After rebranding and changing management, The Radley is still dealing with criminal activity, such as shootings and motor vehicle theft, according to residents.
The Daily Gamecock interviewed 11 residents at The Radley apartment complex about their experience living there. Overall, residents have said they do not feel safe living in the complex but believe the management change has brought some security to their residency.
The Radley rebranded towards the end of 2024 from its former name, Alight. According to its website, The Radley is "designed with students of USC in mind" and its residents are made up of students and non-students.
Resident concerns
The residents interviewed said they heard about or experienced break-ins, shootings, motor vehicle theft and drug dealing within the apartment complex.
Mackenzie Lacons, a second-year Midlands Tech student, said there was a kidnapping and multiple car break-ins during her first year of residence.
Second-year finance and business economics student Will Vaught said there were shooting incidents while he lived at The Radley.
"I think one month there was three or four shootings. One of them was fatal," Will Vaught, a second-year finance and business economics student, said.
Lacons has lived at The Radley for two years and said she is not surprised by shootings in the complex as they seem to be common in many places around Columbia.
Last September, a driver was shot and killed in the parking lot of The Radley and lost control of their vehicle, hitting another individual.
Former resident and USC alumnus Evan Haus also said there were several shooting incidents within the complex during his residency.
"My roommate got robbed at gunpoint ... and it wasn't even a resident," Haus said.
A few years ago, Haus' roommate had his keys stolen by two random men, which he believed to be high school students. Haus said the two men proceeded to crash his roommate's car.
Third-year social work student Lucy Strasburg said there were five shootings within the complex and that drugs were sold in the parking lot near her apartment.
Second-year finance and marketing student Dylan Manriquez said he has heard gunshots outside of his apartment.
"I've seen somebody die, like right there," Manriquez said. "I was coming back from my class that day. I remember walking over, and I saw the guy in the stretcher."
David Lin, a third-year finance student, also said that he has experienced unsafe conditions during his time living at The Radley.
"We had a shooting last semester," third-year finance student David Lin said. "At night, it's probably not as safe."
Haus said he believes apartment complexes, such as The Radley, lack safe living conditions and target young college students by providing cheaper rent.
"I mean money talks," Haus said. "That's always gonna be the biggest driver for people."
Thomas Davis, an older resident, has lived at The Radley for about nine months and said he feels like it is a safe place to live now but thinks age and maturity is a contributing factor.
"I get along with everyone there. I've never had a problem. I've never not felt safe," Davis said.
Davis said he thinks the younger residents and alcohol are part of the safety issues within the complex.
"But I can deal with certain situations differently than some younger people might because I have a little more patience and more tolerance."
The Radley did not respond to a request for comment.
Maintenance
Besides violence and noise, five of the residents interviewed have complained about the quality of the utilities and maintenance in their apartments.
"Most of the issues that I've had with the apartment complex have been maintenance," Gilbert said. "They're not very well-trained, and they're really horrible on time management and they just make up excuses for why they can't help you."
When Gilbert moved into her apartment, she said the ceiling in her shower was peeling and falling on her. She said reported the issue in July, but is still dealing with it nine months later. Gilbert also said she felt the maintenance staff was condescending towards her and her roommates.
"They way that they kind of talked down on me wasn't very nice," Gilbert said.
Vaught said the maintenance staff do not always come at convenient hours and has not been satisfied with their service. He said that while the drain clog in his sink was fixed, the toilet that was incorrectly mounted to the wall was not.
"Sometimes they just say they fixed something they didn't," Vaught said.
Haus said things in his apartment broke weekly.
"Even just the little things get messed up, like knobs on doors, falling apart left and right," Haus said.
Manriquez said he and his roommates had several sink floods and a dishwasher flood. He said it can take weeks for maintenance to respond to their requests.
Third-year information science student Laila Conway said she has had similar encounters with the maintenance staff and shared advice on how to navigate the situation.
"You just have to kind of advocate for yourself to make sure that it can get taken care of," third-year information science student Laila Conway said.
None of the residents interviewed said they would recommend living at The Radley. Vaught said he would not recommend living there unless you are "strapped for money."
Improvements
Three of the interviewed residents said they believe the complex has improved safety and professionalism since the rebrand and management change.
Second-year criminal justice student Dasia Gilbert saidThe Radley has started putting up new gates to keep the complex more secure after the shootings and other incidents.
"I heard about a gate, but I didn't know if it was gonna be something for now or next year," second-year student Bella Cosentino said.
Manriquez said that he thinks the gates will not keep cars or people from entering the complex and that they are instead "for looks."
Lacons said The Radley has started incorporating better security measures.
"They put in actual security. There's people that drive around. The police will come on certain nights and just make sure everything is okay," Lacons said.