I loved this place when I moved in. I liked the fact that the downstairs units are closed in and dark like caves and look like it's three decades ago. I found the fact that the manager obviously didn't give a crap about what tenants did appealing, but that also bit me in the ass. She ended up putting us in grave danger to compensate for her own irresponsibility, while obviously violating our rights, and then had the gall to call me and scream at me like I was a misbehaving two year old for questioning it.
Well, as others have mentioned, the management changed. I was relieved, but it turns out that the mean and careless non-manager was the better of two evils. The new management came in during a crumbling economy when tenants were already dropping like flies and immediately started changing rules and threatening everybody. It's common knowledge that Creekside is impossible to park on. This complex is nothing special, it was always a little dilapidated, but the ONE redeeming quality was 10 "visitor" spots that were often used for second cars. It wasn't a perfect system, but it worked. In fact, it wasn't easy at all for the people who relied on that, but it was a sacrifice they could choose to make in order to have a place to put their car. Other than that, the only option was parking a mile away and getting picked up. This was how most of us had our guests park. Again, not perfect, but on a tiny street with that many people crammed into it, you have to bend a little. It was by far worth it to have those extra spots.
So, the new management came in, and as their first act posted threatening letters on everybody's car who was parked in a visitor spot, even if they WERE actually a visitor. Soon after, they posted mean, aggressive letters on every door stating the change in parking rules that the review below me mapped out, and that all previous rules (which were mapped out in the lease) were now "null and void". I'm sure somebody complained about the fact that they came in and declared that everybody's leases didn't mean crap, because a few weeks later they posted a similar letter making official changes. It was a stupid, petty change. No, there wasn't much parking, but that's living on Creekside. Almost all of the other complexes on that street don't have ANY extra parking. That system had been in place for a long time, and it's beyond me why you would come into people's homes and first thing piss them all off.
For another issue, I could not make the management communicate with us. I kept asking them to call me, etc. and NEVER got a reply. This continued until I moved out, and when I called to ask for my walk-through, they acted as if they didn't know who I was or that I was leaving. Furthermore, the woman answered the phone (the business number) by saying "What." and then spoke as if my calling was annoying and offensive.
I made friends while I lived there, and the one that I stayed in contact with is ready to rip her hair out dealing with issues far worse than anything I ever faced with the new management, so apparently they haven't learned.
If you move here and you have a balcony, I recommend you don't walk on it. Or if you're on the first floor, don't walk under it. There are two handymen who do all the construction repairs and are obviously far from qualified, (not to mention they scream disgusting profanities all day and if you say a word to them, be ready to cover your children's ears as they call you names that wouldn't even be acceptable on HBO,) and there's no way it's legal. I watched them cut down and rebuild an entire balcony, and even from a layman's perspective it's horrifying. You could hear the two guys frequently saying things like: "You sure that'll hold'" "Whatever, stick more nails in". The parking structures were also frequently falling down and having to be propped back up. The whole place is falling apart, perhaps because they never hire professionals and instead just throw stuff together with glue and staples.
Noise is another thing. I happened to live beneath the most inconsiderate rowdy kids who belonged in a frathouse. All hours of the night and morning...I don't know what they could have been doing. Wrestling, I assume' Hosting raves' Training elephants' Not to mention screaming at 3am on the balcony. The worst part of this was that even if they were just walking up and down the stairs, you could still hear everything. The walls are so thin, you're prithee to EVERYTHING down to when they go to the bathroom, so add on the fact that they're inconsiderate stompers, and it's unlivable. Once they actually knocked a picture off the wall.
The front units' windows open up to the parking lot, and the back units back up to the Iron Horse Trail, making any privacy a joke.
Living on Creekside in general is hell. You just can't cram that many apartments onto one narrow street with one outlet. There was a fire at one of the bigger complexes last spring, and nobody could get in or out for something like 6 hours. Then, within 5 minutes of it opening back up, the traffic to get home backed up for miles.
There are better places for this price in the area. Unless you have a death wish and are incredibly masochistic in the mean time, keep looking.

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 08/27/2009
Yes, parking can be challenging on Creekside drive. This is a fact and why rents are typically lower on Creekside than elsewhere in Walnut Creek. Unfortunately, the parking situation was not working for ALL residents at 1400 Creekside. Some were taking advantage of the guest spots. Management was left no choice but to better define the rules and begin enforcing them. The intention was that ALL residents would benefit from this nice amenity, not just a select few. Only friendly, qualified, licensed contractors are used at the property. Check all workmanship for yourself. It is nonsense claiming otherwise. The community is in excellent condition and continued improvements are planned. Management prides itself on treating all individuals fairly and with dignity, it is a complete fabrication stating anything to the contrary. Management deeply regrets any resident living with such unhappiness.
From: Anonymous	Date: 08/27/2009
This website is not for management to post or comment on. The rules are outlined very clearly. It is for tenants to share their experiences of apartments free from fear of landlord repercussion or bias. If a prospective tenant wants a manager's opinion, they'll call and ask for it, not look on a rating website. And frankly, most people searching for an apartment who see obvious manager comments to every negative post defending themselves would see that as a big red flag. Every apartment on this website has a few bad ratings that need to be taken with a grain of salt, but others don't have rebuttals from the management in question. (Oh, and just because apartments on Creekside aren't the most expensive in Walnut Creek, they're nowhere near some of the cheapest. There are some wonderful apartments in nicer areas with abundant parking for cheaper, they're just not as easy to find as a street crammed with apartments. Also, you can declare whatever you want, but people's experiences aren't necessarily inaccurate. Instead of contradiction, maybe try considering complaints of unhappy tenants as things that actually need improvement. Finally, it's obvious that the new parking situation is not working for ALL the residents at 1400 Creekside, either.)
From: creeksidehell	Date: 08/28/2009
ANOTHER DISSILLUSIONED MANAGER...This site is for tenants...Itis our way of fighting back and warning other perspective tenants about potenial places they are thinjing about renting from. 1400 creekside was a terrible experience for me as well! DO NOT RENT FROM THESE PEOPLE.
From: Anonymous	Date: 08/31/2009
I cant say I agree with the parking comments. It went both ways. Some people liked using the visitor parking and some people hated that their visitors couldnt park anywhere. I would have to say enforcing the rules is a good thing. Its not like these are new rules they were there just never enforced. I totally agree with the comments on maintenance of the property though. They fail to get anything done in a timely manner. The work that is done is extremely poor. I would also agree its borderline hazardous. Take a look at the patch job they did for the falling carport. It is extremely bad and I bet a building inspector would fine them severely for putting people lives at risk. The old managment sucked the new management sucks. Ive lived in several complexs in my days and I cant believe the people that run this place. You have to wonder who is hiring the management. My suspicion is the owner doesnt care, and hires poor management and pays for half assed fixes to the property.

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