Tips for Locating Housing

Golden Gate University is located in the heart of the financial district of San Francisco. The University does not have residence halls; however, it is within easy commuting distance from most parts of the Bay Area. The city's public transportation is excellent. Transportation Systems to and from the surrounding East Bay are very efficient as well. The housing situation in San Francisco is more expensive than most other cities; but is not exorbitant. Allow up to three weeks to find suitable housing.

You can increase your housing selection enormously if you consider listings in the area near San Francisco - the East Bay (the Oakland-Berkeley area across the Bay Bridge from San Francisco), Marin County (Sausalito-Mill Valley-San Rafael area across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco) or the area south of San Francisco (Daly City, South San Francisco)- as well as inside the city of San Francisco itself. Remember to include transportation expenses and utilities (gas/electricity, phone, cable, etc.) in your total monthly budget when searching for accommodations.

There is no single method that will guarantee success in your search for housing. However, the following strategies are recommended to help your search.

The best way to find a place for rent is to first decide exactly where you want to live in (Nob Hill, China Town, etc.) Secondly, drive or walk around in your chosen neighborhood with a paper and pen in hand and watch for signs on windows, ask residents for possible leads or vacancies because many landlords do not advertise in newspapers or bulletin boards.

The two daily San Francisco newspapers, the Chronicle and the Examiner, run basically the same classified ads, so you may purchase one of the two newspapers. The San Francisco's Bay Guardian, Advertiser and the Progress are weekly newspapers. San Francisco's Advertiser and The Rental Guide are available at no cost in grocery stores, supermarkets and newspaper stands. East Bay newspapers include the Oakland Tribune, East Bay Today, Berkeley Gazette, and the Daily Cal, UC Berkeley campus newspaper, is available free in newsstands around the university. The Independent Journal serves Marin County; The Peninsula Times- Tribune and The San Jose Mercury News serve the South Bay.