Which Bay Area Neighborhood to Live In?
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Which Bay Area Neighborhood to Live In?
May 2007
We currently live in the Dimond/Laurel area of Oakland with our
young children. Unfortunately, there has been a recent
increase in crime in our neighborhood, to the point where we no
longer feel all that comfortable living here. We are interested
in living elsewhere in the East Bay, somewhere that is safe and
very kid-friendly where the neighbors really know and look out
for each other, close access to nature, and in a good school
district. Oh yes-and affordable. Don't know if this is too much
to ask? We have thought about living through the tunnel in
Moraga, Lafayette, etc., but I do like the progressiveness and
diversity of Oakland/Berkeley. Are there some neighborhoods we
aren't aware of? Rockridge is great but there is no way we
could afford it. I don't know if it is too much to ask to live
in a place where the kids can run around in the neighborhood
after dark-or is that something from the past that we were able
to do in different times? Or is it possible still to do that
somewhere like Lafayette/Moraga? I would love any suggestions.
We are planning to send our kids to public school, by the way,
so we would like to live in a neighborhood that has a good
elementary school. Thanks.
Looking for safer pastures
We live in El Cerrito
and both of our elementary school age children attend the
local public school.
It's not perfect because we are a resource-poor district but it's worked out great
for our kids. The parents are very involved (volunteering in the school) and they
raise funds to provide the students with a good education. The PTA provides art,
music, and science programs to supplement what the district provides.
At last count, there were at least 8 elementary school children on our block--all
living within 5 houses of each other. At night they run in and out of each others'
back yards and play in the front yards. Some parents in El Cerrito opt to go to
private schools but I think the local elementary school is just fine. We are also
planning to go to the local public middle school when my son is ready. Most of El
Cerrito is very safe and family-friendly. There are great parks and a terrific
public pool.
Unfortunately, I don't think it's that affordable for first-time home buyers but
houses are slightly less expensive than Albany, Lafayette or Orinda. Consequently,
there is more diversity in the local public schools.
You're in luck - such a place does exist! We were looking for a similar place as
you describe, and we found it in Alameda.
It's a very neighborly, friendly place, where most people will say hi to you as you
pass on the street, kids play together outside and the ice cream truck stops on the
corner in the summer. The schools are good - some have better reputations than
others, and I cannot attest to that as my kids are not yet in elementary school, but
you can check out the basic stats on www.greatschools.net.
We love that we can walk to the park or to dinner, and there is a good mix of people
(ages and ethnicities) and young families. Holidays are fun here - the whole town
is out for the 4th of July parade, Halloween is so fun and tons of kids abound, and
over the holidays we love going to ''Christmas tree lane'' to see the lights.
Lots of changes/improvements are in store over the next year or two - the historic
theater downtown is getting renovated, the mall is undergoing a revitalization and
will have more restaurants and shops, including Borders books, and plans to develop
the old military base on the west end are in the works. I think it's a good time to
get in the market here.
Prices vary, with the gold coast neighborhood and the east end being the most
expensive - gold coast due to the concentration of large mansions there, and the
east end due to the good reputation elementary schools and proximity to shopping on
Park Street.
Come on down and take a drive through the town - you won't be disappointed. I would
recommend it over Lamorinda - you can actually walk to school/grocery
store/restaurants here and there is more diversity. Good luck!
at home in Alameda
We were in your boat four years ago and we found near-nirvana in
San Leandro!
The neighborhoods around Dutton (right off 580) are just what you're describing:
kids play on our street day and night, neighbors know each other, and the local cafe
(Zocalo) makes for a friendly, progressive community center. While San Leandro was
known in the 70s as one of the whitest towns in the East Bay, it is now very
diverse, which we see reflected on our street and in our school. Our son is in the
local public elementary school (Roosevelt) and we love it; he's learning a lot, gets
great attention, and it's a wonderful community of involved parents. Plus we all
love that we can just walk there. (We understand the middle school is only so-so and
high school is worse -- we hope to be part of making them better by the time he gets
there, or we'll look at other options.) I'd recommend that you look at real estate
in the Broadmoor (north of Dutton), Estudillo Estates (between Dutton and Estudillo,
on both sides of the creek), and Sheffield Village (east of 580, officially in
Oakland but part of the S.L school district) neighborhoods. Most houses are cute and
well- maintained, and we found prices to be about 10-15% cheaper than for similar
homes in Berkeley/Oakland when we were looking (not sure if that's still true). San
Leandro isn't perfect -- we especially wish for more good restaurants! -- but
Berkeley and Oakland are just up 580 and/or 13, and the joy of feeling part of a
safe, caring community outweigh the drawbacks by far. Good luck to you!
Happy in suburbia
Have you ever consider Benicia?
It's affortable and close to Easy Bay. It's 20 plus
minutes to the Bay Bridge and 10 mins or so to Walnut Creek so it's not a bad
commute and there is a ferry service into the city. If there is anything else you
like to know please email me. A great and safe community with
a lots of parks.
