New Californian Apartments

Very overpriced. Good overall amenities, but the management is, quite frankly, awful. The housing manager, Aurelia, is non-​responsive and oblivious to the concerns of the building’s tenants. Something is always broken/​cluttered around the building, whether it’s the elevator button or the call-​box, and takes months to get fixed. For the amount I pay on a monthly basis, I am NOT impressed.

My husband and I lived at the New Californian for many years and were the first tenants in our apartment back in 2010. The building and individual units are well taken care of (and new, and beautiful!) and whenever something needed attention it was quickly resolved.
We also had a great experience with the management (especially Aurelia Marchetti) and maintenance team (Cesar et al). They were very cordial and quick to answer any of our questions or fix any small problems. We really loved living in the New Californian– location is perfect for going to campus, Trader Joe’s, downtown, etc. What is even more awesome is that a new Mediterranean place opened up right in front!
The only downside really is the price and steep increases in rent every year. At the same time, most of Berkeley is also suffering from steep rent prices. If you want a convenient and clean/​beautiful place to live (and your very own washer and dryer!) and don’t mind paying a bit extra, this place is for you!
Thank you New Californian for 5 awesome years! We will miss you.

Here’s my list of pros and cons after having lived there for a year.
Pros:
— Convenient location: walkable to most downtown Berkeley spots, close to downtown Berkeley BART, next to bus stops, and sits above a Trader Joe’s
— Fairly new building (2010)
— Good amenities in the individual apartments, including washer/​dryer and dishwasher
— Cable TV and Internet (slow) included in cost of rent
— Free bike parking in underground garage
— Lovely roof with seating and great views
Cons:
— The corner of MLK and University where the building sits is one of the LOUDEST in Berkeley. Those 2 streets are very heavily traveled. You will hear huge trucks, buses, revving motorcycles, booming radios, idling engines, sirens, and (the worst) a lot of honking.
MLK is also the main route for the fire department that is less than 2 blocks away, as well as the police department which is 2 blocks up MLK in the opposite direction. You will hear incredibly loud sirened vehicles blaring past the building day and night.
— The apartments get very hot in the warmer months, probably because they are small with low ceilings and many of them are exposed to intense sunlight at different times of the day. There is no air conditioning, though there is a ceiling fan in the living room and central air ventilation that recirculates room temperature air. These fans were often not enough to cool it down. Even during the winter I had to keep my windows open to get cool/​fresh air. This meant that the loud sounds from the street were even louder. It also let in car exhaust and cigarette smoke from the street, as well as perfumed laundry/​dryer emissions from neighboring apartments. When I would close the windows and turn the air circulation system on, it would take the same stinky air from outside and pump it into my small, stuffy apartment.
— Smoking is not allowed anywhere in the building but residents could easily get away with breaking that rule by smoking in their units – which a couple people on my floor did regularly. As long as they didn’t answer the door when someone knocked to complain, it was impossible to prove who was doing it. When someone smoked in their apartment, it would fill the stuffy hallways. For the most part, you could not smell it once you were inside in your apartment with the door closed.
— The building is supposed to be secure and requires a fob for entry, but if someone walks into the garage, when the main gates are open, which I witnessed several times, they can access the stairwells which are unlocked.
— Local high school students and others regularly tailgated residents into the entry so they could go up to the roof and hang out and smoke.
— Trash left in the stairwells would sit there for weeks. Lights that went out in the stairwells stayed that way for just as long. I got the impression that no one checked that area of the building regularly for maintenance/​cleaning.
— The trash and recycling rooms were depressing. Fellow residents were often confused or didn’t care about what items go in what bins (despite being marked appropriately). They would dump all sorts of stuff on the floors that should be donated or taken to proper recycling facilities, such as furniture, electronics, and appliances. Often the dumpsters would be overflowing and the ground would be covered with so much garbage and bulky junk items that you had to blaze a trail, hoarder style, to the actual bins, which were too full to be used anyway. (See attached photos.) It seemed that the situation could be a lot better managed, starting with more signage and educating residents about local recycling rules and how/​where to donate large items, etc.
— Some residents had packages stolen from in front of their doors.
— Summer is their busiest move-​out/​move-​in season. During this time, management seems especially disorganized and not on the ball. The night I moved in, I had been given someone else’s parking space (so I had to park on the street) and a garage remote that didn’t work.

