We moved to St. Paul's Towers (SPT) in 2017. My husband was 86 and I was 75. We had a lovely large home in the Berkeley hills that we had lived in for 40 years. I had a lung condition that my Stanford doctors told me would probably give me only 3 more years of life. I was determined that on my death my husband would be surrounded by friends and not be stuck in isolation on his own. We looked at many places, but only seriously considered SPT, Piedmont Gardens, and the place under construction at the time, Belmont Gardens. We visited SPT and Piedmont Gardens and checked the other communities run by the same company that runs Belmont Gardens. The staff and residents of SPT looked happy and busy while the staff and residents at Piedmont Gardens looked unhappy and at loose ends. The residents at Piedmont Gardens also looked more disabled. There were far more walkers at Piedmont Gardens than there were at SPT. The food was much better at SPT than at Piedmont Gardens. On the other hand, Piedmont Gardens was far cheaper than SPT, and had a smaller buy-in fee. We knew no-one at SPT, but we did have a few friends who were living at Piedmont Gardens. The shops on Piedmont Avenue were just a block and a half away from Piedmont Gardens (but up-hill, so hard for me to get to). SPT was close enough to downtown Oakland for us to drive to, and was kitty-cornered from Lake Merritt with its beautiful gardens and Fairyland. We were very interested in Belmont Gardens because it had some association with UC Berkeley, so we would be sure to know other residents there. It looked like it was going to be a bit isolated, but they assured us that a Sprouts was being built next door (and it is there now) and that the neighborhood would grow quickly with Belmont Gardens there (It has!) They also said that the UC Berkeley shuttle would be available to take people to downtown Berkeley and to the campus, a big plus for us since we were on campus frequently. Belmont Gardens was MUCH cheaper than SPT, and even cheaper than Piedmont Gardens so that was a big plus. The big negative as far as our kids were concerned was that Belmont Gardens was not a CCRC (Continuous Care Residential Community). It had units for independent living and for assisted living, plus a memory unit, but no nursing care facility. It was inevitable that one of us would some time need nursing care which would mean a move to a nursing facility. The partner would then be required to take some transportation to the nursing facility to be with the other partner. If you were single, that was not so much a concern (although it is always disrupting to have to move from one place to another, even if you are a single). Then we learned that most of the units at Belmont Gardens were going to be assisted living, not independent living. That was the final straw for us. We were pretty active (and still are) and were worried that we would find few compatible colleagues at Belmont Gardens. So SPT came out ahead on most counts -- except cost. Since we would be using up much of the money we intended to leave for our children, we asked them for advice and gave them veto power. They said they'd be happier and more relieved of worry if we were to with a place that was a CCRC, so we ended up choosing St. Paul's Towers. We have been extraordinarily happy here. Primarily because both the staff and residents are wonderful. COVID has caused its problems, but the staff and management have kept us safer than most places. Prices here have gone up this year by 9.5%, but when we looked at other retirement communities in the area we find they've all gone up by about 9.5%. At first I thought it must be collusion, but it turns out that by California law they CANNOT go up by 10% or more, so in these inflationary times they have all chosen to go close to the max. Yes, we are currently a bit understaffed, but again, when we look at other Bay Area retirement communities, they all complain of the same problem. Since we have moved to SPT a new retirement community has been built in Walnut Creek and a dear friend of ours has decided to go there. It is cheaper than SPT and the apartments are more spacious. It also has a swimming pool which is a big factor with our friend who is a swimmer, but I worry that she will find the heat oppressive, find that it more difficult to walk from building to building for meals than it is to ride an elevator for meals and gatherings, and most of all, she will find it very isolating and difficult to get to her many concerts, and ballets in Berkeley. Finally, Carlos P. wrote a negative review of SPT on 6/29/2021 where he says he's been living at SPT for several years. We came to SPT in 2017 and are still here in 2023. There has been no Carlos as a resident in all those years. I wouldn't believe anything he says. read more