Amy
We lived in Oakland for a long time and now live in Moraga.
It is ridiculously
family friendly. All the kids in the neighborhood are in and out of each others
houses after school and on weekends. The other parents in the neighborhood are
extremely kind and helpful. Yes, my kids can walk or bike to school, walk or bike to
the farmer's market, and play outside after dark. When I moved here, I was braced
for feeling like a fish out of water, but I have been surprised and humbled at my
generalization that all people out here would be conservative and narrow minded. I
was wrong.
It is very white, but that is changing, slowly but surely. I have seen a slight
demographic shift in the couple of years that I've been here.
When you compare a place like Moraga to the safer neighborhoods of Oakland
(Rockridge, Montclair, Redwood Heights), I think you get a little more for your
money out here. The lots are bigger, the streets are conducive to kids playing in
them, and the schools are among the best in the state. The property taxes are
expensive though, which is the downside. You'll have to do your math and decide the
best solution for you based on your income, number of children, commute, and so on.
For us, it has been one of the best changes we ever made. There is so little stress
now: no serious crime, no worries over school quality and safety, no constant
scheduling of and driving to/from playdates. My kids are happier than they've ever
been.
We LOVE living in what has recently been dubbed ''Piedmont Pines'' - the
hills in
Oakland just above Joaquin Miller Elementary School. Our backyard is the trailhead
to Joaquin Miller & Redwood Regional Parks, we have great neighbors, many with
children, and living on a cul-de-sac allows us to let our children (with
supervision) to run around in a safe environment, where we all look out for each
other. Cost is an issue. When we moved in, things were not so bad, but we've been
looking at housing prices skyrocket since. If you own your home though, I'm sure
you'll get a good price when you sell and could find a place in our neighborhood to
make it work for you.
Hope we meet your family soon
We love El Sobrante.
We moved to El Sobrante from Albany in order to purchase a
larger home. El Sobrante is somewhat rural (there are horses and goats in our
neighborhood), diverse and family friendly. It is also very safe. There is an active
neighborhood association which just oversaw the installation of a brand new
toddler/kid park. Olinda and Valley View are wonderful schools. I have heard great
things about them from parents who have children there. There is a beautiful creek,
library, boys and girls club, dance studio, soccer league, and some great
restaurants (peruvian, salvadoran, chinese, italian, mexican, indian as well as
local breakfast places). The Lakeridge Athletic Club is also in El Sobrante and
offers swim, tennis and other aerobic classes and camps. We also have Canyon Swim
school which is quite popular for children's swim lessons. One of my favorite places
is Central Foods on Appian which just changed owners and has lots of organic and
natural products, produce and meats. Another wonderful place is Eco Village Farm
which is a community learning project for sustainable farming. The weather is great,
just outside the fog belt. My husband works at UC Berkeley which is a 20 minute
ride.
He can also drive the back way through Tilden to avoid traffic. We are very happy
here. Come check it out!
Loving El Sobrante
El Cerrito!
It has become my favorite east bay city. Close enough to freeways so
you can get anywhere. Easy shopping at the E.C. plaza and E.C. Natural Grocery.
There are lots of new families moving here, it is relatively safe and has good
schools. And I was pleasantly surprised to find that it is actually more diverse
than our old neighborhood in SF. Our block has lots of different kinds of families
- different ethnicities and family structures. There is crime everywhere and E.C.
is no exception but we have not experienced anywhere near what we did in SF or what
some of our friends in Oakland have. I think it is in part because even though El
Cerrito is a part of the larger bay area community it still has a small town feel.
Our neighbors here have been friendlier than anywhere I have lived and about 1/3 of
the houses in our immediate neighborhood has kids.
anon
January 2007
We're thinking of moving to Berkeley (from SF Mission district),
but our knowledge of Berkeley neighborhoods is somewhat dated.
We would really like to be in a neighborhood where we can do all
our daily stuff without a car. We have one car, but we don't use
it, and think we will get rid of it soon.
We do enjoy living in an environment with urban density,
activity, and diversity... but neighborhood safety is also a
concern for us, now that we have a little one.
We need good access to public transportation (probably need
walking distance to BART) and we'd also like to have walkable
grocery shopping, playgrounds and parks, rainy-day play places,
library, bookstores, schools, and just generally nice
neighborhood walks.
Finally, we can only consider lower budget areas like Ashby area,
central Berkeley, or cheaper areas of north Berkeley...
Are we asking for too much? Any advice?
Pedestrian Mama
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
Well, this isn't Berkeley but I would like to make a plug for the
Richmond District in San Francisco. We're car free with a toddler
and we love it here. There are tons of toddlers and it is very
safe. The 38 Geary Limited can get you to a BART station in 20
minutes. This neighborhood has everything you are looking for
except for being in Berkeley.
bikermom
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
I recommend you concentrate on the neighborhoods around the
North Berkeley BART station and the El Cerrito Plaza BART
station. Going completely carless is relatively unusual but you
CAN definitely walk to all the basics (groceries, playgrounds)
in either location, and readily take BART or bus for longer
distance trips. These areas are less expensive than, say,
Rockridge or ''upper'' Albany, but are just as pleasant and safe,
and offer the same kind of family-friendly semi-urban density.
