Los Angeles, CA

[awells27]

I am looking ideally into Sherman Oaks, as it allows one to generally avoid the 405 but oftentimes still cash in on valley prices..  The 405/101 interchange is a parking lot going south in the morning.  One must either beat the rush or suffer immensely.  

[ghanada]

Hi guys!

 

I am in the same boat as some of you as well! Moving to Los Angeles (from Europe) for a funded PhD program at UCLA. I've been looking at 1 bedroom apartments in the LA area and it struck me how there pretty affordable 1000-1100 dollar apartments in the southern part of the San Fernando Valley (Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys etc.). I am aware of the traffic difficulties, which is why I opted to buy a motorcycle (this will significantly reduce the costs of transport in more than one way). 

Would you guys think this is a feasible option?

I won't stop looking in the other areas south and east of UCLA, but the SF Valley seems pretty attractive....

 

Thanks!

 

Just wanted to throw in my opinion, as I used to live in Redondo Beach and commuted to UCLA everyday on a motorcycle. Probably about the same distance of commute as what you are proposing. So the motorcycle life is awesome in terms of getting through traffic and being able to park for free. I also love riding so it was a fun way to start and end my day. I think it is doable for sure, but I also want to give you some things to consider.

 

Just keep in mind that riding in LA, especially on the freeways, is no joke. The average speed for cars on the 405 is like 20-30 mph for most busy sections, which happens to be prime speed for cars to make drastic lane changes and do illegal things like pull in and out of the carpool lanes unexpectedly. That is also the speed at which you will feel pretty comfortable splitting lanes in. So pretty much every single day you will have cars cutting you off or turning into you. I even once got completely wedged between a bus and a semi such that they squeezed my arms and were starting to crush me a bit. Not to mention there is a ton of debris and junk in between the lanes. I have been forced to run over old scraps of rubber and random pieces of furniture to the point that my handlebars will jolt and kick you up a bit. I have done a lot of riding in many types of roads and cities and can honestly say that riding on the LA freeways is the most difficult and most dangerous. You will have a near death experience on a regular basis, pretty much every day. You have to be ok with that. Something to really consider. 

 

I figured out a good mentality to have when riding. I pretended that riding was a game in which I was invisible to every single car, but every single car was on a mission to try and kill me. 

 

I would also highly advise you also have a car. For one, I absolutely would not ride on rainy days. In fact, I used to never ride if there was even a small chance of rain. LA drivers are terrible in the rain and motorcycles in the rain are not ideal. Second, the car is important because you shouldn't ride on days you don't feel up to it. Riding the freeways takes 110% concentration and you can not afford to zone out for 1 second. So there would be days when my mind just wouldn't be up for it, those are the days I would drive instead. 

 

Also, regarding safety, absolutely wear a leather jacket with armor and a full face helmet. I also bought special riding pants with built in armor and wore leather boots. It absolutely is terrible during the summer with the heat, but I refused to ride in less protection. And of course, NEVER ride while under the influence. That factor alone causes most motorcycle fatalities.

 

ok, hopefully that helps shed some light on the riding in LA. I don't want to discourage it, in fact I absolutely encourage it, but you should just be aware of the factors involved. I followed very strict rules for myself, which I think really helped me be fortunate enough to never get in an accident and I rode almost everyday for a number of years. Just be responsible and safe about it. 

 

Feel free to message me if you want any more info on riding in LA. 

[WendyWonderland]

Hallo Community!

 

I am moving to LA next month to start a MA program at LMU (Playa del Rey), and I am looking for a place to rent. I found one on the university's webpage, it is $850 all included for a guestroom and the lease is month to month. It has a private bath, but all of her other guests while visiting her would use mine, too, so not that private. It has only limited access to the kitchen and the dining room. The living room I am not allowed to use when the owner is at home...background check+2 months’ rent and 1 month deposit. It has limited guest policies and stuff. What do you guys think of it? I am really not familiar with the renting price in LA. The only plus is that it is 20 minutes walk for me to get to campus. As a newcomer without a car, I do not have plenty options but to live close.

 

I am in China now so it is hard for me to find something through the internet. I use Craiglist, but hard to meet ppl with such a distance. Some advices and renting tips& information would be appreciated, thank you!

