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Oct 2007
Are there any eco-villages close to Berkeley? The nearest we've found is
in Davis but I'm thinking there has to be something closer. We want
something with houses that are very energy efficient, small plots of
private property but far more common property, edible landscaping, etc.
We are okay with some elements of co-housing like a weekly shared meal and
a family job, but don't want to go full bore with shared finances and all
meals in common. I realize we can do things to make our own home energy
efficient or live in a condo complex and try to get efficiency projects
off the ground, but we'd rather live with a group of people who are really
trying to build a community with values we share.
We want to live someplace kid-friendly, with good public schools nearby,
within 15 miles of U.C. Berkeley, and in a quiet, safe area. Does such a
place exist?
Looking for a place to call home
Fresh from the Press
http://www.multihousingnews.com/multihousing/content_display/industry-news/e3ic81707e04a7d92173899857b41f606f5
Berkeley, Calif. Ashby Lofts
gh
Did you visit www.cohousing.org?
local gal
Jan 2007
I was priced out of Berkeley when I bought my home four years ago. Now I am
becoming a single mom and have less money than ever, but I REALLY want to move
back. If I sell my house, can I find an affordable Berkeley/Albany 2 bedroom
to buy on a schoolteacher's salary (NOT a fixer-upper -- I have enough on my
plate right now), or a clean, well-maintained rental in a quiet neighborhood
that the landlord is not likely to sell for many years? The only reason I
even dare ask is that I have noticed some new condo construction and was
hoping some of it might be reserved for ''affordable housing'' or that there
might be some kind or program for cops, teachers, nurses, etc. out there.
Thanks.
Grateful for info
Have you checked out the co-housing option? It is really lively in the Oakland-Berkeley
area. Or what about partnering with others and buying a duplex, triplex and fourplex?
I wouldn't be so interested in Berkeley b/c of the hassles of bureaucracy, but there are
some great areas in Oakland and Albany, even Richmond Annex or Point Richmond. If
you've been away for awhile you'd be quite pleasantly surprised! Good luck!
June 2006
My husband and I are expecting our first baby and trying to decide
whether to buy a house in the Berkeley Hills, specifically the Park
Hills area near Grizzly Peak and Tilden Park. We want to know whether
there are many other families with young children up in that area, and
how isolated we might feel living there. For example, how limiting
will it be to have to drive down the hill to get to most toddler parks
and to shop? Will our child have potential playmates nearby or feel
alone? On the positive side, we can have a larger yard and more
interior space in the hills than we find in houses nearer to
commercial areas. Thank you for any feedback or advice!
Rachel
My husband and I purchased a home in the Berkeley Hills about a year and a half ago, a
unique fixer with a nice large yard with a view which was important to us. We are SF
transplants so we were unsure how the ''quiet life'' would affect us. We are also
expecting our first child in the next two weeks. The population is a bit older in the hills
but there are still plenty of kids around, so I'm not worried about finding playmates.
Driving down to shop hasn't been an issue since everything you need is at the foot of
the hill, there is also a great organic farmer's market on Thursday afternoons in N
Berkeley, great for homemade baby food! Driving back up to the solitude of the hills is
very rewarding.
soon to be Berkeley Hills mom
We live in the Berkeley Hills in the area you mention, and have
a toddler, as well. The advantages and disadvantages are
exactly as you describe. I'll elaborate.
There's a great deal of natural beauty we've partaken of: hikes
you can backpack a baby on, and the Little Farm, Steam Train
and Merry-go-round for when your baby is a little older. On
the other hand, there's no cafe or grocery store within walking
distance though the row of shops on Monterey has a butcher, a
grocery store, a cafe, a liquor store, a gourmet deli, the best
pizza parlor ever (Gioia's), a bakery and more.
Dorothy Boalt park on Spruce Street is walking distance from
the entrance to Tilden Park, and I have met other families
there, though no one we've kept in touch with steadily.
There is another park at the top of Cedar (not really walking
distance but close) that's usually fairly sparsely populated.
Totland at Virginia and McGee, 3 blocks north of Sacramento, is
a 10 1 drive. I find in general the distance is more
psychological/energetic than actual.