The Ashby area I would say is somewhat less pedestrian-friendly,
although you might find it would work okay for you. And you
could consider the Central Berkeley area just west of downtown.
I know families who live in both places and like it, but
the ''feel'' is different -- more students and non-traditional-
family households, and more economic diversity -- which has its
pros and cons
Likes Walking Too in Albany
I have a three year old and live in Berkeley close to Ashby and Telegraph. It's a great
neighborhood for living a car-free existence with a kid. While we own a car, it is
completely unnecessary that we use it. We are four blocks to Ashby BART, one block
to Whole Foods, four blocks to Bateman Park (great for toddlers), and also close to
Willard Park and the playground at LeConte Elementary School. A short walk east is
Elmwood, with a great range of restaurants, shops, cafes, and a theater and bank. I
would highly recommend the area bordered by Telegraph and Shattuck, and by
Alcatraz to a several blocks north of Ashby for a totally walkable, accessible,
toddler-in-tow life. Avoid the Alcatraz/Shattuck corner of the area I described.
Amy
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
We moved from the Mission to Albany last year -- it's not
strictly Berkeley but it's right ''next door'' and so far it's
working out great for us. My husband BARTs to work (El Cerrito
Plaza station is a couple blocks away). I don't even have a
driver's license so I walk to everything. Great schools are just
blocks away, and most everything you need is also close by --
either on Solano Ave, which is crammed with cafes, two movies
theaters, shops, restaurants, bookstores, bakeries, etc., or at
El Cerrito Plaza, a new-ish mall with a Barnes n' Noble, Trader
Joe's, Pier One, Petco, Albertsons, more restaurants, video
rentals, etc. Other nearby stuff: Starbucks and Pete's coffee,
parks, tons of afterschool programs for kids at the rec center
(everything from karate to carpentry to dance, music and more), a
nice library, and the new El Cerrito Speakeasy -- a pizza n'
movies theater opened by the same folks who own the Parkway. I'm
not sure how ''low budget'' the housing is -- we bought a major
fixer at a great price and have been noodling away on it ever
since and we know other families here who are *far* from wealthy.
It's a really swell place to be -- quiet, super friendly,
diverse. Might be worth checking out!
Pedestrian Mom
Though not as urban as Berkeley, you may want to consider Alameda
- it's a really great place to live with a toddler. I have an
almost 3 year old, and rarely drive anywhere. We walk to several
grocery stores, downtown cafes / restaurants, a great bookstore,
the library, parks, preschool, tumbling, music, etc. The
neighborhoods are quite safe, and public schools are good. The
parks & recreation department runs ''Wee Play'' two mornings a week
for the 0-3 set, and good preschools (2, 3 or 5 days / week) in
almost every park for ages 3-5. Both are very affordable. Housing
costs seem comparable to Berkeley. We can't easily walk to BART,
but my kid loves buses (including Trans-Bay), and the ferry. BART
is only a few miles away.
Good luck!
- a former Berkeley resident
You didn't mention whether you were renting or owning. For safety
though, if you wish to stay in the city there's some good places to
be found in the Russian Hill/Pacific Heights/Marina
neighborhoods. The child density depends on the
neighborhood/building. We're few blocks west of Van Ness, which
is safe but not outrageously priced and importantly, we never use
our car. We bus/BART to work in the East Bay, walk to get
groceries, there's tons of parks around, libraries, Post Offices,
anything you need. The East Bay is great too. Regardless of your
choice, I would walk around the neighborhood of the place you're
considering at various times of day, afternoon, and night before
deciding, to see how it feels for you. Different streets can feel
different, depending on high school traffic, proximity to
shelters etc., as you know, moreover different people have a
differing sense of what's safe. Good luck!
anon
It won't be as easy to live with one, or zero, cars in Berkeley
as in the Mission, but it can reasonably be done. My family of
two working adults and an elementary school child have had one
car for 10 years in Berkeley, near North Berkeley BART station.
San Francisco's transit system and widespread retail districts
allow you to live almost anywhere in San Francisco with few or no
cars. In Berkeley, you need to pick your spots more. I certainly
wouldn't want to do it in the Hills or over west of 7th St. The
areas around the 3 BART stations Ashby, Downtown Berkeley, North
Berkeley are best. Within a 1/2 mile (about 10 minutes' walk)
radius of each station there is at least one supermarket, drug
store, library, post office, park, cafes and restaurants. Some
of these facilities are a little further away from North Berkeley
BART, they're over by San Pablo & University (a junction of two
relatively frequent bus lines) about 2/3 of a mile away. The BART
stations are also all served by a number of bus lines, especially
Downtown Berkeley. Away from the BART stations, the only real
good areas for low car living in terms of stores and transit are
along University Ave. and along Shattuck Avenue.
I think moving your child(ren) around is likely to be the tough
part, especially if you have no car. I'm able to walk my daughter
to school in the morning about 1/3 of a mile but in the Berkeley
public schools children don't necessarily attend their
neighborhood school. Although we have a couple of different
arrangements for different days of the week, the most frequent is
that we pick her up by car at her after school care site in the
North Shattuck area. I have walked home with her from there, but
it's a bit of a stretch, about a mile and a quarter. Sometimes
we've been able to do this by bus, but east-west bus service for
a trip like that is much more limited than north-south bus
service, the only frequent east-west lines are on University and
Solano.
I'm not a big cyclist, but Berkeley certainly looks like a good
town for cycling in the flatlands, lots of people do it, there
are defined "Bike Boulevards" which cross the city but are away
from the major streets. One could presumably handle a lot of the
running around town for errands trips, that I tend to drive for,
on a bike.
Welcome to Berkeley - the more people here who aren't car-oriented,
the better.
October 2006
My husband, 9 month old daughter and I live in a small house in Kensington at the top of
the hill. We're looking for a larger home in the East Bay in a kid friendly
neighborhood. We long for walks in the stroller, parks, playmates for our daughter and
a lovely home. Our income (thankfully) allows for great flexibility in where we live.
What we'd like to know from parents is which neighborhoods most fit this criteria?
Where do people LOVE living with children?
Any advise about neighborhoods, things to look for as a parent and home owner would be
greatly appreciated!
Many thanks!
Leigh
Benicia may be a bit too far North for you, but it is an
amazing little treasure. The community is warm and friendly,
the schools are very good, there are many (!) beautiful parks
and the social activities in town are always wonderful. The
downtown area is pretty flat, so it is perfect for strolling
around or bicycling. We lived there for 10 years and I actually
miss it tremendously.
JOJ
Alameda! I don't think there is a more family friendly community
in the East Bay. Great victorians and craftsman homes as well as
new cookie-cutter homes available in Bayport as well. Great parks
and a beach. Need I say more?
EA
Consider the North area (Broadmoor and Estudillo Estates) of San
Leandro. Beautiful houses, lots of people pushing strollers, an
amazing community center/cafe (Zocalo Coffeehouse) and a real
sense of community. San Leandro also has one of the most amazing
children's libraries and children's programs in the Bay Area (all
thanks to our children's librarian, Ms. Penney). Check us out.
And if you want to find out how people living here, go to Zocalo
any morning and talk to other moms & dads
Marga
As I was reading your post asking for a recommendation for a
kid-friendly neighborhood in the East Bay, I could not wait to
reply!! My husband and I have a 9 month old as well and we LOVE
our neighborhood. We live in Pleasanton, which I believe is
about 40 min. away from you. I can't tell you enough good
things about it. The neighborhood is filled with families with
children, there are tons of great parks and green areas and the
schools are top notch. I love living in Pleasanton because you
have easy access to the freeway, and traffic is not a problem.
There is a beautiful downtown that is great for a Sunday walk,
cute stores and great little restaurants and cafes; it has its
own farmer's market every Saturday with lots of goodies. You
always see families with their strollers and kids. The only
thing is housing costs are higher than other areas, but since
you mentioned that thankfully your income allows for
flexibility, I really encourage you to check out the
neighborhood. http://www.ci.pleasanton.ca.us/
Feel free to email me directly for more info or if you have
questions.
maria.esther
We recently purchased our first home after living in a few
different parts of east bay over the last 3 years. I don't
claim to be an expert on east bay neighborhoods, but we live in
Alameda and I am very pleased with our decision. It has a
small town atmosphere, yet is so close to San Francisco and
Oakland/Berkeley geographically. We live within walking
distance of Park street and there are many lovely shops and
restaurants there. I have greatly enjoyed strolling around our
neighborhood and looking at the great variety of architecture
(many victorians, craftsmans...) and overall the island has a
nice ambiance. There seem to be a lot of children around, the
parks are nice, schools are very good, and I just can't say
enough about how nice it is to call Alameda home. Good luck
with your search.
happy homeowner
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
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
HI,
I would like to recommend Alameda for kid friendly
neighborhoods. I live in the East end of the island and in my
2 block radius, we have 11 three years! This is great since I
myself have 3 year old twins. The sidewalks are flat so
walking and riding bikes with the kids is easy. Downtown
Alameda is about 3/4 mile away so morning walks to breakfaast
or Starbucks or Petes has become our Sat. ritual. It is also a
very friendly family neighborhood, we have block parties twice
a year where we block the streets and get jumpy houses for the
kids and barbque all day. If you live in Kensington, you'll
think alameda is very affordable! I'd be happy to give you
more info on specific neighborhoods that are kid friendly
karie
Alameda! We just moved to the Gold Coast neighborhood and
absolutely love it. The neighborhood elementary (Franklin
School) is excellent, and we are walking distance from several
parks, including Crown State Beach and Crab Cove and two
wonderful playgrounds.
