Where to live in CA? Help me find a "unicorn" mix of fun/exciting with safe/outdoorsy. (San Francisco: job market, university)

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by mbell75

Exactly. I am more than "a bit jaded" though, Im pretty pissed The 80s was the last great decade for this state. 90s weren't too bad I suppose, but I digress. I remember living in a nice (but small) little triplex off Alabama street in HB a half mile from the beach in 2000. We were paying $925 for 2 bed, 2 bath. After 2 years there, come home one day to find all 3 units were being evicted, had 30 days to get out. Its illegal to raise rent more than $200 a year, but the new owners got greedy and evicted everyone. Come to find out 4 months later, that same apartment was renting for $1500 (They currently rent for well over $2k these days) $575 more than we were paying a few months prior. Than realizing rents everywhere in the area had climbed sky high since the last time I had looked at rentals a few years prior. Jobs were also getting very difficult to come by and minimum wage wasn't paying much either. Thats when it really hit me that CA had completely gone to sh*t.

So what you're mad about is free market enterprise pushing you out. Not communists.

[Tulemutt]

Uh oh. Here it starts. poor OP had no idea this would turn into a slugfest started by the drove faction.

[marlahikes]

Check out Santa Rosa area, beach 35 min away, lots of short hikes close by, my daughter in her mid 30's lives there.

Don't know what you do for a job but you can either work there or commute to Marin area which is more expensive to live and more traffic. There is plenty of traffic in Santa Rosa but town has back roads all over.

Lots of vineyards nearby also.

[wander_x]

Thanks for the helpful replies!

@Adriatica: My idea of affordable will depend on my job, but I'm assuming I'll rent with roommates and hope to stay under $800 or $900 for a room with shared bath/kitchen/living/etc. The cheaper the better, but I'll pay for fun/safe area & cleanliness.

@eccotecc: I would love to work in one of the national parks! Know any "ins" for the Presidio ...?

@mbell75 & @ DCMann2: Portland is something to think about, although I'd prefer to stay in CA since I have a couple family members there (spread north to south randomly). I'm originally from MA, small town near the ocean.

@Another Place: Appreciate your reply! I'm not sure if I plan to stay in CA forever, I just know I want to experience living there at some point during my life and now is the time while I'm young. If I stay 5 years for fun and come back to MA, great. If I move there and never leave, I'm open to that too. I see what you mean though, there's nothing like where you grew up. (I've lived elsewhere since MA and didn't settle in to the general "feel" there at all).

@Ruth4Truth: I think Berkley might be my #1 at the moment. Do you have any specific suggestions on good areas (near safe/outdoors but close to people my age and fun amenities) or areas to avoid?

@marlahikes: Santa Rosa is a good suggestion. Adding that to the list. I just opened a thread which said there is a big homeless problem there...not sure if you would agree? Sometimes I don't know what to believe with C-D haha.

Many thanks again!

[Ruth4Truth]

There's also Tilden Park, in the Berkeley Hills. You could conceivably get a rental there, or a room. A room in Berkeley will run you around $500. People your age are everywhere in Berkeley, because of the university. You can't beat the hills for scenery! And safety; no one will break into your car parked on the street up there. North Berkeley and also south Berkeley around the Claremont Hotel (hills) are both park-like and beautiful, and have popular coffee shops where everyone hangs out.

Another thing to consider: as you go inland, it gets hot. So Santa Rosa will be hot in the summers, while Berkeley remains cool. If you don't mind the summer heat, you'll have more options.

[2sleepy]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

There's also Tilden Park, in the Berkeley Hills. You could conceivably get a rental there, or a room. A room in Berkeley will run you around $500. People your age are everywhere in Berkeley, because of the university. You can't beat the hills for scenery! And safety; no one will break into your car parked on the street up there. North Berkeley and also south Berkeley around the Claremont Hotel (hills) are both park-like and beautiful, and have popular coffee shops where everyone hangs out.

Another thing to consider: as you go inland, it gets hot. So Santa Rosa will be hot in the summers, while Berkeley remains cool. If you don't mind the summer heat, you'll have more options.

Berkeley and Albany got stupid expensive seemingly overnight...a better bet would be the Temescal district of Oakland which is also rapidly getting really pricey but on the outskirts you can still get a studio for around $1100 or a room share for $700 or so.

[wander_x]

Any thoughts on Burlingame, San Mateo, Alameda, or Walnut Creek?

[mateo45]

^ ^ Hey at least there are pictures of unicorns, but what you're seeking only exists in your dreams (lol)!

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by 2sleepy

Berkeley and Albany got stupid expensive seemingly overnight...a better bet would be the Temescal district of Oakland which is also rapidly getting really pricey but on the outskirts you can still get a studio for around $1100 or a room share for $700 or so.

Thanks for the tip. It was fear of this that lead me to give up on moving back to the Bay Area. But here's this, for the OP, in the El Cerrito hills, up by Wildcat Canyon Park: 2 Bed/1 Bath In-Law Unit

El Cerrito isn't exactly in the middle of the fun, but it's close enough to Berkeley.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by equestrian13

Any thoughts on Burlingame, San Mateo, Alameda, or Walnut Creek?

Burlingame and San Mateo are even more expensive than the East Bay. Walnut Creek isn't what I'd call "fun" for single 20-somethings. Alameda's a family neighborhood, but may work for you, being close to the happening places of Berkeley/Oakland. There's no BART connection to anyplace, though; there's only buses from Alameda.