ML Property Group Reviews

I’m not really good at writing reviews, but I just wanted to share what it was like for me. The Director of Operations didn’t really seem very connected to the properties or the teams. Sometimes she didn’t remember people’s names, and I noticed she wasn’t very responsive even to my former property manager. I was in the office by myself all the time, trying to do everything even though I wasn’t a manager, she expected all the reports a manager would do plus leasing and resident issues for a very busy property. Pay was below Leasing, and i was an asst manager doing managers responsibility. I had to clock out so I wouldn’t go over on overtime, but I still had to finish reports she wanted and stay late, sometimes she would ask for a report after 3pm like during rent week and ask that it be sent by close of business day. I feel she didn’t really understand the job or give us much direction. One day stands out to me… I was about to go to lunch and she called and told me not to, because she was coming by. She said it would be there in 30 minutes, she had me call the maintenance sup and he had to return from lunch as he had just left. Then she arrived with a to go cup, clearly after she had lunch, she stayed until 430pm I didn’t get to eat until then (830-530 are the hours) i had to go eat and come back to finish what she requested, when I should have just had to go home. She knew I had not gone to lunch, she asked my coworked back she just didnt care. I don’t like complaining, and maybe it’s just me, but I just didn’t feel supported there. I never thought I’d leave this company, especially since I lived onsite and had gotten so used to everything, but in the end I felt like I had to, when I gave my two weeks is when she offered to raise my salary. Well too late.

The Director of Operations, Melanie Ritch, consistently demonstrates a lack of operational knowledge and leadership ability required for her role. She struggles with time management and basic email communication, often delaying decisions and approvals due to disorganization, hesitation, or lack of understanding. Rather than seeking clarification — even from corporate leadership — she avoids asking questions, which contributes to ongoing operational problems. Melanie frequently dismisses cost-saving vendor quotes, instead approving vendor proposals that align with the personal preferences of the VP of Maintenance. This results in lost financial opportunities and raises concerns about vendor favoritism over property budget stewardship. Vendors themselves have expressed frustration with Melanie’s ongoing lack of responsiveness. Managers often need to follow up multiple times for basic approvals, causing operational delays and added stress at the site level. Confidentiality is also a major concern under Melanie’s leadership. She has shared employee performance reviews with other managers to copy and paste, violating basic HR confidentiality standards. Private employee matters are openly discussed, and managers are regularly contacted during PTO for non-emergency matters, showing little regard for work-life boundaries. In addition, PTO policies are extremely restrictive. Regardless of the amount of PTO accrued, employees are not allowed to take more than 7 consecutive days off at a time, which makes it difficult to schedule meaningful vacations or extended personal time. This policy contributes to employee burnout and frustration, especially considering the constant demands placed. The VP, Melissa Cholak, is disconnected from the market and often fails to understand the resident demographics and specific challenges within these communities. This lack of market awareness leads to unrealistic occupancy and financial goals that do not reflect true property performance or market conditions. Instead of providing meaningful support, Melissa frequently dismisses the efforts of the teams while increasing pressure without offering proper guidance or resources. Additionally, serious concerns exist over hiring practices, as Melissa has referenced candidates’ weight as a factor in hiring decisions, raising serious legal and ethical concerns regarding discrimination. The VP of Maintenance, Nick Gass, has displayed highly unprofessional behavior on multiple occasions. He has openly referred to a fellow manager as a “f*cking idiot” in front of others and in Melanie’s presence, without consequence. He is quick to yell at female collaborators, has also made offensive remarks about employees’ English accents and language skills, and has exercised control over hiring decisions by refusing to approve candidates who do not speak with perfect English — This discriminatory approach directly contributes to constant turnover and a revolving door of positions, as qualified candidates are filtered out unnecessarily, and existing staff experience burnout under toxic leadership This review is entirely objective, based solely on my professional experience. I have no personal vendetta — only a responsibility to share honest feedback on serious leadership failures that negatively impact both employees and the long-term success of the company.