Things have gotten better at Asa. Matt is gone and has been replaced by pretty fantastic new…read moremanagement, lead by Natalee. She is very reasonable, helpful, and genuinely cares.
Today I chatted with her about the security in the bike room. She didn't promise to make all the improvements I proposed, but she listened carefully, thought about them critically, and is going to investigate a handful of them. There also hasn't, to her knowledge, been any theft from the bike room since they installed digital locks for the bike room (and throughout the building) about six months ago.
Natalee also was very helpful the other day with some internet issues I was having. Long story short, I got a new router and needed to contact whoever deals with the networking equipment in the building, CenturyLink is terrible, but Natalee stuck with it and was patient and responsive throughout the process. She was thoughtful enough to recommend ditching CenturyLink in favor of Astound, which I did. Now I am paying like $40/month less for 10x faster internet from a provider that has great customer service.
There are, however, some issues that stem from corporate, as opposed to our on-site management staff. Digital keypads were installed on our apartment doors to replace physical locks and keys. In chatting with other residents, people seem pretty frustrated by them. The flat touchscreen provides no tactile feedback. It's easy to "misclick", especially when your hands are full. Etc, etc. Management never consulted residents to see how they feel. Similar story with (presumably expensive) renovations to the common areas. Ultimately though, they are issues I could live with.
Aside from management, I think what I said in my initial review is still mostly true: super convenient location, clean building, nice common areas, thick walls that seem nearly soundproof, no bugs, fantastic maintenance, but sketchy homeless people and drug use around the building and the Safeway in particular.
I think the sketchiness around the building is probably a big thing you should consider. Some people are bothered by it more than others. If you mind your business, objectively, I don't think the risk is anything to worry about. But subjectively, you might feel uncomfortable. I'd recommend stopping by after 10pm once or twice to get a sense of how it makes you feel.
On a more positive note, I'd also recommend getting a feel for the location and the area. Think about what destinations you frequent and how easy they are to get to. Supermarkets, gyms, restaurants, bars, farmers markets, parks, dispensaries, coffee shops: there are lots of good options close by.
I really like that Asa is pretty centrally located. Head south and you'll hit downtown and PSU. West and you'll hit Nob Hill and 23rd. North and you've got Mississipi, Alberta and St. Johns. East and you've got various cool neighborhoods.
And it's all easy to access via foot, bike, streetcar, bus, or MAX. I don't have a car and make my way around the city just fine. If living at Asa (or another centrally located building) allows you to get rid of your car and save $500-1,000/month, that might be worth paying a premium for.