Hillcrest Property Management

We have been renting through Cal-Prop Management for about 6 years now and they have been great! Our property manager, Kari Macdonald, has been incredibly attentive and responsive at all times. I hope she remains our property manager for years to come because it is very easy to communicate with her and she makes sure all of our maintenance requests get taken care of right away.

We’ve been renting from Cal-Prop for over 13 years and have had a good experience. They are quick to resolve maintenance issues, quick to respond to communication, and have helped us when we needed it. I especially like the landscapers they currently have. They do a great job keeping the yard maintained.

Disappointing Experience – Deceptive Listings and Poor Management My time at this Cal-Prop managed property was deeply frustrating. While the location and neighbors were wonderful, management consistently failed to maintain the property or respect tenant rights. Future renters should be aware of several major issues: --Deceptive Square Footage: The 1-bedroom unit was listed as 650 sq. ft. (and is now listed as 750 sq. ft. with photos of a different, nicer unit). In reality, it is under 500 sq. ft. Management acknowledged the error but refused to adjust the rent. --The "Swamp" Pond: A small shared yard pond was never cleaned or maintained during my 14-month tenancy, creating a massive mosquito hazard (without remedy.) --Privacy Violations: The property owner repeatedly entered the locked, fenced yard for hours at a time completely unannounced. --Delayed Safety Repairs: The rotting wood walkway had holes and detached boards. It took 10 months of complaining—and the Vice President of Cal-Prop getting her own shoe stuck in the holes twice—before it was finally replaced. --Broken Amenities: The shared laundry room had a broken washing machine for 10 out of the 14 months I lived there. Ignored Maintenance: Requests to fix a cracked window and short, improperly installed miniblinds (which left a 6-inch privacy gap in the bedroom) were entirely ignored. --Uncoordinated Service: When a furnace repair was finally scheduled after weeks of back-and-forth, the technician showed up unannounced, unlocked the gate without warning despite dog signs, and was never given my contact info or the photos I had submitted. Cal-Prop and the owner constantly blamed each other for the property's shortcomings. Ultimately, your lease is with Cal-Prop, and they do not act with integrity.

Tyler in Cal-Prop Management Maintenance is SO helpful and responsive! He helped me with a maintenance request the same day, found the replacement part, and had it installed within half an hour. Thank you Tyler!

Cal-Prop has been great to work with, especially their maintenance team. Tyler consistently does an outstanding job — he is professional, friendly, and extremely skilled with repair work. He addresses issues quickly and thoroughly, and it’s clear he takes pride in his work. Highly recommend Cal-Prop and their maintenance staff!

Alex and Garrison were very kind and answered all my questions within a timely manner. Very attentive crew, that makes things easy. I appreciate and would highly recommend.

Garrison was Amazing at quickly answering all of our questions and accommodations and was very professional, courteous and attentive. So basically all of the Excellent adjectives you want in your realtor :)))

Cal-Prop worker Dirk, I commend him and the manager Robin for clean up and going the extra mile in taking care of debris that was left over a long period of time.

I had an awesome experience working with Garrison while looking for an apartment in North Park. He was super responsive, professional, and genuinely cared about helping me find the right place instead of just trying to rush the process. He made everything feel easy and stress-free, kept me updated throughout, and was always available to answer questions. What really stood out was how knowledgeable he was about the area and how much effort he put into finding options that actually matched what I was looking for. It’s rare to find someone who’s both highly professional and easy to work with. If you’re looking for a place in San Diego, especially around North Park, I highly recommend working with Garrison and Cal Prop.

We’ve had a wonderful experience with our property manager, Eric Paulin He is always responsive, professional, and polite whenever we have questions or concerns. Maintenance requests are handled quickly and efficiently, and we truly appreciate how attentive and reliable he is. It’s reassuring to know that any apartment issues are addressed promptly. His communication and dedication make living here a much more positive experience.

Was interested in a unit listed in PB. Kari was responsive, extremely kind, catered to my every need, and explained everything so well.

I’d like to give a shoutout to Eric Paulin for being an exceptional property manager. As both a tenant and a professional in property management, I have a deep appreciation for what great service looks like—and Eric consistently delivers. When I first moved in, he was managing the property before transitioning to another portfolio, and I’m genuinely glad to see him back. He is professional, responsive, knowledgeable, and a true problem solver who cares about both the asset and the tenants. His win-win approach is rare in this industry, and many could benefit from his example. Thank you, Eric!

Just moved in to my new apartment and the management has been great. Especially Garrison, he's always so responsive and helpful.

I had a great tour with Ashley! She was super helpful, took her time to answer all my questions and made touring super easy and fun! I can’t wait to move in!

Highly recommend! Ben was awesome to work with and made sure everything went smooth with our new place!

I can’t say enough good things about Alex from Cal Prop Management. I was completely locked out of my home after accidentally leaving my keys on an airplane. I came back exhausted, with four checked bags, overwhelmed, and honestly in tearsit was my birthday and I felt stranded. I called Alex, and she was already on her way to make a key and come help me. She showed up with a smile, helped me bring all my luggage inside, and completely turned my day around. Alex is kind, proactive, and truly cares. From the moment I first signed my lease, she’s always been clear, responsive, and incredibly organized. This experience just confirmed how amazing she is. I’m so grateful—she made a stressful situation feel easy and even made my birthday special again. Also Happy Birthday to you to Alex !

Had to move for the first time in 7 years. Ben Pajak was my go to. He showed me 2 different properties I was considering, was flexible with his time and my schedule, and all around super helpful throughout the process. Highly recommend Ben!

I’ve had a real good experience finding an apartment with Cal Prop. Garrison has been extremely helpful sending me properties as they become available as well as showing me properties all around North Park. Garrison would always answer the phone no matter what time it was, as well as be there for me when needing any questions answered. I would definitely recommend using this company for finding the next place to call home.

If you are trying to rent at one of this companies available units and no one is responding to you it is because the unit is already rented. My wife and I have reached out to Kurt and Tamara and been completely ignored. I had to physically go to the office to find out the unit I was interested in had already been rented. These supposed professionals can't even respond to messages. Better off renting with a company that shows people common courtesy and respect.