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My parents were in independent living (IL) at St. Paul's Towers in Oakland between 2001 and 2015; in 2014 my father died, and in 2016 my mother moved into assisted living (AL). She died at 101 in December 2025. Both parents had stays in skilled nursing (SN), which were horrible. If I had to grade St. Paul's Towers, I would give it a 'B' for IL, a 'C-' for AL, and an 'F' for SN. Almost all the positive online reviews of St. Paul's Towers are posted by people in IL, or even by people who haven't even lived there. But a few reviewers have noted that SPT has gone downhill, especially since it was taken over by Covia and Front Porch. SPT has drastically reduced resident amenities and care, including AL activities, and important positions go unfilled for months and years. The food also went from excellent to bad. This review is a very short version of my complete review, which you can find at www.sharonhudson.com/SPT. Worth reading. The staff that residents interact with every day are friendly, caring, and helpful, so the IL atmosphere is excellent. But bad management has been a serious problem. Residents' contracts give them almost no rights and place no limits on fee increases. When residents eventually need assistance, it is their children who end up "paying" for their contracts, by having to fight with management, train and supervise employees, etc. For 10 years, I spent 10-20 hours per week in AL visiting Mom. Quality of life in AL depends on competent management, which we experienced for only a few years. Nobody was in charge of apartment maintenance; it was up to me to report burnt-out light bulbs, etc. The CNAs were kind and caring, but they were essentially untrained and unsupervised, except by me and the senior CNAs, who "trained" the new ones, despite the language barriers. Almost none spoke idiomatic English, which is a huge problem and safety risk for people with dementia. Residents cannot "cooperate" with people they don't understand. However, in mid-2025 they hired a new AL director, so maybe things will improve. Trying to get staff to involve my mother in AL activities became a real hassle after COVID. People with dementia cannot "ask" for activities, and staff should encourage residents to engage in activities. Mom never got to even a few of the activities she might have enjoyed. It's just a lot easier to leave a resident sitting in their room. BTW, if a resident is unable to remember what they did recently, you will have no way of knowing how they are being treated. My mother had a large, sunny apartment, so we had the environment to do fun activities together. I also needed to have an office/computer there. But many of the units were too small for any of that, too small even for the resident to host family visits. There are no AL units large enough for a couple; it was devastating for my father to be separated from his wife of 70 years. Nobody has access to nature from their unit, except what they can manage on their balcony. There is a gorgeous garden on the second floor, but is mostly inaccessible to AL residents who cannot get there on their own. The nursing staff currently at SPT, whom residents interact with every day, are competent and caring, but the major medical interactions we had with SPT were terrible. Again, bad management and training. For example, in 2014, my father spent a few months in AL before dying. Several times he ended up in the Kaiser emergency room with serious infections, and once someone at Kaiser reported SPT to the county for elder abuse. In 2019, Mom broke her leg, and had to recuperate in SN on the 22nd floor of SPT. That was hell for both of us. I had to go to SPT most of every day just to get her off that floor. One day I found Mom crying, and when I asked what was wrong, she blurted out, "I just want to be treated like a human being!" I saw lots of call lights not being responded to, and distressed residents being ignored. When Mom was able to walk again, the medical director (unsuccessfully) tried to force her to move permanently to SN; instead she returned to her apartment, where she lived safely for another six years. During COVID, SPT was on lockdown for about three years--much longer than other places. Every time one of their 250-300 residents or staff tested positive, all the AL people had to stay alone in their apartments alone for two weeks. That too was unnecessary and abusive. You should find out how much legal power the facility medical director has over the residents' living situations, and what is their philosophy and history. A year before my mother died, $10,000-worth of jewelry was stolen from her apartment. Long story short: After the theft, which arose from bad management and low staffing, SPT never informed staff or other AL residents that a theft had occurred, which meant that others could not prevent another incident or even know if they had been victimized. And of course, they stonewalled any compensation. read more

