This was a great trip to oakland. I would say that it depends on what you are looking for. I rented a car because I am not the walking type. This location is not far from the public transportation. I had a comfortable stay, and the neighbors were kind, whenever I did see them. This is a working class area, so people are just focusing on their own day to day. Additional to having a car, parking in her driveway secured parking and in Oakland, you can find parking garages, same for Downtown areas. It was easy to communicate with Odessa, she was easy to reach and quick to respond. If you are looking that local Oakland experience, I recommend staying here, while fully understanding how society affects us which in turn may reflect on the condition of the neighborhood. Either than that, beautiful city and I had an amazing time.