The culture up here is a whole other ball game. There are some
friendly folks to be sure, and there are also folks who are
surprisingly uptight, circumspect and not so friendly. I say
surprisingly because I had this stereotype that living in
Berkeley folks would generally be more laid-back and open.
It's a mostly-white, pretty darn wealthy area, and MNSHO is
that once folks sink this kind of money into a house, they want
to protect their boundaries, privacy, etc., and focus on the
nest is much higher priority than making connections with
neighbors. Though when I lost my cat and posted flyers, I was
heartwarmed at the outpouring of caring, so I know it's out
there!
Also, I have noticed that parents of older kids who are around
the same age tend to connect by default because their kids play
together on their own initiative.
I think it wouldn't take much (posting a few signs, announcing
it here, for example) to get together families in the area at
Dorothy Boalt some weekend morning, I'll bet others are hungry
for it just like we are.
Re: Living in Sequoyah Hills/Heights (Feb 2005)
I think that if you are considering moving to Sequoyah
Hills/Heights, but fear you won't have anything enriching nearby
(restaurants, cultural opportunities, parks, etc.), and you're
worried about the schools, why don't you consider moving to the
Berkeley Hills? I'm near Grizzly Peak and Marin Ave. and I love
it! I'm minutes away from Tilden Park, fabulous Fourth Street,
the wonderful shops and restaurants on Solano Avenue, and the
public schools aren't bad. There are several private schools in
Berkeley that may suit your needs if you don't care for the
public ones. The closest elementary school to me is Cragmont,
near the top of Marin Ave. The North Berkeley BART station is
just an 8-minute drive down the hill from me. If you can afford
to move to Sequoyah Hills, you can afford to move to the
Berkeley Hills. 3-bedroom homes in this area range from
$850,000 to $1.5 million. We have spectacular views of the bay.
Something to consider. (Oh, and Sequoyah is spelled that way
possibly because of a Native American tribe, not the tree.)
Happy Berkeley Hills resident
January 2007
Re: Neighborhoods for car-free life with a toddler?
Check out Central Berkeley slightly east or west of MLK Ave,
perhaps between Rose and Allston. Also check out Albany and El
Cerrito, the area along Key Route/Ashbury/Central. Both of these
areas have reasonablly priced rentals and you can walk to BART,
shopping, parks, libraries.
-- Berkeley native living in El Cerrito for cleaner streets and lower rent
I think as long as you are north of Dwight, you are OK. I live
near the Sacramento St./University Ave. intersection and we can
walk to Andronico's, the stores all along University down to San
Pablo (post office, library, Mexican market, etc.) and up to
Cal, downtown (with post office, restaurants, shops, YMCA,
etc.), several parks (Ohlone, Charlie Dorr, totland, etc.), the
north Berkeley BART station, etc. I really like it here. I
know people who live south of Dwight and it's more dangerous
(drive-by shootings, etc.).
My two cents
We used to live in Central Berkeley (nr. Allston and McGee) and found it very walkable
and toddler-friendly. Downtown is 10 minutes away, also Andronico's, and the
Berkeley Bowl perhaps 20 mins. There is a nice little tot-lot on Roosevelt, one in the
UC Development at Allston & California, Ohlone park on Hearst, and of course, Totland
on McGee. We found the neighborhood safe, although there are high school students
traveling Allston and the occasional homeless. Good luck,
Anne
December 2006
We are planning to move to Berkeley and are interested in the central Berkeley
neighborhood (McKinley, Grant, etc., the area between Shattuck and Sacramento,
University and Dwight). Is this a good neighborhood for kids? Is it too student
orientated with the large apartment buildings? What neighborhoods in Berkeley do people
recommend for kids? Elmwood? North Berkeley? Any information greatly appreciated .
Berkeley bound
Any place near a kids park in Berkeley is good, in my opinion.
