I have lived in Seaway Towers Apartments for 5 years and am currently in what should be my final…read morelease, ending July 2026. I am speaking only about the Seaway Towers building (part of the Southgate Apartments Complex) located at 16335 Barberry St. Southgate, MI 48195 Leasing office located at 16700 Quarry Rd.
This building was constructed in 1976 and has not been renovated since at least the 1980s. In my time here, the complex has gone through three management companies Village Green, Pepper Pike, and now LR Management. Renovations were promised years ago, yet Seaway Towers has received none, while rents continue to increase to fund renovations in other buildings.
Basic necessities are not reliably provided. Heat and hot water are inconsistent. During winter 2025-26, management dropped off a space heater with no instructions (that didn't work), leaving me to rely on my oven for heat. The windows are so poorly sealed that cold air pours in during winter and the AC cannot keep up in summer.
LR Management took over in March 2025. I submitted pest control requests in July 2025 due to roaches entering my apartment from the hallway. Despite multiple documented requests through their online portal, pest control did not occur until December 2, 2025 only after I contacted the City of Southgate. Management falsely claimed they had no records, despite my requests being marked "completed" in their own system.
Security and safety are major concerns. Exterior doors do not lock properly, some have no handles at all, and the building is essentially open to anyone. Drug use regularly occurs in the lobby and stairwells. Smoke detectors in hallways have dead batteries that were reported in October 2025 and still have not been fixed even after a city inspection. A prior apartment fire raised serious concerns about how audible (or inaudible) the alarms actually are.
On top of rising rent, tenants are now charged new fees: a required security deposit after five years of residency, a $15/month "Community Protection Program" fee (despite having my own renters insurance since 2020), trash fees, pest control fees, and utilities. I now pay roughly $250 more per month for the same small studio, while new tenants pay less.
This building continues to decay while loyal, on-time tenants are ignored. If you value safety, maintenance, and honest management look elsewhere.
I've had enough, I am despartly looking for another place preferably a studio apartment but it is hard since most want a lot more for a lot less and the credit score expectations along with 3XRent Price in salary. This is how Southgate Apartments gets you stuck. And yes I fear retaliation. But, people need to see what you get for $899 a month with no bedroom heat and hardly any hot water.