Familiar with Chatsworth, by Topanga & Lassen in SFV?? Specifically, Mountain View Manor in Chatsworth??? (Los Angeles: apartment complexes, renters)

[bondrea]

I have been endlessly searching apartments in the SFV area, mostly West, and besides the comfort and price of the apartments I've been looking into, one of the main deciding factors for me and my friend, two twenty-something females, is the safety of the area. Does anyone know this general area, specifically on Septo St near the intersection of Topanga and Lassen?

I am looking into renting at Mountain View Manor. I have done my homework elsewhere on crimemaps, but I would appreciate any additional information on the area, and preferably the building if anyone has lived here or knows someone who has/does. I know every move is a gamble with safety, insects, maintanence issues, etc, but taking the chance someone may be able to enlighten me more. We just don't want to spend all our money moving and then end up with apartment renters remorse...

[RodC]

I cannot tell you anything about Mountain View Manor, but I can comment on the area. I live just off Topanga and Plummer, which is a block south of Lassen. The area is perfectly safe. This part of the valley, from Topanga westward, is generally affluent and well taken care of.

I definitely recommend the neighborhood, but as for that particular complex, I did a quick search and found some very negative reviews (apparently the result of poor ownership)...

Opinion of Mountain View Manor Apartments posted 9/1/2003: This is a horrific place to live.
Opinion of Mountain View Manor Apartments posted 4/10/2004: Stay Away!

[bondrea]

Thanks so much for the comments and the additional checkup! I doubt anyone will know the particular apartment complex, but I did check apartmentratings.com as part of my homework, and have checked it for every apt. we've considered, and those two reviews are from '03 & '04, so I'm nt sure they have much relevance now, and at least the manager in '07 cared enough to comment on the page. Most of the other comments I've read from people at other bldgs more recently, have been much worse, I mainly worry bout the safety and street parking, since one of us will always have to park on the street. And also rent hikes, I hear that a lot of places will raise the rent or post random increases...

[RodC]

There is another option you might want to consider, although I don't know if it will fit your budget or your current needs. Just throwing it out there. The Chatsworth-West Hills area has several mobile home parks of varying sizes and varying levels of rent. Woolsey Canyon is nice, a couple of miles west of Topanga via Plummer. The big benefit is that it's a gated community and it's secluded enough that there is no trouble from outsiders. There is also a gated mobile home park by Topanga and the 118.

[streetscenes]

The areas you are talking about, as well as most of the San Fernando Valley are in the City of Los Angeles and the apartments are covered by city of LA rent control. Rent increases are limted to +/-2% per year. Newer buildings built after 1980 (I think that's the year) don't have rent control.

[SandyCo]

Actually, apartment complexes built before October, 1978 are under rent control. The annual rent increase percentage is whatever the L.A. Rent Stabilization Board decides it will be. Beginning on July 1st, it's 3% until July 30, '09. Then on July 1, '09, it could reset or stay the same, depending on what the board decides. The minimum increase is 3% and the maximum is 8%, however.

http://lahd.lacity.org/LinkClick.asp...bid=36&mid=542

Originally Posted by streetscenes

The areas you are talking about, as well as most of the San Fernando Valley are in the City of Los Angeles and the apartments are covered by city of LA rent control. Rent increases are limted to +/-2% per year. Newer buildings built after 1980 (I think that's the year) don't have rent control.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by bondrea

Does anyone know this general area, specifically on Septo St near the intersection of Topanga and Lassen?

Where will you be commuting to? Depending on where you are commuting to, your position between the 101, 118 and major arteries such as Topanga, Desoto, Valley Circle, etc can greatly affect your drive.

Also, that area is really close to the train station which would get you straight to downtown. Not bad with $5 gas.

[bondrea]

Streetscenes and SandyCo, thanks for the valuable rent information!

RodC, I don't know much about mobile homes parks or if that would be for us. Not sure if that would be any cheaper... I've found tons of nice apt complexes that are over our budget, and a bunch of nice ones but they don't allow pets or they only allow cats, and we want a little dog.

Charles, I work at the Warner center in Woodland Hills so I don't think it'll be a problem for me really, but my friend works on Ventura in Encino, so if ever we need to cut down on gas, then that's a good thing the train station is near... it's not too near I hope...

[Charles]

Originally Posted by bondrea

Charles, I work at the Warner center in Woodland Hills so I don't think it'll be a problem for me really, but my friend works on Ventura in Encino, so if ever we need to cut down on gas, then that's a good thing the train station is near... it's not too near I hope...

The train will not help either of you. However there is a special fast bus lane that runs from Rocketdyne down the old Southern Pacific spur right of way that heads in that direction.

metro.net - Orange Line Interactive (broken link)

[streetscenes]

Originally Posted by SandyCo

Actually, apartment complexes built before October, 1978 are under rent control. The annual rent increase percentage is whatever the L.A. Rent Stabilization Board decides it will be. Beginning on July 1st, it's 3% until July 30, '09. Then on July 1, '09, it could reset or stay the same, depending on what the board decides. The minimum increase is 3% and the maximum is 8%, however.

http://lahd.lacity.org/LinkClick.asp...bid=36&mid=542

Thanks for the specifics on rent control, I can never remember the exact dates and amounts.