San Gabriel Square Apartments

Awesome and clean! You pay for what you get.

This is a terrible apartment complex. Pay $ 100 more per month and live somewhere decent. The only positive I can think of is that the management and maintenance guy are responsive, timely, and helpful. But it would have been nicer if I never had to deal with them at all.
Problems/​issues I have:
poorly fitted front door that stuck worse and worse as the weather warmed up, and a sticky lock. It was «fixed» a few times.
No outlet in bathroom (not a malfunction per se, but seriously?)
One room doesn’t have a window.
One day gallons of water started leaking from the bathroom ceiling and I had to call emergency maintenance to turn off the hot water. For the next 4 – 5 days I had a huge hole in the ceiling and many people coming in and out of the apartment to fix it.
My next door neighbor said this happened to her THREE times in a year.
The oven is totally fucked. On its good days, it takes (literally) 3 or 4 minutes of messing with the pilot to get it to light. On its bad days, it doesn’t strike at all, rendering the oven itself useless and making a lighter necessary to use the burners on top.
There are other small problems not worth listing, but consider yourself warned.
I came into this poorly reviewed apartment complex with an open mind and a trusting nature. I have been relieved of these naïve notions. The money I saved was not worth the headache. Do yourself a favor and live somewhere else.

If I could give this apartment complex 0 stars, I would. I lived here from 8÷13−7÷14 and it was easily the worst place I’ve ever lived. They are able to stay at such a low price because everyone rents there as a last resort. The apartments are no bigger than a shoe box. One of our bedrooms had no window it. Air conditioning broke down MULTIPLE times and we had to wait for a day or two before getting anything done. I did not own a vehicle but wanted to register my boyfriend’s car that I used during most of the week, and they would not let me. They suggested I use the visitor passes, but of course, we only had five spots for the WHOLE complex. Also, allocated bills are bull and we were paying over $ 100 every month. They are not up front about any of this at time of signing. The only thing bringing people in is the price but it’s not even worth it. For an extra $ 100 a month, you’d get peaceful sleep and actually enjoy staying home. This place is awful.

I would give a 0 star. Don’t go there, you will get ripped off and they keep charging you for nothing. Deposit? Don’t even think about getting it back, they will randomly pick (create) stuff that’s not caused by you and charge you.
Rooms are old and shaky, during summer time roaches is a BIG ISSUE and the management will do nothing. Lot’s of people talking and yelling during the night. A/​C basically does not exist. No security guard on duty, people can just scratch your car and go, and the management will do NOTHING.
=====DO NOT LIVE THERE=====
you have been warned!

Not too bad for the price you pay! I lived in a 2br x 1ba apt and it was pretty small, but livable. Parking was included and guest passes were almost always available so it was really convenient! There are also a lot of parking places that open up on San Gabriel and Leon after 6pm so even without a pass, your friends and family will probably find a parking place. Plus, the WC bus stop is right in front. Maintenance and Office staff are pretty nice about all incoming questions and concerns.
Cons: The bedroom with the window got pretty cold going in to the winter months and since the windows are only 1 pane, a lot of the heat from the vents slipped out from the windows and front door. My particular apartment didn’t have hot water from the kitchen sink and after having the maintenance guy come in about 3 – 4 times, we still weren’t able to fix it (not his fault, just old pipes). Utilities are split up by building, so even if you’re conserving water or not in the apt, you’ll still be paying a general price. I paid a steady amount of $ 65 – 80 for each utility bill every month, which is all-​inclusive. Bathroom was kind of small, but not impossible to use.
Overall, if you’re the type of person that isn’t home ²⁴⁄₇ but you just need parking to get to campus or the E-​bus or even somewhere around WC, this place is a good deal! I found it really easy to commute to anywhere since the WC gives access to all of the other UT buses as well.

Just don’t do it.
If you’re gunna live in a West Campus, live in a McMansion complex and at least know that you have lights and air conditioning that work. It’s shocking how they are CONSISTENTLY able to keep this place nearly at capacity. When you’re a student and on a fixed income people think places like this are the best option and they aren’t. Get a roommate and live in a huge building with keycard entry and a fridge that won’t pee all over itself and you’ll find that you actually spend about the same or less money this way.
Pros:
E-​bus stop RIGHT OUT FRONT (EPIC I know).
Cons:
Most unit temperatures are set BY THE OFFICE STAFF? I had a thermostat, but I knew people who did not.
No guaranteed parking and complex is known for break ins.
Fridge will break down and leak everywhere.
Hardly any water pressure from shower-​head.
Appliances haven’t been replaced since late 80’s/early 90’s
Management is consistently unhelpful
Price that does not reflect quality of lack thereof of units
Again, just don’t do it. I lived here from July 2007 to August 2009 and still remember every gritty detail.

