The Reserve at Springdale Apartments Austin Review: $855 for a 2016 Build in Austin, But There’s a Catch

A one bedroom apartment in Austin for $855. Built in 2016. Not a typo.

The Reserve at Springdale shows up constantly when I’m running searches for clients who need affordable housing in East Austin. I track rental pricing across 1,000+ Austin properties and talk to leasing teams directly. This property stands out for a reason most listing sites bury: it’s a tax credit community. That means you’re paying below market rate, but you have to qualify under income limits to get those prices.

Here’s what listing sites won’t tell you: qualifying for the low rent is only half the story. The 3.4 Google rating, the security complaints, the elevator problems, the pest issues. Those matter just as much as the price tag. This review breaks down all of it so you know exactly what you’re signing up for before you spend $21 on an application.

Quick Facts: The Reserve at Springdale

Look at that $21 application fee and $0 admin fee. Most Austin apartments charge $50–$75 for applications and $150–$300 in admin fees. The Reserve at Springdale charges almost nothing upfront. For renters who’ve been burned by multiple application fees at other properties, that’s real money saved.

The ratings are all over the place. Google sits at 3.4 across 173 reviews. Yelp shows 2.5 across just 3 reviews. Birdeye pulls it all together at 3.2 across 260 total reviews including Facebook. ApartmentRatings has zero reviews, and the listing isn’t even claimed. Apartments.com shows 4.9 from only 8 reviews, which is too small to mean anything. I’ll break down what’s behind these numbers in the reviews section below.

Best For

You qualify under the 60% AMI income limit and want newer construction. Most income restricted apartments in Austin are older buildings from the 1970s and 1980s. The Reserve at Springdale was built in 2016. That gives you vinyl flooring, modern appliances, and full-size washer/dryer connections in a building that doesn’t feel dated. Tax credit housing this new in Austin is really hard to find.

You need a 2.5x income requirement. Most Austin apartments require 3x the rent in gross monthly income. The Reserve at Springdale only requires 2.5x. On an $855 one bedroom, that means you qualify with $2,138/month gross income, roughly $12.34/hour full time. At 3x, you’d need $2,565/month. That gap matters when every dollar counts.

You have a large dog. No weight limit on pets here. Most Austin properties cap at 50–75 pounds. If you have a German Shepherd, a Lab, or a Husky, your options just got wider. You’ll pay a $300 non-refundable deposit and $20/month pet rent per pet. Two pets maximum.

You have a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher. Because it’s a LIHTC property, The Reserve at Springdale is required to accept vouchers. Not every property honors this in practice, but the law says they have to.

Skip If

Your household income exceeds 60% of the Area Median Income. You won’t qualify for the tax credit units. For reference, 60% AMI in Austin for 2026 is $56,460 for one person, $64,560 for two people, and $80,640 for a household of four. There are some market rate units on site with higher rents ($1,188–$1,637 range), but those aren’t the draw here.

Reliable elevator access is a must for you. The elevator breaks down for weeks at a time. That comes up in review after review. If you’re on an upper floor or have mobility needs, this is a real concern. Ask the leasing office about current elevator status before you tour.

Package security matters to you. Theft keeps coming up. Packages taken from doorsteps. Phones stolen. Cars broken into. The gated entry that’s listed as an amenity has never worked consistently, according to residents. If you order a lot online, plan on having everything delivered to a locker or the office.

You need a quiet environment. Police get called to the property a lot. This isn’t a judgment on the residents. It’s a pattern you should know about before signing a 12-month lease.

Wondering if The Reserve at Springdale fits your situation?

Fill out a quick form and I’ll reach out to go over your specifics: income, credit, pets, timeline. I can check whether you’ll likely qualify before you spend $21 on an application, and I’ll share any current specials that might not be listed online. You’ll hear from a real person (me), not an automated system.

Get My Free Assessment →

Location: What Living at 5605 Springdale Road Actually Looks Like

What’s Actually Nearby

Let’s be straight: this is a car-dependent location. The Walk Score is 20 out of 100. You’re driving for most daily errands.

The closest grocery store is La Canasta Supermarket, about 0.7 miles away. The H-E-B at Springdale Shopping Center on Ed Bluestein Blvd is about a mile out. You’ve got Moonlit Pizza and Simon’s Burger within a short drive. For green space, Little Walnut Creek Greenbelt is less than a mile away with hiking trails through 206 acres of woods. Walter E. Long Park is a quick drive east for fishing and picnic areas.

