Paloma Kent

I lived at Paloma Kent for two and a half years, and unfortunately, my overall experience was extremely disappointing. I was told this was one of the best apartment buildings in Kent, but after living there for 2.5 years, I can confidently say that I would not recommend it. The building was frequently dirty, especially the elevators and common areas. They advertised amenities such as coffee machines, but throughout my time there, I would be surprised if they worked consistently for even six months. The pool was another disappointment, as it was only open for a few months each year. One of my biggest frustrations was management and the payment system. I had payment-related problems multiple times and ended up being charged late fees because of issues that were not my fault. At one point, I had to start paying rent in person. I had the money ready to pay, went to the office, and they were closed. Since I could not make the payment, I was charged a late fee anyway. Being financially penalized because of their own lack of organization was incredibly frustrating. My roommate situation during my final year also made the experience worse. He barely cleaned the apartment, cooked constantly with the windows closed, and regularly left the kitchen, stove, and floors dirty. I understand that management cannot control a roommate’s behavior, but what I do not find fair is being charged for cleaning and conditions that I did not cause. For almost an entire year, I did not cook in the apartment, barely used the refrigerator, and did not use the stove. I was also not even living there during the final three months of my lease. Despite that, I was still charged for the condition and cleanliness of the apartment when the lease ended. After spending 2.5 years at Paloma Kent, these were not just isolated incidents. The lack of cleanliness, amenities that were frequently unavailable or not working, repeated payment issues, unfair late fees, and move-out charges made the overall experience extremely frustrating. For the amount of money they charge and the way Paloma Kent is marketed, I expected a much higher level of cleanliness, organization, maintenance, and professionalism. I would not choose to live here again, and I would not recommend it to someone looking for housing in Kent.

This place is wonderful! Great amenities, nice rooms, staff are super helpful and kind especially Kate and Brittany. I’ve seen a few bad reviews for Brittany here from people who don’t like hearing the word “no”, but she is so sweet and takes care of both her employees and residents. Cannot recommend enough!

Katie in the leasing office was extremely helpful and professional during the move-in process. She made the experience smooth and manageable.

Students and Parents BEWARE: Serious Safety Concerns I would strongly caution students and parents considering living at Paloma Kent. My experience involved repeated maintenance failures, poor communication, cleanliness issues, and, most concerning, serious and prolonged security problems that made me feel unsafe in my own home. The biggest issue was the building’s security. For approximately four months, the back entrance to the building was left completely unlocked and accessible without a key or fob. This was not a temporary issue—it continued for months. Residents had no way of knowing who was entering the building or whether they belonged there. For an apartment complex, I consider this an extremely serious safety failure. There was also a concerning incident involving our balcony. During winter break, management locked our balcony, which we paid extra for, without notifying us. Later, we discovered that it had apparently been unlocked from the inside. The balcony door has a deadbolt, so we could not have unlocked it ourselves. When we reported it, management had no explanation or record of anyone accessing it. The fact that someone could apparently access and unlock our balcony without management knowing what happened was extremely concerning. Our AC also broke, and management told us to open a window rather than providing an AC unit. Shortly afterward, there was a tragic incident involving a resident and one of the building’s common-area balconies. While I understand that the incident itself was a tragedy that management could not have predicted, the situation was especially disturbing given the existing concerns about unsecured common areas and residents being instructed to leave windows open. When I raised my concerns with management about the tragic situation, I felt dismissed rather than heard. I was eventually told that I was no longer allowed to communicate with staff. In my experience, this was extremely frustrating and unprofessional, especially when I was raising legitimate safety concerns. There were numerous other problems as well. My car was towed before I had even moved in after I parked in the future visitor lot for less than an hour while visiting the building with my future roommate. The rules regarding future residents and visitors were not made clear. When I moved in, the apartment was dirty, and the common areas were consistently covered in dirt, dust, and grime. Our heat was also broken for more than a month at the beginning of winter. I was additionally charged $200 for throwing away two bags of trash in the wrong location. Fire alarms also went off constantly, including in the middle of the night. Overall, my experience at Paloma Kent was extremely negative. The prolonged lack of building security was the most unacceptable part of my experience. Residents should not have to wonder who can access their building or whether basic security measures are actually being maintained. Do not live here.

Lawrence was great, excellent service, quick to help, made move in alot easier!