I lived in these apartments for two years. The apartment itself is very nice (you get what you pay for). This review is mainly about the management company.
After living in the apartment for two years, I was incredibly dismayed with my experience with the management company upon move-​out. They were SO incredibly stingy with my security deposit. We had subletters (approved ahead of time by the management company) and when the subletters moved out, they withheld $ 800 in «cleaning fees» even though they told me they always hire a cleaner anyway. Some of these «fees» were for things like unclogging the drains (which were prone to clogging anyway).Moreover, when I tried to argue with them about the unreasonableness of the withholding, they were incredibly unresponsive. Aurelia often didn’t respond to my emails for several days/​weeks. Even though I called and left messages for her, she never called me back. The whole experience was incredibly unprofessional and distasteful for such a large management company that certainly should have their act together on something so basic as security deposits. I am appalled at how terrible they were to deal with on this security deposit issue. I have never been so tempted to take a company to small claims court. I don’t usually write reviews, but this experience drove me to. I eventually caved in and just let them keep the $ 800 (it wasn’t worth my time to fight it), but I hope other tenants take these people to court. If you’re debating living here, you might want to think twice…

did i mention that pg&e cuts off your electricity (twice now in less than a year) because H&M properties decided it would be fun to… i dont know… CHANGE OUR UNIT NUMBERS AFTER WE HAD MOVED IN… without going through legal county procedures. therefore, everytime a new tenant moves into what was once your old apt number (we didnt move, landlord just switched our numbers), boom! you lose your electricity as it is transferred to new tenant; ditto cable.
THERE ARE NO WORDS for these landlords.

We signed our lease while the building was still under construction years ago. Obviously having a brand new apartment is really nice, especially with our own washer/​dryer. Management team has always been great and accommodating.
This place isn’t cheap, but you get what you pay for.

This is by far the best place I have ever lived.
The apartments themselves are really nice, and mine was in virtually perfect condition when I moved in. Something I took for granted while living there were the appliances. Nothing beats the convenience of having your own washer/​dryer, and the gas stove was nice to have as well. The shower was also great, and the water pressure was perfect. My apartment was nearly soundproof as well; I almost never heard my neighbors or anything from the outside with my door and windows closed.
The location is great too. I worked in downtown Berkeley (Shattuck Ave.), which was a short walk from the apartment. And living above a Trader Joe’s is glorious; awesome food and beer so close to home definitely made life a lot easier. There are also a ton of great restaurants and coffee shops nearby; I actually checked the neighborhoods walkability score recently out of curiosity and it was something ridiculously high like 98.
The management was also extremely helpful and friendly; any issues I had (leaky faucet one time, and no heat another) were taken care of immediately. Best of all, I got my full security deposit back (has never happened anywhere else before) almost immediately after moving out. I definitely wish these apartments were in Irvine as well.

the apartments are nice but they are very very expensive… we pay 1850 and our parking spot, on an electric parking structure that takes 5 minutes to load and unload on, costs 150/​month. Our apt is very small so we thought that the fact it was expensive would mean no students. we were wrong. there’s low income units and there are students and young children living here that make noise non stop. the apts get very hot for some reason and theres no air, so we always have fans on but it stays around 80 degrees. also, the management is not responsive to noise complaints, so if you want your windows open to stay cool, you have to listen to people shouting. also, when the electricity goes out, there is no light in the apt because there almost NO natural light, and the electric parking doesnt have a back up generator so you’re stuck until the power outage is over! the last one lasted 5 hours.

The New Californian is a nice place, but I had to move out after a year. My lease had the usual terms that allowed me to go month to month after the first year. When my lease was almost up, the management informed me that if I didn’t sign a lease for another year, and went month to month, they would triple my rent. That’s right: TRIPLE. Nobody told me they would do this when I signed the original lease. There’s no rent control in Berkeley for newer buildings, so this is legal. But I refuse to be treated that way, and moved out. Unless you know exactly when you will move out, you might think twice. They can do this to anybody.
UPDATE 9÷1÷2011: I found out they did the same thing to other residents.

