Spring Hollow Apartments Austin Review: $900 One Bedrooms in East Austin (2026) For Rent

A one bedroom apartment four miles from downtown Austin for $900 a month. No concessions, no gimmicks, no “first month only” pricing. That’s the actual rent at Spring Hollow, and it’s been holding at that number while most newer properties within a mile charge $1,200 to $2,500 for a one bedroom.

There’s a reason the rent is that low: Spring Hollow is a tax credit property. Income caps, not just income minimums. If you earn too much, you don’t qualify. If you earn too little, you still might not. I track income restricted properties across Austin alongside the 1,000+ market rate communities I monitor through ApartmentData.com, and tax credit apartments are some of the most misunderstood options in this market.

Here’s what listing sites won’t tell you: this property has a rocky history that’s only recently started turning around. The floor plan is 404 square feet with zero room for error, and there’s a strict no pets policy. Those trade offs matter. Let me walk you through all of it.

Quick Facts: Spring Hollow Apartments

Two numbers tell the story here. Google: 3.7 stars. ApartmentRatings: 1.6 stars. That gap isn’t random. The recent Google reviews (last 7 months) are almost all positive, praising the current manager Diana by name. The ApartmentRatings reviews are older and brutal, written during the Brenda era when this property had serious problems. The ApartmentGuide review calls it “well kept” with “easy access to management.” So what you’re looking at is a property in the middle of a turnaround. I’ll break all of this down in the reviews section below.

Best For / Skip If

This Property Makes Sense If…

Your income qualifies for tax credit housing. Spring Hollow is a LIHTC (Low Income Housing Tax Credit) property. In plain English, that means HUD sets both a floor and a ceiling on how much you can earn. For a single person in Travis County, the ceiling is roughly $57,800 per year. If you make more than that, you can’t live here no matter how much you want the $900 rent.

You need to be close to East Austin on a tight budget. The nearest market rate one bedroom starts at $923 (MAA East Austin, 0.28 miles away) and goes up from there. Lenox Park charges $1,329+. The brand new Loyola Junction starts at $1,293. Spring Hollow’s $900 flat rate saves you at least $23 a month and potentially over $1,000 a month compared to what’s nearby. That’s real money.

You don’t have pets. This sounds like an odd “best for,” but hear me out. If you’re pet free and income qualified, you’re not losing anything by choosing Spring Hollow over a market rate property. Those properties charge $300 to $500 in pet deposits and $25 to $50 a month in pet rent. You’re already ahead on total monthly cost.

You value a quiet, small community. At 99 units with 96% occupancy, this isn’t a 300 unit complex with constant turnover. Recent reviews call it quiet, and residents say people are respectful of each other.

Skip This Property If…

You have a pet. Any pet. Spring Hollow doesn’t allow pets. Period. No dogs, no cats. Assistance animals are the only exception (Fair Housing Act says those aren’t pets). If you have a pet, this isn’t your property. Check out East Austin apartments for pet friendly options nearby.

You earn above the income cap. Tax credit properties check your income every year. If you make more than roughly $57,800 as a single person, you won’t qualify at move in. And if your income goes up past the cap while you’re living here, you could get turned down when your lease comes up for renewal.

You need more than one bedroom. Spring Hollow has exactly one floor plan: a 1BR/1BA at 404 square feet. No studios, no two bedrooms. If you need a second bedroom, this isn’t the place.

You need weekend or evening office access. The leasing office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM. Closed on weekends. If you can’t get there during the week, that’s worth knowing upfront.

Wondering if Spring Hollow fits your situation?

Fill out a quick form and I’ll reach out to go over your specifics: income, credit, rental history, timeline. I can tell you whether you’re likely to qualify before you spend money on an application, and if Spring Hollow doesn’t work, I know which nearby properties might. You’ll hear from a real person (me), not an automated system.

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Location Deep Dive

What’s Actually Nearby

Spring Hollow sits on Loyola Lane in the Pecan Springs/Springdale area of East Austin, just off Springdale Road. The neighborhood is mostly residential with a suburban feel, despite being only about four miles from downtown.

The closest grocery run is the H-E-B on Ed Bluestein Blvd, about a mile east (roughly a 4 minute drive). There’s also an H-E-B on E 51st Street about 2 miles west. For quick errands, there are two shopping centers within a half mile, about a 7 minute walk. The Little Walnut Creek Greenbelt is practically next door: 206 acres of protected woodlands with hiking trails. Most people don’t know about it. It’s one of the more underrated green spaces in Austin.

