La Mesita Head Start

The La Mesita apartments are great! The staff is so kind, the grounds are clean, and there's even childcare on site! (And a splashpad for kiddos, too!)

It used to be great, but while they get to let things like the BBQ remain unusable, they have a real hard nose unit inspection every month now. For a community that offers housing to low and no income section 8 people, they are completely out of touch with said people. If I could afford to buy a stack of paper plates that's fine, but cut up some cardboard from a few 12 packs of coke and make a stack, that's a fire hazard. Save your plastic bags from the store? That's a fire hazard. She even goes through my refrigerator and policies the way I organize my food. I've had tough inspectors over the years, but never anyone who wrote me a health and safety notice for not having emptied my trash cans on the day of inspection. I didn't even know that was required. Community wise, they all hang out in commons with their coloring books. The old folks are chill, but a lot of thugs have come to live here in the past 2 years. There are 3 people that live here and 2 guests that will constantly start fights with me. There is broken glass everywhere, pavements, dirt, parking lot, some of us have dogs! They just don't care anymore. On the plus side, they have community events, the waste not food donations every month, internet, and various classes.

- Beautiful and spacious apartment. - They provide all items including kitchen items laundry detergent, and linens. - Huge ceilings about 12-14 feet or so, since bathroom and bedrooms are upstairs be concerned with small children I really doubt they would survive that tumble. - Mike, the case manager is a nice guy who wants people to succeed and get on their feet. Unfortunately he does nothing really to help. He doesn't coordinate with other agencies, fails to give really any advice, he basically just sits there and asks how much money you have saved and if you found a job. If he feels you aren't doing enough he passive aggressively lets you know he thinks you are lazy. Sadly, he is the last one. The most I've seen him done is hand out a few xeroxes with phone numbers. Sorry Mike, you have to know that you could do more to help people succeed. - Despite my criticism this is a great place really. It just has a lot of room for improvement which I firmly believe could be easily solved with a more competent director and staff. We all know that the bosses set the tone for the entire environment and they all are doing the bare minimum and seem miserable and annoyed doing even that.

It's pretty much a barracks with a general inspection twice a month. If you're coming from the streets this place is perfect. Don't expect privacy. What do you expect from "transitional" housing. Use it for what is worth and then drive tf on. Good luck.

Very large and nicely built.. glad the building contractors put real thought in the structure and quality. Makes people feel differently on a positive mind frame about appreciating and taking care of there complex and surrounding area.. it will mean alot for families in the future that may need the housing and they too can enjoy the good quality and conditions of the homes.