AVA 55 Ninth

AVA 55 is a beautiful building and community, but it’s the staff that sets it apart from any other place. Kimmie always greets you with a smile and checks in with to make sure you are having a great day. It’s a special place to find in a city where you can easily become anonymous. Thank you, Kimmie and the rest of the staff at AVA 55, for making us feel welcome and at home.

this place has no respect for your neighbors. always loud parties on the roof deck, screaming kids, drunk girls throwing things from the roof, music blaring. not cool. I have called many times and left messages with no return calls from someone in the rental office.

I’m a current resident at Ava 55 9^th. It’s super conveniently located to my office (two stops in BART) connected by public transport very well and is very clean and well maintained. To top it all, the staff here is amazing and very helpful (special kudos to Nathaniel for doing a wonderful job!). There is a nice and well maintained gym inside the community as well as paramo coffee downstairs whose cappuccino is freaking awesome.
I’m very happy to live in Ava 55 9^th and the staff and community is a large part of that feeling.

The staff are the most nurturing people you’ll ever meet. One day, a staff member (Christina) saw that I was struggling to back out of my assigned parking space. There are two parking garages, and when I re-​leased, I asked to be moved to the first floor garage, because I figured it was more convenient. My car is bigger, and I didn’t take into account the issues I’d be having, when maneuvering in that garage– but I was too embarrassed to ask for my old spot back– it was clearly my fault for not thinking through the decision. Anyway… Christina happened to be in the garage that day, witnessing me in all my glory, doing five-​point turns while covered in sweat and trying not to ding other vehicles. The next day I ran into her in the lobby and she took the initiative herself to look at spots available in the larger garage, and told me it would be no issue if I decided to move back. SHE ASKED ME HERSELF. THIS IS HOW MUCH THEY CARE.
This may seem minuscule, but as busy as these people are, dealing with over 200 residents, they nevertheless impressively commit your name and apartment number to memory. They treat you like a member of their family. You never walk in without feeling welcomed and a part of the community. The other residents are super nice too. Every weekend, you’ll find half of the building in the common area, hanging out, drinking beer, playing ping pong or shuffle board etc… I love my neighbors. One of them I met is a chiropractor, and now I don’t even need to put shoes on and leave my floor to get an adjustment.
They just opened up a coffee shop on the first floor too, which is unreal. The coffee is so good. But even if you’re not feeling it, there are like 8 other coffee shops within a stone’s throw. The same goes for restaurants and bart stops. We are in the middle of everything… and although the immediate outdoors isn’t always the prettiest sight, the security in the building is great. You basically need to get past three checkpoints before you can even make it to someone’s floor. It’s a fortress.
All in all… Ava is amazing. I don’t want to live anywhere else. I’ve been here for almost two years, and I plan on re-​leasing this Summer. :)

Lived here in a 2bed/​2bath from May 2015 — Jan 2016, only moved due to the fact that I was moving in with a significant other. The building and amenities are well taken care of and maintenance was super fast, within 24 hrs (had a dishwasher go on the fritz).
The onsite staff are amazing! Christina, Kimmie and Rob are always smiling and instantly responsive with any questions or concerns.
Sure, the rents can be a bit high (parking was $ 350/​month), the neighborhood is in the middle of gentrification (thanks Twitter and Dolby), but you can’t beat easy access to the highway, MUNI, and BART.
For future renters, Avalon (the management) is a REIT and is run like the investment firm it is… so if you don’t know what that means, do a little reading and go over your lease terms closely. Yes, the rent hikes may seem high, but they can be negotiable, if you ask.

The rents keep rising, service stays flat. What’s not to love?

I’ve written reviews of this community and company over my 15 month lease term and having just moved out last month, this will be my last. First, I’ll say that the majority of the staff at AVA 55 are pleasurable to work with and I have no complaints there. This review is based on the corporation of Avalon Communities itself which if you live here you’ll quickly find out that the a large amount of your interaction goes thru the corporation (especially financial items) rather than the local staff. I received our refunded deposit after moving out with the names of all 3 tenants in the «pay to» line, which doesn’t make much sense to begin with. As I was afraid of, when I attempted to deposit the check I learned that all 3 people were required to be present. The problem is, I live in NYC, one former roommate in LA, and the last in SF so making that happen would not be likely. After calling the AVA 55 I was quickly redirected to the corporate customer care center where I explained my problem. They informed me that they could not issue the check to only one of us, and could not issue 3 divided checks to each individual. The only solution that they offered was for each of us to fill out paperwork and (pay) to have it notarized, which in the midst of moving is an enormous headache, not to mention an added cost to each of us. Renting from a huge corporation was a huge mistake and I continue to regret living here and being treated as a number (and a check) rather than a person. Don’t make the same mistake.

