Los Angeles renters aren't overjoyed. According to the Apartment List Renter Survey from Apartment List, Los Angeles has a C+ renter satisfaction score. Commute time, school quality and affordability were key characteristics that lowered the score. San Francisco topped the renter satisfaction list nationally, along with Boston, MA, Denver, CO, Charlotte, NC, while Baltimore, MD, Memphis, TN and Detroit, MI, received the lowest scores. We sat down with Sydney Bennet, a senior research associate at Apartment List to talk about L.A.'s score.
GlobeSt.com: L.A.'s renter's satisfaction rating is a C+. What are some of the reasons that Los Angeles renters are unhappy?
Sydney Bennet: Los Angeles renters are most dissatisfied with commute time, quality of schools, affordability and pet-friendliness, which all earned D grades. The dissatisfaction with commute time is likely linked to both LA's notorious traffic, and affordability concerns, as many renters move further away from work in search of more affordable rentals.
GlobeSt.com: Overall, how does L.A. stack up against other cities?
Bennet: Overall Los Angeles earned lower scores than many cities, ranking 36th out of the 50 largest US cities. Within California, Los Angeles earned a lower score than San Diego (A-) and San Francisco (B+), but higher scores than San Jose (C), Sacramento (C) and Oakland (D). In the LA-area, Huntington Beach and Pasadena earned the highest scores, with A+ grades. San Bernardino earned the worst grade, with an F, while Long Beach earned the same overall grade as Los Angeles.
GlobeSt.com: What does L.A.'s renter satisfaction rating mean for apartment owners and investors?
Bennet: Although Los Angeles renters expressed moderate dissatisfaction, part of the reason affordability remains such a persistent challenge in because Los Angeles is such a popular place to live. Rental demand will remain high, but lower grades, in particular for affordability and school quality, may indicate that renters wanting to start families may leave the area. Renters who express lower overall satisfaction are also more likely to move a new city as prices rise, but currently, there are plenty of renters moving to the region to take the apartments on those who leave.
GlobeSt.com: What should apartment owners do to increase renter satisfaction?
Bennet: Dissatisfaction with living in Los Angeles doesn't necessarily mean renters are unhappy with their current apartments, although concerns about rental prices persist. Additionally, many Los Angeles renters ranked the city low for pet-friendliness. Apartments that allow pets, and have outdoor space for pets to play, will likely be popular with LA renters.
GlobeSt.com: Taking past surveys into consideration, is this a rating that is improving, stagnant or declining, and why?
Bennet: Last year Los Angeles received a C for overall satisfaction, indicating slightly improved scores. Most category grades were similar to last year's scores. One notable difference is that the public transportation score improved from a C+ to a B+, possibly the result of planning public transportation projects in the region.
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Kelsi Maree Borland
