3/21/26
15-month update
***Edit Update: After about 15 months of residing at Montecito, here's a fair evaluation of the property and management. With a building complex as old as Montecito, I've had more than my fair share of squashing bugs and roaches on the spot in almost every corner, cracks, and walls of my unit and still do to this day. On another note, it seems as though the same sentiment is being echoed among other current/long-standing tenants at the property regarding the office staff. Communication has been... lackluster between the office staff and residents. At times, there are no email or phone call follow-ups regarding maintenance requests nor are we given any timeline as to when our maintenance requests will be resolved. It is only after tenants, including myself, reach out to the office staff again to follow-up with our maintenance requests that we receive answers and a timeline of the completion of our requests. Regarding office staff, Damari seems to be the only staff personnel I've interacted with that truly and genuinely treats tenants with kindness, respect, and professionalism providing excellent customer service each time I've spoken to her. The assistant manager, Crystal, does not seem to treat tenants, myself included, respectfully, but rather in a rude, short, and condescending manner which overall makes the experience of going into the office and speaking to her in person and over the phone about anything very unpleasant. I really hope her behavior changes towards tenants, especially those that are considering renewing leases at the end of our respective contracts. However, Brad, the property manager, seems to give off a pompous air, presenting himself in a pretentious manner towards tenants. While I haven't experienced any unpleasant interactions with Brad, the most recent interaction I did have with him in the office felt like I was interacting with a facade. As a resident, I would appreciate if the office staff showed more transparency, genuine respect, and professionalism so that each and every interaction with any and all resident(s) of Montecito exemplified excellent customer service that is truly satisfying for all. Unfortunately, with this honest review of the property and the office staff/management team here at Montecito, my rating of this property and staff and has dropped since my last review in 2025. I truly hope that all of the points mentioned in this review improve as I look forward to publishing another review later on this year.
Review from Apartments.com
Property Manager at Montecito responded to this review
Thank you for taking the time to share such a detailed and honest review. We truly appreciate your feedback and the perspective you’ve provided after 15 months as a resident. We sincerely apologize for the issues you’ve experienced, particularly... regarding pest control matters and customer service. This is not the standard we strive to uphold, and we understand how frustrating and concerning this must be.
We regret the communication gaps you’ve encountered with maintenance requests. Timely updates are important. Your feedback will be shared with our team to improve our follow-up process and ensure residents are kept informed every step of the way.
We appreciate your kind words about our Leasing Consultant and will be sure to recognize her for the professionalism and care she consistently shows. At the same time, we take your concerns about other team members seriously. Providing top tier customer service to every resident is an expectation we hold for our entire staff, and your comments will be addressed internally.
If you’re open to it, I would welcome the chance to speak with you directly so we can better address your concerns and improve your experience. Please feel free to contact the office at your convenience.