Colonial Meadows

Pros

• Colonial Meadows is described as very nice, clean, and organized.
• The staff and managers are said to work hard and try to help as much as they can.
• There are many good people living there who deserve respect.
• Abigail and the office staff are praised for their work.
• The maintenance staff, including the new maintenance man, is described as kind and respectful.
• Onsite management is described positively as great.

Cons

• The property manager is racist and considered the worst the tenants have seen, with retaliation and eviction threats against residents.
• Seniors are described as living in an unsafe, stressful environment due to management's indifference to their needs.
• Package theft by on-site residents is common, and the community is distrustful because management cannot supervise every floor.
• A tenant was wrongfully evicted, losing a housing voucher, due to unprofessional conduct and misrepresentation by the management.
• The management company is accused of misrepresenting properties and causing hardship and homelessness for honest tenants.
• Some residents claim others on the property are lazy and unwilling to work, undermining trust within the community.

Review

Colonial Meadows is a place that inspires mixed emotions among its residents. On one hand, some tenants praise the property's grounds as clean, orderly, and well kept, suggesting that the physical environment itself is not the core problem. Yet beneath that tidy surface runs a deep undercurrent of frustration, fear, and disappointment directed at management and the way the community is policed and cared for. Several reviews acknowledge that the staff can be hardworking and helpful, and that there are individual employees who are respectful and considerate. But these positive notes are scattered amid charges that the leadership fails to protect residents, fails to communicate effectively, and sometimes appears indifferent or hostile to the very people who live there and rely on its governance.

A central thread in the feedback centers on trust and safety. Reviewers describe a sense that the roster of people allowed to live in the property is not being vetted adequately, and that the process around who is granted access to the community feels opaque and unfair. One resident even recounts a claim about stolen goods - an innocent-sounding fruit basket that supposedly triggered insistence on background checks for certain tenants. The sentiment is not that all residents are untrustworthy, but rather that the system itself seems insufficient to deter wrongdoing, and that the management's oversight can feel inconsistent or overmatched by the scale of the property. The criticism emphasizes a tension: while the management team cannot physically supervise every hallway or every floor all the time, residents want stronger, more visible measures to deter theft and protect everyone's belongings.

The issue of consequences and accountability is closely tied to the emotional impact of living in a place where theft feels possible and where residents' packages frequently go missing. A recurring frustration is that not all people living in Colonial Meadows are treated with the same level of scrutiny or respect, and some suggest that laziness or other social strains among tenants are unfairly blamed for systemic lapses. The sentiment is that a fairer, more transparent process - one where residents feel they are heard and protected rather than judged or policed - would go a long way toward restoring trust. For many, the hopeful note remains that when management does step in - whether it's acknowledging problems, issuing clearer guidelines, or showing more consistent presence on-site - the community responds with relief and renewed willingness to cooperate.

Health and personal hardship compound the sense of betrayal or neglect. One reviewer describes a personal situation in which they have cancer and have waited an hour and a half to be called for a service or appointment, underscoring how delays in communication from the management office can feel cruelly out of touch with residents' real needs. In a community where seniors and those with medical conditions rely on efficiency and compassion, such experiences are not merely inconvenient; they are potentially life-altering. The same thread of concern resurfaces in calls for a peaceful, safe environment for seniors to live out their days without the added stress of constant conflict with the management or fear of eviction. The overarching message is clear: respectful treatment, timely responses, and reliable processes are not luxuries but essential elements of a dignified living environment.

The narrative also includes sharp accusations about racism, retaliation, and unfair treatment. A number of reviews allege that a particular property manager - named Abigail in one instance - has engaged in discriminatory practices and retaliation against tenants who raise concerns. These claims extend to threats of eviction and harassment that, according to the reviewers, have caused significant stress and fear within the community, especially among seniors. A formal fair housing complaint is mentioned, and it is claimed that upper management has been informed but has not intervened in a way that alleviates the suffering of the residents. The severity of these allegations cannot be ignored, and they contrast starkly with other testimonials that describe individual staff members as respectful, supportive, and genuinely engaged in helping residents through difficult times. The dichotomy underscores a larger issue: inconsistent leadership and accountability at different levels within the organization.