A bit of education: So when something happens with a loved one and they are in the hospital, a Case Manager is typically assigned who will help with the next steps, such as helping with selecting a skilled nursing facility. The decision, ultimately, will be with the loved one and the people closest to them. Unfortunately, the loved one and/or their relations will have no idea of which of the 2 or 3 skilled nursing options are the best or even remotely appropriate for their loved one. Ask your loved one's Case Manager, "Is Saint Paul's Towers Skilled Nursing Facility" on the list? If yes, and Saint Paul's has an opening, your search is over; there is no better place to put a loved one. They are skilled, they are compassionate and they are ultimately extremely equipped to help with getting your loved one back on the road to better health. A little bit of history-the main donor, who donated the land to make St. Paul's Towers happen, did so on the condition that all the Skilled Nursing patients have the best view in the house-so your loved one will rehabilitate on the 22nd floor with panoramic (and I do mean panoramic views) of the San Francisco Bay and beyond. If on the other side of the building, views of the hills of Oakland/Berkeley await with views of Cal Berkeley and the Campanile. I can't think of a better environment to convalesce. Attention to detail-Initially, patients' beds are not those "hospital" type beds with restrictive rails - the beds do move like hospital beds (to sit up, or move the legs up), but unless patients are a specific fall risk, beds feel more luxurious than "hospital"-ly. This may be trivial, but the TV has every channel known to man! Sports, reality TV, news, whatever, this also may a long way toward making a loved one feel comfortable in an uncomfortable situation. The Help-The Management and the staff are some of the best around. From the minute you hit the front door, you are in the midst of helpful, supportive and knowledgeable staff. The Security at the front door is fast, friendly and efficient at checking you in and getting you on your way to see your loved one. Management ensures everything runs smoothly and efficiently (I'm not gonna lie, in the beginning, there will be forms to fill out, documents to be digested and information to be relayed on the way to getting things settled). The staff is professional and works hard at accomodating the patient and their needs. Let's face it, being in Skilled Nursing is not a picnic, so patients may not be in the best of moods or "like" being there, but I feel Management and Staff do their best to help patients get the most from their stay. From meetings with Management to establish a "game plan" for the patient's stay, to the rank and file that assist patients in every way and the cleaning staff that make sure things don't smell too "hospital"-ly, this is an operation built for getting loved ones the help they need to rehabilitate from whatever ails them. The Medical staff are all on the same page and are a united front when it comes to rehabilitating their patient. Because of the COVID-19 situation, there was no Geriatric Psychiatrist on staff, probably the only thing that I would have liked to have access. Otherwise, there were no complaints and it was apparent how much they cared for their patient while at Saint Paul's Towers. Food-The food staff does their best to accommodate, with meal options such as cut small (chopped), pureed, and every option in between to ensure the patient stays well nourished during their stay. There were always several meal options available and a snack cart that rolled around every so often to cure the in-between meal munchies. Skilled Nursing in COVID times. Another wrinkle in the rehabilitation journey. Expect to have your loved one in isolation and getting familiar with a lot of PPE (Personal Protection Equipment). When we stayed there, there were 3 days of face shields, gowns, masks, and gloves. Pretty much the full-on bunny suit to ensure the safety and health of everyone around. It is inconvenient, but in these times, is something to be endured. Expect visits to be scheduled with management and to show vaccine cards every visit. Elevators have minimum occupancy. This is not optimal, but I feel good that they do their best to ensure the health & safety of patients, staff, & visitors. On being a visitor at Saint Paul's Towers. Expect to have some downtime, while loved ones are being attended to - whether it be a bath, check-up, or physical therapy, there will be times when visitors will be "on their own". Because of Saint Paul's Towers location, this is not a problem, as there is a great coffee shop (Equator) across the street and a Whole Foods right next door. Skilled Nursing stays are not fun for loved ones or their relations. If you are going to stay in Skilled Nursing, make sure it is one of the best. I recommend Saint Paul's Towers Skilled Nursing. We were not disappointed. read more

I am starting to get INCREASINGLY worried about my parents in law in this facility. They are on COVID LOCK DOWN, Quarantine FOR 3 YEARS NOW... We were told recently they are confined to their apartments, no dining and 52 of 53 people have the virus. It is October 27, 2023!! I don't know of ANY retirement community still in LOCK DOWN in CA!! My Mom is in a huge one in So Cal -they've NEVER been in LOCK DOWN. What is going on in this place?1 Parents in law are in their 90's, I'm getting VERY CONCERNED they and the other residents are being taken advantage of so they can get funding. I'm going to investigate this place now, I've had it! We cannot even visit them! read more

I had been an 11 year at St. Paul's Towers. During that time I have seen it change. From a caring, senior community run by the Episcopalians who, were always quick to remind you, that the church "had a heart" and resident comfort and security was at the top of their priorities. It was true until Covid came along causing a three year lockdown. However, citing "economy of scale", they sold all their communities to an outfit called Front Porch. The kindest thing I can say is that the caring culture changed overnight from Christian 'agape' to a profit based operation. Our fees were raised 7% one year to 9 1/2% the next. Staff was cut and the food went to hell. Worse, the outgoing CEO at Front Porch could not convincingly explain why. When management at the top prevaricates, you have to be skeptical under the old adage, "cheat me once, shame on you; cheat me twice shame on me". I left for Rossmoor and I have no regrets. In many ways it is still a good place. Write me if you have any questions. read more

