45th and Hollis

The city of Emeryville is small enough that it could be considered a neighborhood within Berkeley. My husband and I lived in south Emeryville for over a year and have loved it for many reasons:

- Free shuttle to shopping, cinema, parks, and MacArthur BART
- Close to San Francisco (20 min drive, 20 min BART ride)
- Two community gardens available for residents
- Lots of grocery options
- Home to many cool companies such as Pixar and Cliff Bar

We often will go on walks around Pixar (there is a small park near the building) and through the neighborhood. The main streets such as 40th, San Pablo, and Hollis are a bit busier, but walking through the quieter streets in the neighborhood is very relaxing. If you're wanting a late night snack or to have a fun time out with friends Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe is open every night until 2am and we have spent a lot of late nights together there.

The cons:

- May be too quiet for some
- Not many late night options
- Very industrial, though changing
- rent is going sky-high

One reason my husband and I are moving is because the rents have doubled since we moved here and what we once could afford is being bumped up by quite a bit. It seems that many of the affluent living in SF who could not find a place to live due to lack of housing are now flocking out to Emeryville. Bums me out, but that's how it goes I suppose.

Please note that I am considering the neighborhood wealthy because rent here starts at about $1600, but the average is $2000.