Moving from the Bay Area to Portland Area, apartment questions!

[Copsgirl73]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

If you want to live (work, shop, socialize) car-less then you should look for apartments near a MAX station. Many bike to a MAX transportation center but biking to and from the MAX with a date or after a couple evening cocktails is problematic.

An apartment isn't forever so look for something that would meet your needs for the next year, Goose Hollow or Orenco Station areas. If you have a car Orenco makes more sense but you can purchase a resident street parking tag for the Goose Hollow from the city for about $45/yr. There are several Zip Car spots in the neighborhood as well.

Beaverton and the area around St. V's is family housing and you really need to use a car. Oh, it isn't 'an hour away' unless you are stuck in traffic on Hgy 26. It does not take an hour on the MAX to get downtown, the MAX schedules are on the TriMet site, print out the line that is convenient to your workplace. Heck, I took the MAX from the airport to the Goose Hollow station earlier this week during the evening rush hour and it took maybe an hour - and remember there are a lot of stops downtown. Except for downtown the MAX scoots.

Keep in mind that landlords in popular locations charge more because they can.

The Sunset park and ride is next to St Vincent. You would only drive if you found a reason to do so, otherwise you can hop on that to go to Hillsboro or downtown

[rtoj18]

Hamellr,

Would you happen to mean Beaver Creek, Center Square, Center Plaza, Willow Grove

or

Courtyard at Cedar Hills, Country Grove, etc. Which cluster? (I've been looking into both).

Thanks everyone for all the insight! Its really helped in my search. I am trying to get a shorter term lease to figure out the area then stay/move if I want.

Any insight on the crime in goose hollow near PSU? Is it bad or not that bad? The whole map was red (meaning lots of crime) when I looked it up through portlands PD.

Thanks!

[Nell Plotts]

I live in Goose Hollow neighborhood and have never experienced any crime. What does happen, probably because many residents are upper middle income, are car prowls where a thief steals something from a car during the night. We park our 20 yo old car on the street and leave nothing inside so as not to tempt anyone. We have had no car break-in attempts. It is common knowledge that homeless sometimes sleep in the shrubs under the Vista Street Bridge but they don't hang around the neighborhood or are known to cause problems (I have never seen a vagrant in the area). From time to time a 'happy drunk' will sing walking down SW Vista sidewalk after a party late on a weekend night.

Washington Park closes at 10 PM, it is tightly policed, so problems there are rare.

The South Park Blocks near PSU have had issues with vagrants (which is probably the reason why the city wants to install a LU), car prowls likely happen there too. I am really naive about drug dealing but chances are the street market for that stuff is better around a college than Goose Hollow.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by rtoj18

Hamellr,

Would you happen to mean Beaver Creek, Center Square, Center Plaza, Willow Grove

or

Courtyard at Cedar Hills, Country Grove, etc. Which cluster? (I've been looking into both).

I'm talking about this area here: cedar hills and hall blvd, beaverton or - Google Maps

I'm not sure the name of the apartments through there. Just that a few friends and acquaintances have moved in, then gotten out as soon as possible.

[5cents]

I know some friends that are car-less and work in Hillsboro and live in apt buildings right near the Jeld-Wen Field MAX stop. It's a pretty convenient commute for them, depending on how far you have to walk on the Hillsboro end. But they seem to like it.

Also - hamellr - the Valley Cinema is a decent second-run theater basically in Beaverton, right?

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by 5cents

Also - hamellr - the Valley Cinema is a decent second-run theater basically in Beaverton, right?

I wouldn't really call it decent. I'd prefer a place like Laurelhurst or Avalon that will play movies that have been out for years. We're talking Ghost Busters, MASH, etc.

[rtoj18]

Anyone know about the Goose Hollow - Southwest hills neighborhood (IE, south of sunset highway 26).

Thanks for all the help! You've given me great places to look at!

[Copsgirl73]

Originally Posted by rtoj18

Anyone know about the Goose Hollow - Southwest hills neighborhood (IE, south of sunset highway 26).

Thanks for all the help! You've given me great places to look at!

What specifically do you want to know about Goose Hollow? Nell's post was pretty accurate and to add to that its an area that a lot of PSU students live in (its right next to campus). So keep in mind you will be living amongst college students. Also keep in mind parking may be difficult at times because not only are you near a college but also on the edge of downtown Portland. There are two or three grocery stores that are nearby but the Safeway is probably the closest.
Crimewise, downtown is relatively safe compared to other cities I have lived in (San Diego, LA). Portland is a VERY homeless friendly city so you will see lots of homeless folks but for the most part they leave you alone. Other than that its pretty typical, common sense stuff as far as crime goes - lock your car, dont leave belongings in it, be aware of your surroundings, etc. In Portland, you have to go looking for trouble. It usually doesnt just find you

[rtoj18]

Copsgirl, I was wondering if the area directly south of highway 26 was an ok place, both crime wise and just generally.

Going to look at an apartment there, I think.

Thanks!

[Nell Plotts]

Off Montgomery or 18th? I know of no issues but, depending on the actual apartment location, you may have freeway noise. It is a hike to transit and grocery stores.

The 'Goose Hollow' neighborhood also includes the area north of Hgy 26, west of 18th, south of Burnside, up to Washington Park. That is not, by and large, a student demographic. In this area of Goose Hollow there many transit and grocery options.