Housing
From the most expensive coastal areas to affordable student housing, Los Angeles offers a wide variety of housing options to suit every budget and lifestyle. Here are a few cities that are within commuting distance of UCLA:
Neighborhood hotspots
Located four to seven miles from UCLA, Santa Monica has the beach, great parks, good libraries and schools, buses to campus, clean air and rent control—the ideal life, it would seem. However, low turnover, long waiting lists, condo conversions, and stiff competition make finding an affordable place here difficult. Rental turnover is greater and rent is cheaper on the south side (Ocean Park) and the inland area off Santa Monica Boulevard than in the exclusive northern part of Santa Monica between Wilshire Blvd and Sunset Blvd, centered on Montana Avenue. Main attractions include 3rd Street Promenade, Santa Monica Place (a mall), and the Santa Monica Pier. Additionally, there are boutique shops and upscale restaurants lining Montana Ave.
Brentwood is two miles west of campus, separated from it by the Brentwood VA complex and the 405 Freeway. You might find rooms or guest houses in the country-like roads in the northern section of Brentwood, but most apartments are in the triangle bordered by Wilshire, San Vicente Boulevard and Bundy. This area has been hard hit by condo conversions, but there are still many apartments to rent or share. The main street in Brentwood is San Vicente Boulevard. Buses to campus are on Wilshire, Montana and Sunset Boulevard. Many to campus.
The area west of campus is dense with apartments. Expect high rents, though sharing helps keep costs down. Street parking is hard to find. Apartments south of Wilshire drop in price and are close to the free UCLA Campus Shuttle located at the UCLA Wilshire Center. Many find rooms to rent east of Westwood Boulevard, but they may not be close to buses that run to campus. There are lots of restaurants, movie theaters, clothing, and convenience stores in Westwood Village. Four supermarkets are conveniently located in Westwood: on Le Conte Avenue, Gayley Avenue, Glendon Avenue, and Westwood Boulevard at Ohio Avenue.
Two miles east of UCLA is the famous incorporated city of Beverly Hills. Sometimes there are guest houses or rooms for rent in the area, especially south of Wilshire, and sharing an apartment is feasible. North of Santa Monica Boulevard, services and public transportation are very limited; they are more plentiful along Beverly Boulevard, Santa Monica Boulevard, Wilshire and Olympic.
Culver City is an incorporated city five to seven miles south of UCLA and just south of Palms and Mar Vista. Rental prices tend to be affordable and the neighborhood pleasant, but travel to campus can consume at least 30 minutes at rush hour. There are apartments between Venice and Washington Boulevards and in the area off Culver Boulevard, south of MGM Studios. Further south, toward Jefferson Boulevard, luxury apartments and condos are common. Culver City is freeway friendly and has shopping, services and good recreation facilities.
Hollywood is a densely populated city at the foot of the Hollywood Hills. It is next door to West Hollywood, which is most famously known as a center of LGBT culture and nightlife in Los Angeles. Look for housing north of Beverly Boulevard to Sunset, between Doheny and Crescent Heights. North of Sunset between Fairfax and La Brea is also popular. Parts of Hollywood are close enough for a bike ride to campus. The bus commute is easier if you live near Sunset Boulevard. It's not the most freeway friendly, but it's well served by grocery stores, laundromats, parks, libraries, etc.
