Safe Neighborhood for MN Girl (Portland: apartment complexes, house, safe area)

[NA9224]

I will be relocating to Portland around July and August from Minnesota for grad school. I would greatly appreciate any advice on the following:
-Safe neighborhoods. I am looking to find a apartment close to PSU that wont feel like a undergraduate dorm, is in a safe area and is not super expensive.
Or areas or apartment complexes to avoid due to safety, etc.
Thank You.

[Nell Plotts]

What is "super expensive"?

[Rob Allen]

I can't think of a place near PSU that's unsafe. It is an urban neighborhood, so if you're used to farmland I guess it won't be as safe as that. As cities go, though, PSU is a good place to be.

[Nell Plotts]

Go to www.trimet.org and click on the streetcar icon, then look on the lower right to the Download Portland Streetcar Map. Print that puppy out. It shows more than the streetcar (in peach), it also shows the bus routes around Portland State. Housing downtown around PSU, virtually all of the west side that you see on that map (except the part east of 6th and north of about Pine) would be suitable. Before you look at a place check out the schedule of the bus you plan on using, you want fairly frequent evening service. There is housing hidden behind that block with keys on that map that is suitable, pull up your favorite map site and take a look at the streets that cross I-405 near the University: College, Clifton & Montgomery. There are apartments popular with students there. Note too the Hawthorne Bridge. Bus #14 that crosses that bridge is fairly frequent, there are apartments between about 20th & 14th along and just off that street that might work for you.

Portland State University Students are not known for Animal House behavior. If University housing is available to you don't dismiss that option.

[philwithbeard]

Since I was looking at a calendar today.....

Well, you see... ah, ahem, {cough, cough}....

We try to keep all the young adult girls from MN in their own small enclave down between Hillsdale neighborhood and Multnomah Village. 'Cause you see, these MN girls keep inviting their Dads and Uncles back in snow-bound MN to come out to Portland and the Columbia river do some Steel-Head Trout fishing during January and February. And heck, girl, if Dad and his brothers come for a fishing visit mid-winter, you can guess where your Mom is going to be....

Now, if you don't want to be confined to this enclave for MN girls,... well, just don't show your dad or your uncles this web link:
(note: the top photo in the link is a steelhead from the Wilson River, on the Oregon Coast, about 1-1/2 hour drive from Portland. Only for an example of Steelhead trout.)
Oregon Fishing at its Best - Wilson River and Nestucca River Steelhead fishing trips with professional fishing guide Lance Fisher (http://www.columbia-river-fishing-guides.net/Trip01-Nestucca_River_Wilson_River_Winter_Steelhead.asp - broken link)
'cause, when was the last time your Dad tangled with a 20 lb trout (related to rainbow trout) in open water in February???

Even if it might be easier to catch a larger salmon, braggin' rights to a steelhead trout is still a tavern tale to be told, retold, and retold.....

So, your its your choice. It just we don't want MN mom's being shocked by all the tattooed hipsters in Old Town, or the Pearl. Keep quite about the steelhead trout on the Columbia River and live anywhere you want..... or...

Anyway, tomorrow is the 2nd.

Phil

[Nell Plotts]

Not to be forgotten Norse Hall - Sons of Norway, Grieg Lodge, Portland, Oregon Honest, they have a lot of wonderful activities.

Says I, the grand-daughter of a Norwegian who kept on heading west through MN.

Oh, correction Bus #14 that crosses that bridge is fairly frequent, there are apartments between about 20th & 44th along and just off that street that might work for you.