Southern Belle needs help in Philly!

[mltimes]

When I went to grad school at Temple in the early 2000s, I and most of my friends lived in the neighborhoods between Locust and Washington within a few blocks east or west of Broad Street to make commuting easier and cheaper. With regard to your safety concerns about the subway, I always felt safer waiting for the subway (along with other students) than I did walking to and around the parking garage or to a metered spot on the street.

Two things to also consider about keeping a car: 1) the expense of lot parking at home or necessity of registering car in PA to obtain a permit for street parking; and 2) the expense of parking in a Temple parking lot, or factoring into your commute the time needed to find a spot and expense of anticipated parking tickets for on-street parking.

[solibs]

If wouldn't assume that the parking lots around Temple are any safer than the subway or bus . . . but if that's what you're going to do I wouldn't bother with South Philly. I would look in Fairmount, Northern Liberties, Mt. Airy or the west side of Germantown. It'll be easier to get to the main campus.

Bella Vista is pretty bad parking-wise. The entire neighborhood is 2hr/permit parking. It's also not all that convenient to the subway unless you're living in the far corners of the neighborhood.

[Atl'sFinest]

Thanks again for all of your replies! They are very helpful and are forcing me to look at this from different angles. I kinda HAVE to bring my car because I have a car note and I don't have any family members that would be willing to take over the note and I'm afraid that I wouldn't be able to sell it in this economy. Plus I JUST bought it and I love it! With that being said, I have to admit that I'm experiencing some anxiety about the whole parking situation.

So basically in order for me to obtain a street parking permit I have to have PA tags? There isn't just regular street parking like in GA? I understand that the public transportation is more extensive in Philly than in Atl but I'm shocked that owning a car is such a liability. I do appreciate that a few of you broke down my fear of taking the train at night around Temple. I'm going to look into some of those neighborhoods that solibs suggested.

mltimes: what's the name of the neigborhood that you stayed in? It's easier for me to put in the names of neigborhoods in craigslist than putting in street names. TIA

[maf763]

Look at the East Falls neighborhood if you're going to drive to Temple.

[solibs]

Beware that, when advertising apartments, a lot of people stretch the boundaries of desirable neighborhoods.

You can't get a parking permit without PA plates and license. You can't get the plates without a PA license and insurance. You can't get a PA license without a utility bill or other such identifying mail. That's why I said it will take you a few months to get a parking permit.

It's not that driving is all that difficult or that it's particularly expensive to have a car per se - it's the parking that's a PITA. We have an affinity for people and buildings - parking lots, not so much.

East Falls, Mt. Airy, the area of Germantown that borders East Falls and Mt. Airy, even Roxborough are all nice, reasonably priced 'hoods where it's easy to park and you'll have a 10-20 minute drive to campus (assuming you're not driving during rush hour).

Fairmount and Northern Liberties are both really close to campus by car but they're a little more difficult to park in. Fairmount more so than No Libs. Not impossible, just more difficult than those other places that I mentioned.

Every neighborhood has on-street parking. In Center City and on certain shopping streets outside of it you have to feed the meter (unless you have a permit for that particular neighborhood). Outside of Center City neighbors choose whether or not they want their block to be 2 hr/permit. When parking is tough this is usually the way people go. Once one block does it it makes it harder to park on the surrounding blocks, the 2hr/permit signs spread like the plague.

Put another way, most rowhouses are 15 or 16 ft. wide. Most cars are the same length. Subtract for space between cars, fire hydrants and the like and you're at about .75 cars per household. Consider the fact that many houses have been turned into apartments. Consider that there are a lot of people like yourself out there.

Depending on your neighborhood the going rate for an off-street parking space is anywhere from $120-$200 a month.

[bryson662001]

About the parking permit for the car...... some streets (but not all of them) have time limits, even if there are no meters. As solibs stated, some of Bella Vista (but not all) has a two hour limit. If you get the permit you can park longer than the two hours. Usually the north/south cross streets have no limit while east/west and busier streets do have a limit. I agree if you must keep the car then look far away from Center City and surrounding areas or the parking situation will take over your life.

[billuke]

Here's a suggestion. Call a few property management companies and see what rentals they have available and where.

Here's a few: - Alpha Realty, Tia 215-463-0777 x. 225
- Phila. Property Works, Steve Goldsmith, 866-987-9988 x. 11

[ajb842]

I'm thinking that in your price range, it might be more difficult in the Northern Liberties,Bella Vista locations. Maybe Chestnut Hill/West Mt Airy? You should be able to find something there. Even some areas of East Falls and Roxborough you will probably be able to find something with easy access to 76 and shopping/restaurants. You will be able to park in these areas as well. I would say you will have some difficulty in your price range and having parking in the first mentioned locations unless you find some private landlord who has a parking spot.