Buy something like a Brickwall surge protector that does not divert the surge to the ground. Your apartment is grounded it just does not have the additional safety ground.
Surge protection
This might sound like a stupid question but here it is. Will a surge protector offer any protection if my outlets aren't grounded? I live in an old apartment in San Francisco and have been told by an electrician that the building isn't grounded. In fact, he said most of the older buildings aren't grounded. Am I wasting my money buying surge protection?