Verano La Jolla

A JOKE! I had a visitor over, NOT OVERNIGHT and her car was towed from GUEST parking. I went to the HOA office to demand a reimbursement of $ 260, and was told that all guests who park in guest parking day or night need a pass! I was never told this by my landlord. I was told a pass is needed only when it is for over night parking! They are crooks! I am sure that they get a kickback from the towing company. Location is prime but the HOA is the worse!
Counting days for my lease to be up!

On a month to month lease now. Don’t plan on moving out. Just wish my unit was more upgraded but its good.

We just moved in a couple of months ago and love it here. We got lucky and wound up renting a really nice upgraded unit. The state of your unit really depends on the owners. My unit doesn’t have AC which is really awful in this heat wave, but that’s my only complaint about the unit itself.
The complex offers two really nice pools, one with a BBQ area, an air conditioned internet café with a free printer, and a nice gym with cable TV in front of the cardio machines. My partner and I really enjoy these amenities and use them almost daily. There is a large, nicely kept park a short walk behind the complex and they have had a free concert as well as movie night events in it since we moved in. Both were lots of fun!
The only thing that kind of stinks about this complex is the parking. You only get one assigned garage spot per bedroom in your unit, so if you’re sharing a one-​bedroom with someone and you both have cars it can get a little difficult. The outside free-​for-​all parking lot fills up very fast, but there is plenty of street parking just across the street. I have never been towed. The parking rules are clearly posted by the mail boxes and they are easy to follow.
Overall, the location and amenities are amazing for the price and I think we’ll stay for a while.

Great location near UCSD with decent street parking. Across the street in the other complex you are able to park. Do not park in the lot here without a parking pass though.
Alright complex overall. Nothing standout. There is a great park near the complex and is close to the UCSD shuttle stop.

This place sucks. Parking is very tight and there is no parking after 8. Walls are really thin. Within a month of moving in we got a burst pipe in the ceiling. Stay away from this place.

It’s alright for students

We’ve owned our unit for a year now and are still very happy with The Verano. The management is doing its best to maintain and improve the place. The pools are being resurfaced and converted to salt water. The driveways have been redone. The gym updated with new TVs. I don’t know why there are so many whiny reviews.

I enjoyed living here for a few years, and since then, it has improved significantly. The HOA board is very responsive, and they do a lot to keep the area safe and maintained properly. If you’re a crappy tenant that makes a lot of noise or leaves crap on your patio for others to see, then you won’t like it because they’ll come down and warn you or fine you. The location couldn’t be better with lots of shops a few blocks down, UTC mall, and a gigantic park nearby.

I read the reviews before moving in, but many were dated and I thought things had changed. Boy, was I wrong!
This place is a condo conversion complex. I rent from an owner. Since moving in in July 2013, I have experienced the following:
1) The walls and ceilings are paper thin. The neighbors who moved in above me sound like they have been having olympic preparation running matches, when they’re probably just walking back and forth.
2) The complex management/​HOA saw it fit to shut down the entire parking lot and parking garages for 3 – 4 days. During that time, they commandeered a dirt parking lot several blocks away for residents to park at. I parked in the center of the lot, next to all of the other cars lining up. The following morning, I was up for work and would have made it to work right on time. Unfortunately, the management was somewhat short sighted, in that my car and about 20 other cars were completely blocked in! That’s right, a car in front and a car behind my car. First, I called Verano security (who actually answered!). The security guard had no idea what to do or how to handle it. I hung up with him and immediately ordered a tow-​truck to come move the cars. Honestly, each of those cars blocking someone in rightfully deserved a baseball bat to the windshield.
To make the storm even more perfect, the tow-​truck driver spent about an hour trying to figure out the best way to move one of the other vehicles. Before he figured it out, one of the drivers parked catty-​corner to me left for his workday, and I was able to successfully move my car about 40 times back and forth (think Austin Powers) to get it out with barely centimeters to spare on each side. But it’s ok. My management at work didn’t mind me literally being an hour and a half late…
3) Less than one month after closing the surface parking lots and parking garages to resurface the asphalt (which already looked brand new), the management posted signs that it would be occurring again, citing «a homeowner’s neglect». Another two days where parking had to be shifted out to the limited parking on the streets (which normally fill up along with the parking lots-​you can imagine the impact this had without additional parking/​dirt lot this time around. Signs were again posted warning residents of tow-​away in case their vehicles were not moved.
4) While using the bathrooms across from the community gym, I opened the door at about 9:00pm to find one of the management’s hired security guards passed out on the bathroom floor. He was half asleep and took about 30 seconds to wake up, get up and leave the bathroom area. Glad to know we’re safe and our property is being looked after appropriately. After all, what are HOA fees for?
5) My unit had a severe leak from the upstairs unit that trickled down into the bathroom walls and ceiling and needed to be repaired, taking about a month where I didn’t have shower/​bathroom access. According to my experience and other reviews, this is apparently very common.
6) This complex has pre-​printed door tags that notify you that water will be shut-​off during the daytime within about 3-​days notice, for someone in the building requiring some type of maintenance to their pipes/​plumbing. You’ll find a door tag hanging on your doorknob at least once every couple of weeks. Your water will be shut off usually during the day from about 9am-​5pm.
7) Calls to security about noise complaints or other concerns usually ring to a voicemail. Likely a case of someone sleeping on the job again. Just call straight to the cops.
8) A notice was sent to the landlord regarding a box fan I placed in the window during the day on the summer. The fan was running during the day to blow some exterior air into the unit for air circulation (no A/​C). The notice warned of HOA action and fines in case the problem was corrected (fan taken down). Mind you that the fan was removed every time at least by 7pm in order to close the windows.
9) Garbage/​recycling trucks can be heard at least once a week on Mondays during the daytime. Pickup trucks take the metal garbage bins out of the parking garages and large garbage trucks back up and load the trash into the trucks. The incessant «beep beep» backing of all the trucks (pickups and garbage trucks) in the fleet lasts most of the day. And that means they’re there from about 9am until 2pm, at least. If you work night shifts, this is something that you’ll definitely hear during the day, thanks to just about all of the buildings’ thin walls and even thinner single-​pane windows.
10) Community maps are poorly laid out. I’ve run into several first responders on scene (cops and firefighters/​paramedics) who’ve been walking around in circles trying to make sense of the complex. There are maps at each entrance, but are extremely basic and don’t help much.
Don’t make the mistake I made. The location is great, sure. But at what cost. AT WHAT COST!

