I lived here for 2.5 years, excellent staff with quick reply times and fixes to any issues I ever had.

Pablo, the maintenance staff member is very efficient. He repairs things correctly the first time and gets it done right away. I highly recommend moving in to Hope Ranch Apartments. Michael S read more

Made an 8 month pit stop here while my husband and I looked for a home to buy in the area. We chose this complex because they accept pets - a HUGE benefit for SB. There's also off-street parking. Pablo who manages maintenance at the complex is super kind and helpful. The grounds are well kept. The street/area is pretty dense and busy, but I felt safe in our complex. Would def recommend for those with pets! read more

We had a great experience staying here. In particular, Pablo, the Maintenance Manager, responded to our requests very quickly and he was especially thorough, kind and easy to talk to. He even gave us some great suggestions for where to eat in SB! read more

Pablo the maintenance guy is very prompt and thorough with repairs. always with a smile and friendly demeanor.

Clay, the smoking is a violation of our contract and city ordinance. It is a nuisance & a breach of my quiet enjoyment. I faithfully pay rent, including utilities ON TIME. Essex & you go back & forth on whether this is a Non-Smoking property, yet tenants smoke. I have told you it comes in through my bedroom window. I'm not going to get up at 2am or 12pm to seek the smoker. Do not deflect & place the responsibility on me. It is not my responsibility to seek out the smoker, if I were the property manager I would take action to inquire. read more

The maintenance team does an excellent job, especially Pablo. Anytime our apartment has a problem, Pablo takes care of it in a timely manner with outstanding results. We recommend Hope Ranch Apartments. read more

Pablo deserves 5 stars! He's always extremely friendly, approachable, and responds quickly whenever something needs fixing. He resolves problems efficiently and makes sure everything is taken care of properly. It's reassuring knowing maintenance is handled by someone so reliable and kind. His positive attitude doesn't go unnoticed and I am very grateful to have Pablo as our maintenance guy. read more

Pablo the maintenance supervisor is always helpful and quick to respond to anything that you need

Pablo is great. He has always helped with maintenance on the apartment in a timely manner. The apartment is good for the price (in the area). Parking is a hassle if you want to have guests. read more

These apartments are smoking apartments which means tenants can smoke inside their rental unit which tends to travel through the vents. The 1 star review is because smoking in the common areas is not allowed yet happens on a daily basis and is quite frustrating when it's right outside your window. If you have health issues or sensitivity to smoke this may affect your quality of life and health so be warned. Also, they raise rent every year by the maximum amount that is legally allowed so around 9%. There's lots of turnover because of the yearly rent increases. Recently they have incentivized the apartment staff to ask tenants to leave positive reviews which is odd.. The only good thing about these apartments is the maintenance tech. read more

Be warned: these are smoking apartments and tenants are seemingly allowed to smoke all over the property and inside their units with windows open. If you have a sensitivity to smoke you should avoid this apartment complex as you may be exposed to second hand smoke on a daily basis. Second hand smoke is actually quite dangerous so if I'm being honest everyone should avoid this complex. The complex is pretty nice, a good amount of trees give the area an unusually secluded vibe. The staff are very nice and professional. Pablo in particular is extremely nice and very quick to assist with any maintenance issues. The common areas are well maintained. Overall it's a shame such a nice area is ruined by constant exposure to second hand smoke. read more

I moved into Hope Ranch Apartments back in 2021, and its been an overall great experience. I am very particular about where i live, and the property has met many of my standards in terms of cleanliness, privacy, non-smoking...and its always quiet during the night time, which is something I value highly. I also do remote work from home as well, and have been able to focus and concentrate in my meetings during normal business hours. If I ever have a question or issue, Im always able to reach the apartment manager Clay, or the facilities maintenance manager Pablo, and they take care of what is needed. Its very helpful to have a team like Clay and Pablo here full-time, so they can make sure the rules are being followed, and things stay safe and orderly. All in all, I really appreciate these accommodations, and the fact they allow my cat is a huge plus for my mental health. Its definitely been one of the best places I've lived in Santa Barbara, and I would recommend it to single-persons, or adult couples wanting to live in a more quiet, clean, and private area. read more

This place is absolutely aweful . Over priced crappy apartments. Don't recommend. Toilets clog easily, mold and always loud.

