California Palms Ascot

Do not live at California Palms. I had such a horrible experience with Debi Gage and this complex that I frankly feel it is my civic duty to warn everyone about this place, ESPECIALLY students from Saint Mary’s looking to live off-​campus.
This complex is absolutely falling apart, despite the landlords claiming its constant renovation. I moved in and, immediately upon my first use of the shower, was forced to wade in my own shower water atop an already disastrously damaged bathtub surface because of a drain clogged with the hairs of previous tenants. What happened a month before we moved out? We were told we would have to replace the entire bathtub because it was newly installed prior to our residency and «we damaged it». While I had a receipt from the mini drain snake I bought and used to clean this filthy appliance, Debi failed to ever prove the remodel.
This is only one such example. Were you hoping for AC? Too bad, can’t get it here! Proper heating during the winter months when the walls are so thin that your bedroom is below 50 degrees? Nope, not at California Palms! I bet you also want a working shower fan so no mold will build up in your bathroom. Oops! Not here!
All the while, you can request fixes all you want, but the wildly incompetent resident manager Manal and her trusty sidekick Gustavo will insist everything is your fault and you should take care of it yourself. But — spoiler alert! — if Debi finds out you took things into your own hands, you’ll be violating your lease agreement! What a twist ending!
But no, that’s not where this story ends. I lived with two roommates, and we were quiet and respectful during our entire two year residency here (with a couple of small slip-​ups I’ll admit, but WE ARE COLLEGE STUDENTS, and by god if SMC students aren’t some of the quietest kids you’ll find on this side of the Bay). We were surrounded on either side of us by families who verbally abused children and spouses alike, loudly, daily — did I mention the walls are thinner than the skin of an African Spiny Mouse? We sent a formal report of this to our beloved Debi Gage, and what did she reply with?
An eviction notice.
That’s right folks, we were unlawfully evicted, and we didn’t know why (and yes, those abusive families still live there). But are we really so surprised that California Palms would act illegally? And are we really so surprised that Debi was stupid enough to think we wouldn’t try to take legal action?
In all seriousness, this place is a joke. We sent $ 3000 checks every month to a freaking PO box supposedly owned by a woman who we never even interacted with except by email.
For the love of God, do not live at California Palms.

For the love of God, do not live at California Palms.
I’ll just name some of our experiences.
The landlord, Debi Gage, attempted to unlawfully evict us. This is one of the most unacceptable actions a landlord can take against tenants. She did so with only months left on our lease. We think a noise complaint we filed provoked the eviction notice, but it’s impossible to know with Debi.
I pay for a parking spot because there is almost never streetside parking as expected on a street of mostly apartments. Someone kept parking in my spot. I asked Debi what we could do about this problem. She responded by saying I could give up my spot and receive a refund or tow the car. That’s not a good solution for a paying tenant who wants the spot he is paying for, and towing is a good way to ruin someone’s day unnecessarily.
Structurally speaking, this apartment complex should be rebuilt. I can’t take a step in my room without at least 2 – 3 floorboards loudly creaking. As the rooms are on the second floor, anyone eating in the kitchen or watching TV in the living room will be disrupted by constant creaking (it’s actually louder than a creak; it’s more like a snap). Also, to worsen this structural trait, the walls are so thin, I can listen to our neighbors’ conversations and they can hear ours. I can’t for sure say the whole complex is like this, but from two different friends who lived at Ca Palms agreeing, and the creaking I hear from both our neighbors’ apartments, I am assuming the whole complex is poorly built.
Our interior is cheap and poorly designed, as some of the ugly drawers can’t open without skimming the handles of other drawers. Some apartments are remodeled but are more expensive.
The drains were clogged and floors dirty upon moving in.
We were told the garbage disposal doesn’t really work so we’ll need to fiddle with it from time to time. Why not just, you know, fix it?
The bathroom fan didn’t work when we moved in either.
Many surfaces aren’t level.
We paid near $ 3000 monthly for:
–A structurally concerning, neglected, ugly apartment
–A truly mean landlord (like the evil landlords you see in movies or hear about from bad stories from friends)
–Sometimes parking
–And reliably unreliable washing machines.
Avoid Debi Gage and California Palms at all costs.
Lastly, I’m typing this as I wait for our pre-​move-​out-​inspection, which was at 4:30pm. It’s now 5:30pm and no inspector came. This disrespect of our time does not surprise me in the slightest.
Edit: the inspector for the final walk through was hours early and inspecting while we weren’t there and while the cleaners were still cleaning. It’s almost like California Palms management wanted to give a shady final inspection to take more of our deposit, but that’s just me assuming.
Goodluck!

This apartment complex is very well kept but way over priced. The neighbors are quiet and keep to themselves. The apartments are pretty well updated but not for the price they cost. In regards to the landlord, she has no heart and doesn’t make this a comfortable living situation– don’t plan on decorating or celebrating any holidays because they all are «hazardous». Furthermore, she follows your lease agreement to the point. For example, she won’t let anyone who doesn’t live in the apartment complex park in the spots the tenants pay for (you get 2 spots and if you are using one the guest can’t use the other). With this I highly do not recommend living here unless you like to feel trapped and controlled. No party’s or noise either as soon as the sun goes down– college kids stay away! All in all save yourself the trouble and don’t live here.