 

Cheers,

Wendy

[PhDerp]

I lucked out, found a place, and will start moving in a week. Things escalated quickly~! ;P

[bakalamba]

Hi Wendy,

That, unfortunately, is about the standard rate for a room around LMU, since it's in an expensive area near the coast. I'm assuming you want a furnished room, since it would be a pain to buy furniture if your stay is temporary (unfurnished rooms or roommate situations would be cheaper, around $700, since an average two bedrooms is around $1200-1500 or more). However, you can find better rates south in El Segundo or north in Palms, or east in Inglewood. You can't think of Los Angeles as exclusively a car city, because it does have an extensive bus system and train (although the latter hasn't been extended to the west side yet).

 

It's pretty difficult to find a place abroad. It is strange that they're requiring two months rent - usually a deposit and one month's rent is standard. The best part of the place you found is the month-to-month lease - that means you'll have a place to stay that's close to campus when you move, and you can actively find yourself a new apartment or room, and not have to worry about your lease. Good luck!

[2MoreYrs]

Hi everyone! I will be moving into Weyburn Terrace in a few weeks. I need to get a new phone (upgrade from Samsung Galaxy S2, currently out of contract). Which provider has a strong signal in the Weyburn Terrace and/or UCLA campus areas? Thank you for your help!

[jhefflol]

 

Hallo Community!

 

 

I am moving to LA next month to start a MA program at LMU (Playa del Rey), and I am looking for a place to rent. I found one on the university's webpage, it is $850 all included for a guestroom and the lease is month to month. It has a private bath, but all of her other guests while visiting her would use mine, too, so not that private. It has only limited access to the kitchen and the dining room. The living room I am not allowed to use when the owner is at home...background check+2 months’ rent and 1 month deposit. It has limited guest policies and stuff. What do you guys think of it? I am really not familiar with the renting price in LA. The only plus is that it is 20 minutes walk for me to get to campus. As a newcomer without a car, I do not have plenty options but to live close.

 

 

I am in China now so it is hard for me to find something through the internet. I use Craiglist, but hard to meet ppl with such a distance. Some advices and renting tips& information would be appreciated, thank you!

 

 

Cheers,

 

Wendy

 

 

 

I personally do not like the sound of this. All the restrictions on usage/guests would make me feel trapped. I lived in a situation similar to this and it did not feel like home and it was difficult to study. Just my two cents.

[the_sheath]

I was in Japan and used ULOOP once to get something at UCLA. Worked like a charm. Seriously there are better options and desperate people.

[ryan05key]

You don't get run over, but everyone will hate you and it is scary as hell.

 

Agree with it..

[poweredbycoldfusion]

What's the transit situation like in/out of UCLA? I've visited but my friends had a car, so we didn't need to take the bus.

[Mr. Impatiently Waiting]

What's the transit situation like in/out of UCLA? I've visited but my friends had a car, so we didn't need to take the bus.

 

 

Poweredbycoldfusion, the transit in and out of UCLA is excellent! I have been on campus for three years now and I have been a bus rider the entire time. According to Brian Taylor (professor of urban planning who specializes on transportation), over 1,100 buses arrive on campus per day. 

 

More importantly, UCLA offers heavily subsidized transit passes to students. You can buy an LA Metro transit pass from the school every quarter for between $50-$54. The pass gives you unlimited use of LA Metro buses, Subway, and Light Rail. UCLA also offers Culver City and Santa Monica Big Blue Bus passes at a heavily discounted rate. Don't listen to people who say that public transit in LA is bad. It is actually quite good and fairly cheap. 

 

There are three main transit loops on campus: 1) Hilgard and Westwolm 2) Westwood and Strathmore 3) Gayley and Strathmore. From these transit loops you can go pretty much anywhere in the LA area without transferring.

 

The 1) Hilgard and Westholm stop is serviced by the LA Metro buses and Santa Monica Big Blue Bus. From this particular stop you can take a direct line to the San Fernando Valley (Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys, Encino, Etc.) Downtown LA, Hollywood, East LA, Los Feliz, Echo Park, Santa Monica, West LA, Sawtelle, and Pacific Palisades.

 

From the 2) Westwood and Strathmore stop is serviced by LA Metro buses, Santa Monica Big Blue Bus, and Culver City bus. From that particular stop you can get to Culver City, Palms, Westchester, Downtown LA, Hollywood, East LA, Los Feliz, Echo Park, Santa Monica, West LA, and Sawtelle.

