I'd say the entire westside is pretty legit rental wise. There are some older areas (mostly closer to the university), but they're still pretty good.
I live about a 5 minute drive away from the university, but I still walk or ride a bike when it's nice out (takes 20-30 minutes).
Parking is kind of a pain in the ass, I'd buy a parking pass online this summer if that's the route you want to go, they're available on the Bridge.
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