Beautiful Light Inn

Pros

• The lights are beautiful and glisten, illuminating differently.
• The property is very beautiful.
• It's a nice place with security, and it's quiet and clean with friendly staff.
• The facility offers resources to help residents, including income-based rent with HUD approval.
• The new management is professional, caring, thoughtful, and helpful.
• The place has improved a lot with the new staff.
• Renovations have been amazing, and the new management truly cares about residents and is making it as nice as possible.
• The Beautiful Light Inn feels like a real home, not the typical elderly home.
• Joi is a joy to work with, and the management is friendly and useful.
• The complex is nice despite the tough area, with awesome staff and 24/7 availability.
• The community is a 55+ senior living environment, offering support.

Cons

• There are too many homeless people and no security.
• The manager fired all the security guards without notice or severance.
• The area has more gang activity and shootings; it is described as a death area.
• There have been three killings in the area in less than six months.
• The reviewer doesn't like the place and is glad they don't live there.
• The place is scary and not friendly toward tenants.
• The place is not really that beautiful.

Review

Beautiful Light Apartments in San Bernardino presents a paradoxical portrait: a place of striking beauty and modern renovations that many residents praise, even as others warn of safety concerns and management upheaval. The complex sits along 13th Street and Waterman, and its appearance is repeatedly described as breathtaking - glistening, illuminated, and steadily improving with fresh renovations and a newer management team. Several reviews spotlight the property's aesthetic appeal, with one describing it as a "very beautiful property" and another believing that, once the renovations are finished, the name Beautiful Light Apartments will live up to its promise of being a truly beautiful place to call home.

Yet the same features that catch the eye can also be a source of anxiety for residents who live nearby or inside the complex. A longtime mom who lived there recounted a chilling moment - handprints on the outside of her sliding glass door - that pushed her into security work herself. She describes a graveyard shift and a three-year tenure before ownership changes altered the staff dynamics. When Rosie Greer, a well-known football icon, purchased the property, his choice of manager reportedly led to the abrupt firing of all security guards - "no notice, no severance, no consideration, nothing." The sentiment that "the police are enough to watch the place" reflects concerns about what the new structure meant for on-site security. In a neighborhood marked by heightened tension, the area around 13th Street and Waterman is repeatedly called out for gang activity and shootings, with one reviewer noting "three killings in that area in less than six months." For some residents, these realities clash with the building's outward beauty.

In contrast, other residents share a more positive and reassuring experience. Several reviews emphasize a sense of security and quiet within the community. One person writes, "Nice place to be. It has security. Quiet, clean, people and staff are nice. They have resources to help you. I pay rent and lights here. They go by your income and you have to get approval with HUD." These lines highlight a structured support system tied to HUD programs, suggesting that the complex can offer affordable housing options for eligible residents. Another reviewer notes that a family member - an aunt - enjoys socializing and benefits from the variety of events hosted on-site, pointing to a lively social atmosphere that complements the practical amenities.

The management and staff repeatedly emerge as a central theme, with opinions ranging from professional and caring to a work-in-progress during transitions. Several comments applaud the new leadership and renovations, describing management as "wonderful," "professional," and "caring," ready to help with any problems. One review specifically praises a manager who makes themselves available and seems genuinely invested in residents' well-being. There is a shared sense among many that maintenance and improvement efforts are ongoing: "They have done some amazing renovation work," and "the new management really does care and I believe they are doing everything they can." A few residents even express a hopeful pride in the property's trajectory, imagining the day when the Beauty Light Inn's name matches the quality of life it seeks to provide.

The community's designation as a senior living facility is another recurring thread, shaping expectations and experiences. Some reviews emphasize 55-plus senior living or housing for people with disabilities, underscoring a specific resident demographic. For those who fit the demographic, the sentiment is often one of gratitude and relief. A review stating, "This place is for seniors over 62 and people with disabilities," accompanies praise for improved management that is "wonderful" and "so caring." Meanwhile, another voice remarks that the place had felt scary and not friendly when viewed from the perspective of some tenants, illustrating how perceptions can diverge within the same community.

Beyond the formal designation and safety concerns, several comments celebrate everyday life at Beautiful Light Apartments. Multiple accounts talk about pleasant human touches: friendly staff, a willingness to connect residents with resources, and the simple comfort of knowing there is coffee served each morning as part of a broader effort to foster a sense of community. One reviewer highlights an "awesome" staff and a renovation team that goes "above and beyond basic duties," with building personnel quickly available to tenants around the clock. In these voices, the complex becomes more than brick and windows - it's a place where neighbors socialize, staff listen, and small acts of care contribute to a sense of home.

Finally, a few comments reflect an almost aspirational view of the place, envisioning a future in which the renovations and renewed management fulfill the property's promise. A commenter who references social events and the broader community notes that, as renovations progress, the complex will transform into a space that lives up to its name. The trajectory described is one of growth and renewed purpose: a place that can balance its aesthetic appeal with genuine security, attentive management, and a supportive environment for seniors and other residents who rely on affordable housing programs. In sum, Beautiful Light Apartments is portrayed as a site of storied contrasts - beauty and risk, renewal and lingering concern, quiet living and a sometimes turbulent neighborhood - yet for many, the path forward looks hopeful, with improvements that are felt in daily life and a community that, for some, already feels like home.

Hospitals

• San Bernardino Medical Group (0.4 miles)
• Vantage Oncology (0.7 miles)
• Pacific Park Convalescent Center of San Bernardino (2.7 miles)
• Mountain View Surgery Center (4.8 miles)
• Loma Linda Ambulatory Care Center (5 miles)
• Jerry L Pettis Memorial (5.4 miles)

Pharmacies

• Family Pharmacy (0.5 miles)
• Diamond Collective 20 Cap (1 miles)
• Don's Drugs (2.3 miles)
• Cbc Community Pharmacy (2.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.5 miles)
• Rite Aid (3 miles)
• Caremark Rx (4.6 miles)

Physicians

• San Bernardino Eye Specialists (0.5 miles)
• Palm Imaging Institute (0.6 miles)
• California Eye Specialists (0.8 miles)
• Primary Care Medical Group of Inland Empire (0.9 miles)
• Jo David DDS (0.9 miles)
• Bolivar Family Medical Clinic (1.5 miles)
• Yukom Patient Group (2 miles)

Cafes

• Viva La Boba (1.6 miles)
• Starbucks (1.9 miles)
• Starbucks (3.9 miles)
• Starbucks (5.5 miles)
• Stell Coffee & Tea Company (6.7 miles)

Theaters

• Regal San Bernardino & RPX (1.6 miles)
• Mountain Grove 16 (5.4 miles)

Restaurants

• In-N-Out Burger (1.8 miles)
• Amapola Rico Taco (2 miles)
• Serrano Vista Cafe (3.3 miles)
• Rock & Brews (3.3 miles)
• George Lopez’s Chingon Kitchen (3.3 miles)
• Orchid Thai Restaurant (3.9 miles)
• In-N-Out Burger (4.2 miles)

Transportation

• San Bernardino Transit Center (2 miles)
• The Colton Diamonds (4.9 miles)

Places of Worship

• Crosswalk Church (4.7 miles)
• Packinghouse Church (5 miles)
• National Association of Seventh Day Adventist Dentists (5.1 miles)
• Azure Hills Seventh-Day Adventist Church (6.6 miles)

Parks

• Leonard Bailey Park (6.2 miles)
• Brookside Park (6.7 miles)