Need Affordable Apartment, In Safe Area, and Close to Buses.... (Portland: to rent, crime)

[bgreen68]

Are there any areas where the apartments are affordable (approx $1,000 month for 2+2 or $800 month for 1+1) and are still decent apartments that are kept up nice, and where the area they're in is safe from bad crime and gangs and safe to walk around at night, and also has good public transportation (buses) nearby? I know that's a lot to ask and probably hard to find but if anybody has any ideas or names of the best places that come the closest to having those three attributes can you please let me know what those areas and towns would be? Thank you!
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[Leisesturm]

I should think you want to narrow it down more than that. Portland (assuming) is a big place. Busses run on all the east/west roads and many of the north/south ones. Get a trimet system map online and see how extensive the coverage is. Rents are (barely) within your specifications. "Kept up nice" can vary, in the end you have to look at a lot of addresses and visit places yourself to see how it feels. It helps though to know, in advance where and what you like. Do you like parks and nature or shops and cinemas? Close in or a bit further out? Where do you live now? It all matters.

H

[Missmeamea]

Short answer? No.

Are you willing to rent a room in a house or find roomates? That might be your best option. That way you could live closer in, in a nicer area, and still have a reasonable monthly payment.

Also decide what kind of crime you are willing to tolerate. There's just no escaping it in a large metro area. I lived in the following places:

1. NW 22nd - expensive, older building. Witnessed a knife fight between bums outside my building one morning.
2. N Garfield - Gypsy Joker bike club headquarters next door. And they were the SAFEST neighbors. I almost got mugged twice.
3. SE 30th and Steele - Two apartments here, both relatively safe and decently priced. Royal Garden Apartments and Lambert Garden apartments. A little less accessible by bus, had to do some walking.
4. Fairview - WHAT a hike. Decent apartments. But, whatta HIKE!
5. North again. Closer to the University. Kinda slummy and the bus ride was full of er, interesting characters. I was too terrified after my previous experience to venture out much, but overall it wasn't bad.
6. NE, Lloyd Center. However I used to find needles in the garage breezeway.
7. Milwaukie, River Run Apartments. Nice place. Longer bus ride. Decent rent. Mail theft. And the police raided my next door neighbor's apartment.

So, my point is, while you can avoid the obvious really bad areas I don't think it's possible to avoid crime. Not only are the really secure ritzy buildings prohibitively priced, but renting is always a gamble. All the landlord can do is make a best guess when they check references based on the available evidence. They can't predict how tenants will behave or who they will invite to the apartment. I should know, I screened apartment applications for a living for the property management company that managed River Run in Milwaukie. And my next door neighbors that got hauled away by the cops? *I* had screened and approved their application.

[Cat_Person]

There are plenty of 2 bdrms for under $1000 a month...I know because I've been hunting. Go more towards the suburbs for safety if that is a concern. Plenty of public transportation from the burbs to PDX. There are a few towns that are more "rural" (agriculture oriented) where things are alot quieter than downtown. It really depends on what kind of work you do too...as a quiet area might not be suitable for a good job.