Riverside, CA

[GRADcity]

Do a lot of graduate students typically live on campus? Are the places nicer than off campus? 

[lizardclan]

For on-campus apartments, check out housing.ucr.edu.

 

You can take a "virtual 360 degree tour" of each apartment.

[GRADcity]

What about off campus? Where are some good spots for graduate students (quite, no undergrads..)?

[sociologygrad]

Same here. I am looking for any advice regarding the housing situation in the area. Off-campus, graduate student friendly area (no or few undergrads), walking distance, nearby restaurants, cafes, etc., and of course, a good price. I know that I am not going to get everything on my wish list, but  I would love to hear if anyone has any suggestions. Or if someone is looking for a roommate. 

[BerenErchamion]

Hi, I plan to attend Riverside starting Fall 2015.  I am physically disabled, I was planning to get my own room in an apartment in Bannockburn Village.  From Bannockburn, it's a 0.5 mile walk (with a cane) to my department's building (Computer Science & Engineering).  I do not own a car.

 

Anyone have an opinion on Bannockburn Village?

 

Thanks!

-James

 

I would advise against counting on getting an on-campus housing offer.  There are very few available.

 

There may be a way for your situation to give you priority; it wouldn't shock me because UC's often pretty progressive about these things, but I can't say for sure.  Might be worth checking into.

[kjc]

Holy crap! I've been looking into apartments as I might be coming to UCR this fall. I can't find a single 1 bed apartment under $900 that doesn't look sketchy AF! I will be moving from Washington state so no one that I know that I could share a room with. 

[Sarochan]

When I talked to various current grad students at UCR, they said that there is a website or page where people put up listings (looking for roommates/housemates). Unfortunately, I'm not sure exactly where the site is, but something like that could be useful, potentially.

[kjc]

When I talked to various current grad students at UCR, they said that there is a website or page where people put up listings (looking for roommates/housemates). Unfortunately, I'm not sure exactly where the site is, but something like that could be useful, potentially.

 

That would be useful, I will ask about it at the visit this week! Are you going to be at grad-fest Sarochan? 

Edited March 10, 2015 by kjc

[kjc]

Also, does anyone have any details on the "Chancellor's Distinguished Fellowship?" It doesn't say if there are any duties attached to it, and I can't get anyone on the phone for longer than two seconds about it! 

[Sarochan]

I won't be, as I visited UCR in late February. I guess that was when they had GGB prospectives come in. I hope you enjoy your visit and can get more information regarding housing! I really wish that I could remember where they said to find that page.

[kjc]

I won't be, as I visited UCR in late February. I guess that was when they had GGB prospectives come in. I hope you enjoy your visit and can get more information regarding housing! I really wish that I could remember where they said to find that page.

 

 

If I find out any useful news I will post it on here! Hopefully this will be an informative visit. 

[BerenErchamion]

Also, does anyone have any details on the "Chancellor's Distinguished Fellowship?" It doesn't say if there are any duties attached to it, and I can't get anyone on the phone for longer than two seconds about it! 

There aren't.  It leaves you free to just do your work in your first year without having to worry about teaching responsibilities.

 

The housing listings website being discussed is http://housing.ucr.edu/help-desk/offcampus-housing.aspx

[Sarochan]

Thank you very much, BerenErchamion!

[kjc]

There aren't.  It leaves you free to just do your work in your first year without having to worry about teaching responsibilities.

 

The housing listings website being discussed is http://housing.ucr.edu/help-desk/offcampus-housing.aspx

 

Thank you BerenErchamion! Any advice on areas to avoid/prefer for housing? 

[sounds_of_lichen]

I'm also going to piggyback on this thread. I accepted the offer to UCR for Plant Biology. It looks like I found a sublet for the Summer, but will be looking for new housing in the fall, and would much rather live near to campus rather than on it. 

[kjc]

I'm also going to piggyback on this thread. I accepted the offer to UCR for Plant Biology. It looks like I found a sublet for the Summer, but will be looking for new housing in the fall, and would much rather live near to campus rather than on it. 

 

 

If you are looking for a roommate I accepted an offer to UCR's bio department! 

[sounds_of_lichen]

Well I have arrived at UCR and started some summer research early in the Botany dept. 

Luckily I have a sublet set up through September. But I thought I would through this out here and see if anyone is interested in going in on finding a place for the fall.

There seems to be a good amount of nice places around the campus (houses w/ garages and yards). The average cost is between 500-700 per room for places larger than 1 bedroom. 

So if any cool folks are looking for a place to settle into, let me know. 

 

Cheers. 

