I'm planning on moving to San Francisco in the fall from WAshington, DC. I'm originally from the NY metropolitan area and after reading some of the messages posted, I'm curious as to the safety of the city, can I bring my car?? (really would like to), what are great neighborhoods for a 25 yr. old to live in, what do most 2 BR/3 BR apts. go for- (i'm used to $1700 3 BR currently) -
ANY OTHER ADVICE IS VERY WELCOME!

San Francisco is a great city to live in. It is not particularly dangerous however like any large city, one has to exercise some caution.

There are numerous good neighborhoods for you to live in. I would suggest that you wait until you are in San Francisco and then check for yourself. It will be pretty tough to find a 3BR for $1700.00 in a decent place. However you should be able to find a decent 2BR for that amount. You will save on your electric/gas due to the weather. Climate will infleunce where you want to live. As small as the city is, there is a significant difference in climate in some areas. Some areas are considerably more foggy and damp then others.

Do not worry about the negative postings about San Francisco. It is a great city to visit and LIVE. You should really enjoy it.

Hi:

From someone who lives works in NYC and travels to Sf numerous times I can say that there are areas in BOTH towns that I would avoid! If I had to compare Manhattan Tourist area to SF tourist area I would give the safer nod to NYC. I think the Union Sq area is a mecca for panhandlers who are somewhat aggressive! Our Nazi Mayor has this city running like a top! We have kicked our homeless population to the areas of the city that the tourists never see, unless they get lost!

I agree wholeheartedly with John. as a tourist in NYC you will see less homelessness and panhandling than in SF. I would rate the amount of panhandling seen in SF tourist areas with the amount i've witnessed/experienced in Rome around the coliseum, which is pretty bad.

and union square....what a mess. Someone in city planning from SF should take a trip to boston and visit Copley Square or Post Office Square.
There they would see a working collaboration of retail space, hotels, offices and green space in the middle of a city, with NO homeless people harassing the tourists and/or natives who enjoy those urban public areas.

btw, if by some god-awful chance, we lose our collective minds around here and put that lying, unprincipled, b***h hillary in the senate, maybe rudy will go out to SF and whip them into shape.....

Edie:

I don't agree completely with your picture of San Francisco but I do agree 100% with your closing statment.

Edie- what's with the diatribe about Hillary? Many of us New Yorkers think Rudy has flipped his hair lately and is an insensitve bully. And what's with your webaddress--it reflects what many of us feel about Rudolph G.

Lola,
open mouth, insert foot.....
my email address is my last name....

Edie Dickman

Let's rise above all this and tell Lola that coming from NY and DC, you won't have any problems in SF, except that we are kinder to our homeless people and don't consider them a danger to tourists.I guess, because SF is a tourist destination, the tourists expect it to be Disneyland. Personally, I think Union Square is just fine as it is and I enjoy the tolerance SF is known for. My son, your age, just rented a duplex in Inner Richmond with other guys for $2800/month and his car is an albatross around his neck. You'll have to find it a home as well. He went to school in DC, lived a year in NYC and wouldn't trade SF for the world. It's a great city to live in, especially if you're young.

I, for one, am on Iola's side (Edie, please note, it's Iola, not Lola). Perhaps, Edie, you should change your last name, so it won't remind us of Giuliani!
Oh yes, and as far the topic of this posting. it's a draw: Both NYC and SF are great!

Iola, Lola, noname, all of you....
i am proud that my newly aquired name(married six months on 4/9/00) reminds you of the mayor of our much-finer-since-got-elected city.
much better than if in any way it was associated with the clintons.