Addison Apartments

This was the worst living situation I’ve ever had in my life.
The apartments are tiny. I learned later that this was because the owner wanted to cram more people into the building in order to increase his income, and therefore he split each apartment in half to accommodate this. As a result, the kitchenette looks like something out of a motor home, the bathroom is LITERALLY so small that you have to straddle the toilet because the entire floor surface is needed for the door to swing closed. The arc of the door is the entire bathroom. There is no cable; the property manager encourages tenants to illegally split DirectTV service and pretend to be living together to share services. The parking for zone «I» in Berkeley starts about half a mile away, which means that if you get groceries, you must park your car about six blocks south and walk home with them. Which may require several trips.
What’s worse is the approach to customer service; a few examples:
1. My boyfriend borrowed my keys and would sometimes go to the apartment while I was at work. He was scolded by the property manager several times, who implied that he’s not ‘allowed’ to come and go without me present, since the lease isn’t in his name. EXCUSE ME? Is this a high school dormitory? I signed nothing suggesting limitations on my guests, and being rude to someone who is quietly entering the building, not bothering anyone, mid-​day, is inexcusable.
2. When we were tired of the noise, the lack of ventilation, the lack of space, and the homeless people outside constantly panhandling, we decided to move out. We were told that since the building is «only for Cal students and staff», anyone who wanted to sublet from us would have to meet with the property manager for approval. And she was REALLY hard to get in touch with. I lost four potential tenants because of her lack of availability, before I finally found someone to take the apartment. So of course I lost about $ 500 from the apartment sitting there empty while I looked for someone to move in.
3. When I moved out, I left an IKEA desk in the apartment for the new tenant. It was 6 months old, looked fine. When he moved out and I got my security deposit back, it was missing $ 60 with a note that it was deducted for «disposal of old furniture». Really? In a partially furnished apartment, you threw out my new desk, which was much nicer than the wardrobe and cabinets (also IKEA) provided with the apartments? That’s hard to believe. And let’s say I DO believe you. It’s an IKEA desk, it weighs 12 lbs., about as much as a child’s bowling ball… and trash collection is right outside the front door. Clearly this guy was just looking for an excuse to take an extra $ 60 for himself, considering that I left the apartment spotless and there was nothing else needed before the next person can move in. Just a really opportunistic move, there.
So, basically… move into another apartment. Or an abandoned car. Perhaps a dumpster. A nice crackhouse. You’ll be happier with your accommodations and probably treated better by your landlord. I’m a quiet, neat-​freak, 35-​year-​old Ph.D. who has NEVER had an issue EVER with an apartment I’ve lived in. No complaints about them. They’ve not complained about me. But this place is awful, and the owner just trying to bilk Cal students out of their money with no consideration or care for anyone in the building. Run away!