I am very happy at Verano, gym, pools, BBQ, all around it’s a great place to live. UTC, Trader Joes and Whole Foods all nearby and neighbors are quiet for the most part. Definitely recommend to anyone who wants to live here.

After finding my rental on Craigslist and looking at the bad reviews on Unilocal and other websites, I was a little hesitant at first. From the outside and even from the unit I looked at, I couldn’t understand why there were so many complaints.
I still decided to sign a lease. I understand these are condos but I rent from the condo owner. I have been here since October 1^st and seriously couldn’t be happier.
I went from a 1930’s beach bungalow in La Jolla near Windansea Beach (waaaay overpriced with every issue possible) with the WORST landlord in the world so I was excited to have a landlord through an actual management company that is there for you if needed and makes it easy to pay rent online. I’ve lived in probably 10 rentals over the last 15 years and I would say I have lucked out with this one.
I LOVE the layout of my apartment (704 sq ft). It’s spacious with a washer and dryer in my unit (so dreamy!). The building was built in 1987 and I would say my appliances and apartment were remodeled around the 2000s. I looked at a vacant unit downstairs and it was SO old, definitely original from 87 or the early 90s.
My location is very quiet and my neighbors are quiet too. There are a lot of UCSD kids but I rarely hear a party. There is a fitness center and 2 pools and hot tubs. This place has a lot! They have a very nice walking/​running path all throughout the complex and goes into the La Jolla Colony Park.
I also was reading previous posts about the parking being horrible and how they ticket, boot or tow your car. HELLO, WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE. Listen to the rules. I luckily have a underground garage pass so I always park there and when I have a visitor, I give them the orange parking pass to display in their window.
Here’s some tips:
1) You can park outside without a parking pass but if you are parking overnight, you must have an orange parking pass from a resident.
2) If you have a green parking pass, you can park in underground parking but make sure you know your parking spot number. Consult with your management or owner of the unit if you are unsure.
3) When Verano posts signs and says they will be paving the driveways of the Verano, listen to the sign and do not park there. You will get towed. Don’t be stupid.
4) I lived in Los Angeles for 4 years and never, ever did I get a parking ticket. My friends, on the other hand, get a ticket on weekly basis. Don’t be like them and be aware of the signage. Be smart. Open your eyes. Figure it out. If you are unsure, just park on Lebon Road or near the Dog Park where there are no parking restrictions.
I love living here, it’s so conveniently located to everything I do between work, school, grocery shopping, exploring, etc! Thanks Verano for turning my living arrangements from hell to heaven!

