The negative reviews I see here are not warranted. The landlady might occasionally be a stickler for cleanliness, but calling her a "racist prison warden with OCD" is completely unfair, bordering on ludicrous. I've lived here for two years, and she has never been anything but kind and extremely accommodating; at times going well above and beyond what I would expect in order to make our lives easier at times when we had a lot of moving pieces.
The place is old, true; but it's well-kept for what it is. The maintenance guys are timely and do a good job. They've been renovating the apartments as people have been moving out, most recently replacing carpeting and cabinetry.
I wobbled on giving the neighborhood three stars, and only did so because it is close to some good places. It's an easy walk to some great bars, restaurants, parks, and downtown. Were it not for the convenience, the proximity to Harborview Medical Center would have landed it a hard 2. Being so close to the hospital ensures you'll never be short on crazy druggies and ambulances going by at regular intervals (to quote the Blues Brothers: "So often you won't even notice").
Overall, I would (and have) recommend this place to friends. The pros outweigh the cons, and the price is really reasonable compared to the rest of the downtown/First Hill area.