Since Alameda is very flat, it couldn't be more stroller
friendly. The city parks and rec department has lots of
activities for kids and families, including a program offering
free swim lessons for all kindergarteners.
Park Street has lots of fun shops, good food and coffee, much
like Solano or College Avenues.
The housing stock in the Gold Coast neighborhood is older, with
lots of turn of the century Victorians. In our house-shopping,
we found that homes in this neighborhood were pretty well-
maintained, and the prices weren't completely insane (at least
by bay-area standards).
For shopping, there's a Trader Joes and new Safeway in the
Alameda Towne Center. Target is also interested in building a
new store there, but they're getting a lot of opposition. Near
the Park Street bridge, The Marketplace is like a mini Rockridge
Market Hall.
Happy Alameda Mom
We love our neighborhood, Redwood Heights in the Oakland
foothills. It's crawling with kids; has a real community feel;
lovely '20s- through '50s-era homes; a great neighborhood
elementary school (Redwood Heights Elementary); a well-used Rec
Center with lots of interesting kid and adult programs; a
wonderful park and playground; friendly, involved residents;
well-tended gardens; mostly flat streets with sidewalks for bike
riding and scootering; etc.
(In fact, when we outgrew our small starter house last year, we
purchased a larger house just a few blocks away so that we could
stay in the neighborhood, where our kids have lots of friends and
where we really feel like a part of the community.)
Demographically, it's somewhat ethnically diverse, with mostly
middle- and upper-middle class residents (it's definitely been
skewing more upper-middle class as home prices have tripled in
the last 8 years or so; most houses now sell in the high $600K to
low $800K range). Among the newer residents with kids (who are
quickly replacing older residents who moved in decades ago and
stayed), I'd say that most are white-collar professionals, with
scientists, medical professionals, and educators making up pretty
significant subgroups, plus a smattering of writers and artists.
A lot of people here are Cal alumni.
There's an active neighborhood organization with a softball team,
a baby-todder mom's group, block emergency captains, etc., and a
really involved community at the elementary school as well.
This being Oakland, it's fairly progressive politically and
socially. There are lots of two-mom families, a fair number of
MoveOn members and Green-party voters, etc. There is the
occasional property crime (car break-ins and home burglaries
every once in awhile) -- as there is everywhere -- but all in all
the neighborhood is extremely safe. It's just a comfortable,
open, and welcoming place to live -- maybe a bit suburban in feel
but also close to all the urban stuff that Oakland, Berkeley, and
San Francisco (you can be in downtown SF in 20 minutes, barring
rush hours) have to offer.
Anyway, come on over and check it out!
Leah
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 2003
In a year or so my husband will be taking a job in San
Fancisco. We presently live in Hawaii where I am from. We are
looking in the East Bay area for a place to live. We have
three kids- 3 year old twin boys and a 4 month old baby boy. I
know very little about the area and am very nervous about this
move because this is a decision we are making for our whole!
family. I have been trying to research areas from Berkeley all
the way to Walnut Creek.
Here is a summary of my ''dream'' place: I would love to find an
area that is progressive with natural living/organic living
resources. An active community would be nice. I am looking
for a place with easy access to outdoor activities such as
hiking, biking, running, parks, playgrounds and open space to
run loose. I want a place that is kid friendly and close to
good schools- public and/or private. Other places (ie:
children's museums etc... are a plus too). My husband will be
commuting to San Francisco so it needs to be within a
reasonable distance to the city (I hear BART is very easy). I
realize that the cost of living is outrageous- even compared to
Hawaii, so I am prepared for that, but are some areas more
expensive than others? I guess that covers the aspects that I
consider most important. I have seen the other postings on the
website but I was hoping for more information about some of the
specific qualities that I mentioned. Any input would be very
appreciated!
Thank you
Courtney
If you are looking for a great East Bay neighborhood, I would
pick our neighborhood -- Upper Rockridge between Broadway
Terrace and Moraga Avenue. This is a very diverse neighborhood
and is close to everything (nature and modern conveniences).
It also has a terrific K-8 public elementary school,
Hillcrest. (You may need to send your kids to private high
school though.) We really love it here -- there are tons of
kids on our street that are the same age as yours (my twins and
baby are separated by the same time as yours are but are about
a year older). As far as commuting to the city, my husband
takes the bus from about a block away. It is an express bus
and he is at his desk 35 minutes after walking out the door.
Of course, BART is always an option but the bus is generally
faster for him given the location of his office. The commute
is a huge benefit to being here. Also, the weather is not
nearly as hot as the cities further east.
Shannon
you are describing berkeley and oakland. consider these
neighborhoods: rockridge (upper and lower), montclair, crocker
highlands, berkeley hills, elmwood, and north berkeley.
a happy oakland resident
Hi Courtney,
We've been really happy in Albany, and it has all the things
you're looking for:
1) A small-town atmosphere with lots of families, walkable
neighborhoods and easy access to natural groceries &
pharmacies.
