The Laurel Company

Katie Kardok _{on Google}

Mar 9th, 2022

Laura has been a pleasure to work with. She is always quick to answer inquiries, and made our moving experience seamless! 10/10 would recommend to anyone looking to rent a place. Thank you Laura!

margie aragon _{on Google}

Sep 6th, 2019

Nice properties to choose from

Coran B. _{on Yelp}

May 28th, 2022

I had the great misfortune to come across an apartment for rent advertised by the Laurel Company. After corresponding with Laura via email, I arrived at the open house where I met with my parents as well as approximately six to seven additional "prospective tenants." We (everyone, presumably) all liked the unit very much, and as we were informed the applications would be reviewed on a "first come, first served" basis,  my parents followed me to the rental office where we hastily (but thoroughly!) completed the paperwork in the parking lot and went in to submit it. The office staff were extremely polite and friendly, but expressed surprise to receive an application so quickly as the agent (Laura) had not yet returned herself. My mother and I went into a conference room with Nancy, the accountant, where she ensured I had filled everything out. (I apologize for the length and slow pace of this review - my reason for being so thorough will become evident.) As I regrettably became disabled in 2007 I now have a Section 8 voucher in order to continue living close to my familly, in Santa Barbara. I explained this to Nancy and she asked me a number of questions about the program as the Laurel Company does not have any tenants - past or present - in possession of this assistance. As soon as I paid the $40 credit check/application fee I raced down to the SB Housing Authority in order to find out how quickly they would be able to do the inspection that is necessary prior to moving in to an apartment. They are closed on alternating Fridays - which just so happened to be this week - so I called a friend and asked him to go into my apartment and search through my hundreds of business cards until he found the one I knew I had belonging to a HUD inspector. He found it. I called, and in spite of the gentleman's voicemail stating he was on vacation and therefore "do NOT leave a message," I did so anyway as it is a holiday weekend and I had been informed the owner wanted the unit filled ASAP. I had only been working (volunteering) for approximately 45 minutes when I received a call from Laura with the news that - in spite of the three people in her office saying otherwise - someone else had turned their application in ahead of me. Evidently I present as having some manner of mental disability, as this appallingly blatant lie is an insult to my admittedly unimpressive - but adequate- intelligence. Having a Section 8 voucher....SUCKS. It is humiliating and demeaning to have a disability. Exponentially more so when one is looking for a new apartment, as the stigma (ignorance) that comes attached to the wretched HUD voucher is almost intolerable. In 2020 California passed a law prohibiting owners, property management companies, etc. from continuing to discriminate against individuals receiving federal aid for their rent. Personally I think the law is absurd as it merely means I waste countless hours and hundreds of dollars looking at and applying for apartments even though my applications are automatically and immediately passed over. As apartment rental companies do not want to be too overt in their discriminatory policies they are unwilling to save me the expense, time, and energy by simply stating there's no way in hell they will rent to me. Regardless, it IS illegal to be acting thusly, and while I am not judging anyone working for this company - as likely they are just acting on the owners' orders - they are still making the choice to break the law, discriminate against the disabled, and treat me as though I am an imbecile with a single digit I.Q. I did not confront anyone at the Laurel Company with the obvious absurdity of their claims as they have already wasted too much of my time. I have been incapable of looking for an apartment the past three days - and counting - as though it was not the first time I've experienced prejudice the past month it hadn't been to this degree. My rating of the Laurel Company can be summed up neatly in one word: base. (Please see below for definition if needed.)1.morally low; without estimable personal qualities; dishonorable; meanspirited; selfish; cowardly2.of little or no value; worthless:3.debased or counterfeit:4.characteristic of or befitting an inferior person or thing.5.of illegitimate birth.6.not classical or refined: