Copper Beech conditions improving
Published Nov. 14, 2006
Management's response to Copper Beech Townhomes residents' complaints of slow response to maintenance requests and a lack of parking spaces has improved, said resident and sophomore Matt Rebackoff.
Rebackoff said Copper Beech property manager Rebecca Williams brought a representative from Sherwin-Williams with her to his apartment just days after he and his roommates complained of grout on their floors.
"They came in and were literally on their hands and knees scrubbing our floors with paint thinner," he said.
Several weeks ago, the response was not so quick. Rebackoff's now-defunct Facebook group, "Official Petition Against Copper Beech (Withhold your rent!)" attracted more than 100 members by October.
The members' complaints included the management's slow response to maintenance requests as well as a lack of parking.
Copper Beech Townhomes has properties in California, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia. It opened its Columbia property in August. The apartments are located off Old 63, north of Grindstone Avenue.
The Missouri Students Association introduced legislation last month that would have discouraged students from renting at Copper Beech and banned the company from advertising on campus, including participation in off-campus housing fairs and posting fliers on buildings or doors, MSA Senate Speaker Davie Holt said. The resolution has yet to come up for a vote.
"MSA had a lot of students come to us and address some of the concerns that they had about living conditions in Copper Beech," Holt said.
Rebackoff met with Copper Beech Senior Vice President George Selembo, Copper Beech National Sales Director Beejan Savabi, and representatives from the Missouri Students Association, including Holt.
"All the problems that arose have all been solved," Savabi said. "It was a very positive meeting."
Rebackoff said he deleted the Facebook group after complaints decreased and Copper Beech management asked him to do so.
Copper Beech officials said they used the group as a way to reach out to dissatisfied residents.
"We went door to door and knocked on everyone's door to make sure everyone was happy," Savabi said.
Although the legislation has not been formally withdrawn, Holt said it probably will be soon.
"I'm pretty satisfied that Copper Beech is trying to make some changes and address student concerns," Holt said. "We'll probably pull it off the table if the rest of the senators agree."
The residents' chief complaint, parking, has been addressed by a new policy that allows anyone with a Copper Beech permit to park in any available space. The old policy gave residents assigned spaces.
"With the way they planned the neighborhood and the amount of parking spots they have, this is, from what I can see, the best arrangement they could have," Rebackoff said.
The controversy at Copper Beech does not appear to have affected its housing sales. Savabi said that of about 600 tenants, 100 to 150 have renewed their leases for the next year.
"This is just our first round of renewals," he said.