2) Several nice local parks, quick access to large parks like
Tilden, easy access to a bayside beach and a quick hop
across the bay to Marin County and Point Reyes
3) A great school system with motivated kids, good teachers
and lots of parent involvement
4) Walking (or easy biking) access to BART
Yes, it's expensive. And the school budgets are getting
slashed, just like most in California. But it works pretty well
for us. Good luck!
Jeff
Hi.
Since you are from Hawaii, you should be aware that the Berkeley
area, basically from North Oakland to north berkeley/albany/so.
el cerrito gets A LOT of fog in the summer. I live in No.
Berkeley. Our nicest time of year is the spring. Lots of blue
sky. From June through August there is a lot of fog. Some
times it's just in the morning, some times it lasts all day.
Because this area is located directly across from the ''open''
area spanned by the Golden gate bridge, the coastal fog rolls
through, across the bay in a tube, and sits nestled in the
Berkeley hills. I love sun and still love this area despite
this, but it CAN be a drag on summer days that are warm
everywhere but here. The good thing is that even when we have
hot days, eventually the fog rolls in and cools things off just
aorund the time you are tired of the heat.
For summer hot weather, you'd need to live ''through the tunnel''
in Orinda, Concord, Walnut Creak, Pleasonton area.
For this side of the tunnel, the best public schools are found
in Piedmont. You trade good schools (v. Berkeley) for a fairly
conservative population.
Berkeley has tons of diversity, poor/mediocre public schools,
great access to the outdoors (literally out your door, if you
live high in the hills, adjacent to Tilden Park), tons of arts
and restuarants...in fact, Berkeley is all about food, whether
its the abundance of fresh everything at the markets or tons of
choices for excellent dining out. Lots of theaters, movies, art
shows, music. This is why we live here.
There is good access to Rockridge Bart station in North
Oakland/Rockridge area, or at North Berkeley Bart, central
Berkeley BART or even El Cerrito Bart.
Berkeley distinguishes itself from other areas nearbye in that
most of the houses are old and have a lot of architectural
charm, and the neighborhoods have lots of trees.
There are tons of excellent private schools to choose from.
Let me know if you have any specific questions.
Dana
Alameda is a wonderful place to live! flat, so biking/stroller
stuff is easy. easy bus ride to the city, 35-40 min. schools
pretty good i think (we homeschool). lots of scouts, soccer,
little league, churches, etc. trader joe's and a new
marketplace (organic stuff, fish, bakery, niman ranch meat) in
town. quick to get just about anywhere in the bay area from
here. good luck!
peggy
Hi Courtney.
I currently live in Oakland, but if I had my choice (maybe in a
couple of years) I would live in Orinda. It is exactly what you
described in your message, and it is west of Walnut creek.
Orinda also has a BART station so commuting to SF is a breeze.
Actually, most towns around Walnut Creek are pretty nice, but I
have heard that Walnut Creek schools are not as nice as they used
to be. You could look at Lafayette and Pleasant Hill, both
between Orinda and Walnut Creek. Other towns out that direction
will just put you even farther from SF. Best advice though is
come take a look, and maybe rent for a year before putting down
roots. The real estate prices will really make you gasp.
Also, be sure to find directions and drive by Orinda Public
Library. It is huge and new, beautifully set next to new
community center and very large playground/public tennis courts.
I have three kids (3yr, 6yr, 11 yr.) and we will go spend 3
hours or so doing various activities around the library & playground.
Good Luck!
Tiffany
You didn't mention whether you would be buying or renting a home
when you arrive, but either way you can get a good sense of the
cost of housing in the various East Bay cities by going to
www.realtyadvocates.com. Just click on Home Search (East Bay),
then select the different cities you are looking at, and conduct
a search with broad parameters (2+ bedrooms, 200,000-800,000
dollars...). This will give you a pretty good sense of how much
most homes are going for in that area.
Most of your desires can be met in most of the communities in
the Berkeley-Oakland area. As far as schools go, some districts
are better than others, but California's budget is in a shambles
and our schools are taking the brunt of the blow. All the
districts, even the ''good'' ones, are scrambling to maintain
decent class size and enrichment programs in the coming years.
Good luck to you,
ehens
I took an interest in your request b/c I too am from Hawaii
(Honolulu), and I understand what your leaving behind to move to
the Bay Area.
My husband also commutes to the city on BART and we've lived in
different East Bay neighborhoods over the past 10+ years. I've
found the following to be really nice, kid friendly, good parks,
easy commute to city etc.: Piedmont, Rockridge(Oakland), Elmwood
(Berkeley), West Brae neighborhood near the N Berkeley BART
station/Monteray Mkt all to be great. Living on the
Berkeley/Oakland side of the East Bay puts you within easy
access of great restaurants, food shopping at farmer's markets,
Berkeley Bowl/Monteray Mkt, museums both in the East Bay and the
City and close to the neighborhood parks and regional parks
(Tilden).