I would like to express how incredibly corrupt and horrible this apartment complex and management is to its residents. Clay, the property manager, goes out of his way to make you uncomfortable and to make your life hell. I lived in the hope ranch apartment for many years and have countless stories of how he would go out of his way to make your life harder. Once you cross him, he will watch your every move. The first time I had issues with him, it was over parking in my assigned spot backwards. We had a terrible storm and a large tree branch had fallen right in front of my car. My car is small and that size branch could completely total my car if it fell on the hood. I parked backwards during the storm so that if something else fell, at least it would fall on the back of the car. Clay completely lost it and gave me multiple reasons I couldn't park backwards (he needed to be able to see the registration on all cars in the lot and it makes the park long lot look unsightly). I tried to explain my reasoning but he would not listen and was completely rude. I tried to complain to the company but they sent my complaint back to him and from them on, it was over. He watched my every move from then on. Even though I always paid my rent on time, kept my space clean, and was a quiet resident, I was still targeted. I was in the pool after dark once and saw him lurking around the pool fence in the dark and then said "oh it's just you guys" when we saw him. The pool is locked and requires a code, what is the reason for lurking in the dark other than making residents uncomfortable? I was warned about Clay from the moment I moved in from neighbors who moved out shortly after due to poor management. There is a housing crisis in Santa Barbara and it forces people to live where they otherwise would not want to but I would encourage everyone to look elsewhere. These apartments have not been updated in years and they are charging the same as other recently renovated apartments. Before we moved out, we requested new windows because the windows we had came out of the wall every time you opened or closed the window. They would also get stuck and posed a real security concern since we couldn't always close and lock them. We were denied the request while the company is, I assume, making extremely high profits due to them raising rent to exorbitant amounts and not investing in the property. Not only are the apartments old and outdated but the management will actively attempt to make your life harder. My quality of life has improved so much since moving out of this complex. With all that said, the maintenance worker Pablo will always try to help and will be friendly. His friendliness cannot fix all the problems with the management though. I would strongly recommend finding a complex that cares about its residents without a manager that goes out of his way to be creepy and controlling. read more

I have spent time in a number of Essex properties and dealing with the office has always been a pleasure____here at Hope Ranch the manager, Clay C, has taken it to a new level....he is probably one of the nicest human beings you ever gonna meet and has gone out of his way to make sure my stay here at Hope Ranch is nothing but gold___you get the feeling he is on "your side" and if I could give him more than 5 stars I would. read more

I really love the vibe of the Essex community apartment complex! It is very clean and has a beautiful landscape of tropical flowers, foliage and palm trees. The Property Manager Clay is very personable and professional. He was very helpful and knowledgeable. He was very nice and knew everything about the property and is a most excellent property manager. Helpful, knowledgeable, friendly and professional are the 4 things that a make a great property manager! Clay patiently and respectfully answered all of my 100+ questions with ease and trust me when I say, I'm not easy to deal with!! I was nervous Nelly and had high anxiety and was stressed out when I got to there to view the apartment but Clay helped me thru the application process and made me feel comfortable and confident. Thank you Essex Apartment Homes & Thank you Clay!! read more

these apartments are very expensive. expect rent to be $1900+ per month for 1br. everything inside is very run down. cheap paint. they use the worst materials for plumbing and sinks. for window they give u a clamp to prevent the window from being open. for such a place that claim to be luxurious, they can't afford to have a decent window? No garbage disposal , no AC very thin wall , you can hear your neighbor two units down slam the door. the only good thing here is the maintenance guy is responsive and designated parking look around more ..especially in Goleta or Isla Vista for more affordable option if you can read more

Hope Ranch Apartments - cheap materials - Apartments Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I have lived at Hope Ranch for over 7 years, and as far as apartments in Santa Barbara go I was a fan. Whenever I had an issue it was addressed in a prompt manner. The property is maintained well and the location is great! This apartment complex has one of the BEST maintenance persons I have ever met. Pablo, thank you! The manager follows the rules and expects others to do so. I appreciate that approach, in the seven years that I lived at this complex I never really had an issue with anyone on the management team, but I am also a person who is fond of rules. The only issue I had with the location was Via Lucero itself, the street is narrow and guest parking after 5 pm is a challenge, to say the least. But overall, this place was good to me for many years. read more