Steeper neighborhoods are way more difficult for kids learning
how to ride bikes and scooters, also they are further away from
stores and restaurants. The part of Berkeley you are talking
about is (in my friends' opinions) great. Apparently it is
gentrifying - which has resulting pluses and minuses. You are
very near the big Saturday farmers' market that has an orgainc
focus. There are some students there but the biggest undergrad
concentration is around the College ave and Telegraph ave
corridor. If one of you will work int he City you are near
downtown berkley BART or the Sacramento Street busline for
commutes to SF. Berkeley does not have neighborhood schools,
but rather 3 zones with 3 to 4 elementary schools in each zone
(Washington is in the neighborhood you are considering).
Berkeley has 2 middle school zones (not same as elementary
zones) with Longfellow as a non-zoned magnet school. Berkeley
has one high school and it is in the neighborhood you are
considering. For more specific info on zones and school
assignment policies, call Francisco at the Parent Access Off ice
at the Berkeley Unified School District and/or look on the web.
I recommend that you get yourself to Berkeley on a weekday
(without a kid in tow) and (preferably) get out and walk around
a few neighborhoods in the morning, in mid day, at school
dismissal time, and in the evening to get a feel for the
neighborhoods. Try to be there on a typical day when both Cal
and the public schools are in session. Stop by the police dept
or check on line to get a feel for crime stats form neighborhood
to neighborhood. Stop by playgorunds in differnt neighborhoods
and chat up the parents (on weekends you'll get more
representation form the full-time working parents). Welcome to
Berkeley - it's a great town!
Berkeley Mom
I live in that area and love it! It's so close to everything. I hardly
use my car, we walk everywhere! My daughter walks to Berkeley High, I
walk to work in downtown Berkeley. There are parks and playgrounds
nearby for the tots. I think it's a mixture of students and families,
maybe more families or non-student households. It doesn't feel like
southside for instance, where it's much more student-populated. It's
a fairly ethnically diverse neighborhood. Washington and Arts Magent
Elementary schools are nearby, and King or Longfellow aren't that far
either. The Farmer's Market is close on Saturdays. The catholic
church, synagogue, and police station are close, so you are safe on
all fronts! Not sure what you are looking for in a neighborhood, but
you couldn't get better than this!
happy where I'm at!
You would be most welcome to raise your kids in central
Berkeley. Please join us! Moving to central Berkeley (bounded
by Dwight, University, Sacramento, MLK) has been great for our
family. Reasons? 1) Many great families with young children.
2) Level sidewalks with 'curb cuts' means easy stroller-walking,
tricycle riding, jogging, etc. Channing is an established bike
avenue. 3)Easy access to the 'J' and 'FS' transbay bus lines and
BART. 4) 'Central zone' schools in BUSD are all good:
Washington, Oxford, Cragmont, and Arts Magnet; plus Malcom X is
great and nearby. 5) Easy weekend walks to the public library,
farmer's markets, YMCA. 6) Many houses in this area have small
front yards and big backyards, which means you have many chances
to meet and greet your neighbors coming and going. 7) Walking
distance to coffee at Trieste, breakfast at the Homemade Cafe,
brunch at Venus, dinner at several good places, services on
Shattuck. 8)A mix of ages, outlooks, and professions. 9)
Relatively easy street parking. 10)Many excellent houses of
worship are within walking distance. 11)If you contact BANANAS,
you'll find many home daycare providers in this area (esp. in
the streets immediately south of Dwight). The negatives are
few, but some worth mentioning: 1)street parking on weekdays is
overrun by Berkeley High School. Few houses here have garages,
so this can be an issue. 2)Dwight and MLK are busy streets and
can be hazardous. 3)As in any neighborhood, there are a few
eccentrics who might cause you some problems. Before you
purchase, chat with your prospective neighbors about any ongoing
neighbor-to-neighbor conflicts on your street. Actually, I would
advise that you have those conversations regardless of where you
purchase. Caveat emptor....Hope to see you on my street someday
soon!
Happy in Central Berkeley
We live in, and like the neighborhood around N. Berkeley BART --
San Pablo to Sacto; University to Cedar. Lots of families with
kids are moving in; and we have easy access to the rest of
Berkeley and to San Francisco. Great cafes at Acton and
University, too.
Carol
We just bought a house in Central Berkeley on Grant St and are
looking forward to raising our two sons (3.5 and 9 months) in
the neighborhood we have decided for. We have two playgrounds
in walking distance and were told that many families with kids
live in the same/next block. Although we haven't moved and made
new friends yet, we like the quiet street we will live in. I
can see the kids playing in the front yard or on the side walk
without worrying.
Mother in Central Berkeley
My husband and I moved to Central Berkeley in 1998. Since then
we've had two children and plan to raise our kids in the house we
bought there. I am a transplant from the East Coast, moving here
in 1987, and I've lived in many Berkeley and near-Berkeley
neighborhoods, Albany, Berkeley Hills, North Oakland, Elmwood. I
really love Central Berkeley. It has an excellent public school,
Washington, within walking distance and because it is so
accessible there is a real community feeling there (see postings
on Washington School in the archives). We easily walk to BART and
commute to work that way. We walk to the YMCA, the Central
Library, Habitot, and there is a tot lot on Roosevelt near Dwight
Way. Teaching our kids to ride bikes is a no-brainer since it is
flat where we live, and Washington has a big flat playground to
practice on.
Our closest grocery store is the Berkeley Bowl, and although I do
not ride my bike there many of my neighbors do (I need to do such
a big shop I wouldn't ride anyway). We love bumping into
neighbors and friends just walking in the street, there is a
level of activity here that makes it feel very alive.
Downsides? Kids learn street smarts early around here, which you
may see as a little sad, depending on how you look at it. This
means to be aware of safety at night, being careful where you
park your car, not allowing your kids to go to the neighbors
unaccompanied. I am more of an urban person, and I value walkable
public transit and neighborhood diversity, so I'm willing to give
some of this up.
Happy near Downtown
October 2006
Re: Kid friendly neighborhoods in the East Bay
My daughter is in a nanny share in the Elmwood neighborhood of
Berkeley. The homes and yards are beautiful, lots of Craftsman
and shingle style homes, tree-lined streets, etc. The home is
on a dead-end street with lots of kids, an easy walk from
Bateman Tot Park (near Alta Bates Hospital)and Willard Park.
Elmwood and Rockridge shops and restaurants are in walking
distance. FWIW, they live on Lewiston between Woolsey and
Alcatraz, and I think there is at least one home expected to
come up for sale soon. I'd live there if I could afford it.
Carrie
January 2007
Re: Neighborhoods for car-free life with a toddler?
It's not as easy to get around as SF but I'd say anywhere in Berkeley besides the hills
is do-able without a car. I live in N. berkeley off Gilman and was thrilled to discover
the number 9 bus runs along Gilman right into downtown berkeley. I'm also 10 mins
from BART. I can walk to do all my grocery shopping (Monterey Market) and to our
local library. About the only time I ''need'' the car is to get up to Tilden. Even then
there is a bus, but I haven't figured it out yet. When I lived in south berkeley near
the Berkeley Bowl it was not quite so easy (not so many parks to walk to, felt less
safe walking around alone) but still very do-able. If you manage to find somewhere
in Central Berkeley, the Ohlone Park/Totland area seems ideal to me; completely
walkable, tons of families and very safe. If you ride a bike and have a seat/trailer for
your little one I think you will find berkeley without a car very manageable.
walking in berkeley
i would highly recommend our neighborhood...north berkeley
flats. we live on cedar st. (a little too busy for me, but we
are buying our home :)) just by the park on the corner of
chestnut and cedar. i can walk to several different shopping
places (berkeley natural grocery, monterey market, gourmet
ghetto and fourth st) we can also walk to over 6 different
parks, two different libraries and the ohlone bike path runs
through the park by our house. in addition, the bart station
is only about three blocks away. we love living here, and
using our car minimally. my husband even walks to work, on
university which is about 7 blocks away. good luck with your
search!!!
anon
October 2006
Re: Kid friendly neighborhoods in the East Bay
I live in the ''Totland district'' of North Berkeley, it runs
between Sacramento and MLK; University and up to Hopkins, I
think. I'm 2 blocks from North Berkeley BART, 2 blocks from
Totland, about a mile from the ''gourmet ghetto'' on Shattuck.
