Moving to Daly City (San Francisco, San Mateo: affordable apartment, rent, insurance)

[Rachie85]

I will be moving to the bay for school and am looking for an affordable apartment. I have decided on Daly City but I know there are many bad areas there. Can anybody tell me good and bad areas of town? The only thing I was able to find in the forum was to stay west of El Camino Road, any other advice?

[ImRandy]

I'm in the Westlake Village Apartments. They aren't bad. I would say stay west of 280 but mostly because the places are smaller and usually older between 280 and El Camino Real and charge the same rent. Which school are you going to? If you aren't going to be driving it may be useful to first figure out what public transportation you'll be using.

[sonarrat]

By the way, El Camino Real turns into Mission Street, which leads into one of the more, shall we say, interesting parts of San Francisco. I once walked from Mission & Evergreen in Daly City all the way up to 24th Street at night before taking BART home.. it seemed like there were at least two nightclubs per block, all the way up.

Also, it might vary by company, but 94014 zip code (which includes Colma) has much higher insurance rates with my company than 94015, which is the western side of Daly City.

[lookingtorelocate]

I grew up in the Serramonte area. Which on the boarder of Daly City and So. San Francisco. I think it is a good area. Not great, but I don't think any areas of Daly City are great anymore. Get use to the Fog. Good luck

[Huckleberry3911948]

rolling pin donuts is fun. yummy stuff to eat.

[rah]

I wouldn't really call Daly City "bad." Unless you're referring to the fog of course...

As far as crime, there was only 1 or 2 murders there last year. Cross the north border of Daly City though, and you're in one of the worst parts of SF crime-wise (the northern section of Daly City sort of blends into SF, and you might not even notice which one you're in unless you look at the street signs. In Daly City they're blue, and in SF they're white and green.). But Daly City for the most part is pretty nice and calm, and a little cheaper than SF.

[kawaiisurf]

Actually Daly City as a whole is one of the safest cities for its size. Surprisingly and maybe hard to believe, compared this City with Burlingame or San Mateo, it is safer according to 2006 crime index. Hard to believe since those Cities as a whole are very affluent. Westlake area and the Serramonte area are generally better compared to the rest of the City.The great thing about Daly City is it's close to SF, pretty convenient, access to public transportation, great theater, new or remodeled libraries all over and it's a working class community.

[KRISTINsf]

Please have a car. The transportation in Daly City is a MOTHER!!! I don't care what others tell you, that damn bus will not help you get anywhere.

What else? It's boring but safe...Have fun!

[agarosa]

If you live a little closer to San Francisco near City College of San Francisco, you shall have easy access to BART, and your life could be much easier.

[MARIAadam]

hey people, Do Not rent at WestlakeVillage Apartments in Daly City. They will rip you off. They will increase your Utility FEES WITHOUT INFORMING YOU, it used to be 25$ but increased suddenly to 75$. They will charge you 75$ late fees for any late payments due after THE (FIRST) OF EACH MONTH again without informing you. They will increase your rent AGAIN WITHOUT INFORMING YOU. If you do end up renting there, don't signup for Automatic payments out of your Bank Account, check your bills every month. Call and talk the Corporate office and complain, do not contact the office located in Westlake THEY WILL NOT RESOLVE YOUR ISSUE "CALL THE CORPORATE OFFICE" AND they will assist you. TRUST ME DO NOT RENT THERE, YOU WILL REGRET IT... GOOD LUCK