I've lived at Hilltop Commons for a little more than a year now, and in that time there have been definite signs of improvement. Granted rents have increased 33% in that time, but that has driven out many of the more questionable tenants.

Hilltop is still the cheapest apartment complex option in San Pablo, and the efforts management is making to improve this place appear to be working. The rap music that used to blare throughout the complex is disappearing, save for the few obnoxious tenants we have left (out of 300+ units, I guess that's to be expected). Continued rent adjustments will allow management the flexibility to fill many now-vacant units with respectful, caring tenants and make Hilltop an even better place to live.

The grounds are better maintained than I would have expected, at the minor cost of leaf-blower noise once or twice a week (small price to pay). The units themselves are fine - nothing extraordinary, some minor issues here and there (no more than I've seen at any other apartment in the east bay or peninsula). The staff here are courteous, but are somewhat jaded by having to deal with unruly tenants in the past. The maintenance people are courteous and work very hard. There is plenty of parking beyond the covered space each unit gets.

The walls are somewhat thin - one can sometimes hear the sound of conversations in adjacent units (those that share direct walls, like some of the 2nd bedrooms), though it's muffled enough to prevent others from hearing the actual words spoken. Neighbors that place speakers on the walls of adjacent units can be a serious problem.

As for security, I've never felt threatened inside the complex, but as with any of the nearby units, this one is fairly close to Richmond. Reading the other review of Hilltop, it seems important to stress that common sense is a necessity - lock doors/windows at all times when you aren't home, doing laundry, getting mail, etc. - don't let yourself be a target. Management has gotten better about having someone at the front gate at night.

I am hopeful that improvements will continue, and the rent increases will stabilize as the economy softens.

@home service is available and extraordinarily fast in this area. Very reliable.

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