There are kids and dogs and families everywhere you look, I
absolutely love this neighborhood and highly recommend it for
what you're wanting!!
Jill
Feb 2003
Re: Seeking a friendly neighborhood w/kids
Hi, We live in the San Pablo Park area of Berkeley on Carleton
Street (the 1200 block). We find the neighborhood to be very kid
friendly and in the 3 years that we have lived here we have
gotten to know pretty much all the families with kids around the
ages of ours (2 and 4). The neighborhood is no paradise mind
you, but it has a lot of very nice qualities. There is a very
nice and active park near by (San Pablo Park). The area is
pretty diverse ethnically (primarily a mix of African-American
and Caucasion families). And it is very centrally located
(perhaps too much so) close to freeways and major streets. There
are a number of rentals in the area, though our street (which I
am most familiar with) is mostly owner occupied. One more note,
neighborhoods in this area are really different, street by
street, so check them out pretty thoroughly.
Good luck,
Cherene
October 2006
Re: Kid friendly neighborhoods in the East Bay
I noticed that noone from Berkeley responded to your question and wanted
to chime in. In Berkeley (also Albany) there are a number of wonderful
kid-friendly neighborhoods. Our family (w/ 2 girls) looked for houses
within walking distance to parks & shops. We just bought a house in the
Thousand Oaks neighborhood (where I grew up) and loved living in Westbrae
neighborhood (for 13 years). There are jewel-like parks all over the city
- and a bay trail that is great for kite flying, bicycling, walking,
biking & dog walking. Left up to me, I would avoid areas near campus just
because they tend to be heavily studented and parking is difficult - so
the vibe is different.
Another thing that I think should be noted when looking at cities
- Berkeley has historically and consistently been a big booster of schools
& libraries. Contra Costa voters recently failed to pass bond measures
for schools - but Berkeley voters tend to pass library & school measures.
I profoundly hope we pass Measure A
and continue this trend.
As recent home buyers/ home-sellers, we can attest that the prices seem to
be lower than we've seen recently so this might be a good time to get in.
Berkeley booster
April 2006
Please give me your opinions (and if you know of good affordable
housing, that too!). I grew up in and around Berkeley and went
there as an undergrad. Loved it. We moved to a nearby university
town, much more suburban (i.e. peaceful and boring). Now I am
single and need to move back (school) with my 16 year old
daughter. I know this sounds odd, but while I like some of the
things and groups Berkeley has to offer, when I am there and
read about the crime, it sort of unnerves me. I also have this
odd concern that it will be difficult to make friends.
I hope others who have moved there, or who are in meditation or
music groups can give me some advice.. was it hard to make
friends? Do you consider people generally friendly? How do/did
you connect with others (in their 30's and 40's?). I guess I
want reassurance it will be ok! HELP.
And if you know of two rooms in a shared place, or a 2 bedroom
apt not too expensive, please let me know :). Thanks.
bg
Moving Back to Berkeley - YEAHHHH!I move a way for a year to a quiet
suburb and couldn't wait to get back. Within 2 days of moving back, I
knew more people on my block in Berkeley than I had met in a whole year
in the burbs. In any case, Berkeley offers many things 1) a population of
very talkative friendly people. Everyone has something to say about
something. 2)Soooo many options of things to do that all you have to do
is decide what interests you and get involved. Your childs school,
classes, outdoor events through REI. If you go to S.F. for work, ride the
bus - I've gotten to know some really great people that way. Block
parties, Ashkenaz, yoga classes, swimming at Strawberry Canyon pool,
Frieght & Salvage, La Pena, really, the possibilities are endless and if
you just say hi, people here respond. It may take a bit of effort, but
I've never lived any place with more interesting, friendly, people
(except maybe London and Amsterdam on the interesting side). As for your
daughter - she'll have just as many options and a busy teenager stays out
of trouble (for the most part) - OH! Just in case you are wondering, I'm
actually a pretty shy person myself and clearly love it here. Keley
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