• Housing at the GTU
• Housing in the Bay Area
• Housing Lists & Services
• Daily Newspapers
• Local/Regional Papers
• Neighborhood Guide

Housing at the GTU
Most students live "off campus" in apartments and homes in Berkeley and
neighboring communities. The GTU has one apartment building with fifteen one bedroom and three studio rental units at 2466 Virginia Street in Berkeley. Rent for one bedrooms is $950 per month, $850 per month for a studio. Availability of these apartments is quite limited. To get on the waiting list, contact the Assistant Dean for Admissions via e-mail, or at 510/649-2465.

Several of the GTU's member schools also own apartment buildings and dormitories, both in Berkeley and elsewhere. Member schools house their M.Div. students first, and occasionally rent to M.A. and Ph.D./Th.D. students if they have room.

Housing in the Bay Area
The Bay Area is one of the most competitive and exciting rental markets on earth! Usually you can expect to pay $850 per month for a studio, $950 for one bedroom, $1200 and up for two bedrooms. Small houses will start at about $1400 per month. Price will vary with the size, age, location and amenities. Here are some hints for finding a place that fits your needs and your budget.

• Use as many of the resources available to you as you can. The most fruitful housing search will include using newspaper classifieds, housing bulletin boards, housing services, management companies, and word-of-mouth. This process will give you the most comprehensive look at the housing market.
  
  
• Come to your search prepared to show that you are a good tenant. In a tight housing market like the Bay Area, property owners may be more picky than elsewhere. It is a good idea to have a "Housing Resume" that lists 1) your name, address and phone number; 2) your previous addresses, landlords and their phone numbers; 3) your present (or future) employer’s address and phone; and 4) a letter or two that recommend you as a good tenant. Landlords will be more likely to rent to you if they feel assured that you will pay rent on time and take good care of their property.
  
  
• Start your search early. While there may not be any such thing as a "good" time of the year to be looking for housing in Berkeley, August is one of the more difficult times. This is when many students are returning to the University of California and are also looking for a place to live. If at all possible, try to come for a week long search in June or July, or plan on arriving in town a few weeks before classes start.
  
  
• Be ready to "move" when you find a place that you like. Because housing in the Bay Area is such the "seller’s market" you will find that the best apartments are snatched up very quickly, sometimes in a matter of hours. If you find a place you like, consider making an offer before someone else does. You should be prepared to pay first and last month’s rent plus a security deposit in order to move in to a new apartment, though sometimes landlords will not require all three.
  
  
• Finally, consider living outside Berkeley proper. You may find it easier (and sometimes less expensive) to locate in a nearby community - Albany, Kensington, Oakland, El Cerrito, Richmond - rather than in Berkeley.

 

Housing Lists and Services
The major housing services in the East Bay that (for an additional fee) offer fax and e-mail services:

• MetroRents/Berkeley Connection
• ehousing
• Rental Solutions
• Craig's List

GTU Students can also access the University of California rental service with proof of enrollment. Cal Rentals

Daily Newspapers
The major East Bay paper is the Oakland Tribune, which usually has quite a few Oakland rentals and some Berkeley and other East Bay rentals as well.

The San Francisco paper serves the entire Bay Area. The San Francisco Chronicle has East Bay rental listings, though usually fewer than the more local papers.

The West County Times lists vacancies in Richmond and El Cerrito, as well as cities east of Berkeley (Walnut Creek, Concord, etc.).

The Daily Californian, the UC Berkeley student paper, also has some listings. The paper is only published Monday through Friday.

Local/Regional Newspapers
The East Bay Express gives a good introduction to the East Bay, and lists apartment and housing rentals in Berkeley and Oakland, as well as shared housing. It is issued on Thursday evenings, and is free. The Express can be found almost anywhere other papers are sold, as well as in many Berkeley grocery stores, cafes and restaurants, and the dispenser on Euclid Ave, just east of the GTU.

The Berkeley Voice is published on Thursdays and lists Berkeley area rentals. It can be purchased out of machines all around town, including a machine on Euclid Avenue near the GTU.

The Montclarion is issued on Tuesdays, costs very little, and has good listings. They do go very quickly. The paper can be purchased at most newsstands, including the dispenser on Euclid Avenue.

Neighborhood Guide

Berkeley

South Berkeley: primarily residential, filled with small houses and apartments; car/bus commute to GTU.
West Berkeley: industrial with pockets of small houses and apartment buildings; car/bus commute to GTU.
North Berkeley: just below the hills, upscale, "Gourmet Ghetto," with some apartment buildings and small houses to rent. This area is sometimes a bit more expensive than elsewhere in the Flats. A stone's throw, in terms of walking distance, from the GTU.
"The Hills": Beautiful views, winding streets, with rents as steep as the incline up! There is a rare room to be had for rent at reduced rates - in exchange for cleaning or baby-sitting. Such listings occasionally appear in the GTU Housing Binder on the 3rd floor of 2465 LeConte, (the brick, GTU Bookstore building).

Oakland

Lake Merritt: Lots of apartment buildings surround this lakeside area of Oakland, about 6 miles from the GTU. Many GTU students have had good success finding apartments here. There is a BART station here from which to make an easy commute to Berkeley.
Rockridge: So close to Berkeley it feels like part of Berkeley. Bus/Car/Biking distance from GTU. Many GTU students find apartments; there are also bungalow & cottage rental opportunities.
Montclair: Quite pricey, though an in-law-suite, on a very rare occasion, becomes available. Access to public transportation is somewhat problematic here.
Piedmont: An area more affluent, perhaps, than Montclair, though there are some apartments near Piedmont which are nice and affordable. Snatch up one of these if you find it! Piedmont is just a few miles from GTU, and public transportation by bus is available.

Albany

A quaint little community next to Berkeley, about a 10 minute drive from the GTU; bus transportation is available. Bungalows, cottages, and apartment buildings provide GTU students with a great location in a lovely setting. (Word is that the local schools are great here, for those with children).

El Cerrito

Lower rents and a large number of apartments are found in El Cerrito, 4.3 miles from Berkeley, and a 20 minute drive, bike or BART ride. Largely a residential area, many GTU students have had success seeking housing here.

Richmond

The most inexpensive rentals in the East Bay, yet the housing near the oil refineries is not desirable. There are quaint residential neighborhoods in Richmond, however, so it is worth exploring for a house or apartment to rent. Neighborhood possibilities include the Point Richmond area, North and East Richmond, and "The Annex." Richmond is 7.4 miles from Berkeley, on the BART line; a 25 minute drive to GTU.

Alameda

Closest thing to a small town in the East Bay! Tree-lined streets, Victorian homes and cottages, 6 miles of beach on the Bay, beautiful views and many parks... Alameda is an island, separated from Oakland by an estuary, located 9.7 miles from Berkeley. It can be as quick as a 20 minute drive or 40 minutes, depending on traffic. Accessible to the GTU by BART and bus. A number of GTU students have had great success finding apartments here that are converted naval officer's housing - due to the closure of the Navy base on Alameda. Recent word indicates quite a waiting list for these units, yet there are other rentals available on the island. Try, for example, looking at those on Shoreline Drive.

San Francisco

In addition, even though it is across the bay (and the Bay Bridge) many San Francisco neigborhoods are accessible by public transportation (BART and Bus) and GTU students and staff take advantage of this opportunity.

Marin County

Marin County, across the bay (and the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge) is also within commuting distance. Communities include San Rafael, San Anselmo, Fairfax.