Villas del Paraiso Apartamentos

Incredible place—highly recommended if you’re looking to live near the university at a reasonable price. The maintenance team and office staff are both outstanding and always willing to help!

This property used to be Catalina Towers, and was Retro City Apartments before that. The repeated name changes are clearly to get away from the reviews people like me leave after they've lived there.

The buildings are infested with German roaches. The roof leaks and causes mold in the walls and floors. The elevator breaks all the time, leaving residents who can't use stairs stranded. The fire exit doesn't actually let out to the exterior of the buildings. I couldn't use my heater because it... had been "repaired" with materials that gave off noxious fumes when heated and sent me to the ER with suspected CO poisoning. The "security measures" that prevent people from actually getting out if there's a fire still don't prevent homeless people from pooping in the stairs. Of the six washing machines on my side of the building, three were completely inoperable and one was filled with what looked like swamp water. The receptionist when I lived there would struggle to pour water out of a boot with instructions printed on the sole, but she may not be there anymore.

The neighborhood is terrible, but the property is a block away from Grant and Alvernon, so that's to be expected. Lee mas

First of all those reviews were in 2015 a lot has happened since then. Between the bugs and the people living in the stairwell doing dope, it's pretty scary. I don't even let my Grandkids come over to see me. Homeless people hang out in the front when the staff is gone and stay there. Like I said NOT SAFE.

Avoid living here. Between drug and bug issues mold grows due to shotty maintenance. Revolving door for homeless. Bacteria due to dogs and no clean-up. Elevator often down. Not safe to live here. Management does nothing to protect residents

Shortly after moving in the lone elevator in my building quit. This was not surprising given the obvious run down condition of the device. Management was slow to respond but assured everyone it would be returned to service in "a few days." Nine days later, we still didn't have an operating lift but Otis was at least making an appearance. Late in the afternoon on the 9th day the lift resumed operation. Everyone was happy to not have to walk up four or five flights of stairs carrying... groceries, etc. Management had little empathy for the plight of residents who had mobility issues and had problems going up and down so many stairs. The building is usually very dirty, cockroaches run amuck and the building appears to have more than it's fair share of drug abusers. Fights in the wee hours of the morning are not uncommon.

If you have a car, there is a good chance it will be vandalized in the parking lot as there is no security there or anywhere else on the property. Does this sound like a place you would want to live? Me either, I can't wait until my lease is up, then I'm out of here. Lee mas