There’s a public library right nearby. CapMetro bus routes run along Springdale Road, so you can get downtown without a car. It’s not fast, but it works. The area feels quiet and tucked away. Depending on what you want, that’s either the selling point or the deal breaker.

Walk Score: 66 (Somewhat Walkable). Transit Score: 42 (Some Transit). In practice, you’ll want a car for anything beyond the basics.

The Commute Math

Route notes: You’ll use Springdale Road or Manor Road to connect to I-35 or 183 for most destinations. I-35 rush hour traffic heading downtown can double your commute time. The 183 toll road is an option for northbound trips but adds $2 to $5 depending on time of day.

Neighborhood Vibe

This isn’t a nightlife neighborhood. Not a restaurant row, either. It’s a quiet, residential pocket of East Austin where you’ll hear birds more than traffic. The Pecan Springs/Springdale area has been changing over the past decade as new construction (Loyola Junction, Lenox Park, Bridge at Delco Flats) has gone up along Springdale and Ed Bluestein. But Spring Hollow sits on a quieter side street, away from most of that.

The honest trade off: you get peace and you’re close to downtown at a price point that barely exists anymore in Austin. What you give up is walkable dining, nightlife, and the feel of a place like East Cesar Chavez or Mueller where there’s always something going on.

Pricing and True Cost

Floor Plans

Spring Hollow has one floor plan. That’s not a typo.

404 square feet is small. For reference, that’s roughly the size of a large hotel room. You can fit a bed, a couch, a small dining setup, and that’s about it. The fullsize washer/dryer connection is a real plus, though. Most properties built in the ’80s don’t give you in unit hookups.

Why There’s No Net Effective Rent Calculation

At most Austin apartments, I walk you through the math on concessions: how many weeks free, what your real monthly cost looks like after the special expires. Spring Hollow doesn’t play that game. No concessions. The rent is already set below market rate through the tax credit program, so what you see is what you pay.

Here’s context for what $900 actually means in this submarket:

A few older nearby properties (Ashford Costa Brava, Velo Flats) actually start lower than Spring Hollow. But here’s the thing: those are market rate properties with different screening criteria. And their base rents don’t include all the fees that Spring Hollow either skips or covers for you.

All The Fees

That $25 application fee is low. Most Austin apartments charge $50 to $75 per applicant. And the $0 admin fee? That’s rare. Market rate properties charge $150 to $350 for admin fees alone.

Property pays: Trash is included in your rent. UMoveFree also lists water as property paid, but I haven’t confirmed that with the leasing office. Ask Diana what’s covered before you sign. You pay: Electric (city utility), cable (city utility).

True Monthly Cost

Here’s what you’re actually looking at each month:

For a one bedroom four miles from downtown Austin, that total monthly cost is hard to beat anywhere in this market. No admin fees, no pet fees, no valet trash charges, no package locker fees. Newer properties stack all of those on top of rent, and it adds up.

Want to know what other specials are available in East Austin right now?

I track pricing and concessions across every property in this submarket. If Spring Hollow’s income restrictions don’t work for your situation, I can show you what’s available at nearby market rate communities, including any current move in specials. Fill out the form and I’ll text you within a few hours.

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Screening Criteria

The Income Requirement: It Works Both Ways

Most apartments only care if you make enough. Tax credit properties also care if you make too much. Spring Hollow runs under LIHTC rules, and that means two numbers matter:

Income minimum: LIHTC properties in Texas usually want you making 2.5 times the monthly rent before taxes. At $900 a month, that means you need to bring in at least $2,250 a month ($27,000 a year, or roughly $13 an hour full time).

Income maximum: You can’t make more than the LIHTC cap for Travis County. For a single person, that’s about $57,800. For two people, roughly $66,100. These numbers change every year when HUD updates the Area Median Income figures.

They check your income every year. You’ll need to show proof of income when you move in and again at each lease renewal. If your income goes above the cap during your lease, you could get turned down when it’s time to renew. That’s worth thinking about if you’re expecting a raise or promotion.

Credit Expectations

Spring Hollow doesn’t publish a minimum credit score. Tax credit properties in Austin are usually more flexible on credit than market rate apartments because they’re already screening for income limits. In practice, many LIHTC properties work with credit scores in the 500 to 600 range, sometimes lower, especially when your income paperwork is solid. One ApartmentRatings reviewer actually complained that the property wasn’t screening tenants strictly enough, which tells you something about where their bar is set. That said, the exact numbers at Spring Hollow aren’t posted anywhere online. Call Diana at (512) 929-3704 and ask directly before you spend the $25 application fee.

