I stayed with Helen for about 8 weeks (January-February 2020) while I was working at nearby USC on a research fellowship. She is a fantastic host: incredibly kind, generous, and welcoming. She had lots of great tips for things to do nearby and the dos and don’ts of LA (follow her advice! This lady knows what’s what). And she’s quite the cook! When any issues with the house came up, Helen immediately addressed them, and she always was respectful, friendly, and polite.

My room was great, with a big comfortable bed, lovely linens, and lots of storage. The house itself is cozy, funky, and very tidy. The shared spaces were very clean. While the neighbhourhood might appear a bit rough around the edges, everyone is very friendly and I always felt safe walking around during the day and using public transportation. I didn’t walk around after dark though.
Helen’s house is very central, and you can easily access most of LA by public transportation (which I relied on for my entire stay). The super handy Expo line (DTLA to Santa Monica) was about a 15-minute walk away. There is free street-parking, but be warned, it can be busy. USC is 30-minutes away by foot or about 15 minutes by bus.
The next-door neighbours occassionally throw a backyard party on weekends. If you are going to be here on a Saturday night, I would recommend bringing ear plugs just in case.
Overall, this was a wonderful place to live during my time in LA and I would happily stay here again! Thanks Helen!