Interested in a home in West Berkeley

We will be relocating to Berkeley this summer and are interested in a home in West Berkeley. What insight can you share about this neighborhood? Is it a good place to raise a family? My husband and I have two boys ages 5 and 7. It seems like there are a lot of family-friendly amenities within walking distance. On the other hand, some blocks and homes seem a bit run down and it is right along the freeway and the train tracks. Any thoughts would be very appreciated! living in West Berkeley?

That said, we do have crime here but from what I understand, crime is not only found in the flats -- we get burglaries and car break-ins just like anywhere else in Berkeley. We have young dudes smoking pot and/or drinking at the park and prostitutes on San Pablo. It's not Lafayette. It is definitely gritty and sometimes it bums me out, to be honest. But it is affordable and we love our neighbors.

Our street has a disaster cache, an active neighborhood email list, block parties twice a year, and lots of kids. Everyone here looks out for each other. I love going to the grocery store and bumping into a neighbor -- I feel like a definite part of the community! SW Berkeley Fan

Kid-Friendly Neighborhoods

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