What Gets You Denied

Let me be direct about what gets your application turned down:

• You make too much money (above the LIHTC cap, and this is the most common reason)
• Not enough income documentation (these properties are strict about paperwork)
• Active property debt showing on your rental history
• Recent evictions (lookback period varies, but typically 2 to 5 years)
• Being a full time student without meeting one of the exceptions (LIHTC has specific rules about student households)

The Application Process

1. Contact the leasing office (Mon-Fri, 8:30-5:30) at (512) 929-3704
2. Provide income documentation (pay stubs, tax returns, or benefit statements)
3. Go through income verification and background screening ($25 application fee, non-refundable)
4. If approved, sign a 12 month minimum lease

Here’s something most people don’t know about tax credit applications: the paperwork is heavier than market rate apartments. You’ll likely need two to three months of pay stubs, your most recent tax return, and proof of all income sources. The property has to prove you qualify under federal rules, not just check your credit.

What a locator can do here: Even though Spring Hollow doesn’t work with locators for referral commissions, I can still tell you whether your income and background are likely to get you approved here. And if Spring Hollow doesn’t fit, I know which East Austin apartments have flexible screening and are actively paying referral commissions, which means my service stays free to you. That’s the real value: matching you with the right property before you burn application fees.

Resident Reviews Decoded

Listing sites show you a 3.7 Google rating and call it a day. That number tells you almost nothing without context. I read every review I could find: 11 on Google, 6 on ApartmentRatings, plus one each on ApartmentGuide and ApartmentHomeLiving. That’s 20 reviews across four platforms. Here’s what they actually say.

Review Pattern Analysis

What Residents Praise

Diana. That’s the short version. Four of the positive Google reviews mention Diana by name. They call her “a joy to work with,” “very helpful,” and “knowledgeable.” One reviewer said they “did not feel rushed” during their tour. That says something about how she runs the office. Multiple reviews were originally written in Spanish and translated, which gives you a sense of who lives here.

The ApartmentGuide review adds another angle: “well kept property with easy access to management and maintenance… right off the bus line and has plenty of parking… next to the library and great for students.” The ApartmentHomeLiving reviewer said the rent is “pretty good compared to other apartments” even while saying the apartments themselves aren’t perfect.

The rest of the Google reviews say the same things: quiet, respectful neighbors, affordable rent. One reviewer called it “very quiet” with “everyone very respectful to each other.”

What Residents Criticize

The ApartmentRatings reviews tell a different story. Average on that site: 1.6 out of 5.

Under the previous manager Brenda, residents talked about the manager being gone during office hours, rude behavior, and maintenance that took forever (including AC repairs in summer). People also mentioned unauthorized water shutoffs with no notice and pest issues including roaches and bed bugs. One review goes into detail about someone entering their apartment without permission.

It gets worse. Another reviewer mentioned “two shootings in the parking lot” along with ongoing noise, broken bottles in the parking area, and trash piling up at the entrance. The water shutoff issue kept coming up, with one resident writing that water was “continuously being turned off for hours randomly” with no advance warning.

So which is it? Bad management or bad building? Pests and plumbing in a 1983 building can be either. If Diana is staying on top of maintenance and pest control, things should keep improving. But if the problems are baked into the building’s bones, a new manager can only do so much.

How Management Responds to Reviews

They don’t. At least not visibly. No responses on Google, none on ApartmentRatings. Properties that respond to negative reviews, even with a template, are at least showing they care. The silence here is something I’d ask about before signing.

The Uncomfortable Truth

No listing site will write this section. I’m not trying to kill the deal. I just want you to know exactly what you’re signing up for.

This Building Is 43 Years Old

Spring Hollow was built in 1983 and last renovated in 1995. That renovation is now 31 years old.

At 404 square feet per unit in a two story wood frame building, you’re getting construction from the Reagan era. Thinner walls. Older plumbing. Old electrical. Insulation that doesn’t hold up like modern buildings. The water shutoff complaints on ApartmentRatings (at least 3 reviews mention them) tell you the plumbing probably needs more than routine fixes. Those problems come straight from aging pipes in a building that’s over four decades old.

The History Before Diana

The ApartmentRatings reviews from the Brenda era are rough. Not normal apartment complaints. Bed bugs. Roaches. Unauthorized entry. Delayed AC repairs in summer. Water shutoffs with no notice. One resident called it “discriminatory behavior.” Another talked about safety issues in the parking lot.