[mobilehobo]

I've been here for about a month and wanted to share a general impression.

 

First off, around campus, one bedrooms all run around 900 or more a month. When looking at two+ bedrooms, it will be around 500 to 700 / room as stated above. The apartments around the campus do roommate matching for free if you don't have anyone in mind. If you are really worried about money, most apartments around here allow you to rent "by the bed" (so, two people per room). That lowers it to around 300 a month.The apartments around here do have a lot of undergrads during the year, my roommate tells me it can get a little loud around our apartment.

 

I live in the area north of campus. Most students I talked too during the visit called it "sketchy". I can see where they get that from, but it feels safe for me. You see some "sketchy" people around, it's mostly people who ride the bus to this area to search through the garbage bins for discarded goodies. However, there are pockets around (2 miles north of campus, riding to downtown) that make me feel uncomfortable. Buddy system is always a good idea anywhere.

 

There is a grocery store, K mart, and a starbucks within a 10 minute walk from my apartment along with other restaurants and things. Campus is about a mile. University Village is less than a mile. With a bike, downtown and many other areas become assessable. There is a mountain with trails less than a mile from campus, and more trails downtown. Riverside is fairly bike friendly, the mayor even hosts a monthly bike ride for the public with him. You can easily live without a car, it just kind of sucks since the public transportation isn't great, so you're pretty much stuck around campus unless you have friends who will drive you around. A lot of things are "an hour away" from riverside (disney world, LA, beaches, skiing, breweries and wineries, etc), so a car helps with that.

 

The nicer area is south of campus. It's mostly houses. I'm not entirely sure, but I believe the rates would be similar to sharing an apartment. I would probably recommend this area first if you could work it out. I feel like it would be quieter and safer. There is a facebook group for UCR students looking for housing. It is better than the inland empire craigslist, and the UCR website I'd say.

 

I definitely recommend living within walking/biking distance, especially at first, since parking is expensive like any other university. To me, it's worth it not to deal with traffic and gas prices (which are about $4/gal right now). If you register a bike on campus, they either give you 4 or 5 free anytime parking passes per month, or an unlimited after 4 PM/evening pass for each month for your car plus a free U lock for your bike.

 

Family housing: Very close to campus and cheap cheap cheap (750 for a whole 2 bedroom vs 1300). It's waitlisted, I've heard up to a year. They look pretty run down from the outside. They are those movable houses without foundations, like, one step above a mobile home. They used to be military barracks. You must supply the air conditioner, and other appliances I think. Campus WiFi reaches. I don't remember what I was told about utilities here. Pets are OK, and you get a yard. To quality, you have to have dependents/kids or a partner with whom you've had a joint bank account with for a year. I've heard some exchange students from China will get the houses, leave their spouse behind, then rent the extra room and living room to other international students. It's very independent living compared to dorms. The houses are on a plot of land somewhat off campus, on their own.

 

 

I have been here a month now and haven't seen any polution/haze. The views are beautiful and clear.

 

I see why people say there isn't anything to do in Riverside, but coming from a slightly smaller city I feel I have plenty to do. Pretty much any type of food you'd like to eat is within 30 minutes with plenty of options. The bar scene is pretty baren in the summer, though. There's movie theaters, bowling alleys, arcades, karaoke. I mostly hike and bike and that keeps me busy. If you homebrew, one of the biggest supply stores in the nation is just down the street from campus.

 

Feel free to contact me with questions in the future.

[rhombusbombus]

just gonna go ahead and bump this up

[onceinalifetime]

I got an acceptance to UCR this week. There's a decent chance I may end up going there too, so I'm trying to roughly plan how to situate myself. I'll be coming with my girlfriend and definitely not living on campus. She'll need to be commuting into LA every day for work and I'll be going to Riverside. Is this doable if we live somewhere between the two areas, like Pomona or something? I don't know shit about southern CA. I'm just basing this idea off what I see on Google maps...

What area would you recommend to a couple where one person is commuting to Riverside and the other to LA? Can anyone estimate a best- and worst-case scenario travel time?

[HopefulPHD14]

On 1/11/2016 at 9:52 PM, onceinalifetime said:

I got an acceptance to UCR this week. There's a decent chance I may end up going there too, so I'm trying to roughly plan how to situate myself. I'll be coming with my girlfriend and definitely not living on campus. She'll need to be commuting into LA every day for work and I'll be going to Riverside. Is this doable if we live somewhere between the two areas, like Pomona or something? I don't know shit about southern CA. I'm just basing this idea off what I see on Google maps...

What area would you recommend to a couple where one person is commuting to Riverside and the other to LA? Can anyone estimate a best- and worst-case scenario travel time?

