J & Co. offer a nice 1 BDRM just a block from Lake Merritt where I stayed for a couple of months while working in Oakland. The apartment is big and well-appointed -- nice appliances, lovely decor, high ceilings, etc. It's a near a corner store, Vietnamese restaurants and a great taco truck, and just a few blocks from a large supermarket and pharmacy (Lucky's and Walgreens) and other restaurants. For me the main drawback was street noise; there is two-layer glass in the windows, but at times the traffic is loud. Earplugs were provided. Some might find the neighborhood a little rough, but it doesn't seem dangerous, and the nearby walk along the lake is lovely. You can get to Lake Merritt BART in about half a mile. The buses to downtown (12 St. BART) at the corner of 1st Ave (across the street) are very convenient.