This isn’t as much a review on Ava as much as it probably should be on Avalon Bay Community, the property management company. We lived in the Ava apartments for 2 months. We initially picked it because we moved from San Diego and 1. Had no idea what neighborhood of San Francisco we were in and 2. All the amenities Ava had to offer. The complex itself is very beautiful, the apartments can be a bit bigger for my taste. Anyways, we moved out after only 2 months primarily because of the location and me, as a new girl in the city, did not feel safe walking around. After moving out we received our deposit about 4 months after we moved out (complications there also) and we ended up not getting back our full deposit amount of $ 900. As you can guess I was furious because we had only been living there 2 months. I have lived in places for 2 years and have received my full deposit back! They knocked us $ 150 because the apartment surpassed normal wear and tear! We were living there 2 months! I didn’t even unpack anything! The funny thing was that most of the «unclean» areas were in the kitchen supposedly and we didn’t even use the kitchen!
Bottom line, be careful moving in here and any other Avalon Bay Communities because you probably won’t get all your deposit back.

This place is wonderful. The only thing it doesn’t have is a swimming pool or valet service, but if that is what you need in order to be happy, you may have bigger problems.
The staff here are wonderful and the unit I live in is truly stunning. Having looked at other buildings in the area, I really feel that AVA was the best value for money. It isn’t cheap, but I feel that given the area and the current rent prices in SF, it’s fair.
The neighborhood is in constant change and full of the trappings of living in a major city. This isn’t the ‘burbs, so you can’t really complain about traffic noise, drunks, and people yelling in the street.

AVA 55 Ninth is a godsend. I could write reams about the convenience of location, the well-​maintained, modern facilities, the fact that you’re close to so much of the action and all that blah which you will totally figure out for yourself the moment you walk into the property so I won’t get into that. [Hot Tip though: Sit next to the fire pit on the 2^nd floor (open to all residents) in the evening at least once in your life with a drink and a book. That place is magic.]
Instead, let me focus on the people instead. People I have grown to love and will always cherish. Because I think it is the people that really made this place «home» for me. As someone who had just moved to the United States and was trying to navigate the rental maze of San Francisco, which if you’ve lived in SF even once, you know has its *ahem* challenges, I needed a LOT of help, both procedurally and culturally. Sal made the entire process seamless, answered sooooo many of my naïve questions patiently and helped with queries even beyond AVA matters. You should listen to him. He is wise like Yoda. (Unfortunately, Sal has since moved to another location — PLEASE BRING HIM BACK!)
Since I worked from home and was usually lounging around in the reception area, both Sal and Christina (another one of those must-​get-​to-​know-​people) took it upon themselves to make me feel at home, always concerned, always loving and always full of great advice on how to make the most out of San Francisco, including some tight relationship advice. Again, you must listen to Christina. She is wise and has a Jedi mind which senses that you’re having a shit day and she proceeds to do her magic and make everything seem better again. She’s also as crazy about coffee as I am, so extra love for this one.
Then there’s Kimmie. You guessed it. Kind and generous and loving and always willing to help out (where do you find so many great people?). She’s a bit of a trekking junkie, so if you’re into that, ask her for ideas. And you’ll love her stories — I once forgot to work because I was busy sharing stories with her and lost sleep trying to finish up work and blamed her for it and she was totally supportive of my battiness and I almost lost my job because of my neglect. None of this is true, except the part about her being a wildly beautiful human being and a trekking junkie and the part where she has great stories. «Help me Kimmie» has been my way of life for a while now and I don’t talk to Siri on lonely days anymore.
And Robert, a soft-​spoken, closet-​bad-​ass who speaks little, but knows everything. I’ve had a few crises in my time here (What can I say, I’m a drama magnet), and Robert has never once failed to ask me how I was getting along consistently, which can make all the difference between the I-​can-​get-​through-​this feeling as opposed to the Im-​going-​to-​die-​alone feeling. As for what makes him a bad-​ass. You really should find this one for yourself. Social media isn’t an appropriate platform to discuss these things.
In addition to being great human beings, they are all spot-​on when it comes to professional matters. I’ve never once had a problem they did not resolve quickly. And they have a superb maintenance crew that is always willing to look into the look-​what-​I-​did-​to-​my-​sink-​again matters.
Unfortunately for work reasons, I’ll be moving out of the US soon, but I’m going to miss these people sorely. If you’re listening, thank you, for being my family, and I say this from the very core of my heart.