LA is a huge area! Where in LA where she be commuting to?

Depending on where you live and where she works, she could potentially have a 2+ hour commute each way every day.  Because of that, you may want to head farther west.  There will be much less traffic heading to UCR from the LA area than the other way around. 

I also may end up at UCR and received my acceptance last week.  I have some family in the Chino Hills area and I know that its a decently nice area and a reasonable commute (<1 hour).  You might want to look around there.  I know that I may potentially end up there just because living with family could be cheaper.  It also locates you near the 60, which although plagued with traffic, is a straight shot into the heart of LA. 

Best of luck though!

[onceinalifetime]

On 1/12/2016 at 1:41 PM, HopefulPHD14 said:

LA is a huge area! Where in LA where she be commuting to?

Depending on where you live and where she works, she could potentially have a 2+ hour commute each way every day.  Because of that, you may want to head farther west.  There will be much less traffic heading to UCR from the LA area than the other way around. 

I also may end up at UCR and received my acceptance last week.  I have some family in the Chino Hills area and I know that its a decently nice area and a reasonable commute (<1 hour).  You might want to look around there.  I know that I may potentially end up there just because living with family could be cheaper.  It also locates you near the 60, which although plagued with traffic, is a straight shot into the heart of LA. 

Best of luck though!

Yea I was looking right around chino area and pomona. Like I said i know nothing about those areas, i was judging solely on location relative to LA and riverside. How long does CA rush hour last? In am and pm. Cus I googled directions from Pomona to Riverside and Pomona to LA during the middle of the night basically, and it was like 28 mins for one and 30 something for the other. So during what periods would it take 2 hours?

I'm from Wash DC, which has ridiculous traffic too. In fact, I think the only place that beats us for worst traffic in the US is usually LA haha. Kind of ironic I might end up in the only other town in america with WORSE traffic

[HopefulPHD14]

9 hours ago, onceinalifetime said:

Yea I was looking right around chino area and pomona. Like I said i know nothing about those areas, i was judging solely on location relative to LA and riverside. How long does CA rush hour last? In am and pm. Cus I googled directions from Pomona to Riverside and Pomona to LA during the middle of the night basically, and it was like 28 mins for one and 30 something for the other. So during what periods would it take 2 hours?

I'm from Wash DC, which has ridiculous traffic too. In fact, I think the only place that beats us for worst traffic in the US is usually LA haha. Kind of ironic I might end up in the only other town in america with WORSE traffic

So... The traffic in LA is a bit unpredictable.  You really can have traffic at almost any time, but it is inevitable during the rush hour times.  Maybe 6-10 am and 3-7 pm.  Expect commutes to triple normal commute times.  So you probably do not need to expect more than 1.5 hours, but be ready for that much.

The chino area isn't going to be too bad.  You may have to drive up to an hour each way, but it will not be the end of the world.  If it is convenient and makes both you and your girl friend happy it may be the best area.  Like I said I have cheap housing in the area and have looked into moving there too (if I end up in Riverside).

Also there is a new Billionaire in Chino now because of the powerball lotto.....so that's cool..

[onceinalifetime]

6 hours ago, HopefulPHD14 said:

So... The traffic in LA is a bit unpredictable.  You really can have traffic at almost any time, but it is inevitable during the rush hour times.  Maybe 6-10 am and 3-7 pm.  Expect commutes to triple normal commute times.  So you probably do not need to expect more than 1.5 hours, but be ready for that much.

The chino area isn't going to be too bad.  You may have to drive up to an hour each way, but it will not be the end of the world.  If it is convenient and makes both you and your girl friend happy it may be the best area.  Like I said I have cheap housing in the area and have looked into moving there too (if I end up in Riverside).

Also there is a new Billionaire in Chino now because of the powerball lotto.....so that's cool..

Lol yea I heard the winner was from CA.

The rush hour sounds exactly like what I'm used to here in DC, and I've gotten very used to - and good at - working my life around it. It sounds manageable.

Is there a metro system running from the Chino area to central LA?

[HopefulPHD14]

47 minutes ago, onceinalifetime said:

Lol yea I heard the winner was from CA.

The rush hour sounds exactly like what I'm used to here in DC, and I've gotten very used to - and good at - working my life around it. It sounds manageable.

Is there a metro system running from the Chino area to central LA?

I do not think there is a metro that goes out to Chino.  I know that the metro gold line runs all the way to Azusa (north of LA)...

The problem is that Chino is not in LA county.... I think that the metro stops on the outskirts of LA county and doesn't go into the surrounding counties.