Five55 - Santa Cruz, California

Michael H.

Five55 – The Gold Standard of Santa Cruz Living
If you’re looking for luxury living with a heart, Five55 is where it’s at. This isn’t just an apartment complex—it’s a well-designed, thriving community, backed by a wealthy family that actually cares about Santa Cruz. They’ve been making the world a better place for generations, and you can feel it in every detail of this building. They’re not just landlords; they’re a part of the incredible growth story of this beachside paradise.

Location, Location, Location!
Let’s be real—living here is like having a VIP pass to Santa Cruz’s greatest hits. The beach? It’s right there. You can walk to the best part of the beach in just a couple of minutes, while everyone else is out there dropping $30 just to park. That alone is a game-changer.

But it doesn’t stop there. Five55 sits at the end of the coolest street in the city, meaning you’re less than a two-minute walk from everything you could possibly want—movie theaters, coffee shops, restaurants, bars, casinos, dispensaries, surf shops, rare clothing stores, thrift stores, and even kitchen and “love” stores. It’s like living on an ever-growing, landlocked cruise ship that only sails in the right direction.

The Staff – Unmatched Service & Care
The people who run this place? Next-level amazing. The staff is friendly, professional, helpful, and always available. Some even live on-site, so they truly understand what it’s like to call this place home. You don’t find that just anywhere.

Amenities? Five55 Delivers.
The Gym? More than adequate—perfect for breaking a sweat without needing another gym membership.
The Pool Table Room with Game Couch & TV? Off-the-chain cool. I half expect a celebrity to walk in at any moment.
The Mail System? Convenient and easy—no lost packages, no scavenger hunts, just smooth efficiency.
The Rooftop? Unlike most buildings around here, this isn’t just an empty slab of concrete. It’s covered in lush plants, lined with patio furniture, and has the perfect setup for a relaxing stroll. It’s like having a private rooftop garden with an ocean breeze.
Batman Would Approve of the Parking
Let’s talk parking—because it’s next level. You get to park two floors underground, which means your bike won’t rust from beachside oxidation, and best of all? It feels like living in Batman’s Cave. Seriously, two security gates, a descent into the depths, and a secure spot for your ride? It’s safe, sleek, and ridiculously cool.

The Residents – A Perfect Melting Pot
The people who live here? Incredible. It’s a true melting pot—just like America itself. Every type of person, from every walk of life, lives here comfortably and harmoniously. It’s like a microcosm of the world, but in a way that actually works.

Final Verdict? 6 Out of 5 Stars.
Five55 isn’t just a place to live—it’s a place to thrive. If I could sign a lease for life, I probably would.

Jane C.

I am enjoying my studio here at Five55 in many ways. First I would like to share that I am a senior and moved here through one of several rental programs that are offered here in Santa Cruz.
I was so pleased about the size of this unit. I had the space I needed to make use of all my stored belongings plus more! Moving in I was finally able to say 'hello' to all my personal pieces of furniture,etc and felt complete. I do believe I feel more positive about myself and have a new direction for living and enjoying my 'retirement' life.
The complex is roomy and the hallways are wide and clean. There are numerous tall windows to look out and see the surrounding environment. the Metro is very close and walking there is not exhausting. You still have energy to board the bus and get your errands done. How nice for a commuter and Senior. The community here is very diverse, which is nice for me. College students, retired individuals, quite a few working individuals and young familys. The variety of dogs that live here is amazing and there is little noise within the complex with all the different households dwelling within. I am really comfortable living here and enjoy all the sights that I see in the hallways and garage area. It is nice to chat with the people living here when I'm picking up my mail or emptying my garbage (indoors) or just sitting in the lobby.
Friendly and comfortable living at the Five55.

Kimberly E.

My son moved here about a year ago and I wasn’t very impressed. I visited again this week and what a difference. I noticed the change right away, the place looked and smelled very clean. The roof top deck was completely fixed up and looks like an oasis (a perfect spot for an evening glass of wine.). I went out of my way to tell the new staff I saw a such a great improvement. Both Jackie and Jordan were super friendly and really appreciated my comments. You could tell they both care about what they do.

