Take a look at www.sfmuni.com...you'll see that the major buses/streetcars that go to UCSF are the N Judah, the #43 Masonic, and the #6 Parnassus. You could live in neighborhoods anywhere along those lines and be good. The N goes is near Duboce Triangle, Lower Haight, Cole Valley and Inner Sunset (however, if you live in the inner sunset and cole valley you could just walk to work). The #43 line begins in the Marina/Cow Hollow, so you could live there and easily take the bus to work as well. etc etc. Consult the map.

You'll be very happy you aren't in Oakland, just for the reason that your commute will be that much shorter and easier.

note that you have to walk down (and then up to get back) a huge hill to get to the N from the lower haight, and it doesn't start until about church and duboce. also, the 43 runs between every 15 minutes during high commute hours to every 30 minutes on weekends. it's also not the most dependable bus line (as proved by the 40+ people waiting with me last week).

Someone mentioned Alamo Square...good area? Good for young people? found a great (seemingly) house for the 4 of us on Hayes around Webster. Thanks!

Hey Darbyvt. Alamo Square is an OK area - with crime going up in SF, the Western Addition area is close by so you would have to consider that but, in general a nice area. I agree with some of the other posters though that for you guys, the Marina is the place to be; I used to be your age! and lived in Cow Hollow/Marina and it is the absolute best place to be with the exception of SOMA and a place that nobody has mentioned that I saw - South Park - a very small area which is south of market but not SOMA - there is a small park in South Park which is great for dogs playing, etc. But really, the Marina green and the newly refurbished area there is the best place for dogs - they can run on the beach and play all day! Besides, the "singles Safeway" is right in the middle of the Marina (not that I'm implying that might be important). In any event, I don't think you are being unrealistic at all - it's a renter's market now. Good luck. Let us know what you finally decide.

Could be sketchy--its east of Alamo Square and there are some blocks to the east of Webster that are not so great. --drug dealing, mostly, some gang activity.

The Marina is a very safe choice which is why it is full of post college young people. Lots of outside activities because of the Marina Green, and two major cafe, bar, shopping areas--Chestnut Street and Union Street.

Marina sounds perfect...but expensive and limited on dog allowances (at least on craigslist. maybe we can at least get one 2br for the two without dogs there and have a good base to hang out around! Thanks! The house in Alamo Square looks gorgeous but he did mention something about housing projects... ;)

I'm probably the one who mentioned alamo square. Stay west of Steiner St and south of McAllister St. Alamo Square is also an easy walk from the North Panhandle and Duboce Triangle areas. There are a lot of younger people moving into the area, me included. I've been in NOPA for about 3 years now and love it.

This place is at the corner of webster and hayes...i take it that is too far East?

From my time in the Inner Sunset/ Cole Valley, Parnassus Heights, I would recommend living there if you can find suitable housing. I felt very comfortable there, even walking at night.

darbyvt- yes, webster is too far east. that's right at the end of the projects. i used to walk through them to get to work near civic center, and i always felt safe, but i wouldn't want to live there if i had the choice.

The news had a segment on the additional survellance cameras that were going to be installed in SF, all at projects due to the increased crime stats in SF. It has really gotten out of hand. Two bodies found today, one in GG Park and one 1736 Polk (by Washington). Both are believed to be homicides. And shorty before 10:00pm four people were shot but no one killed by two people on Market St., by 6th. They evidently all knew each other.

I would never ever live by a project in SF and I would not live where I had to daily walk by one. Even the good citizens that live in the various projects are scared, frustrated and mad.

Okay then...I really appreciate the replies, it's just so hard in such a big city to know the good areas, things can change a lot in just a few blocks! I think I really need to get down there (I leave tomorrow from Portland to make the drive) and check it out a little bit. I can always stay with my family until I find a place. What is the commute like to UCSF via public transportation from Noe Valley, 24th street area? I hope to go without my car and leave it with the family. I really want to find something walking distance from UCSF (inner sunset/cole valley), I think that will be my best option but still exploring everything. Thanks again!

Hi darbyvt, coming down here is the best so you can check neighborhoods out yourself. I will leave the public transportation to the SF residents as I have never used MUNI. Best wishes and have an easy and safe drive from Portland.

Darby - we lived in Pacific Heights while my husband was in his residency. He usually drove to the medical center. He would usually just head to Broadway to Divisadero to Fell to Stanyan to Parnassus, if memory serves me right. It didn't take him very long and of course, we loved our neighborhood. The Marina, if you can find a rental that would allow your dog, would be ideal, too. See if you can find something on Green St. If you need to take a bus, it's no big deal and you can learn the routes quickly and easily.

LoveItaly, interesting news segment, but there are no projects near Golden Gate Park or up near Polk and Washington. If you are going to post something like that, you really should distinguish between the two!

To get to UCSF from Noe, you have two main options.

1) Take the 24 North and get off at Castro and Duboce. Walk East on Duboce 1 block to N-Judah stop and take N-Judah West.

2) Take the 24 North and get off at Haight. Take the 71/71L(not on Sunday)/6 West.

Check out http://transit.511.org/providers/map...8200510805.pdf for a great map!

Also, there are no projects at 6th and Market, but there are lots of "residence" and low-income hotels here.This is a heavily seedy area where the Tenderloin and the edge of Union square meets. Cops patrol this area heavily, but you should try to avoid it at all costs.

Having a reading comprehension problem rubies. I didn't say that there were projects in those areas..I just merely posted what has happened in those three areas. And than in the next paragraph I talked about not living near projects etc etc.

I am well aware of SF..having lived in the SF/Bay Area all of my life.

And personally I don't find the news reports of constant shootings and murders interesting. I find it quite sad. SF is having quite a crime problem although it appears in most cases it is gang/drug related.

LoveItaly: my ability to read and comprehend is actually quite good.

You did talk about the projects in the same paragraph as the recent shootings.

"The news had a segment on the additional survellance cameras that were going to be installed in SF, all at projects due to the increased crime stats in SF. It has really gotten out of hand. Two bodies found today, one in GG Park and one 1736 Polk (by Washington). Both are believed to be homicides. And shorty before 10:00pm four people were shot but no one killed by two people on Market St., by 6th. They evidently all knew each other."

If I didn't know the city, I would read that first sentance and then continue on, thinking that GGP, Polk/Washington, and perhaps 6th/Market are near or in the projects. All I was suggesting was that when we describe the city (or anywhere, for that matter), we do so accurately.

My reference to the "interesting" news report was somewhat sarcastic, as you said it talked about installing devices at projects when these recent shootings weren't even close.

OK, I'm entering the fray here, which I've learned is dangerous on this DB as people have little sense of humor and are sometimes quite serious. But since I have offended numerous people without really trying, here goes. When I read LoveItaly's post, I did not think that the areas mentioned were in the projects as that is not what it said. It said that there had been murders in those areas. The projects comments were entirely separate. I think the point was that there are now areas of SF which are bad and even the good areas are having problems, i.e. Polk at Washington - which is getting close to the drug dealing "Polk Gulch" area but has been, nonetheless, traditionally, a "safe" area. Gavin Newsom needs to do something - like hire Willy Brown to help him...
The other point is that we are trying to give darbyvt some good advice, not quibble with each other over the sad crime and violence stats in SF. Hope she will let us know how her search trip went and what she finally decides...