UCLA Grad Student Looking to Live Off Campus... (from NJ) (Los Angeles: apartment complexes, home)

[BeebzK]

I was born and raised in South Jersey and completed my undergrad at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA.. I am moving to LA by the end of this summer to attend UCLA for graduate school. While waiting to hear back from housing services, I have also been looking into off-campus apartments. More than likely I will have my car so transportation shouldn't be an issue, although the thought of public transportation is not completely out either. Currently, I have 2 different places in mind but would like to know as much as possible about the areas.

The first place:
Del Rio Apartments
3430 South Sepulveda Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90034.

The second place:
The Lennox and The Marseille at La Fayette Place
269 S. La Fayette Park Place Los Angeles, CA 90057. (Koreatown)

Please help me learn the pros and cons of each of these apartment complexes, their areas, safety, transportation, etc.! Thanks

[disgruntled la native]

If you're only looking at those two apartments, I think the one off Sepulveda is a far better choice.

The area (Palms) is safer, quieter, and closer to UCLA. Palms is also home to many other UCLA students, especially grad students. There is a fairly direct bus line from Palms to UCLA as well.

Koreatown is a busy, bustling neighborhood but also fairly unsafe. It's not close at all to UCLA, your fellow students won't be around, it's loud, and there isn't decent public transportation to UCLA.

[nowincal11]

Definitely go with the first one if you are between those two. Not much else to add to the above poster. Koreatown is better than it was in the early 1990s, but is by no means safe.

The first area is more like Manayunk in Philly (minus some nightlife), the second area more like Kensington in NE.

[BeebzK]

Thanks for the quick responses

I am definitely looking anywhere I can get a full one bedroom for under $1500 a month (more like between $1000 and $1300), and those 2 places interested me during my search. The only reason I chose koreatown is because I heard other UCLA students saying they wouldn't mind living there, you get more for the money, and when I mapped it, I could still get to campus in a reasonable amount of time...

If there is anywhere else that you can recommend, I would greatly appreciate it

[nowincal11]

You are used to a huge urban city. Philadelphia is not a picnic by any means, particularly North Philly by Temple. So you could probably live in Koreatown and be ok. It would be a much bigger adjustment for someone from a small rural town or a city like Nashville. I would just avoid it until you know the city of LA much better.

Palms or West LA. West LA has reasonably priced places within your budget. It is very close to Westwood and has decent nightlife. It is also walkable to Santa Monica or just a short drive, which also means to the beach and their incredible downtown. A lot of UCLA students live in West LA. I don't know off the top of my head, but check out the LA Metro bus schedule between West LA and Westwood, I'm sure it is plentiful.

*West LA is a distinct neighborhood of the city of Los Angeles (as is Palms), while the Westside refers to several suburbs and neighborhoods of LA. Some people often confuse the two terms.

[disgruntled la native]

Don't bother with Koreatown. It makes zero sense especially since youre going to UCLA (if you were working in downtown, I might say live in koreatown). Either West LA or Palms - and both are in your budget.

[silverkris]

Originally Posted by BeebzK

More than likely I will have my car so transportation shouldn't be an issue, although the thought of public transportation is not completely out either.

Have you also looked into the cost of parking at UCLA? My understanding is that it is scarce and very expensive...which is why you also should factor in accessibility to a bus line to the campus.

[disgruntled la native]

^Yes. Though grad students have an easier time getting parking than undergrads, it's still not guaranteed, and it may be in a lot that's nowhere near your classes (I remember I got parking in a lot that was a 10 minute, uphill walk from my classes for one year!) Not to mention that parking costs about $1000 a year now.

[BeebzK]

Originally Posted by silverkris

Have you also looked into the cost of parking at UCLA? My understanding is that it is scarce and very expensive...which is why you also should factor in accessibility to a bus line to the campus.

Yeah... I've been looking for apartments with free parking so that I wouldn't have to worry about that cost. I would also like to find another way to campus other than driving since I've heard the same about parking on campus, but it would be nice to be able to get around whenever and wherever i want to with my car (plus being a grad student, I'm not sure yet if I will have night classes and I do not want to be riding around alone on the bus after dark). I had to deal with expensive, limited, parking when I went to Temple University and it actually cost more than UCLA so if I HAVE to, I am prepared for the cost.

Thanks so much for your comment... If you have any suggestions on areas and apartments, please share thanks

[obscure reference]

Another vote for the westside. Palms, West LA and Sawtelle (the chunk of LA west of West LA, east of Santa Monica) are all reasonably-priced neighborhoods with easy bus access to UCLA.

I've moved within the area a few times, and every apartment I've looked at has included at least one parking space. Koreatown... not so much.