I stayed at the apartment on a recent visit to my son who is a student at UW. The place was cheap and only 2 blocks from my son's apartment. I have stayed at the Hotel Deca across the street on a prior trip. The Deca would have cost me 5 times more per night. Since my goal was to spend time with my son, I figured I would be spending just sleeping hours at the apartment. My thought was to spend the cost savings on dinners and activities.
The apartment was spartanly furnished. 2 beds, some mix matched old furniture and some IKEA lights. No TV or radio or clock. The building and apartment have a peculiar odor. The apartment seemed clean, but the odor was off-putting. I kept the window cracked at least 3 inches to minimize the smell.
To make a long story short, I would recommend this place as a super cheap place to stay in the U - District.