These are archived comments for The Drake. All comments before 2007 apply to the management that was in effect prior to Hallmark Properties.
2006-08-16 11:54:59 The old management was awful, but the current management is FANTASTIC! I've been living at Anderson Court (same management and maintenance, also next door), and they've always been extremely polite and accomodating. I've needed 3 repairs in the last 6 months, and typically they were serviced within a day or two. They also have monthly drawings for a free months rent, and a monthly newsletter. The pool and grounds are kept in perfect shape, I don't think I've ever seen the pool REMOTELY dirty. My only complaint would be that they do their groundskeeping at 8am, with loud, motorized leafblowers. But if your only problem is that they're cleaning too much, you know you live in a fantastic complex. —JustinKudo
2007-02-28 01:35:42 They are doing a lot of remodeling, I currently like in an unremolded apartment but I have no problem with it. Water does pool on the roof of the Drake apartments so unless management has people to go up there to knock it off, you will find some water stains.. or um leakage. Still not a huge problem. It hasn't come into my apartment yet, we can just hear it dripping onto one part of our ceiling. Management is really nice though. —KirstenOnell
2007-03-14 01:21:12 So I don't exactly know what this means but as of today March 13th, I have seen 3 dead pigeons that have no discernable damage lying on the pathways of Drake. Today was actually on the second floor on the way to my apartment. It was creepy. —KirstenOnell
2008-01-15 19:46:59 For the Drake Apartments, specifically, the exterior, looks a bit questionable (old broken fences), but the interior is great. Everything has been remodeled over the summer (new sink, stove, microwave, fridge, cabinets, carpet, bathroom fixtures, toilet, shower/bathtub, air conditioning, heat). I've been here for a quarter now and I am definitely liking it. The only bad thing I can think of is that there is occasionally a puddle in front of my door when it rains really hard, but since the heat is new, I warm up pretty quick. —JonathanChee
2008-03-08 09:50:49 The inside is VERY nice, the girls in the office are not. —lv
2008-05-17 11:11:00 I currently live in the Drake apartments and they are very nice! They remodeled them last year and everything inside ours is brand new! When we have a problem someone is usually out to address is right away. The girls in the office can be a little rude sometimes. But the apartments are really nice, so i can deal with them. And they plan on redoing the outside soon too, so it'll look nice also! :O) —CindyLouWho
2008-06-12 19:03:29 The office has been under "renovation" forever. I can understand not being physically in the office at this time, but not why they can't take any calls. The answering service claimed the office would be back on the 6th, and also that I could leave a message, to be delivered to the manager and replied to "ASAP." Two promises broken. A few days later, we got a notice saying they would be closed until the 11th, and that "We get messages from [the answering service] throughout the day, so we will be able to get back to you quickly." Today, the 12th, they are neither open nor have they replied to any messages. The workers at the office said they might re-open Monday. That would be three days after my roommate and I move out, and one day after the sublessee is supposed to move in, provided that a contract has been signed beforehand. When we made plans with the office for this sublease, we told them when this signing and moving was supposed to happen and were not warned about any renovation. Today, I can't even ask them for advice on how this is supposed to work out. The office has been reasonable for the rest of the year but now that I need them, and I must emphasize NOW, they're gone. —KatherineChiu
2008-09-07 20:04:47 Hello. Can anyone of the current residents give some feedback about the experience of living in the Drake apartments. Thank you —bayer044 I'm not sure about the rent for the flats, but for the townhouse as of this year (2004-2005), the rent is $1115/mo, after you sign a 11 month and a half contract. Laundry is $1/washing, $1/drying (3 of each washer/dryer in each facility), also an increase from last year. But the amenities include jacuzzi, a pool (though it's not very heated) and pretty good parking (no trouble finding spaces though there are no reserved spots). Also be aware, the management can be a pain sometimes, it's best to follow regulations carefully or else she can really get to you. Also you have to accept the fact the apartments are kind of old, so don't complain about the pests or the crappy insulation. Hey, at least there is decent heating. - YawenChen