Bus Route 300 (CapMetro) runs along Springdale Road, and the MLK Jr. MetroRail Station is about 2.9 miles southwest if you need rail access. But realistically, most residents here are driving.

Windsor Park, just west of here, has better walkable retail along the Manor Road corridor. If walkability matters to you, that’s worth knowing.

The Commute Math

You’ve got access to 183 Toll, Highway 290, and I-35 within a few minutes. The 183 Toll is the fastest route north to tech employers around Parmer Lane. Heading downtown, Springdale Road connects to Airport Boulevard, which takes you into the east side of downtown.

Neighborhood Vibe

Pecan Springs-Springdale is a residential, mostly suburban pocket in northeast Austin. It’s quiet in the “not much going on” sense, not the “peaceful retreat” sense. There’s been some newer construction in the area, like The Reserve and The Banks of Springdale (built 2021, right next door). But it’s still surrounded by older homes and established lots.

The property’s own marketing calls this “North Austin.” It’s really East Austin or Northeast Austin. That distinction matters if you’re commuting west during rush hour.

Pricing and True Cost

What You’ll Actually Pay

Here’s where it gets interesting. The Reserve at Springdale runs two pricing tiers: tax credit units (income restricted) and market rate units. Same building, very different rents.

Tax Credit Units (Income Restricted)

Market Rate Units

The price gap on one bedrooms is real. A tax credit 1BR at $855 versus a market rate 1BR at $1,512 is a $657/month difference for a nearly identical unit. That’s $7,884/year.

Net Effective Rent

There are no ongoing concessions at this property. The rent you see is the rent you pay. No “first month free” or “weeks off” specials to calculate around.

To put that in perspective, the average 1BR rent in Austin runs about $1,416/month according to ApartmentList. A tax credit 1BR here at $855 is roughly 40% below that average. Even the market rate 1BR at $1,188 comes in 16% under the city average.

All the Fees

The $21 application fee is the lowest I track across Austin. For comparison, most properties charge $50–$75 per applicant. The $0 admin fee is just as rare. Most communities charge $100–$300.

What you pay for: Electric and gas are on you. The property covers trash and water.

Here’s something worth knowing: one competitor article lists $135–$170/month in bundled fees for pest control, valet trash, damage waiver, and internet. But that data is from the wrong property. AMP manages a same-named “Reserve at Springdale” in Springdale, Arkansas, and those bundled fees match the Arkansas Apartments.com listing exactly. The Austin property’s website and Apartments.com page don’t mention any bundled fee. Ask the leasing office for the full utility breakdown before you sign.

True Monthly Cost: 1BR Tax Credit Unit

Here’s what a realistic month looks like for one person with one dog, renting a tax credit 1BR at $855:

• Base rent: $855
• Pet rent: $20
• Electric (estimate): $80–$120
• Gas (estimate): $30–$50
• Renter’s insurance: $15–$25
• Estimated total: $1,000–$1,070/month

That’s hard to beat for 2016 construction in Austin. The property covers trash and water, so electric and gas are your only real bills.

Want to know the true all-in cost before you apply?

I talk to leasing teams weekly and can confirm exact fees, current availability, and any specials not listed online. Fill out the form and I’ll text you the details within a few hours.

Get Current Pricing →

Screening Criteria: Will You Get Approved?

The Income Requirement

The Reserve at Springdale uses a 2.5x income multiplier according to RentDeals.com. That’s a lot lower than the standard 3x most Austin apartments require. (ApartmentList shows 3x for this property, but that looks like a default, not actual data from the leasing office. Worth confirming directly before you apply.)

The Income Cap (This Is Different)

Here’s where LIHTC properties flip the script. Most apartments have an income minimum. This property also has an income maximum. To qualify for the tax credit units, your household income can’t exceed 60% of the Area Median Income.

For 2026, those caps look like this:

So you need to make enough to clear the 2.5x income threshold but not so much that you blow past the AMI cap. For a 1BR at $855, you need at least $25,650/year but can’t exceed $56,460/year (single person). That’s a workable window for a lot of renters.

