Where to live for a job in Emeryville? (San Francisco, Sacramento: rental, loft) - San Francisco - Oakland - California (CA) - City-Data Forum

eddieplan9 · 06-09-2010, 09:57 AM

Hi all,

I am moving to the bay area from southern California for a job in Emeryville. It's my first job. My friends suggested me to stay close to work because traffic can be very bad and because the transitioning period can be stressful and it's better not to get more stressed by the commute. But I am worried about the safety around Oakland. What do you guys think of Emeryville itself? I am leaning towards areas like South San Francisco and try to stay close to BART. Is taking BART from north peninsula to Emeryville a good idea? Is weather in South San Francisco neighborhood too cold/foggy? My wife and I are expecting a baby later this year. So easy access to hospital is also very important. And of course, good air quality.

Thanks in advance!

E

mayorhaggar · 06-09-2010, 02:26 PM

Rockridge in Northern Oakland is a VERY nice area and is a lot like San Francisco. Oakland has its bad parts but parts of it are very nice and certain parts are extremely wealthy, mainly up in the hills. Berkeley is also nearby and is pretty awesome too.

I would go with Berkeley or Rockridge, they are pretty close to Emeryville and you'd be able to easily drive to work. From there you should be able to drive on the side streets rather than on the highway so you'd avoid the major spots of traffic. Emeryville is very small so there wouldn't be a lot of housing to choose from, it's mainly offices and retail stuff.

Problem with taking BART is that it doesn't stop in Emeryville, I guess you can get off at Macarthur and walk or take a bus but it is in the middle of a highway and I don't know how pleasant or easy it is to walk or take a bus to Emeryville. South San Francisco would be pretty far to take BART from when you could live in the East Bay around Oakland or Berkeley and have a shorter commute. I've never really been to South SF other than driving by it on the highway but it does have a reputation as being kind of gritty and industrial, I personally would really prefer to go for Berkeley or Rockridge. If you really wanted to do BART instead of driving, there are 3 BART stations in Berkeley and 1 in Rockridge and I believe they all go to Macarthur.

Air quality anywhere around the central Bay Area is pretty good because it's open to the sea, but it gets worse as you go over the hills to places like Walnut Creek and then gets really bad in the Central Valley like around Sacramento or Modesto etc.

lmk1707 · 06-09-2010, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eddieplan9

Hi all,

I am moving to the bay area from southern California for a job in Emeryville. It's my first job. My friends suggested me to stay close to work because traffic can be very bad and because the transitioning period can be stressful and it's better not to get more stressed by the commute. But I am worried about the safety around Oakland. What do you guys think of Emeryville itself? I am leaning towards areas like South San Francisco and try to stay close to BART. Is taking BART from north peninsula to Emeryville a good idea? Is weather in South San Francisco neighborhood too cold/foggy? My wife and I are expecting a baby later this year. So easy access to hospital is also very important. And of course, good air quality.

Thanks in advance!

E

I second the recommendation of Rockridge or Berkeley - living in SSF and working in Emeryville is very much not worth it, in my opinion. If you're looking for something quieter, you could try Albany, Pinole, or Alameda. The Emery/Oakland border area is not very nice, but other parts of Emery or Oakland could be good options too. Are you buying or renting? What's your budget like?

eddieplan9 · 06-09-2010, 06:31 PM

Thanks for the replies! Really appreciate it.

I am renting, at least for a year. Budget is around $2000 per month.

I was also concerned since the nearest BART station is still 2 miles away from work. It does seem that finding a good neighborhood in Oakland area is a better and easier solution.

What do you guys think about take BART with a bike though? Does that make something like Burlingame or San Mateo practical? It's just the crime rate is so much lower on the peninsula side, even compared to Rockridge (based on data from onboardnavigator.com).

lmk1707 · 06-09-2010, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eddieplan9

Thanks for the replies! Really appreciate it.

I am renting, at least for a year. Budget is around $2000 per month.

I was also concerned since the nearest BART station is still 2 miles away from work. It does seem that finding a good neighborhood in Oakland area is a better and easier solution.

What do you guys think about take BART with a bike though? Does that make something like Burlingame or San Mateo practical? It's just the crime rate is so much lower on the peninsula side, even compared to Rockridge (based on data from onboardnavigator.com).

You can't take BART with a bike during commute hours - only off-hours (10 - 4 and after 7, I believe). However, you don't really need a bike - MacArthur BART has the "Emery-Go-Round" - a free bus from BART to downtown Emeryville. Here's a link to the timetable: http://www.emerygoround.com/public_html/images/Emeryville_EGR_Bus_Apr_2010.pdf (broken link)

The only problem with Burlingame is that I doubt you could find a rental for the price you're looking at. San Mateo would be difficult also, and I'm not positive, but probably has comparable crime rates to Rockridge. If you like small-town vibe, check out somewhere like Hercules or Pinole, though I still think Alameda may be a good option for you.

Arminius 09 · 06-09-2010, 08:36 PM

Another decent option is Albany, a small town next to Berkeley. It has way less crime than Berkeley and Oakland and is cheaper than Berkeley. It's less than 10 minutes away from Emeryville and you could take city streets or the frontage road to work.

Arminius 09 · 06-09-2010, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lmk1707

I second the recommendation of Rockridge or Berkeley - living in SSF and working in Emeryville is very much not worth it, in my opinion. If you're looking for something quieter, you could try Albany, Pinole, or Alameda. The Emery/Oakland border area is not very nice, but other parts of Emery or Oakland could be good options too. Are you buying or renting? What's your budget like?

I guess I should have read the whole thread first before replying.

I definitely agree with Albany, I lived there when I went to Cal and it's a great little town.

mayorhaggar · 06-10-2010, 10:25 AM

Well Rockridge and the nice parts of Berkeley are more urban so yes they're more crowded but crime won't really be an issue, but if you prefer the suburbs then you would prefer Albany, Piedmont, or the hills in Berkeley and Oakland. Or you can go over the hills to places like Lafayette and Orinda/Moraga etc and Pleasant Hill etc. but then you get baked in the valley heat.

ssmaster · 06-10-2010, 11:24 AM

deciding if you want more urban or suburban area or how close to bart you want to be are determined by induvidual tastes .let people know what type of area you prefer and your budget and someone will point you in the right direction.

most people (not all) would strongly advise living on the same side of the bridge you work unless your work and home are very convenient to bart or public transportation. the bay area commute is no joke.

Faville · 06-10-2010, 11:34 AM

South San Francisco is known as "the industrial city". Mostly warehouses/commercial. You don't want to live there. Why not live in Emeryville? There are LOTS of nice condos there, and you could ride a bike or walk to work (depending on how far away it is.) Some areas of Emeryville are a little sketchy, but mostly it's been gentrified and is now full of shopping, restaurants, and loft condos. Just avoid the areas around 580 and San Pablo.