Amid the chaos, there are strands of genuine gratitude for certain staff members. One reviewer calls out "great onsite management," and others highlight the kindness and professionalism of a new maintenance worker, who is praised for his respectful demeanor. Some residents speak warmly of "Abigail" and her team, noting that they may care deeply for families and try to assist as much as possible. There are mentions of the office team's dedication, and even praise for the care shown by a few individuals who deliver a sense of stability in an otherwise fractured picture. Yet these positive notes exist alongside stark warnings not to move to the property because of the alleged abuses by management, creating a complicated mosaic of praise and condemnation that is difficult to reconcile.

The most troubling parts of the narratives center on eviction practices and the broader implications for people relying on housing stability. A case is described in which a person with a housing voucher faced wrongful eviction, an outcome that led to homelessness and a loss of shelter. The reviewer attributes the entire cascade to management decisions and the failure of the company to properly investigate disputes between residents and the leasing office. Such stories speak to a broader fear that the system is vulnerable to misuse, that vulnerable tenants can be swept aside by administrative missteps or punitive tactics, and that the consequences - loss of a home, vital financial support, and the stripping away of independence - are severe and lasting. The damage is not confined to individuals but reverberates through families and communities that depend on stable housing as a foundation for everything else.

Taken together, these experiences paint a portrait of a community that is deeply paradoxical. On the surface, Colonial Meadows presents a tidy facade, a well-maintained place that many residents appreciate for its cleanliness and the hard work of its maintenance staff. Beneath that surface, however, lies a struggle over trust, respect, and safety. The resident voices call for clearer communication, fair and humane treatment, better supervision without overreach, and stronger safeguards to protect belongings and well-being. They demand accountability from management, especially when serious accusations of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation are raised, and they insist that upper levels of leadership address systemic issues rather than merely placating concerned tenants. In the end, the community's future may hinge on whether the property can translate the goodwill toward individual staff into consistent, transparent, and equitable practices that truly put residents' health, dignity, and security first.

This part of Pontiac, Michigan offers a convenient and diverse range of amenities for seniors looking to live in the area. With several restaurants, cafes, pharmacies, places of worship, parks, hospitals, physicians' offices, and a theater all within close proximity, residents have easy access to essential services and recreational activities. The neighborhood is well-equipped with popular dining options such as Carnival Market, Culver's, and Panera Bread, as well as healthcare facilities like McLaren Oakland Hospital and Rite Aid Pharmacy. Additionally, the presence of parks like River Woods Park and Friendship Park provide opportunities for outdoor enjoyment and relaxation. Overall, this area combines convenience with a variety of services to meet the needs of seniors looking for a comfortable living environment in Pontiac.

Restaurants

• Carnival Market (0.3 miles)
• The HUB Stadium (1.4 miles)
• McDonald's (2.2 miles)
• Culver's (2.3 miles)
• Panda Express (2.6 miles)
• Bar Louie - Great Lakes Crossing Outlets (2.7 miles)
• Miyako Japanese Steakh (2.7 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (1.7 miles)
• LEGOLAND Discovery Center Michigan (2.7 miles)
• Starbucks (3.4 miles)
• Panera Bread (3.6 miles)
• Panera Bread (3.7 miles)
• Avon Donuts (4 miles)
• Antonio's Cafe & Grill (5.2 miles)

Pharmacies

• Rite Aid (2.1 miles)
• Meijer Pharmacy (2.6 miles)
• Target Pharmacy (2.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3 miles)
• Rite Aid (4.1 miles)
• Walgreens (4.5 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.5 miles)

Places of Worship

• Kensington Orion (2.6 miles)
• Oakland Christian Church (4.3 miles)
• Church Of The Holy Redeemer (5 miles)
• St Hugo of the Hills Church (5.9 miles)

Parks

• River Woods Park (3.2 miles)
• Riverside Park (3.3 miles)
• Innovation Hills (4 miles)
• Avondale Park (4.7 miles)
• Rochester Municipal Park (5.8 miles)
• Firefighters Park (6 miles)
• Friendship Park (7 miles)

Hospitals

• McLaren Oakland (3.3 miles)
• Beaumont Hospitals Departments (5.8 miles)

Physicians

• Waldon Family Medicine (4.9 miles)
• Orion Family Physicians (5.8 miles)
• Sg Pediatrics Of Lake Orion (5.8 miles)
• Women's Excellence In Obstetrics & Gynecology (5.8 miles)
• Balian Eye Center (5.9 miles)
• Dermatology Center of Lake Orion (6 miles)
• Neighborhood Primary Care (6 miles)

Theaters

• Emagine Rochester Hills (6.9 miles)