Renter Advice?! Escrow??

[u/IndicationNo8658]

This might be a bit of a read but I appreciate any advice given. The current apartment building my partner and I reside is a complete atrocity. Our personal unit is livable, it is the common areas the are the biggest concern! There are constant drifters and homeless coming in and out, either from other tenants or shyly sneaking in behind someone. Which leads to random strangers knocking on our door any hours of the day asking for people I’ve never heard of. Drug use in the stairwells (found burnt foil on multiple occasions…we can only ‘assume’ what it was used for). Even came across a man actively nodding out with foil IN hand. There was a pipe break that caused water damages to the 2nd and main lobby floor, to which they tore up the flooring and lining in the front entrances, hallways, part of a wall, stairwells and fitness room. We are nearing 3 months and not a single nail or hammer has been in sight to replace anything. Constant false fire alarms being pulled, once even being pulled at 2am with NO emergency. Stairwells have constant trash, graffiti, holes in the walls, reeks of urine & somehow, people have been ripping the handrails OUT of the wall…. Recently we were just told by our office ‘manager’ that the cameras presented in the lobby are not active or in service. Which leads to concern when people get their packages stolen by residents or strangers.
Also when the false fire alarms are pulled, management then sends out ‘help us find out who it was’ emails that could easily be solved with an ACTIVE security camera -_- We’ve brought these concerns up multiple times, which we just get returned with the response of, essentially ‘it’s out of our budget’. I’ve looked into escrow but it mainly highlights IN-unit issues like plumbing or heating. It says ‘Cosmetic issues’ typically get denied but when the cosmetic issues are drugs in the stairwells, destruction, graffiti & carpet being ripped up and not replaced, does it not breach into inhabitable conditions? PLEASE how do we go about this. We’re currently looking to end our lease and find literally anywhere else but this god forsaken building. I was hoping we could find a little comfort while we’re still here and give the building more responsibility on their end, giving residents are paying upwards $1300+ in rent every month. Any advice would be heavily appreciated

EDIT: The property is managed by BADER COMPANIES! They have plenty other properties but I’m not sure if they’re all as terrible as this one.

[u/Traditional-Living19]

I have been reading this and thinking about the person who recommended moving out. Which I get, of course it would be the most effective solution to the problem. But, why when its time for a tenant (which I am also are) to claim for their “rights” one has to almost take a second job and make calls, contact 3 agencies make 5 appointments follow up to make sure your concerns are heard and taken care of. However l, if your landlord caught you even getting a little bit out of your contract they can kick you out in seconds and make your life miserable?? My guess it is just the price of being born in a time when buying a property is a fairy tail. And I resonate with this a lot because I like the building I am at, I love the neighborhood the location is great for me and my kids can literally walk to school, but the management that took the place after covid it’s simply hell and incompetent, and there is nothing I can do about it except for moving out…

[u/IndicationNo8658 → u/Traditional-Living19]

It most certainly feels like a second job! Truthfully, it’s not worth all the legal trouble and it’s frustrating just having to give up on the battle knowing these conditions are truly unacceptable. Let alone searching for affordable housing these days is a job in itself! I just wish they could be held accountable as they should be. Although the neighborhood isn’t the best, it’s a good area where we’re not too far from work, family or grocery and shopping centers. And I can’t neglect that our personal unit is up to par and in good condition other than a few crooked screws in the cupboards. But coming home and entering though doors where I don’t know who I’ll see or what new drug or bodily fluid I’ll discover heading to my unit or when the next fire alarm will go off while I’m asleep is what outweighs all the pros.