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Which Bay Area Neighborhood to Live In?

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > Housing, Neighborhoods, & Moving > Which Bay Area Neighborhood to Live In?



Safe, family--oriented neighborhood?

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

Neighborhoods for car-free life with a toddler?

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.


Kid friendly neighborhoods in the East Bay

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


East Bay neighborhood that's commutable, progressive & kid-friendly

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

Seeking a friendly neighborhood w/kids

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

Looking for family-friendly multi-racial neighborhood

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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