I've also heard that living in Lafayette, Orinda and Moraga can
be very nice too! So many choices, good luck!
Maya
We live in and really like Castro Valley. It's family friendly,
there are community groups, I hear (my child is only 2 1/2) that
the schools are good, it's small-ish but with all the
essentials, well situated for either a BART or car commute to
SF, also well situated for access to other cities such as
Hayward/Union City, Oakland and Dublin/Pleasanton (I work in
Oakland and my husband works in Dublin). Lake Chabot, which has
hiking, biking, horseback riding, picnicing and fishing, is just
minutes from downtown. Feel free to e-mail me if you have any
questions I might be able to answer. We're also relocating this
coming June, but it has nothing to do with Castro Valley!
Jennifer
I have been looking into buying a house in the east bay (mainly
oakland). And unless you are willing to pay exta ordinarily
expensive prices for your home I would NOT look in piedmont,
rockridge (oakland), and most places through the tunnell
(orinda, lafayette). Although I'm sure these are great places
to live they come with great big price tags, and are somewhat
exclusive.
Although berkeley is a great place to live, my only complaint
is that many parts of it are a pain to get out of, because
there is only one freeway 80, and it is often congested. (also
the property taxes are more than oakland). But still there are
MANY nice neighborhoods in berkeley, & some good schools, and
lots of parks/family oriented stuff. But I do not know berkeley
as well as oakland.
Some neighborhoods in oakland that have good schools, and nice
family neighborhoods are: oakmore, montclair, trestle glen, &
crocker highlands, to name a few.
If you are interested in getting a general idea of the
price/location of homes check out
www.Realtor.com
Oakland school district finder
http://mapstacker.ousd.k12.ca.us
For school ratings (bear in mind that it is always best to get
opinions of parents/and even better teachers on how a school
is, also this does not list the correct school districts in
oakland, that is why you have to use the other school finder)
www.greatschools.net
some general info on oakland
http://www.oaklandlibrary.org/RemoteRefFiles/form/current_info_bayarea.html
Also besides this site (impressive you found it!)For local
jobs, etc.
www.craigslist.org
Also, Alameda has really started to grow on me. It is has a
small town feel, but is close to oakland/berkeley, and not to
hard to get to san francisco. I love the old victorians (it is
also slightly less expensive than oakland & berkeley). Also
though coming from hawaii it will surley be a huge
dissapointment, there is a beach there (with a nice view of
S.F.- Hey you can't get that in Hawaii). But some of it is land
fill, and Bay farm (part of alameda) which has great schools I
believe is all Landfill, and it has a gated community feel
which I personally do not like (and it's farther out).
Hope this helps, the bay area is a great place to live, it's
just everyone seems to want to live here, so housing is out of
control, and so is traffic during commute hours. But once you
adjust to the few negatives you will fall in love with the
diversity,& open mindedness of the residents, and the beauty of
the surrounding reginal parks.
signed: an oakland resident for 13 years
I was just reading the last set of recommendations and was taken
aback by the description of Berkeley for the family from Hawaii
seeking a nice neighborhood in the East Bay. ''Berkeley has tons
of diversity, poor/mediocre public schools..'' There it is,
casually tossed out as if a given, ''poor/mediocre public
schools.'' Excuse me? Says who? I have had four children in the
Berkeley Public Schools. Currently my oldest is teaching at
Berkeley High School and my youngest is a sophomore there. My
children attended Cragmont, Columbus (now Rosa Parks), Franklin,
King and the high school. They had wonderful teachers. They
learned to read and write, to help others and enjoy life. They
went on field trips to Chinatown, Alcatraz, Ano Nuevo, Pt.
Reyes, and Monterey. They had chicks in the classroom, visits
from the Bat lady, music lessons in the fourth grade. They
worked on the Award-Winning Berkeley High Jacket, played
lacrosse, field hockey, water polo. They took AP Chemistry, AP
Biology, French, Latin, and Calculus BC (not offered at many
schools.) The three that graduated went on to Ivy League
schools. But the best part is they made wonderful friends--kids
who were resilient, caring, and thoughtful. And I have been
lucky enough to make friends with their parents--people who work
hard at supporting public education in their community.
It is NOT a given that the Berkeley schools are either poor or
mediocre.
Janet
I second the recommendation that Castro Valley is a nice place
to live. I've lived in the Bay Area all my life, and as an
adult bought my 1st and 2nd house in Castro Valley. CV is a
smaller community and has a small town feel which is something I
like. I understand public schools here are excellent. (Our CV
renter tells us the CV public schools aren't affected by the
budget cuts as much as other schools because CV is considered a
Distinguished school. Someone correct me if this is wrong).