 

The 3) Gayley and Strathmore stop is serviced by LA Metro buses, Amtrak Buses, and LADOT Commuter Buses. If you decide to live further away from campus there is also a Commuter Bus stop on the corner of Gayley and Strathmore. Commuter Buses goes to places like Encino, Mission Hills, and Santa Clarita. The LA Metro buses will take you to Downtown LA, Hollywood, East LA, Los Feliz, Echo Park, Brentwood, Westwood Hills, Pacific Palisades, and all the places in between UCLA and the Pacific Ocean via Sunset Boulevard. The Amtrak buses will take you to Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys and Pacoima.  

 

The list of places serviced by buses either to or from UCLA is by no means an all-inclusive list. 

If you are interested in more information you can check out this site. https://main.transportation.ucla.edu/getting-to-ucla/public-transit

 

Or if you have any other questions about UCLA, be it transit related or not,  feel free to message me. 

[roguesenna]

So hey, just got accepted to USC Annenberg and I'd like to revive this thread. 

 

Anybody have dirt on the Annenberg Grad and/or Family Housing and what it's like? What's better that or living off-campus? Can a couple survive with one car or do we need 2? 

[_intrigue_]

I'm not sure if Annenberg grad housing is different, but a Dornsife grad student i know had to move out every summer.

Edited February 1, 2015 by _intrigue_

[PhDerp]

Can a couple survive with one car or do we need 2? 

 

I can't imagine needing separate cars for people, especially if you're going to live so close to campus that you can walk, take the bus, or call a campus cruiser for your commuting needs. I imagine that if I had a car, I'd just use it for groceries and long trips to visit the sights.

 

Are you thinking of selling one of the two cars before moving? Or are you asking about buying a car once you're here? Because waiting to know about your schedules and expected commutes would help you make the decision whether or not to buy a car. If I were to guess, however, I think one car is enough for two people, as long as one of those people can make their commute without one.

[roguesenna]

 

Are you thinking of selling one of the two cars before moving? Or are you asking about buying a car once you're here? Because waiting to know about your schedules and expected commutes would help you make the decision whether or not to buy a car. If I were to guess, however, I think one car is enough for two people, as long as one of those people can make their commute without one.

 

Kind of both...? Right now we live in NYC. When we moved into NYC, I left my 2002 Jeep Liberty with my dad in Michigan and my partner brought his Jetta with us. We will definitely bring the Jetta to LA because he is in film and TV industry and will need it. I was thinking about bringing the Jeep but worried it is too beat up to make the drive, much less pass a CA emissions test (how tough are they? does my partner need to worry about the Jetta?) I'm thinking it'll probably be better to have my dad sell the Jeep to help pay for the move, especially so that we don't need to drive two cars down there. 

 

That said, if my partner ends up working the long hours of an on-set PA (6 days a week, 12+ hrs/day and entirely possible) I feel like I might want it... 

 

That said, I'm not sure if we're driving or having the cars hauled... I don't know how expensive that is. Never moved this far before! 

Edited February 2, 2015 by roguesenna

[ZacharyObama]

I would say your housing situation is pretty much related to your transportation decision, which is turn influenced by parking conditions and mass transit options. Furthermore, one thing to note is that shopping options are pretty limited by transport. I would also note that depending on where you choose to live childcare and shopping accessibility are probably critical issues.

 

I'm pretty sure CA Emissions tests are fairly stringent. That said, provided there's nothing majorly wrong with your exhaust system you'll most likely pass the smog check.

 

Housing prices sucks in LA. Traffic sucks in LA. Gas won't stay cheap. 

[roguesenna]

 

I'm pretty sure CA Emissions tests are fairly stringent. That said, provided there's nothing majorly wrong with your exhaust system you'll most likely pass the smog check.

 

Housing prices sucks in LA. Traffic sucks in LA. Gas won't stay cheap. 

 

well, a couple years ago my muffler fell off mid drive. just fell off. it was replaced, but it looked like the problem had been caused by all kinds of rust and crap in the undercarriage. I just don't trust the quality of the vehicle TBH. 

 

and I'm prepared for sucky housing prices and traffic. I live in NYC. 

