Eureka Garden Apartments in Jacksonville, FL

Pros

• Mrs. Valerie Meno is really resourceful and ensures tenants are comfortable under her management.
• The apartments are beautiful on the inside and the grounds are nice.
• Renovations look great and the property has been upgraded.
• Recently remodeled with upgraded bathrooms, exterior renovations, and central air and heat.
• The current management team is nice and tries to be helpful.
• The place feels peaceful now.
• The staff are very courteous and customer-oriented, helping with issues quickly.

Cons

• The place is very unsafe.
• The complex is not safe and probably never will be.
• The management is very unorganized and they never call tenants back.
• There have been multiple shootings and drug deals, making the area unsafe.
• Daily drug deals are reported and the complex should be shut down.
• Crime in the area remains a problem and residents feel the office can't keep up.
• Tenants are described as nasty, and trash is left around the grounds.
• A resident was pistol whipped and the management did not intervene.
• Mold in an apartment caused hospitalization, and conditions are dangerous.
• The place is a ghetto dump.
• The front office can't keep up with the number of residents.

Review

Best suited for budget-minded renters who can tolerate ongoing safety concerns in exchange for improvements inside the units and a more proactive on-site team. The interior spaces have seen meaningful updates - bathrooms refreshed, living areas upgraded - and the grounds show care when maintenance crews are on site. The most credible signal of a constructive shift is staff engagement: a manager like Valerie Meno is noted for being resourceful and attentive to residents' comfort, and some maintenance crews deliver solid, if not prompt, service. For tenants who prioritize cost savings without demanding pristine safety, Eureka Garden offers a more appealing proposition than the most aging, poorly managed complexes in the area.

Those who should consider alternatives include families with kids, seniors living alone, or anyone who cannot tolerate the frequency of safety incidents that have been described. The property carries a reputation for crime, frequent disruptive activity, and a sense of insecurity that colors daily life. Lease signups and administrative processes have also been described as disorganized at times, which can create friction for new residents. If predictable, responsive maintenance and reliable security are top priorities, other Jacksonville communities with stronger safety records and tighter management controls warrant serious comparison.

On the plus side, the renovations and ongoing improvements help the living spaces feel more comfortable and visually appealing, and central air and heat are currently standard. Some residents report a noticeable improvement in the property's curb appeal and unit interiors, which can offset some of the dissatisfaction with other aspects. However, the major downside remains the safety environment: multiple accounts of shootings, drug activity, and residents feeling unsafe persist, and that reality can overwhelm any comfort provided by updated fixtures. Maintenance and management attempts mitigate issues but are not consistently timely or effective enough to erase the safety concerns.

Maintenance and front-office performance present a mixed picture. There are credible reports of courteous, helpful staff who make efforts to resolve problems and to accommodate residents, yet chronic understaffing or overwhelmed teams leave many issues unresolved or repeated. The sense that the office cannot keep up with the number of units and complaints surfaces repeatedly, which undermines residents' confidence in the property's ability to deliver stable, safe housing. For any prospective resident, testing maintenance responsiveness during a tour and asking about current assignment backlogs is essential to gauge whether the team can meet expectations.

Renovations have included interior remodeling and exterior updates, with some residents noting upgrades such as upgraded bathrooms and the addition of central air and heat, contributing to a more comfortable living environment. Visitation and neighborhood feel can improve as remodeling progresses, with some commenters calling the property "beautifully remodeled" and "peaceful now." Still, cosmetic improvements do not erase underlying security concerns, and a strong emphasis on ongoing safety improvements should accompany any move here. The property benefits from visible investment, but the social climate remains the critical variable for daily life.

Bottom line: Eureka Garden Apartments can work for budget-minded renters who are willing to accept a higher level of risk and are drawn to renovated interiors and a responsive front-line staff. For households where safety, predictable maintenance, and a secure feel are non-negotiable, alternatives are strongly recommended. Pros such as updated units, cooling/heating reliability, and a courteous maintenance presence do carve out real value, but they do not fully offset the dominant drawbacks. Prospective residents should insist on a current safety plan from management, request a recent crime snapshot for the area, and arrange a thorough, time-tied maintenance check before committing. Only with clear assurances on security and service responsiveness can this community be considered a sound long-term choice.

This area of Jacksonville, Florida is a diverse and convenient neighborhood with a variety of healthcare options, including several physicians' offices and pharmacies within a few miles. There are also numerous dining options, from casual cafes like Starbucks and Panera Bread to more upscale restaurants like Biscottis and El Jefe. Parks such as Adams Park and Cortez Park offer opportunities for outdoor recreation, while places of worship like Riverside United Church of Christ provide spiritual support. In case of emergencies, hospitals like Ascension St Vincent's Riverside and UF Health Jacksonville Towers are located nearby. Overall, this neighborhood offers a mix of services and amenities that would cater to seniors looking for convenience and accessibility in their daily lives.

Physicians

• Akumin (0.4 miles)
• Southeast Orthopedic Specialists (1.8 miles)
• Florida Retina Institute (1.8 miles)
• Jacksonville Pediatrics (1.9 miles)
• Hortencia Espino, MD (2.2 miles)
• Carithers Pediatric Group (2.3 miles)
• First Coast Primary Care (3.1 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (0.5 miles)
• Casbah Cafe (0.6 miles)
• Panera Bread (0.7 miles)
• Metro Diner (0.9 miles)
• European Street Cafe (1.7 miles)
• European Street Cafe (3.3 miles)
• The Local - San J (3.9 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (0.7 miles)
• Walgreens (1.8 miles)
• Winn-Dixie (1.9 miles)
• Winn-Dixie (2 miles)
• Walgreens (2 miles)
• Walgreens (2.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.6 miles)

Restaurants

• Biscottis (0.7 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (0.9 miles)
• El Jefe (1.6 miles)
• Taco Bell (1.7 miles)
• Nacho Taco (2.3 miles)
• Mossfire Grill (2.4 miles)
• Wendy's (2.5 miles)

Parks

• Adams Park (0.9 miles)
• Cortez Park (1.3 miles)
• Riverfront Park (3.3 miles)

Places of Worship

• Riverside United Church of Christ (1.7 miles)
• West Jacksonville Baptist Church (2.3 miles)
• Allen Chapel Ame Church (3.3 miles)
• Westside Family Worship Center (6.9 miles)

Hospitals

• Ascension St Vincent's Riverside (1.8 miles)
• Childrens Medical Services (4.2 miles)
• UF Health Jacksonville Towers (4.8 miles)
• UF Health of Jacksonville (4.9 miles)
• Baptist Primary Care (6.6 miles)
• Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital (6.7 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Orange Park 24 (7.4 miles)