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Old 03-12-2009, 11:03 AM
 
Location: Long Beach, CA
9 posts, read 16,947 times
Reputation: 11

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I'm going to be moving to the Long Beach area from Maine. Quite a jump, I know. I was recently accepted to CSU-Long Beach and will be starting my MFA degree this fall. I just need a little help and information about finding a decent safe, place to live in the area. I visited Long Beach in February so I have a general idea of where things are in relation to the school and downtown. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.

~Heather
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Old 03-12-2009, 12:35 PM
 
916 posts, read 3,699,752 times
Reputation: 318
Quote:
Originally Posted by blurubberlizard View Post
I'm going to be moving to the Long Beach area from Maine. Quite a jump, I know. I was recently accepted to CSU-Long Beach and will be starting my MFA degree this fall. I just need a little help and information about finding a decent safe, place to live in the area. I visited Long Beach in February so I have a general idea of where things are in relation to the school and downtown. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.

~Heather
If you like to walk to stuff (restaraunts, shops, the water, etc.) live in Belmont Shore. If you want a more suburan area live right around the college. Best thing is to drive around and look for rental signs but if you can't the best paper will be the grunion gazette (www.gazettes.com)
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Old 03-12-2009, 01:34 PM
 
2,963 posts, read 5,451,347 times
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Fortunately, if you're driving, Long Beach and the surrounding area is pretty commuter friendly so I think your apartment search can cover a wide area. If you want to live pretty close to campus there is an apartment complex right on Bellflower and PCH, across from the university. Desirable? Eh. Nor charming. But safe because of all the traffic, and kitty-corner from a grocery shopping center where there's a coffee shop, I think a book retailer is still there, places to eat (chain, not the funky ethnic type places), fast food. Down 7th Street abou a mile from campus and across from Wilson High School there are apartment buildings. The neighborhood looks more on the clean/transitional side, but it's safe and singles live there. Unfortunately, it's considered Belmont so the rents are higher. Further down, around the traffic circle, there are some single-story duplexes in that corner just west of Lakewood Bl/north of PCH. Very safe, family-oriented neighborhood with singles renting, also walkable to a grocery/shopping center, about 2 miles from campus. Further west on PCH (oh, that's Pacific Coast Highway) it starts to get dicey. But cheaper in that regard!
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Old 03-13-2009, 10:16 AM
 
Location: Sin City
723 posts, read 1,634,182 times
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I lived in LB for about 8 years. There are a lot of good and bad areas. Belmont Shore and the CSULB areas, as mentioned, are nice, as are Bixby Knolls and California Hieghts. You can also consider nearby Lakewood or Seal Beach. Most of the area around downtown is crap. Same with North Long Beach and anything near PCH or Anaheim Blvd. I would not recomend Bellflower or most of the other surrounding areas. There are a lot of drugs and theft about.
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Old 03-15-2009, 08:34 PM
 
Location: Chicago, IL
725 posts, read 3,014,202 times
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I went to CSULB and graduated last June. If you can't find anything that balances rent/safety, you should check out Huntington Beach, the commute is easy and is nicer/ safer than most of LB.
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Old 03-15-2009, 08:52 PM
 
916 posts, read 3,699,752 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by s0nginmyheart View Post
I went to CSULB and graduated last June. If you can't find anything that balances rent/safety, you should check out Huntington Beach, the commute is easy and is nicer/ safer than most of LB.
It's hard to argue HB is nicer than east LB and belmont shore specifically. HB always seems like it has a lot anger. The vibe is just different. Belmont Shore is much more welcoming and much more quaint.

Belmont Shore is more family friendly which as a grad student may be appealing.
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Old 03-15-2009, 10:05 PM
 
Location: RSM
5,113 posts, read 19,761,775 times
Reputation: 1927
it depends on where you live. the suburban parts of HB are very quiet, similar to college park east/west, western garden grove, and cypress(70s and 80s built homes). downtown is a bit rowdier, reflective of the young crowd. belmont shore is more professionals and less youthfulness
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Old 03-17-2009, 06:39 PM
 
73 posts, read 302,554 times
Reputation: 40
"Bungee" hit it on the head as far as places to live, if you have the money and can afford the beach area go for it. I wouldn't move anywhere west of Redondo Ave south of the 405 FWY, and stay away west of Cherry Ave. north of the 405 FWY. I lived for years near Bellflower and Stearns near CSULB and it was a very safe area, lots of rentals and good prices... After retiring I moved northern Arizona to get out of the rat race and slow down... Good luck on your move....
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Old 03-18-2009, 02:26 PM
 
177 posts, read 706,106 times
Reputation: 102
I would go for Belmont Shore or anywhere east or close by the Long Beach Airport. I would avoid the southwestern and northern portions.
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Old 03-31-2009, 05:36 AM
 
Location: Long Beach, CA
9 posts, read 16,947 times
Reputation: 11
Default Thanks

Thank you everyone. This really helps a lot.
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