Reposted because Clay tried to have this review removed!!! I noticed a piece of paper taped to the front door of my apartment (#C21). It was a notice from AUM, the utility management company responsible for this property. The notice had informed me that I had been late on my utility payment, and that I would be docked with a late fee of $9.00. This was of complete surprise to me, as I had not been given any notice from AUM or Clay (THE PROPERTY MANAGER) that I had been late, whether or not it was either party's fault, both had my email address, phone number, as well as my father's email and phone number (my cosigner). Thus, I had not been given any bill what so ever from anyone to pay. Regardless, I called AUM and they informed me that they had sent a bill, but that the bill was immediately sent back by the mail carrier that THEY had appointed. Therefore, no bill was ever sent to me to pay in the first place resulting in my late fee. After I ended my call with AUM, I called my property manager, Clay Cochran. As usual, he did not pick up his phone so I left him a message, to which I presented a very frustrated tone. In the message I referred to the management and the utility company as "incompetent," and I said that I wasn't going to pay the late fee. Almost 2 hours later, a friend and I were exiting the parking lot, to which to my utter surprise Clay confronted me, and demanded that I come to the office, in a very threatening and concerning tone. He kept insisting that I said things that I did not say. And whether or not I said them, his job is to maintain his calmness and professionalism while dealing with the tenants, nothing I could've said should have caused this incident. Clay wasn't able to maintain his professionalism simply because he was angered by my frustrated tone on the voice mail. He went on to call me "ignorant," he informed me that "I have a lot of life lessons to learn" and that "this must be the first time I had been living on my own," he was presenting a very threatening and loud voice so much so that it truly became concerning to me. (KEEP IN MIND, THIS MAN LIVED ON THE PROPERTY AND SO DID I). I asked him if he was the owner of the property, to which he replied that "he owned the whole world." I was truly shocked and mortified that a simple misunderstanding escalated to that level with my property manager on a property that costs me almost $1700 a month. Finally, the moment where I was truly concerned for my safety was when he told me to "leave because he didn't want to fight me." Clay knew that he had made a mistake, so he came running back to my apartment like the beta-male he knows he is and essentially begged me to forgive him, I told him to walk away. I have a witness to all of this. Clay actually made a neighbor of mine cry, to the point where she had moved out. read more

The horrible apartment manager, who boasts over 20 years of being a property manager there, lacks basic customer service skills, as well as knowledge tenants' rights in California. Not only does the manager not provide proper (and legal) amount of time prior to shutting off the water, but he also harasses tenants while they are in the courtyard of the property at 3968 Via Lucero. The automatic outdoor security lights are not reset to accommodate Daylight Saving Time, and one evening, I was in the dark courtyard after dusk with my leashed dog who was leisurely sniffing as she enjoys doing, when this guy approaches us with his hands in his jacket pockets and asks which unit I live in. As a female in the U.S. in 2019, I know that you don't initiate conversations at dark in an unlit area with a strange creepy guy asking where you live with his hands in his pockets. I don't see well in the dark and didn't recognize this creep, so I ignored him and started walking away. He followed me and my dog, who I was holding at this point, and asked again which unit I lived in, saying he didn't recognize me. I continued to ignore him and ran up the stairs to give him a bigger "hint." The creepy guy then said from the courtyard that he was the property manager and that he was going to follow me to see which unit I lived in. At that point, I was afraid that he was going to rob, rape, and/or murder me, and since good property managers would identify themselves first before questioning which unit I lived in, and I had only seen Clay once months ago, I didn't believe this creep. So the guy follows me up the staircase... I run down the corridor and down the other staircase to the sidewalk... he follows to the sidewalk, claiming to be the property manager. I run up the street about 100 feet from the property which I live to underneath a lit streetlight. The creepy guy just stands on the sidewalk in front of my complex. I didn't have my cell phone on me (nor was I wearing shoes) because my dog likes to sniff for a few minutes and go back inside. The creepy guy didn't left after several minutes, so I had to walk, without shoes on, to the nearest gas station to call 911 as I was legitimately afraid for my dog's and my lives at this point. The police came to the gas station and escorted me and my dog back to my apartment complex. The creepy guy was not longer on site. I told the police what happened and even though I said that it was possible that the creepy guy was actually the property manager, that I did the right thing by calling 911. They also suggested that I inform the property management company of the "incident." So I email the property management company about the creepy guy incident, and Clay replied to my email implying that he was said creepy guy, but didn't actually state it was him. I emailed back asking if his cryptic message meant that he was the creeper, and it turns out that he was! I demanded to talk directly to his supervisor, who apparently is based in LA and doesn't have time to deal with tenants who are legitimately afraid of one of her property managers. It is very clear that Essex Communities, the property management company for Hope Ranch, doesn't care about their tenants nor the safety of their tenants or their legal rights. The creepy guy incident just one of several breaches of my right to quiet enjoyment of my rental, as required under California tenant laws. If you are forced to move into Hope Ranch Apartments (because it's more affordable than most rentals available in Santa Barbara), I highly suggest you become familiar with California tenant laws because Essex Communities will push their tenants' legal rights. If the property manager does something illegal or creepy, demand to speak to executive management at Essex Communities--otherwise Clay will continue to treat you (as the tenant) like a kid at a boarding school... and a seriously creepy guy who follows scared women around the apartment complex in the dark. read more

