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Off-campus apartment near San Diego State University in squalor

A local student was looking forward to moving into her first apartment until she found the apartment was infested with bugs and had a dirty carpet.

SAN DIEGO — Move in day for one San Diego Mesa College student did not go as planned.

Jenny Rabe shared pictures of a bug infested apartment, with dirty carpet and missing furniture at BLVD63, an off-campus complex near San Diego State.

The mother was in tears trying to figure out where to move her daughter now.

From the outside BLVD63 it looks like a cool college apartment, but one student says inside is squalor. The apartment is managed by San Diego-based Pierce Education Properties.

Greasy appliances, stained carpet, and the smell.  

“There were flies all over underneath her bed,” said Jenny Rabe, mother.

“We get into the apartment, and it reeks of cigarettes, the whole hallway reeks,” said Kaylie Herzberger, student.

Video shows what move in day was like for Kaylie at BLVD63 apartments in the college area on Thursday.

“It wasn't just our apartment it was chaos through the whole hall,” said Rabe.

Kaylie’s mother says she flew down from Sacramento to move in her Mesa college daughter into BLVD63, an off-campus apartment near SDSU. When she saw the conditions, she went straight to management.

“She said, ‘What can I do to make this moving experience better for you?’ And I said, ‘We're not moving in; this is inhabitable, and we are not moving in these conditions,’” said Rabe.

CBS 8 called the apartment complex, e-mailed and went to the leasing office before it closed. The hours posted said it closed at 6 p.m. but the doors were locked, and no one was inside. A sign on the door referred residents to a Resident Services office. 

Late in the day, a spokesperson for BLVD63 responded to our requests for comment. In an e-mail statement, spokesperson Bob Hetherington wrote in part, "When a resident expressed concerns on move-in day this week, we responded immediately. We replaced worn furnishings with new. We replaced discolored carpet with new carpet in a separate bedroom, not the resident’s bedroom. (This work had been scheduled but delayed by supply chain issues. The resident of that bedroom had been informed and compensated.) And we mobilized our contracted cleaning crews as well as our local staff to put things right."

CBS 8 did some digging and found a few smalls claims filed against their parent company, Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America.

When you go on BLVD63's website it says, "Where Home is Paradise".

“Everything we touched was filthy and sticky,” said Rabe.

CBS 8 found several horrible reviews dating back years ago on BLVD63’s Facebook page. The complex has several hundred units and the website says it has a waiting list. 

The apartment complex responded to some of the reviews, saying it would look into their complaints.

“There are so many kids getting taken advantage of,” said Rabe. The mother shared a copy of the lease, but it could cost $12,648.

CBS 8 spoke with San Diego Tenants United, an advocacy group for tenants, who says they may have a case if the unit is in unlivable conditions.

“We were missing our beds and mattresses,” said Kaylie.

Kaylie's car is packed to the brim, she starts her job on Saturday and school on Monday.

“It was really, really upsetting and really upsetting to see all the kids not know what to do,” said Rabe.

Tenants United also says that you can filed a complaint with the City of San Diego Code Enforcement.

BLVD63's entire statement on Friday.

Individual residents are free to speak about their personal lives and personal business.  As a matter of law and of policy, however, we protect the privacy of our residents in their homes and in their business affairs.

As a seasoned, successful operator of residential housing in college communities, we take care of our properties, and we respond appropriately when residents communicate their issues or concerns to us.

When a resident expressed concerns on move-in day this week, we responded immediately. We replaced worn furnishings with new. We replaced discolored carpet with new carpet in a separate bedroom, not the resident’s bedroom. (This work had been scheduled but delayed by supply chain issues. The resident of that bedroom had been informed and compensated.) And we mobilized our contracted cleaning crews as well as our local staff to put things right.

In other words, we made things right. Our resident has moved in, which tells us that we were responsive and that they are satisfied.

CBS8 spoke with the mother who says Kaylie did not move in and requested to terminate the lease. 

BLVD63 released another statement over the weekend, "In response to a written request, BLVD63 management has released from her lease obligations and will refund rent and associated fees to a resident who expressed concerns about unit conditions on move-in day this past week.”

CBS 8 is Working For You and will keep you updated on the tenant's response to updated conditions.

WATCH RELATED: San Diego State neighbors brace for influx of students and parties (Aug. 2022)

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