Moving from SF to the East Bay
Parent Q&A
Archived Q&A and Reviews
Moving to the East Bay from SF - where to live?
April 2012
I need to relocate from my current home in SF's mission district to someplace w/ more affordable homes (I would likely be renting, not buying) - presumably in the east bay, but not necessarily. I have a five year old son, a dog, and no car (could buy one, but prefer to not). My son is gets severely motion sick, so short easy commutes to school etc are necessary. I can't afford private school, so would want to live someplace w/ excellent public schools. I am a single mom, so a neighborhood with a good sense of community (and charm/character) is also highly desirable. Any suggestions would be so much appreciated - I am feeling completely overwhelmed by this move right now, and how to best give my little family what we all need & want! concerned mama
I highly recommend that you check out Lafayette . I am also a single mom with one child...it is lovely here...the public schools are excellent, there are apartments/rentals within walking distance of the school and downtown area which includes a Trader Joe's, Safeway, cafes, restaurants, parks, playgrounds, community activities, and the Lafayette Reservoir...BART is also centrally located in the downtown area. Good luck! fellow single mom
If commute issues are equal, I would go with Pleasanton (or San Ramon). As far as I know, the Tri-Valley area has little or no graffiti and no gang activity. In addition, they have top notch schools because the average income of the community is higher and families are highly encouraged to give $'s when registering for school each year which goes to support the schools (as well as fundraisers throughout the year). I grew up in Pleasanton many years ago and would move back to the area if my husband didn't work on the Pennisula. I would consider San Ramon as they also have top notch schools and you can get more house/yard for the money. anon
I highly recommend Lafayette . It has great public schools, a cute little downtown area with BART right there, lots of restaurants and some little shops, a Safeway, Whole Foods, Trader Joes AND another specialty market with stellar service (Diablo Foods), Plenty of very nice people (many of them are 'rich' and many of them are not, including me). The community is very welcoming, there's a new library, and a community center with lots of classes for preschoolers through senior adults (they share this with Moraga). Plus the weather is great. Not alot of fog, very hot in summer. love lafayette
Check out San Leandro ! My husband and I searched high and low for an affordable place to live that had a good commute to Berkeley and for a town that felt like home. We tried many different cities (Walnut Creek, Crockett, Pinole, Oakland, Albany, Alameda, etc) and what we were looking for was this: beautiful neighborhoods, a safe town, historical homes (pre 1950's), and an affordable cost of living. San Leandro fit all of our criteria so well. Great homes at really affordable prices, a quick and easy commute (our home is just 15 miles from my husband's work in Berkeley, 9 miles from my job in Oakland, and we both have 2 freeways we can use that rarely ever have a back up). We are so happy we just bought a house in San Leandro. It's sunny and warm enough to grow tomatoes in our garden, and people are laid back and friendly. We are especially looking forward to friendly neighbors. The town has a beautiful marina with a great jogging track along the bay with exercise stations and a huge park with great playgrounds. We've found a favorite cafe with excellent food, and downtown is a nice walk from our new home. We are excited to be learning more about our town and participating and contributing to our wonderful new community. Check out this often overlooked but wonderful little town. K M
You may want to try Alameda . From my home I can walk/bike to Trader Joe's, Safeway, multiple parks, and our great school (we live near Otis Elementary but there are many other fantastic schools.) If you don't have a car I would suggest living walking distance to Park Street which is the main commercial area, complete with fantastic movie theater, great bookstores, etc. Alameda is cheaper compared to nearby walkable cities. People have this idea that ALameda is so much father from SF compared to neighboring cities but that really just depends on where you live in Oakland/Berkeley. It takes us less time to get to SF now that we live in Alameda. I usually only end up driving once, if that, a day. Rockridge in Oakland is also doable w/out a car if you can find a place walking distance to Rockridge Bart. Good luck. Alameda Neighbor