I am surprised by the problems people have. We are owners and have been happy with our unit. It is very close to UCSD and UTC shopping center as well as a little shopping area with Whole Foods, Peet’s Coffee, movie theatre and has great freeway access. Luckily (so far — knock wood!!) we haven’t had any serious repair problems. The amenities are so nice with numerous facilities like tennis, pool & BBQ & workout areas.

You pay for what you get!!! SUPER CHEAP=SHITTY BUILDINGS. It is half the HOA and how the buildings were built but also the owners who are too cheap to update their homes for renters.
This is based on an almost two year experience.
We had to leave because get this: MOLD.
We had an environmentalist (paid big bucks) to detect and so we could leave. NO WONDER I kept getting chest congestion and needed an inhaler for a bit.
Environmentalist said that the walls from the inside were wet, due to shitty old plumbing, and the HOA and owner played back and forth run around and I am guessing they are not fixing because they are way TOO CHEAP.
Rent elsewhere, we were too fixated on the cheap price and location, but your health and sanity are totally not worth it.

I have lived here for 6 years and it’s a GREAT PLACE for the money. The complex is very clean, as the same small crew of maintenance worker has been working here for years. They work hard and seem to care about cleanliness and quality. Verano is adjacent to the La Jolla Colony part, which is one of the city’s best parks, period. It’s private, and a wonderful place to walk or play with children. Yes, there are many students and young people, and they are invariably quiet and polite. This is UCSD territory, and the undergraduates and graduate students here are serious students, not party types. Verano is surrounded by amenities, including a wonderful small shopping center across the street, which has just about anything one needs, including grocery store, dentist, eye doctor, veterinarian, pizza, mexican, bank, etc., etc. They key here is that the parking is good and the convenience amazing for people who live nearby. Say what you will about Verano, but the price is right, it’s wonderfully clean and kept, and the neighbors are respectful.

THIS PLACE IS AWFUL. I would never rent here again, let alone even consider buying one of these overpriced, shoddy apartment-​conversion condos.
In my experience, it seems that most of these units aren’t owner-​occupied and are rented out. A lot of the renters are UCSD students. While the noise is nowhere near as bad as when I attended and lived near SDSU, there are still the usual drunken college students coming home at 2 am that will wake you up. They don’t even have to be that loud — the walls in these units are so thin that I literally have heard my neighbor shifting in bed.
The units are poorly constructed and were obviously made as cheaply and quickly as possible in the 70’s or 80’s for student apartment housing. The plumbing is absolutely terrible, and I believe I saw a notice that the company who converted these units to condos is being sued for shoddy construction. I’ve lived here for almost 3 years (unfortunately, but leaving this summer) and my water is turned off almost once a month for them to repair plumbing in various units.
In fact, a few months ago, our water was turned off because everything from our toilet was flowing into our downstair’s neighbors shower. YES, you heard that right. OUR TOILET WASTE WAS COMING UP IN THEIR SHOWER. Unfortunately this is not uncommon. There have also been multiple units who have had pipes burst and flood their entire apartment. We personally have had two separate leaking pipes in our walls that had to be repaired. Three years of living here and three separate plumbing incidents… lovely.
There are a lot of dogs in this complex, which doesn’t bother me much because I’m a big dog person and actually work in the veterinary field — but some of the people who have dogs are very inconsiderate of their neighbors. There is one person in particular who lets their dog pee all over the concrete walkway instead of the grass or potty area EVERY SINGLE TIME he goes potty. Seriously. It’s not nice to have to sidestep urine every time I walk home. I already deal with that everyday at my job :)
Lastly, let’s discuss the lovely HOA and management office. They have been decidedly unhelpful, to put it nicely, in all my dealings with them. My husband, who has a parking permit, was almost towed because his car was parked in the same spot for 72 hours. Apparently they have a rule that you can’t do that… although there are no signs posted and nobody ever told us. He was out of town for ONE weekend and they were going to tow his car, even though it is permitted? Ridiculous.
I also received several citations myself for having a hummingbird feeder on my patio. ONE SOLITARY HUMMINGBIRD FEEDER. Who in the world would be offended by that? The management said that the HOA rules state that no items are to be hanging from your patio. «In fact», the HOA manager said, «the only items permitted on patios are patio furniture and plants». Oh okay, thanks for telling me exactly what I can have on MY OWN EFFING PATIO.
In case it’s not obvious, I hate this place and I strongly suggest you look elsewhere!

