I have lived at Pacific Gardens for 5 years and am leaving only because my child and I have outgrown our apartment here. I was surprised by the negative reviews, but some appear to have been written by UCSD students comparing this complex to the well-appointed homes they grew up in.

When you're shopping for an apartment and the cheapest unit your are offered is FACING THE STREET and is NEXT TO A BUS STOP - you're going to get a lot of TRAFFIC NOISE!

If your apartment is facing south, it's going to get a lot of sun during the day and it will get HOT! (At least you can put up your satellite dish, though).

If you leave your ground-floor apartment windows open during the day, it's only a matter of time before you get ROBBED! Regardless of the area (and UTC has a lower-than-average crime rate).

Duh! So quit complaining if you made those choices! Instead, I chose to pay a bit more for one of their many units set back from Genesee Ave, and which also has a generous patio, and the windows are only exposed to 1-2 hours' sunlight per day.

Neighbor noise has been minimal, but I may have been lucky to have a load-bearing wall (not just a partition) between units (our building is on a slope). And it helps to make friends with one's neighbors, too!

Parking can be a little tight but there are always open spots somewhere on the complex, even if you return late at night. The farthest I've ever had to walk is about 30 yards from a parking spot facing the canyon to my apartment. The 2-bedroom apartments come with a garage rental; 1-bedroom renters can pay $100/month extra for a garage if they want).

The grounds look nice with shade and well-groomed vegetation; not a big deal for me but my visitors often make positive remarks. The pool and jacuzzi are well-maintained and never crowded. Lighting isn't perfect but the area is very safe. You can walk to UTC or to the Costa Verde shopping area, and UCSD is an easy bike ride away.

As for management/maintenance, I've never had a problem, and in fact they've been lenient with the rules a few times in my favor (such as toy storage on the patio). If you give consideration and respect, you'll get it. If you bluster into the office and start complaining away like a spoiled hotel guest, you may not get the same level of service - that's human nature.

I've had many maintenance requests completed within 24 hours. If I'm going out of town for a few days I schedule any maintenance issues to be taken care of then, and I believe that giving them a few days' time-frame helps, compared to declaring that a broken window blind is an "emergency".

My child and I feel a little sad that we're moving out, and I would recommend this complex for its good price, ameneties and great location. The floorplan and inside storage also worked well for us; plenty of power outlets, and easy access between kitchen/dining/living areas. Being an older complex, it has a more "open" feel than the newer, high-density developments in the area. Despite the fact that most apartments are 1-bedroom, I would also add that it's a very kid-friendly environment. Pacific Gardens is cheaper than most in the area - and good value for money overall.

Finally, I am not connected with management in any other way than as a tenant, nor was I asked/coerced/paid by them to write a review. So there!

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