Try Alameda ! We moved to Alameda for the great schools and active parent communities. There are a bunch of small elementary schools within each neighborhood so you can walk to school. It was a big factor in moving out here. We have been renting our house since late 2008. Most of the elementary schools are pretty good, even if some have lower test scores, parents who have their children there love their schools and are happy with the level of instruction. My kids went to the parks and rec preschool before attending Kindergarten and are now having a great school experience. Neighborhood schools means all the kids they know are within (mostly) walking distance. It's a lovely island city, flat for easy biking, the beach is great and I can't recommend it enough. Many families here have moved from San Francisco. The rents are a bit cheaper than Berkeley, a bit more than some areas of Oakland, but way lower than SF. Check out the AUSD website for a map of school zones, look into those before and than hone your search to school zones you would like to attend. There's also an alameda parents network on yahoo if you want more insight. It's not without it's issues (local politics, the newbies vs. the 3, 4 generationers), but I really really love it here. Alameda Lover
Welcome to the neighborhood! Trestle Glen/Lakeshore is one of the nicest areas of Oakland. It's wonderfully walkable. However, it is also close to the freeway and Lake Merritt and crimes do exist. Do Not Leave ANYTHING in the car. I mean, not even the kid's water bottle or a bag of goldfish. Make sure you lock your cars when you park on your driveway. I walk to Lakeshore and Grand with my kids and go to the library, the farmer's market, all of the wonderful shops, but I am aware of my surroundings. I carry a small fanny pack tucked tight and if I see a potentially unstable person, I cross the street to the other side with my kid. We haven't directly encountered any serious or violent crimes or even property crimes for the past 8 years of living in this neighborhood but we know neighbors whose garages have been broken into and bikes stolen, etc.
There are many kid-friendly activities. Oakland YMCA isn't far away where you can take swim lessons. Many parks nearby. Frog Park in Rockridge is pretty close and a favorite among toddlers. Being close to Piedmont, all of the parks in Piedmont are beautiful and safe. It's also a short drive to Monclaire Village and Redwood Regional Parks. East Bay Dance Center in Glenview is lovely for kids' dance class and it's very very close to Trestle Glen. Our kid took dance class at EBDC from toddler age through elementary school. Once your kid is a bit older (age 4), you can also check out the choir programs at Pacific Boychoir Academy (they have both girl and boy programs). It's also in Glenview.
1 My in-laws have lived in that neighborhood for 50+ years. They've had their house broken into 3 times. The first time they lost most of their jewelry. They stopped leaving anything in their garage except their garbage cans and unlocked car because anything else like bikes, would be stolen. My MIL was mugged a few years ago getting cash at the Wells Fargo ATM during the day. Just last week I was driving down Lakeshore and another car hit my car then sped off. The TJs has a permanent parking spot for the police. Earlier this year 15 people were shot at a Juneteenth celebration by the North end of Lake Merrit, which is on the other side of the highway from Lakeshore. So in other words, Trestle Glen is one of the safer neighborhoods in Oakland. Seriously, most of the gun deaths are on the downhill side from hwy 580 so mostly you'll get property and petty crimes.
2. There's a Gymboree near the corner of Lakeshore and Mandana. There's a cute park on Lakeshore between Mandana and Santa Ray with a playground for toddler/little kids. The closest pools are the Piedmont Pool (opening in a few months?) and Lions Pool. I've met a few parents of infants who like AquaTech in Alameda because it's a warm indoor pool. I think the Oakland YMCA has lessons but don't know anyone who has taken their kids there. The closest library is Lakeview branch, I've never taken my kids there for toddler play or story time but I have taken them to the Piedmont Branch and Montclair Branch. It was sorta hit and miss. I actually used to meet a friend at the Sausaulito library for story time with our toddlers and came to realize that the story teller totally makes the experience.
3. One of my kids went to a forest school in Joaquin Miller park but I think they aren't around any more. I'm sure there are others but doubtful that they have a classroom. I don't think most forest schools are licensed which is why BPN doesn't allow reviews. We also sent one kid to Sequoia Nursery School. It's a coop that has a large building set in an expansive outdoor space. Not a forest school but lots of outdoor space, far more than most other pre-schools in the area. It's a play based program so not sure if it fits your request for conventional learning. Highly recommended if a co-op works for you.
4. Got nothing for you.
Good luck!