 

luckily childcare is not currently an issue for us.

Edited February 3, 2015 by roguesenna

[smbtuckma]

Hi all,

 

Officially going to UCLA in the fall! I had a couple questions about housing, which I don't think have been covered yet in this topic:

 

Is there a significant difference between Weyburn Terrace and the Hilgard Apartments? Website says Hilgard is a little closer to my department and is a bit bigger on average than Weyburn, is that accurate? What's the social differences between the two? I can imagine Hilgard might not be as community oriented since it's smaller... Do both have parking?

 

Then after the first year, I plan on moving off-campus to somewhere bigger, either the south graduate apartments or somewhere else. Does anyone have experience with those apartments and can talk about their quality?

 

Thanks!

Edited February 12, 2015 by smbtuckma

[grad1492]

I'll be accepting my fellowship offer at USC sometime this month. Most people on this thread seem to be looking to live near main campus but if anyone else is looking for apartments near Keck SOM plus a female roommate, PM me!

[Shoelle]

So hey, just got accepted to USC Annenberg and I'd like to revive this thread. 

 

Anybody have dirt on the Annenberg Grad and/or Family Housing and what it's like? What's better that or living off-campus? Can a couple survive with one car or do we need 2? 

 

Seconding the question about grad/family housing vs. off campus (and hello again, roguesenna!). Prices seem comparable--seems like I could find something $200 cheaper off-campus, but the is transportation cost/hassle worth it? For people with cars, is it worth paying for on-campus parking? I haven't heard of many students driving at all.

 

Also, if anyone has any helpful advice for parents in the area about childcare (both recommendations for affordable preschools and child-friendly housing options), I'd be most appreciative. I'll have to single parent it until my partner can join me in a year, so daily childcare isn't something I can compromise on.

 

Thanks in advance! 

Edited February 24, 2015 by Shoelle

[kyjin]

Seconding the question about grad/family housing vs. off campus (and hello again, roguesenna!). Prices seem comparable--seems like I could find something $200 cheaper off-campus, but the is transportation cost/hassle worth it? For people with cars, is it worth paying for on-campus parking? I haven't heard of many students driving at all.

 

The GSG subsidizes a transit pass for the Metro lines; $105 a semester this year. This really makes transit prices very reasonable. I have a car, but I usually use the train to come in. When I do drive, I park a few blocks off campus on Frat Row. If I can't find a spot I'll park right off campus for $8 a day, but I usually can find free parking. 

[1Q84]

Can someone point me in the direction of the parking pass costs per semester? I searched all around and failed. I have a vespa that I could drive to campus but if parking passes cost a lot, I'd rather just move somewhere close to a Metro line and take that in.

[kyjin]

Can someone point me in the direction of the parking pass costs per semester? I searched all around and failed. I have a vespa that I could drive to campus but if parking passes cost a lot, I'd rather just move somewhere close to a Metro line and take that in.

http://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/parking-rates/

 

$445 a semester for "on-campus" lots, though I know some of the parking structures stopped allowing student passes this semester. UPC is $301, and that's one right off campus, about a 10 minute walk. (I park there sometimes when I come in for the day and can't find street parking.)

 

I do have friends who drive in several days a week, and only a handful go for passes. The rest drive around for street parking a few blocks off, or pay for a day pass if nothing else is available.  

[Shoelle]

The GSG subsidizes a transit pass for the Metro lines; $105 a semester this year. This really makes transit prices very reasonable. I have a car, but I usually use the train to come in. When I do drive, I park a few blocks off campus on Frat Row. If I can't find a spot I'll park right off campus for $8 a day, but I usually can find free parking. 

 Thanks so much for the info! That helps me out a lot.

[1Q84]

http://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/parking-rates/

 

$445 a semester for "on-campus" lots, though I know some of the parking structures stopped allowing student passes this semester. UPC is $301, and that's one right off campus, about a 10 minute walk. (I park there sometimes when I come in for the day and can't find street parking.)

 

I do have friends who drive in several days a week, and only a handful go for passes. The rest drive around for street parking a few blocks off, or pay for a day pass if nothing else is available.  

 

Thanks! and YIKES that's a lot per semester... although my vespa would count as a motorcycle so I guess $63/semester ain't bad.