I've lived on the island for the better part of two years and have never been unsatisfied with my decision to do so. I will be moving shortly (outside the Bay Area).

There are some inconvieniences of course: no real grocery, some noise (though mostly from kids, and no worse than any other neighborhood with children I've lived in), and a short drive or bus ride to get into the city proper, but I've yet to see a house or apartment anywhere without something I would change if I could.

The positives, to my thinking, outweigh the negatives. The views are breathtaking, the rents are incredible, the units are spacious. I pay less than any of my city- or suburb-dwelling friends and they still have to do dishes by hand and lug their clothes back and forth to a laundromat. At night, I go into my little backyard-area and look at the stars as leaves rustle overhead.

As for the 108 bus- well, the Job Corp kids could certainly be more courteous, but it takes me less than twenty minutes to get to work in the Financial District. My coworker, who lives in the Sunset (and pays more in rent), takes twice as long.

Finally, some of the people who have written here and been unhappy have cited the subsidized housing and tossed around the word "ghetto". There is no "ghetto," the subsidized housing is scattered throughout the island. Furthermore, I contend that the families receiving assistance in my area are just as friendly as anyone else. The children are up to no more trouble than little kids anywhere. And one evening, a little neighbor girl came up to me, smiled, and handed me a dandelion she had just picked before running away giggling. C'mon, the kids aren't that bad.

Perhaps the island isn't the right place for everyone, as some of the other reviews seem to say, but I'll certainly miss it.

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