Western Sun Apartments

Pros

• Western Sun is a nice place to live.
• The community was remodeled in 2021-22 with a new kitchen, bathroom, appliances, and ceiling fans.
• The manager is kind to everyone and goes out of her way to help residents.
• A professional appraiser commended the manager and maintenance staff for the pride they take in providing excellent quality affordable housing to fantastic tenants.
• The apartments are nice, clean, and family oriented.
• Residents say they love living there and have beautiful memories.
• The management has provided stable leadership, with this manager staying the longest among previous ones.

Cons

• The manager is described as unhinged and wild.
• She yells at people and claims she could have them taken away for trespassing or loitering.
• The parking spot isn't clearly marked and the lot has zero lighting.
• Management is accused of bullying residents for years.
• The property is run-down and undergoing remodeling, with tenants moved to motels.
• Some residents don't take care of their apartments, making the exterior look nasty.
• The office is slow to respond and difficult to contact.

Review

Across the mixed set of notes, a complex picture emerges of a housing community with bright spots, sharp contrasts, and a few stormy episodes with management. One thread threads through several posts: a sense that the management can be unpredictable and, at times, aggressive. A night-time parking mix-up - where the spot was not clearly marked and the lot offered no lighting - spiraled into a confrontation that felt more like a personal attack than a routine administrative matter. The person recounting this incident described the manager blasting into the conversation with accusations, shouting that the resident's girlfriend should have known it was the manager's spot, and that there could be legal consequences for trespassing or loitering. The intensity of that exchange left a lasting impression of a power dynamic that can feel invasive and punitive.

The experience didn't end with the exchange itself. There was an attempt to reach out for resolution: a note left on the property's website asking to be contacted about the incident, and a subsequent feeling that no one had followed up. In this account, the lack of a timely response from management amplified the sense that concerns are not always heard or addressed in a straightforward way. The recollection paints a picture of a management culture that can escalate quickly, especially over relatively minor disputes, and of residents who feel they must tread carefully to avoid sparking further confrontation.

In contrast to these tensions, another part of the community presents a more positive and orderly vision. Western Sun, described in several notes as a "nice place to live," underwent a substantial remodel in 2021-22, with a refreshed kitchen, bathroom, appliances, and ceiling fans in many units. Rent there appears to be linked to income, which some tenants seem to appreciate as a fair approach. Yet even within this improved setting, there is awareness that some residents do not take care of the exterior grounds, leaving parts of the property looking less polished. Still, the manager at Western Sun is portrayed as kind and helpful, willing to go the extra mile for residents while also enforcing policy when needed. The long tenure of this manager is highlighted as a stabilizing factor, a beacon of continuity in a community that has seen multiple management changes in the past.

A few voices add granular, almost everyday details to the overall picture. One note asks about access to a laundry room, specifically requesting information about a code for residents in apartment 205, underscoring ongoing concerns about security and access. This small detail sits amid larger themes of stewardship and safety, reminding readers that daily conveniences - like laundry access - matter a great deal in resident satisfaction. Other entries offer tender, nostalgic memories: someone who used to live there and says they had beautiful memories, a sentiment that contrasts with more critical views and reminds readers that the place can feel like home to different people at different times.

There are also statements that acknowledge a process of change and upheaval. One review hints at a run-down perception, followed by an implication that remodeling may be underway, with tenants possibly being relocated temporarily to motels during the work. The juxtaposition of these views - run-down conditions versus ongoing improvements - conveys a common housing reality: renovations can disrupt daily life even as they lay the groundwork for a more comfortable future. Interspersed with these considerations are lighter, more mundane observations, like stopping by a vending machine outside the building to grab snacks or soda, a small but human touch that rounds out the everyday life of residents.

Not all experiences are negative, however. A brief note labeled Very Bad Apartments describes an experience where a scheduled apartment viewing had the office open only after an hour of waiting, a frustration that contrasts sharply with briefer affirmations of a "good place to live." These snippets reinforce the sense that impressions of the property can vary dramatically from unit to unit and moment to moment. Amidst mixed feedback, there are also clear positive endorsements: a vignette of a well-regarded manager and maintenance team praised by a professional appraiser who inspected the property in February 2018. That appraisal commended the staff for the pride they take in delivering quality, affordable housing to tenants, and noted that their professionalism made the appraiser's job easier.

Taken together, the collection of reviews paints a complex, patchwork portrait. For some residents, the community feels welcoming, family-oriented, and well-managed, with thoughtful staff who strive to balance policy enforcement with genuine assistance. For others, experiences with management can feel volatile and overbearing, especially when disputes arise or when remodeling projects disrupt daily life. Yet across these perspectives, there is a persistent thread of care and commitment: some managers are seen as stable, kind, and proactive, and some units benefit from thoughtful renovations that raise living standards over time. In this diverse landscape, the core message seems to be that Western Sun and its surroundings offer real positives - pleasant living spaces, ongoing upkeep, and a sense of community - while also presenting challenges that residents must navigate, from security concerns to scheduling hassles and the ongoing process of modernization.

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (1.1 miles)
• Walgreens (1.9 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.6 miles)
• Walgreens (2.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.8 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.4 miles)

Restaurants

• Whataburger (1.3 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (1.6 miles)
• Capriotti's Sandwich Shop (2.8 miles)
• Uncle Bear's Grill & Tap Greenfield (3.3 miles)
• Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers (3.5 miles)
• McDonald's (3.5 miles)
• Culver's (3.5 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Mesa Grand 14 (1.5 miles)
• Harkins Tempe Marketplace 16 (6.5 miles)
• Superstition Springs 25 (6.6 miles)

Physicians

• Riviera Opticare (1.5 miles)
• Southwest Endoscopy & Srgcntr (1.9 miles)
• Gilbert Primary Care (2.3 miles)
• Glick Ronald M Do (3.1 miles)
• Arizona Asthma & Allergy Institute (3.3 miles)
• Simonmed Imaging (3.5 miles)
• Cornerstone Family Medicine (3.6 miles)

Places of Worship

• Mesa Arizona Temple (1.6 miles)
• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (3.1 miles)
• First United Methodist Church of Gilbert (4.2 miles)
• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (6 miles)
• Salt River Assembly of God (6 miles)

Cafes

• Panera Bread (1.7 miles)
• Panera Bread (2.6 miles)
• Dutch Bros Coffee (3.3 miles)
• Starbucks (3.5 miles)
• Starbucks (4.4 miles)
• Over Easy (5.9 miles)
• The Human Bean (6.4 miles)

Parks

• Greenfield Park (3.1 miles)
• Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch (4.4 miles)
• Finley Farms Park (5.1 miles)
• Daumler Park (5.3 miles)
• Selleh Park (6.3 miles)

Transportation

• Falcon Field Airport (MSC) (5.3 miles)