What areas of Berkeley and Oakland should I stay away from? (Sacramento: apartment, violent crime)

[chicago81]

Can anyone help me gain a better understanding as to what areas of Oakland and Berkeley are safe and which ones aren't? I'm looking for an apartment up there with my boyfriend and I want to live in an area where, as a woman, I will feel safe walking around alone at night if I ever have to, not that I intend on taking 1 A.M. strolls or anything, but I am a waitress and could find myself working late night shifts once in a while. Right now we are looking at a place in Berkeley on Dwight between San Pablo and Sacramento-any advice/opinions on the matter? Thanks!

[mayorhaggar]

In North Oakland, Rockridge, most of the Temescal, and the Piedmont Ave areas are pretty safe, Temescal a bit less so than the other two areas. Generally the rule of thumb in N. Oakland is anything west of Telegraph is pretty crappy and anything east of it is alright. The Temescal is kind of scruffy compared to Rockridge but I haven't really seen any really horrible areas, Telegraph in the Temescal has some sketchy-looking bars and donut shops and occasional weird guys wandering around looking like drug dealers, but it also has a lot of busy and trendy restaurants like Burma Superstar, Bakesale Betty's and Lanesplitter. The area around Mosswood Park is kind of seedy and dirty looking but areas further north look about the same as Rockridge, just a bit dirtier.

For Berkeley, I would say anywhere other than SW Berkeley is fine. SW Berkeley is pretty crappy and ghetto-y like around Sacramento and Ashby but I don't really know where the bad part begins and ends, and it seems like it differs from block to block, like one block will have a lot of decrepit houses with young toughs standing around looking menacing then the next block will be a bunch of rehabbed homes with new painting and people sitting around on their front stoops hanging out or playing with their kids.

[jade408]

Originally Posted by chicago81

Can anyone help me gain a better understanding as to what areas of Oakland and Berkeley are safe and which ones aren't? I'm looking for an apartment up there with my boyfriend and I want to live in an area where, as a woman, I will feel safe walking around alone at night if I ever have to, not that I intend on taking 1 A.M. strolls or anything, but I am a waitress and could find myself working late night shifts once in a while. Right now we are looking at a place in Berkeley on Dwight between San Pablo and Sacramento-any advice/opinions on the matter? Thanks!

That area of Dwight looks decent, but you don't need to go far (maybe 2 blocks) to be in a sketchy part of Berkeley. Walking from BART would not be recommended, and the main bus route, the 72, has sketchy characters throughout the entire route. It pretty much hits the sketchiest parts of Oakland, Berkeley and Richmond.

I'd skip anything west of Sacramento in Berkeley. That area, not great. There is a lot of crime in Southwest Berkeley. I would not walk around Ashby BART at night alone. Too deserted and way too many incidents. I'd rather walk around Macarthur BART at night (heading east) than anywhere around Ashby BART at night. It looks nicer than it is. Most of Berkeley's violent crime is concentrated there and the streets are really dark. For example, recently there have been lots of muggings in the area, and the muggers are just waiting in people's yards for them to get home. SCARY!

Here are the areas I'd consider safe to walk around at night:

In Oakland downtown: Maybe the Lakeside apartment district areas bordering downtown, north of around 17th or so. Otherwise there isn't enough foot traffic.

Oakland: North of 27th and East of Broadway is pretty good (Adam's Point) as long as you pick a well lit block.

Oakland: Rockride and Piedmont Ave and the areas of Temescal that are referenced below.

From Berkeley to Oakland: North of Macarthur or 40th and East of Telegraph north to the campus the Campus (although the blocks between Shattuck and Telegraph are OK north of Dwight but it is student land). This is all generally safe, but some of the southern points (around Telegraph are a little bit sketchy, but not serious.

Berkeley: North of University/East of Sacramento until you run into Albany (I have friends that do not drive and live in this part of Berkeley, it is fine). North of the Cal Campus is generally good. East of Cal campus is also good.

Basically avoid anything West of Sacramento (Market in Oakland) unless you are north of University. Avoid most areas between Telegraph and West/Market/Sacramento unless you are north of Dwight in Berkeley. There are maybe 4 nice blocks of San Pablo in Oakland: right when it starts, and it doesn't get nice until you get to Albany, and it stops being decent around Richmond or El Cerrito until it becomes San Pablo Dam round. (Totally fine to visit/shop/eat)

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by mayorhaggar

For Berkeley, I would say anywhere other than SW Berkeley is fine. SW Berkeley is pretty crappy and ghetto-y like around Sacramento and Ashby but I don't really know where the bad part begins and ends, and it seems like it differs from block to block, like one block will have a lot of decrepit houses with young toughs standing around looking menacing then the next block will be a bunch of rehabbed homes with new painting and people sitting around on their front stoops hanging out or playing with their kids.

Pretty much spot. West of Sacramento is a bit hit and miss, mostly south of Ashby. North of Ashby it's a bit better but it has nice homes mixed in with a few sketchy ones. North of University is a bit better still. West of San Pablo is perhaps the worse part of Berkeley, in an area between Dwight and University especially. I'd at least stay east of Sacramento. I grew up in that area and managed to survive. Still have a great aunt and uncle who live just east of Shattuck and it's still a nice part of Berkeley.