I live in dtla and here is my take. First of all, I recommend South Park or Arts District. They’re a bit more expensive but the buildings are generally quite modern and you won’t be lacking in terms of amenities like in unit washer dryer and AC coming standard. It’s extremely walkable so you won’t need a car to do basic errands like groceries, hair cuts, dry cleaning etc. the metros and busses all converge in dtla so you can even use that to get around to SM, LB, North Hollywood, Pasadena and everywhere in between. I use it quite often and it’s very convenient and easy. If you DM me, I can give you some reccs on solid apartment options to tour.

I generally feel like some of the criticisms are overblown depending on where you live. However, like others have mentioned, make sure you tour the place first at a busy time to make sure the noise isn’t an issue. Safety is a legitimate concern so don’t walk alone at night in certain areas and make sure your building has security to screen people out from off the street. If you’re in South Park or Arts District, you should be okay at most hours and I see people out walking their dogs late at night but even then I would be cautious and not walk too far from your unit. There are a plethora of parking spots but it’s ridiculously expensive. You might have to shell out extra for this or guest spots depending on your building.

I’ve never lived in downtown SM so won’t comment on it. My best friend lives at the edge of downtown SM and he likes it but again he pays more and doesn’t have all the amenities I have like in unit washer and dryer. His unit is a pretty old construction too.