My grandmother of 95 went to St. Paul's for skilled nursing in August 2021 after a partial hip replacement. I cannot say enough good things about the care, staff and management every step of the way. Every aspect from beginning to end was communicated openly and in a timely manner. Unfortunately my grandmother got shingles while she was there but they took so good care of her. My grandmother is never the type to want to stay anywhere but home and she said this was the next best thing. Donna and her staff of nurses were so good to her and even brought her balloons on her birthday. She was welcomed, accepted and taken good care of. She said the food was really good like a nice restaurant and they kept her room nice and clean. They followed all COVID protocols and procedures and there were zero issues which helped make recovery the main focus. All the staff member were extremely courteous and patient with us from the security, administration, the nurses, therapists, dieticians and social services. Medicines and doctor appointments were handled and communicated. Susan walked our family through the process, was very patient with all obstacles we faced and made sure we were set-up properly to go home as well. If myself or anyone in my family should ever need help in the future, St. Paul's will be who we call! Thank you for taking care of us St. Paul's Towers! read more

When my mother decided that keeping up a 3-bedroom house on the Coastside was too much, my sister and I were happy to think that she would be moving closer to us. Our father and step-mother had moved to Claremont House (on 51st/Pleasant Valley Rd), but it had changed hands (and I think changed hands once again), so we did not even tour there. We looked at a wonderful place in Alameda, but my mom decided she would rather be in Oakland. So we toured Piedmont Gardens and almost immediately disliked it, because it seemed a bit shabby and we didn't like the layout and the size of it all. In the end, the decision was between Lake Park and St Paul's Tower. They were both on or near Lake Merritt, both had really nice rooms and the people we met at both places (both staff and people who lived there) were VERY nice. Plus each had enough diversity that we didn't feel like we were in a whitebread community in the midst of amazingly diverse Oakland. Each had different pluses, and at the end it was almost a coin toss as to which one she would go to. ALMOST a coin toss -- one of the things that we all liked at SPT was the fact that the rehab/skilled nursing was in the same building so that residents could easily visit one another if they were moved temporarily (or even permanently) to that floor. It was a GREAT decision -- my Mom has lived there now for about 8 years, and she moved in when she was in her early 80's. She was happy to give up her car (tho many residents still drive) because the SPT limo and small bus took her to Costco, the library, plays at the Woodminster amphitheater, appointments at Kaiser, etc. etc. She took a one bedroom apartment and had the one meal plan. All the staff are GREAT -- they are genuinely friendly, call everyone "Mr", "Mrs", etc., and are extremely respectful and nice nice NICE at the same time. This includes housekeepers, dining room staff, maintenance -- EVERYONE. Now, my mother is an Leftie/Unitarian-atheist former school teacher, so we were a bit concerned about moving to a place run by the Episcopal church. Not to worry -- there's religion if you want it and none if you don't. There are music concerts, lectures, art (my mother took up clay sculpture for the first time), and plenty of interesting people to meet and befriend. Recently, my mother suffered a stroke and though her wits are still with her, arthritis and other pre-existing conditions are making her recovery quite slow and so she has been up in the rehab/skilled nursing floor for almost three months and will be there for quite some time. Again, the floor staff are extremely friendly and make some of the more personal challenges and loss of privacy more bearable. Just a couple of days ago, some friends of mine who live out of state came to visit and went to SPT to see my mom. One of them had had her mother living at Piedmont Garden and hated how she had been cared for there during her end of life period. So she was quite happy when she visited my mom and told me not only how nice it was but that the place didn't smell like urine (something I guess she smelled at Piedmont Gardens in the skilled nursing area) and that her favorite physical therapist from Piedmont Gardens was now working at St Paul's Tower. I am so happy I do not have to worry about the care she is being given so that when we go to see her we can concentrate on the personal. read more

Note: This review is not in reference to St. Paul's Towers Residential services. It is specifically about the Skilled Nursing facility on the 22nd floor. This facility is a skilled nursing and rehabilitation unit on the 22nd floor of St Paul's Towers. It serves elderly patients who may need a transition from a hospital stay, before they either go home or to another facility. They have 24 hour nursing care, physical therapy and related services. The normal daytime staff is Amazing. They are the best a anywhere. That includes the nursing staff, physical and occupational therapists as well as the management and support staff. They are absolutely the best. Xx xx xx xx. I'm placing the remaining part of this review on my clipboard pending a resolution of a separate issue. read more

To be avoided. Living at SPTs for several years now I can attest to the poor managment, increasingly unjustifably high annnual fee increases & downward spiral of all services including food. Only the underpaid hourly staff is committed to serving the residents - who are increasingly emotionally & physically frail. Save or money - or your beloved elderly family member's senior years - look elsewhere than SPT! read more