San Francisco ... in the end (Oakland, Berkeley: homes, neighborhoods, school)

[Wallop the Spot]

As I baby boomer, I have always associated San Francisco with the "summer of love" and "youth". But I never had an opportunity to visit or live in the city when I was young, and now I am, well, crouching below Extinction's alp. While considering various retirement communities in California, I learned that there are actually a few right in the city, e.g., The Heritage (in the Marina) and The Sequoias (in Japantown). I can understand that native San Franciscans might want to spend their "golden years" in their home town, but what about the "wash-ashores", i.e., those who came to town for school or jobs (or just to hang out)? Do any of you see yourselves staying in the city after you have made your fortune and hung up your boots? Do those of you in the spring of life intend to stay in San Francisco for winter? And, if so, what is it about the city that would make you want to stay?

[bmw335xi]

San Francisco would be a terrible place to be a senior citizen in my opinion. You have to deal with homeless, crazies, hills, no parking, cold weather, etc. It is the perfect city to spend your youth, even your mid-life crisis age, but as a senior citizen, ugh!

[04kL4nD]

I think if you have money, it would be fine. At least you can walk everywhere and the weather is mild.

[jade408]

I don't think I'd want to be in SF directly, but retiring somewhere walkable with amenities within a few blocks seems ideal to me! Even downtown Walnut Creek, or near Piedmont Ave in Oakland are walkable and quieter in my book. (There are so many retirement communities near Piedmont Ave. I notice a new one daily!) I am sure you can find stuff in Berkeley or perhaps Albany and El Cerrito that work too. Alameda has a couple of "senior homes" on Webster Street, which gets better and better every time I go over there.

SF it too chilly, and too many homeless people so that limits the appeal in my book.

[Wallop the Spot]

Are there many homeless and "crazies" in The Marina, too? (I get the impression that The Marina is often disparaged for not being "echt" San Francisco).

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by Wallop the Spot

Are there many homeless and "crazies" in The Marina, too? (I get the impression that The Marina is often disparaged for not being "echt" San Francisco).

Homeless and crazies are in every district. However, Marina has less than other districts. Pacific Heights has less as well (not Lower Pacific Heights though). I was out in Marina the other weekend and I'm walking on the corner of Lombard and Fillmore and this guy came up to me, seemed like he was on drugs. Showed me a dent by his collar bone area and said people are _____ crazy these days. You know how I got this, I was stabbed. People have tried to kill me, one person held a gun to my head and I told him, _____ pull the trigger, do it.

Things like this aren't like every day occurrences, but they aren't surprising either. I remember a discussion I had with one of my friends while we were walking around Financial District and there was a homeless person dragging a giant blanket. She looked at me and said, you know what's funny, when we first moved here, we would be surprised to see that, but now it almost seems like nothing out of the ordinary.

Anyways, that's getting off topic. If your heart is set on retiring here, Marina, Pacific Heights, Telegraph Hill, North Beach, Russian Hill are great areas.

[Wallop the Spot]

Well, my heart is set on California's central coast (especially after the winter we've had here in the East). But since I like the walkability of cities, I was sort of curious about San Francisco. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by Wallop the Spot

Well, my heart is set on California's central coast (especially after the winter we've had here in the East). But since I like the walkability of cities, I was sort of curious about San Francisco. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

No problem and I should add... I'm talking more about when you get old to the point you can't walk long distances or up or down hills because of bad knees etc. That's the time I would really advise against it. If you are still mobile than any of those neighborhoods would be great places.

[HappyinCali]

My mother wants to retire to a city that has public transportation. She is terrified of the idea of having to drive everywhere when she is older. In that sense, being a senior citizen in San Francisco with its decent and cheap public transport is a good thing.

[bmw335xi]

I guess it's a catch 22. I always feel bad seeing seniors in a crowded bus where people aren't getting up so they can sit down and then add the crazy shouting obscenities, it's depressing as a 26 year old, I couldn't imagine being 70 and having to deal with it. To each his/her own though.