Working at JPL and UCLA, where to live? (Long Beach, Pasadena: transplants, for rent)

[kmpls]

Hi:

My partner currently works at JPL and lives in Old Town, Pasadena. I have accepted a position at UCLA and will be relocating to join him later this year. I know working on opposite sides of LA is not ideal, but taking different positions is not an option. Fortunately- our jobs our such that we can work flex hours. I have met my future coworkers at UCLA, and many of them work from 11-8, and commute from places as far away as Long Beach and Echo Park.

Could anyone provide suggestions on where we should live? We are both transplants from Minneapolis. My partner very much likes Pasadena, and so do I, but I am unsure if Pasadena is great enough for me to take the complete hit on the commute. I am sure there are nice places in between, I just don't know where they are.

Here are some places that have been suggested to me:

1) Koreatown. Looks fairly centrally located but it may be "too much cement" and too crowded for us. I am also unsure about how safe it is. I think we would like something more suburban than this.

2) Studio City or Sherman Oaks. Basically, the area of the valley close to the 134. Excuse me if that's not actually the Valley, I am in Minneapolis right now.

We can pay about $2000 or so for rent each month, and do not have any kids or pets. Currently we have one car, but have the resources to purchase another one. We have multiple bikes and would love to live somewhere that is bike friendly, but I realize that's probably not an option. If you have any suggestions at all for neighborhoods that are pretty clean, safe, and livable, please let me know, as we are planning on doing some driving around next time I visit.

Thank you

[seain dublin]

Doesn't sound like you have taken a teaching position at UCLA, have you looked at positions that are closer to Pasadena? USC is south of downtown and would be ideal for Pasadena. Sounds like you have time to still look for other work.

Someone is going to have a long commute. IDK how traffic is in Minneapolis, but here depending on what freeway you're on, you can't assume that they're not going to be crowded in the late morning or evening(meaning 8pm) in LA.

An example, I was on the Hollywood Freeway near downtown heading north on a Monday night after a meeting around 8:15pm a few weeks ago, and it was still very heavy traffic, so don't think they're wide open after 9am and 7pm.

I would drive around, find an area you like and one of you will have to bite the bullet and have a long drive.

Studio City sounds like a good fit for what you want, it's a closer commute for your partner, but it fits your needs.

[Cream1]

Sherman Oaks. Koreatown is a dump.

[kmpls]

Originally Posted by seain dublin

Doesn't sound like you have taken a teaching position at UCLA, have you looked at positions that are closer to Pasadena? USC is south of downtown and would be ideal for Pasadena. Sounds like you have time to still look for other work.

Not an option, we are in research positions specific to our interests. I know the commutes will be bad, it seems like something a lot of people in LA have to deal with.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by kmpls

Not an option, we are in research positions specific to our interests. I know the commutes will be bad, it seems like something a lot of people in LA have to deal with.

I worked at UCLA in the mid 90s, it took me 20 minutes just to get to the 405. Granted I was leaving usually around 6pm. Than over an hour to go about 12 miles on the 405(on a normal day). I changed jobs.

Not everyone has bad commutes. It has to do with planning.

I can understand wanting out of the cold of MN, but if your fields are that specific and therefore limited when it comes to job options in the LA area, well I hope you're making a smart move. If one of you gets laid off down the road now what?

It kind of defeats the purpose of living in Southern CA if one of you would rather have a root canal than get in the car on the weekend and go do something, due to being ready to pull your hair because of your commute.

Other than UCLA I kept my commutes simple or I took Metrolink to downtown from the Valley.

[Western Urbanite]

North Hollywood, Studio City, or Los Feliz.

[kmpls]

Originally Posted by seain dublin

I can understand wanting out of the cold of MN, but if your fields are that specific and therefore limited when it comes to job options in the LA area, well I hope you're making a smart move. If one of you gets laid off down the road now what?

If you don't have any more helpful information for me about neighborhoods, please leave this thread.

[kmpls]

Originally Posted by Western Urbanite

North Hollywood, Studio City, or Los Feliz.

Could you tell me more about North Hollywood? I've heard mixed reviews.

[Cream1]

Originally Posted by kmpls

Could you tell me more about North Hollywood? I've heard mixed reviews.

The "NoHo Arts District" is a stretch along Lankershim Blvd with a lot of bars and restaurants. The rest of North Hollywood is the barrio.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by kmpls

If you don't have any more helpful information for me about neighborhoods, please leave this thread.

LOL.

We already have a couple of posters on here who moved to LA and set themselves up for bad commutes than blame LA. I gave you helpful information as a former UCLA employee, the truth hurts. That area is always congested. It was 20 years ago, it hasn't gotten better. I was over there about 6 months ago on a Saturday and it was a nightmare.

I suggested Studio City as place to live.

If you find the truth upsetting maybe LA isn't for you. I can see you having a meltdown the first time you get into heavy traffic.

Your not the first thread with a couple who wants to move here, and they have jobs at the opposite end of the LA basin, and want some quick fix in regards to an easy commute.