Has all of that been fixed under Diana? That’s the open question. The Google reviews from the last 7 months are positive, and the ApartmentGuide reviewer called it “well kept.” But less than a year of good reviews doesn’t erase years of bad ones. If you’re considering Spring Hollow, ask Diana directly: What’s the pest control schedule? How fast does maintenance respond? What happened with the water shutoffs? What’s actually changed?

404 Square Feet Is Really Small

I want to be realistic about this number. 404 square feet is smaller than most studios at newer Austin properties. You’re fitting a bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchen, and a living area into a space the size of a large hotel room. Work from home? It’ll feel cramped. Got more than a few pieces of furniture? You’ll be making hard choices about what stays and what goes. Tour the actual unit before you sign. Photos lie at this size.

Ready to move forward, or want to see other options?

You’ve seen the full picture on Spring Hollow. If the income restrictions, no pet policy, or building age are concerns, I can show you alternatives in East Austin that might fit better. If Spring Hollow looks right, I can help you figure out if you’ll qualify before you apply. Either way, fill out the form.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does Spring Hollow allow pets?

No. No pets at Spring Hollow. The only exception is assistance animals under the Fair Housing Act. Those aren’t considered pets under federal law, so the no pet rule doesn’t apply to them.

What credit score do I need for Spring Hollow?

There’s no published minimum. Tax credit properties in Austin tend to be more flexible on credit than market rate apartments. Call the leasing office at (512) 929-3704 and ask what they’re looking for.

Is Spring Hollow income restricted?

Yes. Spring Hollow is a LIHTC (Low Income Housing Tax Credit) property. Your household income has to be below about 60% of Area Median Income for Travis County. For a single person, that’s roughly $57,800 per year.

What utilities does Spring Hollow include?

Trash is covered by the property. You pay for electricity and cable/internet, both through city utilities.

Does Spring Hollow have in unit laundry?

The unit has a fullsize washer/dryer connection, meaning you can bring your own machines. There’s also a shared laundry room on site.

What is the lease term at Spring Hollow?

The minimum lease is 12 months.

Is Spring Hollow a good location for commuting to downtown?

About 4 miles. Off peak that’s 10 to 15 minutes. During rush hour, expect 20 to 30 minutes via I-35 or Springdale Road. CapMetro also runs buses along Springdale if you don’t want to drive.

When was Spring Hollow built and last renovated?

1983, with a renovation in 1995. Two stories, 99 units, managed by American Realty out of Illinois.

What school district is Spring Hollow in?

Austin ISD. Zoned schools are Winn Elementary, Pearce Middle School, and LBJ High School.

Is there parking at Spring Hollow?

Yes. Free surface lot parking with open spaces. No covered or garage parking.

The Bottom Line: Is Spring Hollow Worth It?

$900 a month for a one bedroom, four miles from downtown, with a $25 app fee and zero admin fees. Almost nothing else in East Austin touches that. The tax credit pricing puts Spring Hollow $400+ below most neighboring properties. If you income qualify, that gap adds up fast.

The trade off is straightforward. You’re renting 404 square feet in a 43 year old building with a troubled history that seems to be turning a corner under new management. No pets. No second bedroom. Minimal amenities. And the office is closed on weekends.

This property makes sense if:

• Your income falls within LIHTC limits and you need affordable East Austin housing
• You’re pet free and okay with a compact living space
• You work downtown, at UT, or at ACC Eastview and want a short commute
• You value quiet and privacy over amenities and nightlife

This property doesn’t make sense if:

• You have any pets (hard stop, no exceptions)
• Your income exceeds the tax credit cap
• You need more than 404 square feet or more than one bedroom
• You’re uncomfortable with 1983 construction quality and the maintenance realities that come with it

My honest take: if you qualify, the first year math is hard to argue with. $900 a month in East Austin with no admin fee and trash included is a deal that barely exists in this market. But go in with your eyes open about the building’s age and history.

If you want help figuring out whether Spring Hollow fits your situation, or if you’d rather see similar properties without the income restriction, fill out the form above and I’ll text you within a few hours.

Need Help?

You’ve got everything you need to make your own call on Spring Hollow. But if you want guidance:

Fill out the form above and I’ll text you to answer questions, check your application situation, and share what I know about how the income side of things works. If Spring Hollow isn’t the right fit, I’ll point you toward alternatives. You’ll talk to me directly, not an automated system.

Going solo? Call the leasing office directly at (512) 929-3704. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM. Ask for Diana. Just tell them “Ross Quade from Austin Apartment Team” referred you on your tour and application. Text me at 512-360-0852 when you apply so I can make sure everything’s on track.