Moving back to Socal and looking for appartment

Vita108 · Mar 28, 2015

It really depends on where the hospital is, LA is enormous and the traffic *is* as bad as people say! Anything more than 10-15 mi from work could end up in an hour commute in rush hour. So, if possible it's better to live near(ish) your place of work.

caliotter3 · Mar 28, 2015

Stay away from the area in the San Fernando Valley that borders Sepulveda Bl. and Van Nuys Bl., as these areas are bad (drugs and prostitution). It is not coincidental that you will see apartments with reasonable rents there ($750-$950), versus the ever-creeping rents elsewhere. Have been earnestly looking for a better place to live and have seen that the rents have gone upwards $200-$300 just in the past three years or so. Contemplating moving down to renting a room as I am being priced out of apartments. Palmdale has reasonable rents, but look on the map and see how far away from everything it is.

Would advise temporary housing until you are situated in a job and can see which neighborhood will work best for you. As a rule of thumb, I have found that a commute of about 30 miles at the wrong time of day will take a minimum of two and one half hours using the major arteries. That makes it very difficult, if not impossible, to hold down two jobs.

SquishyRN, BSN, RN · Mar 28, 2015

As a rule of thumb, I have found that a commute of about 30 miles at the wrong time of day will take a minimum of two and one half hours using the major arteries.

This is absolutely true. I personally would not live farther than 10 miles from my place of employment due to traffic, unless it were a reverse commute. My parents live about 16 miles from downtown LA, and it still takes about an hour along the 10 for me to get to work by 7am whenever I sleep over. And this is before rush hour really kicks in. I'd hate to imagine how long it would take me to get to work from my parents' if I had a 9am start ðŸ˜³

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 29, 2015

Stay away from the area in the San Fernando Valley that borders Sepulveda Bl. and Van Nuys Bl., as these areas are bad (drugs and prostitution). It is not coincidental that you will see apartments with reasonable rents there ($750-$950), versus the ever-creeping rents elsewhere.

This is true. Back when I was attending school in Van Nuys, I had a male classmate who lived in a rundown apartment complex near Sepulveda Blvd. in North Hills, near the northern border of Van Nuys. He complained about the prostitution in the area. Parts of Panorama City, Sun Valley and North Hollywood also looked seedy.

The area becomes exponentially better and cleaner as you head further south along Van Nuys Blvd. toward the Sherman Oaks border, but as you travel south, the rents skyrocket. There are nice apartments along Ventura Blvd. in Tarzana and Encino, but the rents are steep there, too.

'Okay' areas in the SF Valley that seem reasonably safe and not terribly expensive include parts of Reseda, Mission Hills, Arleta, and Sylmar.

Palmdale has reasonable rents, but look on the map and see how far away from everything it is.

A classmate lived in Lancaster and commuted to school in Van Nuys, but after a year he and his wife grew tired and moved to Santa Clarita for less of a commute.

I personally commuted from Bakersfield to Van Nuys for 13 months.

choco_noire07 · Mar 30, 2015

Thank you everyone for all the inputs! I was looking at apartment around Van Nuys area and luckily y'all warned me! No wonder why their price aren't too pricey!.

I'll be working at CHLA in about 3 more weeks! I am so excited to finally be able to get back California and enjoy the warm weather!

cutiekathy · Mar 30, 2015

Thank you everyone for all the inputs! I was looking at apartment around Van Nuys area and luckily y'all warned me! No wonder why their price aren't too pricey!.
I'll be working at CHLA in about 3 more weeks! I am so excited to finally be able to get back California and enjoy the warm weather!

CHLA is in East Hollywood. There is a Metro Red Line Subway Station there, if you don't want to drive, just find a place to live near subway Station.

817nurse · Apr 1, 2015

Stay away from the area in the San Fernando Valley that borders Sepulveda Bl. and Van Nuys Bl., as these areas are bad (drugs and prostitution).

I lived off Roscoe and Woodman in Panorama City a long time ago. My old apartment building had graffiti and drug activity out in the open, but it was all I could afford even on a middle income.

vch1102 · Apr 7, 2015

Hey I'm moving end of May. I'm new to LA but looking in various areas within a budget.

choco_noire07 · Apr 7, 2015

I am contacting the appartment about 10mins away from CHLA. I haven't signed the leasing contract yet, but paid the $30 application fee. And yes, the rent is ridiculous in LA! I move from the Mid-west area, it is a huge different in rent.

anie10 · Apr 10, 2015

This is true. Back when I was attending school in Van Nuys, I had a male classmate who lived in a rundown apartment complex near Sepulveda Blvd. in North Hills, near the northern border of Van Nuys. He complained about the prostitution in the area. Parts of Panorama City, Sun Valley and North Hollywood also looked seedy.
The area becomes exponentially better and cleaner as you head further south along Van Nuys Blvd. toward the Sherman Oaks border, but as you travel south, the rents skyrocket. There are nice apartments along Ventura Blvd. in Tarzana and Encino, but the rents are steep there, too.
'Okay' areas in the SF Valley that seem reasonably safe and not terribly expensive include parts of Reseda, Mission Hills, Arleta, and Sylmar.
A classmate lived in Lancaster and commuted to school in Van Nuys, but after a year he and his wife grew tired and moved to Santa Clarita for less of a commute.
I personally commuted from Bakersfield to Van Nuys for 13 months.

I have to beg to differ - Sylmar/Arleta are super gang infested. Primarily Latino Gangs, as is most of the SFV. Mission Hills is the more okay part of Van Nuys

Granada Hills, some parts of Northridge are pretty okay... Just remember, everything in California is overpriced, mainly because people are silly enough to not notice the difference.

Bear in mind that Los Angeles and SFV are racially segregated, so if you want to feel safe and you are not the predominate ethnic/racial group, I would look for a mixture of peoples.

As junky as Van Nuys is, it is more racially diverse and accepting than say, Sylmar.

If you want to live somewhere that is reasonably priced, racially diverse and accessible to Los Angeles and Orange County - I strongly suggest Long Beach. I live there and love it to death. I lived in the Valley most of my life and it felt like Selma, AL in the 60's. It is also allegedly cooler than the SFV, which sits lower and the hot air just hangs during the summer.

Hope this helps.