Really beautiful property in a cool area. Clay is a nice property manager and was very helpful showing me around the place and walking me through everything. He also helped me out in a pinch on move in day and stayed around a little extra when I was running late because of LA traffic. read more

My wife and I lived here for over three years and had an absolutely wonderful experience. The management was always friendly, helpful and addressed our concerns in a timely and professional manner. Our apartment was in a good shape and the premises were always kept clean. The gated swimming pool with chairs and loungers and a wonderful gardening were an appreciated bonus. However, my review would not be complete without mentioning the location. There is a bus stop, gym, coffee shop, grocery stores and many other business within walking distance. For commuters, the freeway is right around the corner. All in all, I highly recommend this place to any serious tenant who is looking for a safe, well-managed and conveniently located community. read more

Don't rent from this people. Apartments are tiny for the price and they kept your security deposit even If you return the apartment in the same condition as received. Totally unfair and irresponsible building manager who gives you multiple excuses to keep your money even if he knows he is not being honest. read more

I've lived here for over 2 years. The reason I first considered moving to this property was that it permits cats and small dogs (1 per unit), and my cat is my non-negotiable roommate! The property is pristine, quiet, clean, and well-maintained. Maintenance is superb with impeccable response times. The property's online portal allows you to view your transaction history (i.e., rent charges and payments), adjust your auto-payment settings, submit one-time payments, and submit maintenance requests (and attach photos if needed). The property is very safe thanks to the property manager keeping close watch for any unrecognized people on the premises, having unauthorized vehicles towed promptly (after confirming with you that it isn't yours, such as a temporary rental car) so you never return home to have your assigned parking spot taken, and addressing tenants' concerns immediately. For example, one night, I was kneeling next to my car to examine some scrapes that were caused by an unfortunately-unknown entity earlier that day. The next day, Pablo (maintenance) told me that he heard that I was kneeling by my car the previous night and asked what I was doing. I suspect another tenant informed him about what might have looked suspicious to someone aware that it was my own vehicle. Another example is that this summer, the property manager noticed that I was frequently spending time with somebody he didn't recognize around the property. He contacted me to confirm the person wasn't a roommate - as he needs to have accurate records of all tenants - and that I could add the person to my lease if that was the case. It was a misunderstanding (i.e., the person was just visiting Santa Barbara for the summer and we were spending a lot of time together, but the person wasn't living here), but I was glad to know that the property manager actively ensures that only authorized tenants reside on the property to ensure safety and habitability. read more

Excellent management and maintenance. Dog friendly. The grounds are beautiful, tranquil, well kept and neighbors are polite and friendly. I just renewed my lease for another year. read more

Clay, as well as the maintenance department, were very patient and kind. They deserve a very good review. Super impressed!

We just ended a 16 month stay at Hope Ranch, it was a happy, wonderful time. The apartments are clean and well maintained and the staff is friendly and professional. The setting is peaceful, lush, and private like an oasis- while still being close to everything-gym, stores, restaurants, principal bus line all walking distance. And the drive to the beach and downtown is a snap. We were lucky to find Hope Ranch! read more