The Block, austin-tx

The lobby had such a bright, welcoming vibe the second I walked in, and it actually smelled really clean compared to some other spots I’ve seen. The staff was super chill and took the time to show me around the different layouts without making me feel rushed at all. But what really sold me was how open and modern the common areas felt for the price. It honestly feels like a place where I could actually get some studying done without feeling cramped.

Ever since I moved in back in August, this apartment has been one issue after another, and frankly it’s been unacceptable from the start. On move-in day, I walked into a unit that was clearly not cleaned or inspected after the previous tenants left, and it was disgusting. The sink had residue in it, the shower drain was clogged with visible clumps of hair, and there was even a broken acrylic nail left on the floor. None of the outlets had covers, there was a Domino’s parmesan packet sitting on the windowsill, and dust covered nearly every surface. It was obvious no one from management or maintenance had properly prepared the unit for a new tenant. My parents and I raised this immediately, and the property manager at the time, Manuel Vela, told us to leave and come back later so they could fix everything, but when we returned it was clear that little to nothing had actually been done, just a rushed, surface-level attempt. The same acrylic nail was still on the floor, which says everything about the level of care and attention given. Unfortunately, that was just the beginning. The next issue was the parking gate. For an entire week during the fall semester, my gate opener worked inconsistently, some days it would open the gate and other days it wouldn’t. One night, after getting off a late shift from work around 11 PM, I came back and my opener didn’t work at all. Several other residents were stuck outside too, all of us trying and failing to get in, leaving us sitting outside at night in a situation that felt genuinely unsafe. We called the so-called “emergency” hotline posted by the gate, and no one even answered, we had to leave a voicemail, which defeats the entire purpose of an emergency line. When someone finally responded, we were told there was nothing they could do until the morning and that we would all have to pay for street parking for the night, which is honestly ridiculous. I’m paying a monthly fee for a reserved parking space and yet I couldn’t even access it, and the solution was for me to spend more money??? Completely unacceptable. Then came the ongoing issue with utilities. At the beginning of the semester, my bill was around $30–$40 per person, which made sense, but over time it steadily increased to $50, then $80, and at that point my roommates and I became extremely careful by limiting lights, shortening showers, and avoiding large appliances like the oven. Despite that, the next bill jumped to $105 per person, which is when it became clear something was seriously wrong. I reached out to Manuel Vela and explained that our usage had not increased, and in fact we had actively reduced it, yet the bill kept rising. After weeks of back-and-forth emails over winter break, he eventually admitted that our water and sewer charges were “higher than average” and reduced the bill. While I appreciated the adjustment, it raised a bigger concern about whether anything would have been corrected if I hadn’t said something, because it felt like we were being overcharged and would have continued to be if I hadn’t pushed the issue. After that, our bills stayed below $55, which only confirmed that the earlier charges were not accurate. Now, with the transition to a new property manager, Lana Jones, the exact same issue is happening again and my utility bill has jumped back up to over $100. At this point, it no longer feels like a coincidence, it feels like a pattern of negligence at best or something more concerning. Overall, the condition of the unit at move-in, the lack of urgency or accountability with safety issues like the parking gate, and the repeated problems with inaccurate utility charges reflect a serious lack of management, oversight, and basic responsibility, and this entire experience has been frustrating, exhausting, and completely unacceptable. Knowing I’m finally moving out is the only thing keeping me going. I don’t come from money, which is why I signed here, but being “cheap” should not mean enduring this. Low-income students deserve honest, decent living conditions. Do better.

Had a great experience with tour of units today with I believe her name was Lacey. The Block is an excellent option for your UT Austin students from a parent’s perspective!

As a father navigating housing options in a new city for my son I can’t say enough how great the team at The Block was on Saturday March 7, 2026. Emme went above and beyond explaining floor plans, options, the tour was helpful and she explained in detail our options as well as answered any and all of our questions. Diya was also helpful in explaining commute times to different parts of campus, mail, package delivery, parking options, lease renewal benefits, and possible employment opportunities. The team was amazing, so much so we chose The Block that same day!

The Block at 25th West is a great option for incoming freshmen. It has plenty of utilities, vibrant communal spaces, and has relatively few flights of stairs, circumventing the elevator issue that many apartments in this area face. Lacy was an excellent tour guide as well!