Betty Rose Apartments

RESPONSE TO JACOB’S REVIEW:
It seems like Jacob — as a one-​time reviewer — just joined Unilocal to make this review to counter mine, which is curious. How did he find my review? What motivated him to write his? He spends a big chunk of his review trying to take the heat off the property owner/​landlady regarding the location. Sure, she has no control over the location (and I never stated or alluded to that), although one may argue there were many things that were not disclosed to us by the landlady about the location before renting.
Jacob appreciates a police presence in his neighborhood? Why was there a need for a «police presence»? Do constant helicopters in the sky make a person feel safe, or do they make a person feel like they are living under siege? Jacob had no problem with running around the neighborhood because he is a (muscular) man. Women in our complex were afraid to make a short walk to Wendy’s after dark. The place is ghetto, «diamond in the rough,» or not. The rent does not reflect that, either. It’s too high. «Location, location, location,» remember? That’s why the landlady charges upwards of $ 3,400 a week on her La Jolla Barber Tract beach house. She couldn’t get that kind of rent in dumpy North Park.
Blond and buff Jacob avoids entirely the unethical and borderline illegal behaviors of the landlady. Perhaps he did not bear the brunt of it all like I did because I was on the property more than he was, or maybe there were more subtle reasons for my being on the receiving end more. Talk to the Puerto Rican lady who lived above me, too, and you will get an earful. The landlady clearly treated some people differently than others. Hmmm… I wonder why that is???
The landlady lacks integrity. She told outright lies to me at least three times. She lied to the San Diego Police Department about being physically threatened by a homeless person who was camping out across the alley and not on her property. She was not threatened by him at all. When I asked what happened to the homeless man’s belongings, the landlady told me the police had carted them away. Another lie. The man’s worldly possessions ended up in the locked dumpster of the Betty Rose Apartments on the direction of the landlady. Is this even legal?
Jacob briefly mentions the «particularities» of the landlady, but this accounts for 75% of my displeasure with living at the Betty Rose Apartments. As Jacob’s own roommate once said regarding the landlady, «She’s nosy!» Well, yes, and beyond that. Before I challenged her to show me in the lease where it said it was illegal to run a business out of my apartment, she questioned my every move and thought she could order me around (like telling me to close my blinds, and then when I didn’t, asking me, «do you have a problem with that???»). Her petty need for control is ridiculous and almost laughable, and given her almost daily presence on the property it’s kind of funny that with all of her snooping she’s CLUELESS as to what’s really going on there (see my previous example of my chain-​smoking neighbor). If you want your guests questioned, your windows looked into and your water use measured for «suspicious activity,» well, go ahead and rent here. I signed a lease and that’s a contract between two people, a two-​way street. The landlady saw it all from a one-​sided perspective. She didn’t hold up her end of the bargain, either, and I have never rented from anyone like that in my entire life. Jacob said he would live with the «particularities» rather than the alternative. The «alternative» is what I have now: an attentive landlord who holds up his end of the contract and gives his tenants their privacy. I’m glad I’m gone from the Betty Rose Apartments.
ADDED WARNING: When you leave, the landlady will try to take away money from your security deposit for a «cleaning fee.» If you leave your apartment «hospital clean» as she asks, legally she cannot do this. She preys on people who are uninformed and who are leaving town and cannot dispute this. See the landlord/​tenant act and «ordinary wear and tear» vs. bogus cleaning fees. What she does is actionable in small claims court.
The landlady’s Craig’s List ad says «catch the buzz in North Park.» Is she talking about the helicopters or it is a reference to the crackhead neighbors?
I’m glad Unilocal allows such detailed reviews and follow ups. I notice it took 2 months for an apartment to rent at this location, and I hope it had something to do with my review. I wish someone else had taken the time to write a review on this place before I rented there, because I did look online — like most people do nowadays — for any information on the property. I am happy I can help others to avoid this place.

I also lived at this location. The points referenced in the original review concerning the location are accurate. However, these drawbacks are hardly within the control of the landlord. Additionally, the rent reflects these drawbacks. Comparing this property to the surrounding properties, it is a diamond in the rough. True, hookers are nearby, but do not approach this complex. I do, however, appreciate a police presence in my neighborhood. I ran several times a week in the evening and mornings without any concerns. My roommates and I addressed the «Precious» neighbors with Ms. Betty and she indicated that she had contacted the property manager of this complex to see what could be done. What else can you expect from a little old lady?
After one of my roommates relocated to Washington, my remaining and I moved to another Betty Rose apartment. The area is much better, admittedly. You get what you pay for. North Park is a mixture of nicer areas and not so nice areas within close proximity of each other. The bar scene near Utah St is excellent.
True, Ms. Betty is quite particular. I prefer the particularities rather than the alternative. Any problems or repairs we had were immediately addressed.