Crystal Tower

Crystal tower has had rampant security issues for the past year. Every day, packages left in the mail room are ripped open and the contents either stolen or strewn around the room. This picture shows the latest mail related felony– residents’ mailboxes were pried open on January 14^th. This photos was taken on January 25^th, 11 days later and the mail boxes haven’t even been fixed. Management is aware of these felonies taking place every day on their property and has done nothing to increase security.

Despite bad reviews on here I thought I would go view this property.
On arrival the property manager told me photo ID was required to do a viewing, not having mentioned this by email or on the phone when a meeting was arranged.
Luckily I did have ID but she didn’t want to just see it or take a copy of it but also retain it for the duration of the viewing.
Fair enough they do have to safeguard their personal safety when viewing with those they don’t know but they seem to have no regard for the prospective renters who might want to safeguard their ID and not place it in the care of those they don’t know.
I declined to hand over my ID and walked out — if this is how they treat prospective customers imagine how awkward they must be once you sign with them!
Apparently this is a standard policy at all Trinity properties…

We have lived in 3 different units (floors 11, 6 and 7) in Crystal Towers and the place is ok.
Pros:
— Amazing view — alcatraz is always in view and if you step out to the balcony you could see Crooked Street and the far end of the Golden Gate Bridge! From the other side, you could see the Transamerica building, Coit Tower, etc.
— every unit has a balcony and so it is really bright inside during daytime and I love it.
— furnished apartments and we have stayed only for a few months at a time, so it was great that we did not have to buy a TV or mattress or couch or kitchen utensils.
— Close to Fishermen’s Wharf, bus stop, cable car turnaround and so many other tourist spots and conveniences like grocery stores, coffee shops, etc.
— Maid service is available. We have been using it but it is not awesome!
Cons
— Initially, there was no manager available at the property at all! (Aug to Dec 2012). So when you move in, you need to collect the keys from 1000 Chestnut which is uphill and when you leave, you need to hand the keys over to 1000 Chestnut during ‘office hours’ otherwise you will not get a key receipt! It is very inconvenient that way.
— I have no clue what the walls are made of because if someone happens to laugh hard in the next unit, you could hear it clearly. And you can also hear your next-​unit neighbor locking or unlocking his/​her apartment entrance door :(
— You need to have a landline phone to let visitors in, if they call you from outside. Cellphone numbers can be set up into the powerpad but then you need to go downstairs to physically open the door to let your visitors in.
— Our cellphone was wired for a different apartment door number and everytime someone came for that unit, we got a call
— Kitchen pots and pans are just ok, not non-​stick, dirty and scratched and even the drip pans were stained and rusted. In our first apartment, some problem with the plumbing caused water to drain into the dishwasher whenever i used the garbage disposal and the stagnant water started stinking up the whole apartment, ew!
— mattresses and pillows are the worst kind that I can ever imagine.
— Even the two bed apartments come with only one bath :(
I cannot imagine living long-​term in this place. I would stay here only for short-​term trips because it does not make sense to invest on furniture.

This place has the most amazing view in the city, but that is about all it has. These apartments are «furnished,» but you will wind up dropping at least $ 600 on buying a vacum, cleaning supplies, kitchen stuff (everything sticks to the useless pans they provide) and other basic necessities. When you move out, you’re responsible for getting rid of all of that new equipment you just purchased rather than leave it for the next resident who would likely appreciate it. No, the management has no idea what the Salvation Army’s number is or where you can leave all of that stuff — I asked.
During my stay here, I also had a package stolen from the mail room. The property manager seemed hardly concerned and said it was unlikely anything could be done — and this is only after I visited her office to discuss it. She never even followed up to a complaint letter I sent about the need for better security and cameras in the building. The day after my package disappeared, I found the ripped up remains of the box in the building’s garbage cans in the secure garage so I’m sure it was a resident who took my package rather than some random hobo who somehow wandered in to a locked building.
When we moved out, we paid professional cleaners around $ 150 to clean the apartment for three hours. The place was spotless when we left. However, we were still charged around $ 200 for «three hours worth of cleaning» by Trinity. We were also charged $ 90 for painting because there were «scuffs» (!?) on the walls, even though we only lived in this place for three months and left it in great condition. Finally, they tacked on a $ 25 charge for damage to oven drip pans, which never even existed in this minimally furnished apartment. Also expect to drop a hundred or more on mandatory carpet cleaning fees, regardless of how long you live here.
Finally, just a side note — we were two days (TWO DAYS) late paying the rent for the first month we were in this apartment (we simply forgot), and we received a curt notice demanding we pay immediately or evict the property. This perfectly sums up the poor attitude Trinity has towards its tenants.
The views this building offers will take your breath away, but do think twice before signing the lease. The lost deposit money, stolen packages and basic living supplies you will have to purchase, when all totalled, will easily add another month’s rent to your final bill, not to mention the stress of dealing with this place’s ridiculousness.

we have stayed at trinity properties numerous times and at crystal tower more recently. with the arrival of Chris Flick the management service is certainly 1000% better. better availability, a great attitude and hard work certainly make the difference ! thanks again to Chris and crew (Xue, Fred, Matt and Vlad !