I lived in The Drake last year, and my god, will never do it again. Yawen definitely understated the suckiness of the management! Sometimes I would go in there to complain about the next thing that was broken, and they would be sitting in the lounge chairs just chatting. Then, they would make me wait while they finished chatting, then would seem irritated they had to help me. They work like no hours, with a huge lunch break, and it's awful. We had broken closet doors for half the year that took all our might to open, deluxe two-tone carpeting they said was just fine, and I was glad to leave there. I'll finish with a quote from my lovely roommate, Jaime: "The management has 5 foot poles up their asses and take out their anal discomfort on the students with eternally bitchy attitudes." - DavidBenjamin
David, about the management... they had hired this new girl, who's SO MUCH nicer than the "older" management. And maintenance came the same day after we submitted our requests. Maybe they're changing!! Also, they gave us all one of those big cartons of popcorn over the holidays. We never finished it. But be aware, their rent is skyrocketing next year! - YawenChen
2005-04-05 18:42:58 Pet deposit: $200...the lowest I've seen when looking for apartments —NatalieKitchiner
2005-08-22 14:18:02 I wish to complain about the roof replacement which starts at 7:30 in the morning until 4 in the evening and is very loud. When I called to complain to Leona, the apartment manager, she was rude and unsympathetic and it wasn't the first time. When we complained about getting repairs, when our ceiling was leaking, when we had a large hole in our bathroom door, she was not concerned about our well being. It seems most apartment managers treat students like second class citizens . I have already lodged several complaints to the management, Fair Housing, and Davis Police Department (regarding the noise). If anyone else wishes to complain about anything I urge them to do so because the only way we can get our voices heard is to complain together. —RobertYoung
2005-08-22 20:08:51 Drake Apartments suck! The managers are mean and stingy. They really cheat you on your security deposit. Also, their ceilings leak, and they won't do anything about it. These people act like you're a waste of their time. I really hope the new management is nicer. —MindyYang
2005-09-03 00:41:09 DRAKE MANAGEMENT ARE THE MEANEST PEOPLE EVER! They treated me like dirt. THEY TREATED MY DAD LIKE DIRT! The bitch at the desk rudely stopped my dad from talking. She wanted us to submit our applicaton and sign our LEASE and pay or ap fee AND the security deposit at the SAME TIME! So unethical! When we had enough of their disrespect, we wanted her to destroy our apps which had our SSN and other personal information. she did a crude job and despite our requests to black our SSN out and to give the papers to us, she threw it in the garbage can. We had to threaten legal action to her superior before we got the scraps back. THEY ARE EVIL! —MehdiKhan
2005-10-13 10:14:03 I agree that the Drake Management team sucks. Especially Leona. She acts as if she wished that we college students didn't exist. I mean, I realize that once we are in a lease, we have to stay in it, but she is the only reason that I moved away from those apartments. The complex is old but quaint. You have a 1/2 bathroom downstairs, and a large sunken living room. It was definitely enough space for 3 people to live, when I lived there last year with Yawen and Tommy. The pool is open like 24/7 (if you're quiet enough) and the spa is open all year long. Although the pool is not heated and not always cleaned often (because there are tons of pine needles everywhere, it's still decent. I liked the central location and the proximity to the G line. The price is decent for that bathroom downstairs and the large bedrooms. I would consider living there again only if they changed management. I avoided seeing Leona for a whole lot of the year, even if we had problems with our (old) apartment, because I would rather deal with the problems than deal with her.
*** If you have time to look for apartments, there are plenty in Davis with the same ameneties, same price, and NICER management. I wouldn't recommend these apartments. —JuliaNiazov
2005-11-10 10:17:03 The management here is SO mean. It was completely hellish to try and get a parking permit, and after she instructed me to put it on the right side of my car (behind the passenger's side) and I did, I got a notice on my car saying that I had to move it to the left side (the "correct" side??) or I'd be towed. Whenever we had a repair request, she'd yell at me and tell me it was my fault and I had to pay for it. Um, wtf, I hadn't even lived here yet. The complexes are pretty crappy, and DEFINITELY difficult to live in if you're over six feet tall (the celing has a my-head-shaped-dent in it over the stairs now, and I had to replace the showerhead with a hose), but hey, at least the rent is cheap if you share a room. That's pretty much the only good thing about this place, though. Cheap rent, availible parking (if you have a permit), and convienent bus lines. —MargieHalloran