I’ll be moving into AVA at the end of June. I can say so far that Kimmie and Christine have been utterly flawless. Kimmie showed me units and Christine has been helping me set up the lease. They are the nicest leasing agents I have ever dealt with, which is saying a lot.

Warm and friendly AVA…
I am writing this review after staying with AVA for 1 fantastic year, and moving out shortly for reasons nothing to do with the apartment, the team that manages it or the neighbors. I would recommend this place to all my friends
Move in experience:
We — my wife, my dog and I relocated from another country. Finding an apartment, which is convenient and be able to move in as soon as possible was our top priority. The management at AVA was extremely friendly and guided us step by step (I would specially like to call out Robert and Christina), right from getting our renter’s insurance, PG&E — to the move-​in formalities. Believe it or not, we were settled in within 7 days of our arrival into the country.
Pet friendliness:
I have a 3 year old English Bulldog. AVA is super pet friendly with facilities like dog run and pet wash. Most residents are also extremely pet friendly, and have pets themselves. This not only helps the overall mindset in the community, but also helps socializing the pets in the evening. Robert, Sal and Christina — I hate to say, but have in a way spoilt my dog. She refuses to go to the apartment without stopping by each of their seats for a treat and pat.
Living experience:
While some of the neighbors may have been no so friendly, repeated complaints and a official compliant to the animal control about my aggressive dog not kept of leash (and my dog seldom barks, seldom runs and is never off leash — except 1 instance when she was returning from a surgery and was loopy) — all my memories of AVA are extremely fond. So much so, that we have many friends in the apartment with whom we can hangout in the evenings and weekends. The team at AVA is also so friendly, they have become close friends.
Overall, if it were not for the neighborhood — AVA scores a ¹⁰⁄₁₀ on my list. Yes, a few may debate the rent increase — but everyone understands that the rent increase is economic factor and as long as there is demand, the supply will keep up.

Read my «previous review» for the list of reasons why this building/​neighborhood got only one star. Here’s an update:
They earned back a star on move-​out. They were very helpful in arranging the loading dock and reserving the elevator and the move-​out inspections were smooth and honest with no attempts to charge for anything other than the required $ 150 cleaning and the patching of shelf mounting holes that I put into the walls.
I still think that the unit is overpriced for the neighborhood and a 14% increase year-​on-​year is terrible corporate policy, but I can’t say enough nice things about Robert, Christina, Sal, and everyone else.

I moved to SF in 2014 and lived at the AVA for one year — well, 11 months technically.
I thought at first it was my ideal apartment, but over time, it proved very much otherwise. The apartment itself was really great — cool layout, tall ceilings, washer/​dryer in unit and a full gym onsite.
But I after a few months of the AVA paying for water, they decided it wasn’t enough and I was charged with an extra water bill each month. Strike one.
On a bunch of occasions, my friends visiting were treated rather rudely by the AVA staff, not allowed to ride the elevator up, despite me buzzing them in. Someone also insulted the movers I hired when I was moving out of the AVA with a racist remark — not cool. Strike two.
Finally, and this one is BIG — I received a letter in December stating that my rent would be going up at the end of my lease by an additional $ 600 /​month, plus an additional $ 20/​month for my storage unit. This would have brought my rent to nearly $ 4000 /​month for a 700 sq foot one bedroom apartment in an «up and coming» neighborhood. I asked AVA if they would negotiate, but never heard back, so I had to move forward with finding a new apartment as you can’t wait in this market. I am currently paying double rent for the month of February — both at the AVA and at my new apartment as the AVA refused to let me out of my lease a month early, stating that I had signed a contract. End of discussion. Strike Three — I’m OUT.
It’s true I signed a contract, but had I known they were going to raise my rent that much I would have never agreed to live there. I’m guessing they will continue to do so each year — so be warned. They nickel and dime you on everything, so prepare to pay much more than what you signed up for. Also be warned that the location is truly undesirable and even dangerous, unless you like the smell of pee and weed all the time, and enjoy dealing with many homeless and crazy people. I’ve learned my lesson and won’t be making the AVA mistake again anytime soon.