Credit and Background

The property runs credit checks and statewide background checks on everyone 18 and older. They also call your previous landlords to check your rental history. If they can’t reach your past landlords, they can deny the application.

They don’t publish a specific credit score minimum. LIHTC properties managed by AMP tend to be more flexible on credit than conventional apartments. But they’ll still flag recent evictions and outstanding property debt.

What Gets You Denied

Here’s what will get you denied:

• Income documentation that doesn’t verify. If your pay stubs, tax returns, or bank statements don’t match what you claimed, that’s a denial.
• Rental history they can’t check. If the property can’t reach your previous landlords, they can deny you.
• Criminal background issues. They run statewide checks. Specifics on lookback periods aren’t published.
• Exceeding income limits. Making too much money disqualifies you from tax credit units.

The Application Process

1. Apply online or in person (application fee: $21 per applicant)
2. Income verification, credit check, background check, rental history check
3. Approval or denial (processing time varies)
4. Lease signing (12-month minimum)

What a locator does here: I can tell you whether you’ll likely qualify before you spend that $21. If The Reserve at Springdale’s screening looks tight for your situation, I know which nearby properties have more flexibility. East Austin has several options at similar price points with different screening approaches.

Resident Reviews Decoded

Listing sites show you a single rating and call it a day. What does a 3.4 on Google actually mean? I read through 173 Google reviews, 3 Yelp reviews, and reviews on ApartmentHomeLiving. Birdeye pulls everything together at 260 total reviews and 3.2 stars. Here’s what the patterns look like.

Review Pattern Analysis

What Residents Praise

Staff members get called out by name more than I typically see. Tisha Govea and Karen Delgado keep getting praised for being patient and helpful. Rebecca gets credit for handling disability accommodations. Teresa, the on-site manager, gets good mentions too. Shayla Bailey gets praise for handling transfers.

This pattern of naming specific employees is worth paying attention to. It means the positive experiences aren’t random. Specific people are the reason residents are happy. The flip side: if those employees leave, the experience changes.

Recent reviews from the last few months lean more positive. Karen in particular keeps getting called out by name.

What Residents Criticize

Crime and safety are the biggest concern. On Google, one reviewer said their car was broken into three times in under a year. Three times. Others mention package theft from doorsteps, phones being stolen, and police being called to the property regularly. On ApartmentHomeLiving, a reviewer described nighttime noise from cars and the pool area, the smell of weed in common areas, and “occasional couple fights where cops have to come and intervene.” One Google reviewer described it as “new jack city.”

A pattern I want to flag that shows up on multiple sites: the “nice at first, then changes” experience with management. On Google, one resident said everyone was welcoming when they first moved in. After settling in, the experience became “very unwelcoming and unpleasant.” Another said management was rude when residents had financial difficulties, telling them to “just leave and not renew.” On Yelp, two of three reviewers describe the same pattern: management is sweet during the leasing process but the attitude shifts after you sign. When the same complaint shows up independently on different platforms, it’s not a coincidence.

Pest problems show up across the full review timeline on multiple sites. On Google, roaches and bed bugs are both mentioned. One resident who lived there three years called the roach infestation persistent across every building. On ApartmentHomeLiving, a reviewer found cockroaches coming from the sink and bathroom within the first two days of moving in.

The elevator breaks down regularly. And even when it’s working, ApartmentHomeLiving reviewers say it’s dirty and the hallways are stained.

How Management Responds

I found exactly one management response across Google reviews. It was to a negative review, and it read like a template. On ApartmentHomeLiving, management responds to reviews, but those responses are also templated. For a property with 260 total reviews, that’s barely trying.

That pattern tells you something about how complaints get handled once you’re a resident.

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.

The Gated Community Claim Doesn’t Match Reality

The Reserve at Springdale lists “access gates” and a “gate attendant” in its amenities. The reviews tell a different story. One resident said the front gate has never worked the whole time they’ve lived there. Another said they never received access information and kept hearing “we’re working on getting the gate fixed.” If gated security is why you’re looking at this property, go test the gate yourself before you sign.

Pest Issues Are Real and They’re Not Going Away

This isn’t a one-off complaint. Roaches come up in reviews going back years, across every building. One resident who lived there three years called it a persistent infestation. Another described the apartments as “nasty” specifically because of roaches. The 2016 construction is newer than most Austin apartments. But pest problems in multifamily housing come from how well the building is maintained, not how old it is.

