From the looks of these reviews, Steele is great if you are a building owner. As a tenant, though, if Steele is your building manager, I'm sorry. Our apartment was recently changed over to Steele's hands about 12 months ago and it has been a change for the worst, no question.
In particular, one of their staff (name redacted) is an incredibly rude, inconsiderate, and thoughtless "broker/property manager/ccrm". I'm not sure what her problem is, but she seems to be hellbent on powertripping against the residents she imagines she lords over. MO is showing up unannounced, LAYING on the bell until you open the door, copping an attitude when you exercise your right to question - hey, weren't you supposed to give us 24 hours notice", and making up fake excuses when she pretends, "oh i didn't know X, Y, Z was actually IN your unit" which therefore makes me exempt of the "24 hour rule", etc. etc. She seems to particularly enjoy behaving in this unprofessional manner when accompanied by contractors and other workers. Perhaps she would be more professional while supervised by her coworkers, but alone she enjoys getting off on making others feel beneath her.
As one could imagine, any and all interactions with her have been troubling and unpleasant. If any yelper has experienced different, please prove me wrong.) Case in point, this morning was no exception. After trying for 5 minutes to invade the back of our apartment, (I was in the kitchen with my daughter when her minion contractor tried to push into our unit ("oh, i didn't know that door led into your unit"), she walked over to the front door, buzzed once, and then apparently forgot how bells work b/c then she left her finger on for about a full minute until I was able to extricate myself from toddler breakfast mess and answer the freaking door. We proceeded to have a annoyed discussion of why I was trying to prevent their unannounced access into my home - (huh... so weird!..) after which (and I HATE that I did this) I let them in.
Steele in general has been quite poor in the renter management department (they are definitely in the business of making money for the owners), but this review is dedicated to this particular Steele staff person because of the stellar human being she is.
My family has been in our unit on the upper side of 1-10 years, and have been respectful, conscientious, clean, quiet tenants. But, ever since Steele has arrived, we have been hit with multiple requests to enter our unit suspiciously followed up by formal "change in lease terms" notices, requests to pay mysterious "back charges", and rent increases. At least we are thankfully rent controlled. I can't wait until we move out. But in a way, there is some respite in that every day that we do continue to live here keeps some fraction of profit away from their dirty little pockets, especially Ms. property manager lady.
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update -
This could be construed as a personal review, but as 95% of my interactions with Steele have been through this one individual and this individual represents this company when she appears banging on our door, I feel it is fair and stand by it, even after the heat of the moment. Putting on my rational hat, I also do not think my reaction is out of line.
The takeaway is that I do not think it is out of the question to expect that people be treated as people, with respect and rights, which is something that this individual lacks and abuses in her position of property manager. As such, this is something that should be corrected and the purpose of this review. read more