I’m really surprised by all the negative reviews. I guess it comes down from person to person about their personal experience. The complex is pretty big too, and it always fills up, so think about how many people have lived here. Then look at the number of negative reviews. If it was really that bad, there would be a lot more negative reviews. The complex isn’t anything special, so no one thinks of writing a review. I PROMISE I’m not someone who works for the complex. I am just sad at how overly negative it is.
My apartment is quiet. I live in one of the buildings which have only efficiencies, and it’s in the back, so it’s quiet. If you live at the front with larger complexes or near the E-​bus stop, it’s louder.
I’ve lived here for 3 ½ years and I have never had any problems (or evidence of problems) with rats or bugs. The air conditioner has broken down twice in the entire time I’ve lived here, and the air conditioning company (not just maintenance men) worked on it as long as possible until it was fixed. I have had friends who lived at the Block, and they had their air conditioning go out for a WEEK without being fixed. A day is not the worst thing in the world. They have an emergency contact number for times that there may be a maintenance issue that is important enough for after-​hours attention.
As for Jan, the manager, I’ve always had pleasant interactions with her. I pay my bills on time, and if I ever have any questions she is always very helpful and answers them. She is very strict to following the larger management policies, which are outside her control. I lived here before she was the manager, and THEY were awful. They didn’t know what they were doing, and the manager changed frequently. Jan has been here for a long time, and is helpful. The complex even does nice things for tenants such as finals study packs or cake for holidays or birthdays for the month, and Jan is the one who pushes for that. The only thing I know is that she is strict about leaving on time because she has a toddler son who has to be picked up from day care by 6PM. When I knew I was going to move out, she even handed me a sheet with the expected prices if I chose not to clean certain things, or if certain things were ruined.
Yeah, it’s not one of the fancy luxury apartments like 26 West or Rio21, but it has everything I need. I needed to live alone, and this was the only affordable way that I could live in West Campus. I have no big complaints. If I hadn’t graduated, I would have stayed longer.
Parking is free with the complex, and there are more than enough spots as well. There are also 5 guest parking spots (which nowhere else in West Campus has), that needs a permit ahead of time, but it’s still a nice luxury.
In terms of safety, it is well lit, the parking lot is open, and I feel safer than in the dark corridors of many other complexes with dark narrow passageways. As for the girl who wrote about the safety of having her car broken into, I had my car broken into in West Campus before I lived at this complex. I’ve had many friends who have had their cars broken into in West Campus. I’ve lived her for 3 ½ years and I have not had that happen. Also, you can’t expect a property management company to be lenient on the standards of paying rent. It’s just not how it works with larger companies.

Oh it brings me great pleasure to read the other reviews and know they are 100% correct about this place.
Like everyone else, I am a poor/​on my own college student. I was desperate for a place. I found the ad on Craigslist from a guy who needed to go back home to another state. I was so excited to find it was just a little above my budget. No worries. I can do that I thought.
Day One: I had been in contact with the manager for some time. She helped me figure out what I needed to get there and yada yada. So, the day I am supposed to move in, I call her… three times… NO ANSWER. So, I decide to walk and viola, she is sitting in her office. It is thirty minutes until the office closes mind you. So, I think, who cares. I just wanted to move in. We went through the standard paperwork, which was an expedited process because she wanted to get out of there.
Fast forward one month: I come home from break and I decide to get an animal. I go to her and ask her everything I need to about pets. Well, apparently the deposit is $ 350…I was told $ 250 the day I moved in with a nonrefundable $ 50 not $ 150.The $ 150 you will never see again and $ 200 of the money I am not sure what it will be used for because I was told they may need more than $ 150 for standard pet treatments (for shampooing carpets and the like). The week before she told me this, she also told me she was willing to bend the rules for another guy who begged for his pet… hmm…a little sketchy.
To add, I am in the crappiest apartments they have: one bed, one shower (THAT IS SO SMALL MY HEAD HITS THE SHOWER HEAD AND I AM ONLY 5’9″), and a kitchen that is small as well. Size does not matter to me. I am cheap, but I want a stove that works, a shower rod that stays up, and a shower that I can fit in. So, if you are over 5’6″, you may want to rethink the showers here.
What bothers me the most is the manager. She is pseudo sweet. You talk on the phone, she is pleasant. You email, she is professional. You walk in and she is «I know it all and what I say will be done.» I went in to discuss the pet issue, and as calmly as I could, I told her what she initially told me and she said she didn’t say that. I do not know if any of you have worked in the food industry, but THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT, FOLKS. Not to mention, I had just paid my entire rent from January to May literally two-​three days prior. She was being so rude despite the fact I paid my entire rent up front. I was being a responsible resident. That pissed me off. When I asked for the owner’s number, because I was sick of trying to go through red tape, she told me that is what she is there for «because if they wanted to deal with you, they would be here themselves.» Needless to say, I called the Austin Regional office and worked out something.
I know what it is like to be cheap and want a cheap place and live cheaply, but ladies and gentlemen, it is worth the extra $ 50 or even $ 100 or so dollars in rent so you will not have to think about living here. I am already looking for new apartments and, collectively, I have been here under a month and a half. Trust me, look everywhere else. I have even decided that living farther from campus/​the drag is worth it if I can move.
You deserve the right to know. Good luck!