We have been staying at Crystal Tower for three months a year for the past few years. I must say that the management has gotten their act together since those terrible reviews were written. The main complaint we have had is our neighbors’ noisy parties which tend to go on to all hours of the nights. However, Ditas Durhan, the property manager, has been very effective in getting these events under control. She writes warning letter to the offenders and talks to them personally about the noise and about smoking on the premises. She seems determined to kick them out if they persist with the noise. Ditas has also been good about getting things fixed in the apartment. Our rental agent was Nick Allen, and he was very helpful. Most of all, I like the location of Crystal Tower. I would definitely stay there again, assuming Ditas is still there.

it makes me sad to say that you should never ever live here because the apartments do have amazing views and the location is great. don’t let this fool you!!! its not worth it!!! management is TERRIBLE. i planned on staying for a year but moved out after 3 months. first of all, they never fix anything. it takes 5 phone calls to get anything done. second, they will nickel and dime you to death. i got charged $ 400 for some total crap cleaning fees, including «repainting» after living there 3 months. seriously? nothing needs to be repainted after only 3 months. AND ALSO: one evening, around 8PM, I locked myself out. i called and someone was there within 10 minutes so it cant have been that much trouble. they charged me $ 50! i wouldn’t complain about $ 15 but come on. third, you can hear EVERYTHING the neighbors across the hall are doing in most areas of the apartment. seriously i knew way too much about my neighbors and what they do at 4AM. i could probably write a book about how much i hate this place but i guess the other reviews speak for themselves.
P. S. one day a strange man walked into my apartment, told me i should have locked the door, and then ran out. needless to say i locked the door after that. on that note, the front door doesn’t shut if it is windy. and because SF is ALWAYS windy, security sucks.

Thiefs!!! I had an apartment with Trintiy a little over a year ago on stockton street. I left the apartment in perfect condition!!! It was cleaner when i left than it was when i got it. They charged me $ 400 to paint the walls and took it out of my deposit. I complained and was told it was not their problem & it was routine to charge people to paint after they vacate. I do not recommend anyone ever renting from them EVER, unless you want to get ripped off!!! NOT COOL!

This place SUCKS.
My lease is done at the end of this month (thank GOD)
I am getting the hell outa here.
Upon looking at the apartment, it seemed nice, liveable. It is in a great location.
I was wrong. my roommate and I share a one bedroom and we still pay a tremendous amount! Construction has been going on for over 6 months. and not a little, A LOT! Like hammering and banging and the horrible smell of tar. The construction starts and 8 in the morning and has lasted allllllllll damn year! I am looking out my patio as we speak and there are chunks of roof in my patio and men staring down at me while they are hammering away.
Not to mention the loud ass seagulls! They keep you up at night, like midnight!
Our walls are incredibly thin, we hear our neighbors above us having loud sex and arguing CONSTANTLY!
Our hallway smells like a mix between curry and mothballs.
The apartment is so old school and not «san francisco boutique» old school but in bad shape cheaply built.
With that said, if you want to live in north beach, dont live here, the management sucks and they are rude!
Thanks:)

if you’re asking yourself whether you should live here, my suggestion would be «for the love of God — no.»
Mabel in the head office is a peach, and the view is one you’ll remember fondly but at this price it’s hard to see how you couldn’t do better elsewhere.
Here’s my story: move in one day, girlfriend is to show up a few days later. don’t need the garage space til she arrives so leave remote with the building manager. girlfriend arrives, building manager refuses to make a second set of keys or add gf to lease. also charges entire month’s parking for just the last ten days of July.
Off to a great start, right?
Another example: fridge konks out on a Saturday afternoon, just in time for my return from whole foods with $ 200 in perishables. call the emergency line and get ‘sorry, this isn’t an emergency you’ll have to call monday’. buy a couple of coolers and ice from the corner store, rebuying and filling ice to minimize food loss. monday morning manager is out sick, report filed with main office, new fridge comes tuesday at 10AM, carpet soiled, kitchen puddled with water. have to ask a half dozen times how i’ll be compensated for my expenses and am met with a ‘what do you want to be compensated for? submit your receipts and we’ll consider your request.‘
and i haven’t mentioned the neighbors that party from midnight til 4AM or the soiled furniture yet.
sneak in, enjoy the view, rent elsewhere.