By Ami Medina, Dec 12, 2024
From overflowing trash bins to questionable security staff, The Current, a newly opened Gilbane Development Company-owned luxury apartment complex available for Cal Poly Pomona students, has become the site of a series of safety and sanitation-related incidents since its debut.
Eager to start the fall semester in the comfort of their newly constructed housing, students were promised modern amenities, and a well-maintained living environment . However, these assurances quickly fell short.
Zariah Hufana, apparel merchandising and management student at CPP and resident at The Current, recalled a troubling security lapse during the first round of move-ins.
“There was a break-in on the first-floor rooms and windows were smashed in,” Hufana said. “Multiple TVs were stolen.”
This incident raised serious questions about the safety of the building, and it left many students feeling vulnerable in their new homes.
Security concerns extend beyond physical safety with reports of unprofessional behavior from some staff members. Roma Marrow, a hospitality student at CPP, recounted a bizarre encounter her friend had with a security guard.
“My friend doesn’t live here, but she was hanging out with her friends late at night,” Marrow said. “She parked next to the visitor spots because they’re always full. When she went back to her car, a guy in a security shirt approached her and told her through text-to-speech that she was in the wrong spot and insisted he get in her car to show her the right place. He pointed to an empty lot where no one is supposed to park.”
Marrow said fortunately, the friend managed to leave before anything escalated.
The odd behavior of this particular security guard didn’t stop there.
“My roommates had run into the same guy over the summer,” Marrow said. “He would leave sticks in the gates to keep them open, and when they took them out, he’d argue with them using text-to-speech.”
This unprofessionalism seemed to go unchecked as students later witnessed security guards partying and drinking with residents while on the job.
These incidents raised serious concerns about the level of oversight and professionalism within the building.
Leasing issues have also caused frustration for many residents. Samantha Perrin, a student at CPP, said she struggled with transferring units.
“In September, I went to the leasing office after getting an email about securing my spot for next year,” Perrin said. “I was told that if I didn’t resign, I’d lose my unit, which seemed strange…After some complaining, I was able to resign for a different unit. But then, within a week, they opened up spots to new residents, leaving me frustrated and confused.”
In an effort to get clarification on these ongoing issues, The Poly Post reached out to The Current’s management team. Despite an attempt to contact them, and even a visit to the front office, The Poly Post was informed The Current management team would not be offering any interviews or statements in response to the claims raised by residents.
Beyond security concerns, students are frustrated by amenities that were heavily advertised but have yet to materialize.
Makayla Lee, a criminology student at CPP, highlighted the disappointment of the much-touted on-site grocery market.
“A lot of students I know who don’t have cars chose The Current mainly because of the grocery store near the leasing office, but up until now, it’s still not here,” Lee said.
The lack of promised amenities has only added to the growing list of unfulfilled expectations.
Parking has also been a source of tension. Although there are several empty spaces in the parking lot, students have said they’re frustrated by the office’s confusing and ever-changing parking policies.
“When I tried to move in, they raised my parking rate from $40 to something higher, despite what I had originally signed,” said a CPP student, who withheld her name in fear of management retaliation. “My mom had to go full Karen to get it fixed.”
The Current is marketed as a luxury apartment complex, and the high cost of living there certainly reflects that claim. Many students are facing rent increases for next semester, despite still-unfulfilled amenities and others that fall short of the promises made.
The trash situation at The Current has become another point of contention. Students have described the trash chutes as more of a nightmare than a convenience.
Tiarra Phillips, an animal science pre vet student, said that the management poorly handles the trash disposal system.
“The trash chutes are awful,” Phillips said. “You have to haul your trash across the building to throw it into a room that smells awful, and it’s always overflowing.”
The inadequate trash management has left many students with a bad taste — literally and figuratively — in their mouths.
The Current’s pool, which was advertised as one of the key amenities, has earned a reputation for frequently being closed.
Madison Lampi, a criminology student at CPP, said: “Sometime in September, there was a massive heatwave, and it was the perfect time to go for a swim, but the pool was green and closed. I went down to the office and asked the lady at the front desk the situation with the pool, and her response was, ‘I don’t know when it will be clean, I know something had happened this weekend and they weren’t able to come. Sorry.’”
Students who were looking forward to using the pool during the fall semester were left disappointed, since the pool was closed again early October and was finally opened Dec. 5, two weeks before winter break.
Although The Current is not owned by CPP, it was heavily marketed to CPP students, with many choosing to live there due to its proximity from campus. As a result, the majority of its residents are CPP students.
Photos courtesy of The Current residents