This place is incompetent to say the least. I lived here for a year when I attended college because it seemed cheap but it was not worth the monetary savings. Completely filthy carpets and bathrooms, dishonest manager, and complete lack of etiquette. The manager is very rude even when you talk to her nicely and ask her for standard things such as getting me the standard microwave that is suppose to be in every apartment or asking to get the carpet cleaned as was promised before I moved in. The laundry machines don’t work and were not fixed the entire time I was there and my mail box lock was broken and fixed very slowly. There are also very shady people living here and it was not uncommon to find homeless people living in the laundry rooms. Also, I never expect my deposit to be returned fully, but this place doesn’t even try to cover up the fact that they screw you over and steal it for made up reasons. Oh yeah, the AC broke down during the summer and they were so concerned that they did not fix it quickly.

I will NEVER live here again.
I’m a pretty nice guy, but never have I been treated with such disrespect.
When first moving into San Gabriel Square, I thought «Oh yea! Super cheap!» Beware, you seriously get what you pay for. My rent for a ²⁄₁ was $ 799. And deposit of about $ 200.
When I first moved into this apartment… We walked in to a VERY DIRTY carpet. Stains everywhere; very bad smell. Did they not change the carpets after the last tenant? Guess what we found on the bar? A certificate of «up to standards apartment» dated December 2009. MIND YOU, I moved in May 2010. They have not checked this apartment in 6 months. We were lied to and said it was checked a few days prior.
Dead cockroaches all over the apartment. Dirty cupboards. Dirty sink. Our stovetop didn’t work at all. They tried fixing it, and it still didn’t function (they gave us a brand new gas stove — which was nice). We didn’t have a microwave the first few days.
We walk into the bathroom. Oh god… The horror. We open the medicine cabinet… There is MOLD growing. The sink had some mildew spots. And the sink was painted over with white — some of the paint was chipping off. The shower stall… you’re better off living in Jester dormitory. Want to know why? The ceiling in the shower was caving in and DRIPPING.
We went to the front office requesting to be changed to a different apt. «They can’t do anything.» They can temporarily move us into a different apartment so we can at least use a shower. Their reasoning was because they already leased out all of the apartments. Why can’t you just tell them that their apartments aren’t ready and they have to be moved to a different apartment which will be even better? Apartments LIE ALL THE TIME — San Gabriel Square is no exception.
FAST FORWARD 9 MONTHS.
I received notice that the last month has to be paid with cashier’s check or money order. That’s fine. They told me that in advance.
But TODAY when I wanted to pay for my last month of utilities. They told me I had to pay with cashiers check or money order. I was ready to write a check.
«No, because if it bounces, we have no way of contacting you.» BULL CRAP. I told them I didn’t know this and it’s not fair that I have to do this when I wasn’t given a notice. The manager told me that it says it in the original documents I had to sign. So I asked if she could please show me. You know, because I’m gonna screw them over. She told me if I was still staying at San Gab. it’d be okay, because she knows I’ll still be at the complex. But because I’m moving, well… too bad. It’s «not a gamble I can take.»
What does she show me? «No checks will be accepted after the 6^th of each month.» That means NOTHING to me. That does not say that utilities has to be paid with a cashiers check or money order. WTF are you talking about?
The manager was very rude and disrespectful towards me. By this point I’ve already lost my calm, and I was very short with her. She told me I have no choice but to go to the nearest 7 – 11 and get a CC/​MO. After her tone, I storm out and let the door slam behind me. I come back in after going to 7 – 11, and don’t bother talking to her. Instead, I talk to her assistant. I feel bad for her, having to work at such a crappy apartment complex. I was nice to her, because she didn’t do anything to me. She seemed nice. I gave her the keys, laundry card, parking permit, and cashiers check. I say thank you, walk out, and don’t look back.
Do NOT expect to get your deposit back… She also told me that I’m paying for my last month of utilities even after I move out. You know what they told me about utilities? «It’s coming out of your deposit.» She said this because I said, «You’re worried about me paying by check? What if someone decides not to pay for their last month’s deposit LONG AFTER they’re gone? How can you trust them?»
San Gabriel Square has a very effed up way of dealing with finances. They know every which way to SCREW YOU OVER.
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Some other comments I want to make.
Laundry: Be careful, sometimes you can accidentally pay the wrong machine, which sometimes don’t even work. 99% of the time, 3 or 4 of the dryers don’t even work. 2 out of 5 washers usually don’t work. And the dryers that do work… they don’t even dry your clothes very well, so you can’t really put much into the dryers unless you like your clothes wet.
Also, one time I was in the laundry room, and I hear squeaks coming from somewhere. I look at the vent, and I hear it again. I tap it with my laundry detergent, and I hear a squeak again. It’s a MOUSE. I didn’t realize this at first until the next time I did laundry. There was a sign that said there was an exterminator at a certain date.
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Besides the assistant I had to talk to, the ONLY person I will give credit to is one of the maintenance guys. He was the only one who was prompt and helped. He got us a microwave after the first day, and a brand new gas stove.
NEVER LIVE HE