This is a long review, but I think you'll find it useful.
The apartments themselves are fine. They haven't been remodeled in decades and the furniture varies from brand new to collapsing bags of springs. But they're warm in the winter, cool in the summer, everything works most of the time, and there's more space than any one bedroom apartment I've ever seen.
The on-site laundry is pathetic, not to mention filthy. If you're a current tenant, take your laundry to South Campus Laundry two blocks away.
Management is clueless. When you discuss anything with them via phone, it will not get done or it will be all wrong. Maintenance often showed up at my door for repairs I hadn't requested and didn't need, and when I did need repairs, who knew when/if they would get done. I returned from a weekend vacation on a Sunday afternoon to find sewage filling my kitchen sink to its brim. When I called management for emergency repairs, they rudely told me they're closed on Sundays and that this wasn't an emergency (so if you find your upstairs neighbor's sewage appearing where you prepare food to be an acceptable part of the rental experience, you'll get along fine with this company). The final straw for me was when they called me to say "per our prior phone conversation" I would be moving out soon and my lease would be terminated. I called to clarify that I hadn't ever suggested I was leaving and that I didn't want my lease canceled, to which they agreed. Nevertheless, that was enough for me so I began searching for a new apartment at that point.
After I told them I was in fact moving out, the manager entered my apartment while I was out. How do I know this' He LEFT THE FRONT DOOR OPEN! When I got home, a bit concerned, I called to ask if he had been in there. He admitted readily that he had simply stuck his head through the door to see if I had moved out, but that doesn't explain all of the lights having been turned on and the curtains opened. So, with many of my belongings in plain view, he left the curtains open, the lights on, and the front door open, and then lied to me about it! This is beyond bad management -- it is blatantly illegal, and they feel it's perfectly fine.
Finally, the rent you'll pay here would be appropriate for a much nicer place, but it is just too much for this apartment in this market. I started at $620 in 2006, and they raised it to $650 in 2007 and $695 in 2008. For over $50 a month less, I moved to a larger two bedroom apartment in the Linda Vista neighborhood (SW corner of town) that is almost brand new, has better management, and with one of the best views in town.
If you are in a pinch and need an apartment fast, Alpha Arms is probably an acceptable solution, at least until you have time to find something better. But if you have your choice of apartments, cross this one off of your list!

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