The courtyard area and other amenities are awesome. The residents that I have met thus far are friendly and help to create a great community. I’m on the 10^th floor and have an amazing view of SOMA. The prices are rather high, but it’s all worth it.
The staff here is amazing: Sal, Christina, and Robert are very very friendly and do their best to make sure that the residents are well taken care of. Sal and Christina both really went out of their way to help make my transition into the building as seamless as possible and helped me to resolve the challenges that arose along the way. Thumbs up to living here.

After months of searching for a place that would happily take us and our two dogs, we landed at AVA and have been happy with our choice.
The best part of this place is the staff. Moving in was a breeze, and all maintenance issues have been dealt with quickly and professionally.
Second for us is the community and especially the other dog owners here. On any day you can find a dozen dogs of all sizes and breeds playing happily together in the large dog area. And even those who don’t have dogs seem to appreciate having them around. Our girls have had more pats and hellos here than ever before in their lives. It’s been as good for them as it has been for us.
We’re the first people to live in these units so they’re clean and functional. The vinyl flooring resists all stains and is more comfortable to walk on than either wood (cold) or concrete (cold and hard). We own a house in LA that has both wood and concrete floors so we speak from experience.
We haven’t used the outdoor gathering spaces that often but they’re nice and hopefully we’ll get out there when the weather warms up.
The gym is great, and it’s FREE!
We also looked at the NEMA but for $ 1500 less a month we got a good apt with a great view in the same neighborhood.
Parking is $ 400 a month, but we can choose to go without a car too.
As to the neighborhood-it’s not for everyone but it’s fine for us. We love being near so much transportation and a short walk/​ride from some great areas. Homelessness is an issue here but we haven’t witnessed any crime (well, smoking pot on the street is probably a crime, but I haven’t been anywhere in SF (outside of disturbingly-​white Cow Hollow) where that doesn’t happen.
And the people you meet on the street are great. That salmon-​hued three-​piece suit I witnessed earlier this week wouldn’t fit in as well anywhere but at 7^th and Market.
If you’re looking for a great place with beautiful views in the heart of the city, with all the dirt, grime, sirens and people that any big city offers, then this is a perfect place for you.
With so many distinct neighborhoods in the city, you can have just about any experience you want (and can afford). We like this one, and have been happy with our choice from the day we moved in.

Ok, it’s high time I wrote this review. I rarely write Unilocal reviews, but after having stayed at Ava for about 4 months now, I feel compelled to write it. The management here is nothing short of AWESOME!!! They always greet me with a smile and know me by name, and they always show my dog a little love :) They have actually proactively told me to never hesitate to let them know if anything is bothering me… And they mean it when they say it. I can go on and on about all the small ways they have made my stay at Ava more pleasant, but I’ll summarize it with this… These guys are the absolute best!!!
And for the pet owners… They have a dog washing area and an enclosed outdoor bathroom area… Huge plus!!!
My only complaint would be the lack of ventilation… I’ll likely need to buy an indoor air-​conditioner to keep my dog cool in the summer. Other than that, this place can’t be beat.