The Elevator Situation Is a Pattern, Not a Fluke

If this were one review mentioning one breakdown, I’d chalk it up to bad luck. But elevator problems come up across many months of reviews. One resident said the elevator was broken for months at a time. If you have mobility issues or you’re living on upper floors with groceries and kids, this matters.

Ready to move forward, or want to see what else is out there?

You’ve seen the full picture. If The Reserve at Springdale still fits your situation, I can help you apply. If the concerns above are dealbreakers, I know what’s available across East Austin and can match you with properties that check different boxes. Either way, my service costs you nothing.

Get Help Now →

Frequently Asked Questions

Does The Reserve at Springdale accept pets?

Yes. Two pets maximum with no weight limit, which is unusual for Austin. Breed restrictions apply (no aggressive breeds). You’ll pay a $300 non-refundable deposit plus $20/month pet rent per pet. You’ll need to go through pet screening with a third-party service.

What credit score do I need for The Reserve at Springdale?

The property doesn’t publish a specific credit score minimum. They do run credit checks on all applicants 18 and older. LIHTC properties managed by AMP tend to look at the whole picture (income, rental history, background) rather than drawing a hard line on credit score. If your credit is a concern, I can check your odds before you apply.

What utilities are included in rent?

Trash and water are included. You pay for electric and gas. One competitor article lists additional bundled monthly fees, but that data comes from a different same-named AMP property in Arkansas. Ask the leasing office for the exact utility breakdown before signing.

Is The Reserve at Springdale income restricted?

Yes. Your household income has to be at or below 60% of the Austin Area Median Income for the tax credit units. For 2026, that’s $56,460 for a single person and $80,640 for a household of four. The property also has some market rate units with higher rents and no income cap.

Does The Reserve at Springdale accept Section 8 vouchers?

Yes. As a LIHTC property, they’re required to accept Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers.

What’s parking like?

Surface lot parking comes with your lease. Covered parking is available too, but the listing doesn’t say what it costs. Ask the leasing office.

Is The Reserve at Springdale safe?

I’ll be straight: Google reviews mention car break-ins, package theft, and police showing up at the property. The gate security they list as an amenity doesn’t work consistently, based on what residents say. Walk the property during your tour and make your own assessment.

When was The Reserve at Springdale built?

2016, making it one of the newer income restricted properties in the Austin area. Construction is concrete and steel with elevators, not the wood-frame walk-ups you see at most older affordable housing.

What school district is The Reserve at Springdale in?

Austin ISD. Assigned schools are Pecan Springs Elementary, Martin Middle School, and Northeast Early College High School. Check austinisd.org for current boundary information, especially with AISD campus consolidation plans for 2026–27.

The Bottom Line: Is The Reserve at Springdale Worth It?

The math here is genuinely strong. I don’t say that about every property. A 2016-built one bedroom at $855 in Austin is hundreds below market. The 2.5x income requirement opens the door for renters making $12–$13/hour. The $21 application fee means you’re not burning money just to find out if you qualify. And the pet policy with no weight limit is a real differentiator.

The trade-off is just as real. Security concerns run through the review history. Pest issues show up in reviews going back years. The elevator breaks down regularly. And the gated community marketing doesn’t match what residents are actually living with.

This property makes sense if:

• You qualify under the 60% AMI income cap and want the newest building in that price range
• You have a large dog and can’t find affordable housing that allows pets elsewhere
• You’re near ACC Eastview or work on the east side and need a short commute
• You hold a Section 8 voucher and want 2016 construction

This property doesn’t make sense if:

• You need consistent elevator access due to mobility issues
• Package security and vehicle safety are high priorities
• You have pest sensitivities or allergies that roach exposure would trigger
• Your income exceeds the AMI cap (you won’t qualify for the best pricing)

My verdict: The Reserve at Springdale is a real deal for renters who fit the income window and can live with the trade-offs. The first-year math is strong. Go in with eyes open about the security and maintenance patterns, and it’s a solid option in a market where affordable housing this new is hard to find.

Need Help?

You’ve got everything you need to decide on The Reserve at Springdale on your own. But if you want help:

Fill out the form above and I’ll text you to answer questions, check your application situation, share current availability, and walk you through next steps. You’ll talk to me directly. Not an AI phone system.

Going solo? 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.