1/01/26 3/5⭐️ Update: it’s now 2026 and no sign of working on the promised communal space/gym. I was offered a lease this year that is the same price as my current lease at least. $3,100 for a one bedroom ~650 sqft. Everything else in my original review stands. There are plenty pros and some cons. 10/01/25 4/5⭐️ Update: at the beginning of the year Rumi announced a gym and study space and the space is yet to be worked on. I’ve been living here for a year and may or may not renew my lease and here’s why: Pros: 1) Alice Zhang the leasing officer/manager has been seriously the best, kindest, and most professional leasing staff I’ve ever worked with. She’s honestly the strongest reason I would want to stay here because she’s attentive, understanding, and also knows her job well. I’ve experienced unpleasant leasing staff in the past so her being in charge makes being here and solving problems easy. 2) the location as a student is 9/10. Being relatively close to campus is so convenient. This building is perfectly nestled between big bus stops, Trader Joe’s, Ace Hardware, and walkable. The Shattuck BART station is also just two blocks east of the building. 3) It has been so quiet. I truly love my peace and I can hardly hear my neighbors. Granted I have two air purifiers going all the time so it’s possible they drown out low noise but I never hear footsteps nor do I hear any partying. (I think people on the 7th floor have complained they hear people partying on the roof) but I can’t hear it at all. 4) I live with my living room facing South so I get constant sunshine because of how big the windows are in my living room. My plants are super happy and thriving and I rarely need to turn my lights on. 5) the rooftop is a nice relaxing place to come up and have your morning coffee or show visitors the Golden Gate Bridge (even if it’s super far) they always are impressed. There are also raised garden beds that tenants can use and some tenants have grown beautiful vegetables. 6.) So far, the package concierge locker has been easy to use and I’ve only had two delivery issues with Amazon/UPS not being able to get in. ————————— Cons 1) As a student, it’s absurdly expensive for the square footage and the rent for my 650ish sq ft apartment is increasing $200 this year to total $2,950 (not counting $300 monthly parking, and utilities). A big justification for that is that they are building a gym and a study room. Frankly, I most likely won’t use either because I get free gym access on campus and there are so many beautiful coffee shops in the area and campus libraries are gorgeous to study in. So it feels like a big blow to increase rent so high despite already paying so much for the square footage. This is my main concern about renewing my lease. 2) honestly? If Alice Zhang leaves, I’m kinda scared of the possibility of having a lower quality leasing officer. Like I said, I’ve worked with unpleasant people before and that’s enough to put me off from living somewhere. 3) Up until recently the built in (including in rent) WiFi system worked great. About two months ago we had a building wide internet issue during finals and that was not just inconvenient but I almost missed a deadline because of it and had a private mini meltdown. 4) if you care about or use DoorDash, Instacart, GrubHub or any delivery service, I frequently have issues with drivers not wanting to come up or not being able to find parking. AND you can’t turn left onto Addison going South on MLK and Milvia is a one way street for a few blocks so it’s confusing. It doesn’t bother me but I have a disabled friend who uses deliveries and that can be a barrier. 5) I also am sad that the built in microwave/airfryer/oven is ABSURDLY loud when you want to air fry or use the convection oven. So loud that it keeps me from using it and as someone who loves to roast their vegetables to get their fiber this SUCKS because I also don’t have counter room to get a toaster oven.

The only good thing: staff was friendly during the move-in tour. Everything else was terrible: 1) I had to live with an unregistered tenant(who never paid rent) for about 9 months. Would you want to live with a stranger with no verified identity? Management knew but took no action—just kept saying the tenant should “register.” 2) Originally male-only unit, suddenly they changed to co-ed because of that problem. Contract meant nothing. 3) Package theft/loss ~5 times in one year. Locker system totally insufficient. 4) Thin walls, tiny rooms for the price. 5) Fast replies for tours/lease renewals, but almost no response to complaints. (Maintenance team was the only good part.) I had a miserable year here. There are way better options around Downtown Berkeley - avoid this place.

I toured this place with Alice and had such a good experience. She was super friendly, easy to talk to, and really knew her stuff. She explained everything clearly—pricing, lease terms, what to expect—and even gave me helpful tips about the area and what kind of people usually live here. You can tell she genuinely cares and wants people to feel comfortable and informed. Out of all the tours I’ve done, this one felt the most thoughtful and organized. If you get a chance to tour with her, you’re in good hands.

Living at RUMI has been a great experience! The leasing process was super smooth, and Alice was incredibly helpful and responsive to all my questions. The location is unbeatable—right next to Trader Joe’s and a short walk to UC Berkeley. My unit was fully furnished, making move-in a breeze. Maintenance is quick, and management really cares about keeping the building in great shape. I also love the community events they organize every month—it really makes RUMI feel like home. Highly recommend!

As my son is coming here for his studies, it is our first time visiting Berkeley. I have been very worried and anxious about his accommodation. We need to consider many factors such as the distance to the school, the safety of the area, the price, the comfort of the room, and the roommates. I had previously searched online and found several apartments, with RUMI being one of them. Our first viewing appointment was with RUMI, and unexpectedly, we were immediately captivated by the environment and brand-new facilities here. The rooms on the west side offer an unbeatable view of the mountains and the sea, while the east side overlooks a beautiful courtyard garden. Most importantly, the young and beautiful property manager, Alice Zhang, showed us various types of apartments, patiently explained everything, and provided us with very professional and thoughtful service. As a result, we canceled our other viewing appointments and decided to sign the lease immediately. Overall, it was a fantastic rental experience.