on site parking attendants so there is no one available if the gate stops working or when cars park in the 15 minute loading zone overnight. 
3) Front desk staff is not very helpful and often not at the front desk. When I asked why a package wasn't logged into the system I got the response "well that's not our job".
4) There are no longer any printers available for residents.


Additionally there have been several major leaks in the building in the past few months. Issues like this can happen from time to time and are not AIR's fault however, their response has been less than stellar. Lee mas

Between the frequent water leaks and related noisy/dirty drywall renovations, sloooow and broken elevators, the difficulty of getting deliveries (drivers cannot figure out where to deliver!), construction and street noise, and poor security, I am not sure where to start. Oh, rent hikes, that was the last straw for me. Buh bye, Elm. You are a beautiful building but you need a lot of work.

After having a neighbor move in with a dog that won't stop barking (and can be heard clearly in my entire apartment), the management would not let me out of my lease. Additionally, they have instituted new fees including one to use the package receiving service (?!) that we never agreed to. Would steer clear, there are other nice apartment buildings in the area