Also, I've been told there is afterschool daycare/activities at
the CV schools. There is a BART station in CV, and also close
by in San Leandro where parking isn't a problem until about 9am
(?). There are many hiking + bike trails and parks, such as at
Lake Chabot. Horse stables are nearby too, and campsites at Lake
Chabot. CV is centrally located to the freeways. If you are
considering buying a house, you get more for your money in CV
than say Albany or Berkeley. Same with renting. Feel free to
email me if you have questions. hana
Feb 2003
We are going to move soon and would love to find housing in a
neighborhood that has other small children and is community-
oriented. We would comsider cohousing but we can't afford that
right now as we are renters. The next best thing would be to
live in a neighborhood where people know each other and there
are other small children. These days it seems that most
neighborhoods are somewhat anonymous, but I have heard that
there are some special ones out there that have a communal
atmostphere. I haven't lived in one myself, though.
We could go almost anywhere in the East Bay, if we found the
right place (we live in Oakland right now and my husband works
in Concord). If you know of or live in such a neighborhood,
could you drop me a line or post a response to let me know about
it? You don't have to know of any rentals available there. I am
just wanting to find out where such neighborhoods might be in
order to guide our search for housing and to give me hope for
the future. (When I say neighborhood, by the way, I mean a small
area within a town. Towns can vary a lot depending on what block
you live on, in my experience.)
Thanks!
We have been living in the Glenview area of Oakland for 3 years
now and really love it. There are lots of small children around
us for our 3-year old daughter to play with, and for the first
time in my life, I can say that I know and am friendly with all
my immediate neighbors. There is a very strong sense of
community in Glenview.
Within walking distance, we have a great park(Dimond) with
activities for kids and a pool, as well as a small commerce area
(Park Blvd.) which has a neighborhood market, a cafe, and couple
of restaurants. I sometimes see rentals available in the
neighborhood. For more info on the area, you can check out the
Glenview Neighborhood's Association website at
http://www.glenviewneighborhood.org
Angelica
You can't beat Albany for what you're looking for -- the good
schools mean there are a lot of families with kids here. Our
neighborhood (the area behind the Mallard bar) is full of kids.
On our block there are 11 kids on our side of the street, and 6
on the other. Granted there are neighbors I've never met, but
those with kids all know each other, our kids play together,
when someone needs a hand we take care of each others kids, and
when I'm short an egg when baking a cake I can always run over
to my neighbor. When we were interested in buying our house we
talked to the neighbors and asked about the ages of kids in the
neighborhood, and we drove by at different times of day and saw
all the kids in the area. Good luck in your search.
anon
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
Hi. In response to your message about finding a friendly
neighborhood with children - we live near Poinsette Park, off
Barnett in El Cerrito. Our block on Mono Ave. in particular is
very close knit - most of the neighbors know each other and we
have holiday parties (Halloween, Christmas, and progressive
dinner parties). It's a true gift. I've never lived anywhere
like it, and it easily is one of the best things about our home
(which we love). There are several families with small children
on our block, and I see lots of children when I drive through
the neighborhood, and when we go to Poinsett Park (on Poinsette
St. or Dr. - up the hill from Home Depot and the San Pablo
Safeway). Hope you find something comparable. Best wishes.
debora
We recently moved to Alameda, because we wanted to be in a
neighborhood that's good for raising children. In our
neighborhood at the East End of Alameda, there are lots and lots
of children, friendly families who all know one another, quiet
pretty streets with kids playing on the sidewalks, lots of kid
activities and parks, relatively less crime than most other
parts of the bay area, good public schools, several nearby at-
home daycare places that are less expensive than those in
Berkeley or Oakland, good preschools nearby. It's a nice place
to be raising our children, and is very convenient to many other
parts of the Bay Area (10-20 minutes to many parts of Oakland or
Berkeley; not too bad a commute to San Francisco or other places
east or south of here). There are lots of rentals as well as
owner-occupied houses, and when I was looking for a house I
found prices for both to be somewhat less than in Berkeley,
Albany, or Oakland. I think most of Alameda is very family
oriented. It feels like a small town hidden in the Bay Area.
Alexandra
My sister lives in the Glenview area of Oakland and her street
(Randolph Ave) is very neighborhoody - in fact, I take my son
over there almost every weekend as he has so much fun with all
the kids playing outside. I have noticed this on some other
blocks in the area, so you might want to check it out.
anon
Jan 2003
We are looking to move to a family friendly, safe and especially
multiracial neighborhood somewhere between Alameda and San
Leandro. Can anyone recommend such an area? Thanks a lot.
a mom
We live in the Redwood Heights area of Oakland (technically, we're
actually Leona Heights). We have a really diverse neighborhood --
not only multiracial but queer-friendly too. Lots of families and
kids and a good elementary school. For me, our neighborhood
represents the best Oakland has to offer: diversity, good weather,
and a family-friendly feeling.
You didn't say whether you were looking to rent or buy, but I
think there are a few rentals in our neighborhood, although most
houses are owner-occupied.
Ilana
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