safe area close to south capitol commuter stop? (Santa Fe, Los Alamos: cheap apartment, renters)

[windygirl06]

I'm moving to Santa Fe in about a month. I will be commuting to Los Alamos, and I'm a grad student without a car, so I'm looking for a cheap apartment close to the South Capitol roadrunner stop. Also I am from Europe, a female in my mid-twenties, and I will be living alone, if that makes any difference.

I've found a few potential places close to Camino Sierra Vista, between Baca St and St. Francis, that are about a mile from my bus stop. It seems like an interesting area with some restaurants, and a walking distance to the Plaza and Whole Foods. Is it safe, though? The google webcam pictures look a bit sketchy, but it's hard to figure out the atmosphere of a place just based on that. I would really rather not live in a "gated community" but that would be preferable to worrying about break-ins and not being able to bike/walk around freely.



Thanks in advance for any advice!

[cynanthus]

Hmmm... so it all depends on your definition of safe. I just mapped the area you mentioned - have driven near and through it multiple times. The neighborhood parts closer to Baca seem pretty decent; the part near Cerrillos and St. Francis is more gritty. I don't necessarily think it's unsafe, just that it isn't much of a pedestrian area. There isn't much foot traffic down Cerrillos or St. Francis (the two biggest streets in SF) so I wouldn't walk around there after dark myself. During the daytime I'm sure it's fine. You could certainly walk or bike to Whole Foods and Trader Joes but the Plaza would be a hike.

[GreatSantaFe]

The San Mateo Condos de Santa Fe might be a consideration. You can walk to the SoCap Railrunner stop from there and they have a security force that patrols the development after sundown. They've got a swimming pool and clubhouse also. Since many of the condos have not sold, some owners are renting their units out. There are also loft units on Pacheco, as well as Marquez Place and if any of those are for rent, they seem relatively safe and are also within walking distance of that stop, but I think they'd be more expensive than the San Mateo condos.

[Ziasforever]

I used to live in that area. I've seen everything from kids breaking windows to crack-heads hitting the pipe in the area you mentioned. In fact, the house I used to rent just a foot-ball field away from the rail runner stop was broken into and a TV was stolen from the renters that moved in after me while they were asleep. After my pickup was broken into, I started sleeping with my gun under my pillow. In fact one morning I heard gun fire close by about 4 am. It woke me up.
If you want to live in the general area of Whole Foods, you should pay the extra bucks and find something east of St. Francis Drive or buy a car and move to the South part of town close to I25.