My wife and I were the first residents in our apartment. This place, including the staff, is probably one of if not the best apartments i’ve lived in with all things considered.
As you can see in the other reviews. it’s above Trader Joe’s. Enough said about that part.
Then there are plenty of rooftop terrace areas to always feel like it’s your
own private oasis to take in views of the berkeley hills or the city.
Full size, high-​efficiency front load washers and dryers and gas cooking are also awesome.
Add in the down to earth, always responsive, helpful, and friendly staff and this building is hard to beat.
The only reason to me that it didn’t get 4 stars was because the elevators are slow and there’s no loading zone for moving in and out and also lacks a freight elevator for such activities too. although we managed to move in and out just fine.
Trader Joe’s. Downstairs. In your flip flops.

My living experience at the New Cal has been amazing since the beginning! I was trying to think of even one downside to this apartment complex, but I simply can’t.
The facilities are brand new and completely modern, with energy efficient lights and appliances (including dishwasher and full-​sized washer & dryer in each unit!). Not only is this great for the environment, but it means lower electric bills: D
My apartment is only 600 sq ft (1 bedroom), but the layout maximizes the space, with a generous kitchen and large bathroom. The floor plan is very open and takes advantage of all available space by including a built-​in desk and a series of recessed shelves in the bathroom.
You’ve got to see the rooftop terrace to believe it. Lots of seating, outstanding views, and even lounge chairs perched on some realistic-​looking (and soft) astro-​turf. The perfect place for reading a book, eating dinner, or just relaxing with friends to gaze at the Bay or the Berkeley Hills.
Perhaps most important of all, the management at the New Cal is superb. Scott and his crew are professional, prompt, and so friendly and accommodating. They make the New Cal feel like more than just an apartment complex; it’s a community. In addition, there is a live-​in resident manager on site all hours of the day for emergencies.
Other perks: spacious underground parking (cars, mopeds, and bikes), a peaceful courtyard in the center of the complex, and did I mention that the apartment sits directly over a Trader Joe’s grocery store? I can’t begin to describe the convenience this affords…
Contact Scott via the New Cal website, and stop by to see for yourself!

I’m a resident of New Cal and have been more than happy with my choice to move here. It’s a beautiful new building, the people are the best rental managers I have ever (and probably will ever) interact with, and the overall experience has been entirely positive. I’ll break it down into bullet points in true consultant style.
Pros of New Cal:
— Great apartments: well designed layout, nice light, individual temperature control, good appliances.
— New! This is the first year the apartment has been open, so everything’s shiny and new.
— Washer/​Dryer in unit. No need to say more.
— Great building facilities — garbage room, mail, elevator, shared space all in good condition and well maintained.
— The roof is amazing. Truly stunning views and terrific facility for having dinner parties or just getting some sun.
— The building staff (which reside very conveniently on-​site) are actually my friends! Like, I actually enjoy spending time with them. This is rare, right? Angelo and Scott are terrific people and really want you to be happy. It’s a tremendous experience.
— There is a Trader Joe’s on the first floor. I don’t know if I can ever manage to live again without a grocery store below me. I can’t express what a pleasant living experience this is. Suffice to say, I have wandered down there to buy soap before my shower in the morning before — it’s amazing.
Cons of New Cal:
— No pets. This makes me sad.
— It’s a little pricey compared to normal housing prices in Berkeley, but probably about what it should be for the quality of the place.
If you’re looking for a place to live, definitely come check out New Cal. It’s the best apartment complex I have ever lived in (and I’ve lived in many).

i live here. yes being on top of trader joe’s is very convenient for most of your food shopping needs. washer and dryer and gas stove are great to have. 3 stars. but they are super cheap. so back to 2 stars. management. ok so far. fridge is super super cheap. parking available but you have to pay! and they don’t have a lot!!! 2 stars!!! it really is overpriced for what it is. so you are close to UCB but over $ 1700 for a 1BR? was blinded by the glitter when i signed leased!