IM S.

I was very impressed with how they treated us in our recent apartment search. We did not end up moving in, because my daughter preferred another commute, but Jackie treated us very professionally and the whole building upkeep, including the maintenance person was very nice and gave me a very welcoming feeling. Thank you Jackie.

bella F.

I've lived here for about 3 years. I used to love it but around October 2022, things started to go downhill. I'm sure the new management has great intentions, but they're just so uncoordinated that it's really taking a toll on the building. A lot of the patio couch cushions turned green and some are missing, there's a white powder at the base of all the walls as if the carpet cleaners sprayed soap too high, the roof terrace stopped being maintained, there's always random cleaning towels hanging on plants in the halls, the electric car charging that's supposed to be free with rent hasn't been working for a month, and there was trash piled up at the bottom of the trash chute (directly on the floor) for weeks without any bins. We've also had to turn in our parking spot numbers 3 times to them because they can't seem to keep track. I hate to go on and on but all of this stuff must be noted. The people at the front desk have been changing very frequently but the few times I've talked to them they have been very nice so I'll give them that! I think that they're trying their best, but unfortunately their best just isn't cutting it. I'm hoping that they'll step it up and get the place running smoothly again. It's such a shame for such a beautiful apartment. I'd love to see it returned back to it's former glory!

...Definitely not luxury

Tim A.

We rented a studio at Five55 from May-Nov 2022.

Location 10 minute walk to downtown, 5 minutes to wharf.

Design A single wide corridor on each floor brightened by a central open section with glass walls; the apartments are spacious and sunny with floor-to-ceiling windows; only studios and one-bedrooms, so not for families but fine for us, a retired couple.

Construction The only noise from our neighbors came from upstairs, where the tenant had the occasional bout of CFRS (Compulsive Furniture Rearrangement Syndrome) at 3 AM; the elevator is a bit slow, but it never broke down.

Speaking of Noise *** Garbage collection at 7 AM with dumpster tossing; but hey, it's a city; if you want bucolic tranquility, live in the country where you'll get to listen to lawnmowers and leaf blowers all day.

Amenities * An indoor party room with pool table, sink, fridge, ice machine, TV and 3 distinct seating areas; outdoor party area with firepits, pizza ovens and propane grills; a gym with who cares (I avoid gyms); a xeriscape roof garden with a seating area; cozy lobby with a communal table, seating and coffee machine; two restaurants on the ground floor (we liked both); apartment appliances and fixtures are basic but adequate.

Management * Front desk with friendly, accessible and responsive staff; emails informing on repair status of building amenities; package delivery at apartment door or in the mail area in the lobby.

Maintenance * Cheyenne, who oversees maintenance, lives in the building and fills the role of what we New Yorkers refer to as a "soopuh;" Cheyenne is super in many ways; the building is clean and everything worked well (apart from the occasional treadmill malfunction); we needed a washing machine repair early in our stay that Cheyenne took care of perfectly; apartments have deep cleaning and repainting between tenants.

This building was a godsend for us during a stay in SC taking care of family business. At about $100/day it was a much better choice than a 2-star hotel room, which in the summer can cost over $300/day (if you can even find a room). The leasing process was a little thorny about proof of income; our combined incomes from Social Security and part-time work put us over the top, but I don't know if we would have qualified based just on our ability to pay from savings and investment income.

Traci L.

The apartments are new and interior is nice with amenities. However, the building doesn’t provide for satisfactory luxury apartment living service. There is no way to have a newspaper delivered, cannot have food delivered to your door, no carts available for moving or groceries. Moreover, was not verbally told about the fact that the parking and storage units are in a flood zone. All of the storage units were flooded and my belongings destroyed. dangerous area. Car was broken into, glass shattered outside building.

Chris R.

The apartments are close to all major things in Santa Cruz like the boardwalk, the beach, the downtown strip, and UCSC. The apartments are really nice since they are brand new, and they also come with great amenities. The staff that helped me lease my unit was amazing, super helpful, and nice.

So far I haven't ran into any problems with my unit, everything seems to be working as it should.