First thing is first. Staff, security, and Matinence are super nice, caring, and are one of the best parts of living here.
The tenants are quiet for the most part, some of the irresponsible tenants break things and litter in the common areas but they ended up footing the bill for the 7k outdoor ping pong table, I guess that’s karma for you.
With that being said I have several tiffs with a few key points.
Parking: I pay almost $ 400/​mo for in building parking. Fine I understand parking is a premium in sf-​however the spaces are almost all for compact cars and good luck finding one that’s not. My expensive car was scraped and dented while in the garage-​no cameras were around so no evidence-​however I don’t move my car all week so it had to happen here. Regardless I spent 2k on repairs and requested I get a new spot. Apparently there is a waiting list to get a new spot, and if something happens to my car again I will have to foot the bill, again.
Floors: the rubber flooring in the apartment is starting to lift off the concrete and also dents under pressure from furniture. I hope we don’t get slapped with fees upon our move out.
Elevators: it is commonplace that these are either out of function, reserved, or simply stuck on the 17^th floor. When they do come you have to press your floors button 3 – 4 times before it registers. It’s a small inconvenience, however it becomes large when you have bags, groceries, or other heavy things to take up and the stairs are your only option.
Windows: there is no ac or ventilation, for a new build this should at least be an option. Therefore we have to keep the windows open for fresh air, however there are no screens in the Windows. My cat almost fell out of the 13^th floor the other day. Luckily we caught him on his way out. Now we have to keep everything shut and the air is quite stale considering there is no circulation.
Environmental: adobe’s construction next door is ridiculous. They start at 5am mon-​sat and the dust that gets thrown around and into our apartment is gross. Also, the garbage pickup is around 2−3am, make sure to close your windows at night if you plan on sleeping. It’s also a transitional neighborhood-​yes you need to watch where you walk for human waste, however the close proximity to bart, muni, downtown, and other great things makes it kinda bearable. This place will hopefully get better in the following years but right now it’s somewhat dangerous.
Overall the building is nice-​it has some drawbacks especially considering the price point it asks for. We are considering moving to another avalon community.

I’m LOL-​ing at some of the below reviews. Because those who complain seem like ungrateful brats.
I’m going to be honest, the neighborhood is SHITTY. There’s no getting around it. But it *IS* changing with Twitter on the same block and some new exciting developments, and you’re also about an 8 minute walk to one of the best neighborhoods in the city – Hayes Valley (I joke and tell friends I live in «Lower Hayes Valley»). So while you will step outside to the zoo of aggressive tweakers, drug dealers, and prostitutes, remember you’re a 1 minute walk from BART and Muni lines, a 10 minute walk to Westfield Center, and people will love coming to the building for your parties or dinners.
Why? Beautiful construction and amenities. Quality flooring and sleek kitchens in each apartment. TONS of light (note: if you’re high up, the blinds aren’t thick enough to block out of the sun which is a bit of an annoyance if you need pitch darkness to sleep well). There’s a huge outdoor patio BBQ area, in addition to a fabulous gym with a view, an office area to do work, and a big TV-​lounge room that includes a game console. I’ve been at much more strict buildings, but they’re pretty lax here and understand most residents are young, social professionals.
That’s one thing to consider – if you’re antisocial, older, or want more of a quiet vibe, AVA probably isn’t for you. Even when you walk through the entrance, house music is playing ²⁴⁄₇. People DO utilize the communal spaces a lot so be prepared to share and interact with your neighbors frequently.
Also, the building is super pet friendly (a dog washing room!) from what I can see, and I like that they even have a bike locker room.
Basically, you’ll be living in the lap of luxury right in the heart of an SRO mecca. While I don’t like the peripheral grime, I LOVE living in this building, especially when I fall asleep every night to a beautiful view of the SF cityscape.

If you want to live in a sketchy neighborhood then this is place is for you! If you want to be waken up at 5:45am by the sound of construction, then you will love it here! If you like the constant sound of weights dropping on the floor at all hours of the day, then staying next to the gym is your dream unit!
There are so many wrongs then there are good at this community. First off, I would not walk around this neighborhood at night. Secondly Eva needs a a crash course in customer service. If you need help with something, do not call Eva!
–cabinets: cheaply made. I pulled out two drawers and they both fell apart. Isn’t this suppose to be a brand new community?
–noise: noise everywhere. you can hear conversations in the hallway.
–water pressure: sucks… there is no pressure!
–parking spot: there so tiny, but then again they want to fit as many cars as possible.
FYI:
According to the Warranty of Quiet Possession, California Civil Code Section 1927, tenants have an implied right to quiet enjoyment in their rental agreement. Section 2915 of the San Francisco Police Code establishes guidelines for noise regulations: It is unlawful for any person to make, continue, cause or permit any unnecessary, excessive or offensive noise. This includes vocal or instrumental music and related sounds, live or produced mechanically, which disturbs the peace or causes the annoyance or discomfort of any reasonable person.
Article 1, Section 49 of the San Francisco Police Code states that devices such as stereos and TVs must be «inaudible within a distance of 50 feet» from the property line between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. These complaints can be referred to the San Francisco Police Department…