Having lived here for almost a year, I can say that I will not be renewing my lease with the homeowner of my particular condo.
On the East side of the complex, no one picks up their dog poop, the parking spots range from way too small to oversized and no one seems to have manners so your car will be door dinged at the very minumum.
They do not post CLEAR rules about the parking.
Had my car towed because I had ANOTHER apartments temporary pass hanging in my rear view mirror and their pass sitting on my dash board (like the other 50% of the cars do). «Nikki» at the front office is a joke and no help at all. Told me that it was my fault for not following the parking rules (which I never recieved when I signed my lease) and then told me I would have to speak with the «board» to get my $ 600 refund for them falsly towing my car. What a joke! I went to the «board» meeting and was told that they didn’t deal with things like that in person and I would have to write a formal letter and submit it. You have to be kidding me? Right? Beyond that, guest parking near the «church» is sometimes hard to come by.
I have heard the people in the condo next to me doing the deed late at night, and they condo on my other side playing video games well into the night. I have water stains on the ceiling in my living room and bathroom. There is mold growing on the ceiling above my shower. Ventilation was not top on their list of things to fix. Oh, and if you get one that has the built in heaters that are against code and absoluety not safe don’t run that thing. My bill almost trippled from running it only 4 – 5 hours a day four days a week.
This place is a joke to live at and I would not reccomend anyone here.
The only plus is that it is close to the 5 and has a good walking path down the way.
Bottom line, stay away. I do not know how people OWN these things.
**UPDATE**
Just thought I would update my fellow Unilocalers on the status of my towing ticket! «Nikki» sent me an email (yea, an email. Such great professionalism) stating that management reviewed my «request» and denied it. When I asked for a hard copy to be sent to my house, she came up with the most mind boggling answer I have ever heard. «The Board does not typically provide a written statement regarding items discussed. They review the documentation submitted to them and discuss in executive session. It is at that point that they make a decision and ask management to contact the homeowner with their decisions. They are a volunteer board and that is why they employ a management company in order to handle the administrative portion of Veranos needs. I hope you find this information helpful in understanding the process this was addressed.» My question? Why did you tell me I needed to speak with the board in the first place? Ridiculous! I will be taking them to court. Do not allow there security company to punk you out of your money! MMI Management Company is a joke!

This is not a place for older folks. Its more for students and younger people. A lot of UCSD students live here and they park there cars in the middle of the roads while going back to school after lunch. The HOA sucks they do nothing. The security guards do nothing but secure that your car gets towed. Even if you live here and have a wrong colored pass by mistake when you first move in,. NO WARNING!!! I SWEAR the guards and Western Towing work together and they pay the security guards because they hunt like dogs to get cars towed. Beware of Western Towing cost is 300+ for having a wrong color pass.
The good thing is the location is close to the stores and mall down the road. The pools and spas are nice as well as the BBQ’s which you can use between 10am and 10pm.

Paying $ 265 for your car getting towed makes my grumpy. It was towed because I had the wrong color parking pass in my truck. The security checks every car in the lot as their duties between the hours of 9pm and 5am. My truck was towed at 4:40am. 6 apartments in my area has their units broken into recently. One of my neighbors lets their dog pee in their patio which leaks into the walkway. Gross.

they have your typical problems of rushed building — leaky pipes, thin walls, shoddy repair work. I believe these buildings were built in the 1970s so they have been around a little while. I saw these things go through their whole «conversion» from apartments to condos, it basically entailed extending the porch area on all the bottom level units, repainting exteriors, and adding in some tile work in the walkways. (and turning that fire lane into a grassy walkway). the «upgrades» offered in various states are pretty, but are also shoddily done, cheap material and wayyy overpriced.
the management here is awful, the HOA is out of their friggin mind, and the hired security is worthless for anything but giving out parking tickets to residents, and towing your car in the middle of the night. your garage that you think is secure is so not. Do not keep a motorcycle here, its pretty much guaranteed to get thrown in the back of someones pickup truck and made off with. I cant tell you the number of fliers i’ve seen asking for info on a stolen motorcycle or bicycle.
additionally, this whole area is chock full of college students, its right on the shuttle route for the school (very convenient if you are a UCSD student) and its even within biking/​walking distance of the university. That also means that you will have neighbors up all night playing video games or getting drunk with their friends and being loud, and you will have people moving in and out all the damn time, especially at the end and beginning of the school year.
I did like the pools/​jacuzzis here, and they do have a fitness center and a sauna.
These condos are dog/​pet friendly and unfortunately there is no limitation of the breed size — this crazy lady that i used to neighbor had a mastiff! There is also a dog walking area down the middle, but its so nasty with dog poop. Actually the whole freaking place is nasty, people walk their dogs down the concrete walkways and just let them pee and poop wherever. It *smells*, and they have to bleach down the walkways every month or so to keep them clean looking. the dogs are also let loose in every area that has any grass at all, so really dont walk around barefoot and dont let your kids play on the grass.