Very true. I agree with all of this.hiima3L wrote: The TL is bizarre because one or two blocks can be completely different from another. For instance, McAllister is fine, but Golden Gate is not; Polk is fine, but Hyde is not; Leavenworth is horrendous until about Geary. So you learn how to get around these crappy parts. A 2 block walk from UCH should be fine unless it's directly up Leavenworth, which my friends and I referred to as "The Gauntlet." Also, you can always take the shuttle, one of the least-utilized best things about UCH.
Leavenworth is sketch until you reach the hill around Geary/Post. Then bam all of a sudden you're in one of the richest areas in the country. San Francisco is fun that way. Whenever you feel like you're in a bad area just go up a hill and the neighborhood changes quickly. That said, I've walked Leavenworth plenty of times. Just keep on walking, and don't make eye contact or stop when the vibrant neighbors try to get your attention, and you'll be fine.
Polk is totally gentrified, and will serve you well as a north/south route, and there are many popular bars for Hastings students around Sutter/Polk.
I don't use Larkin much, but while not as gentrified as Polk, it does have a ton of popular ethnic restaurants for Hastings students.
I don't use Hyde enough to comment on it.
McAllister (the east-west street most Hastings buildings are on) is safe except for half a block by Market. That part will improve once the Hibernia building is finally redeveloped.
Golden Gate is being deliberately improved by Hastings, and its recent changes have impressed me a lot. Hastings strategically located a Philz Coffee on the corner of Golden Gate and Larkin, and since that place opened a few months ago, it has almost always been packed with professionals in suits. I expect it to attract some more quality commercial tenants to that block. As of now, Golden Gate between Larkin and Hyde is safe on the south side of the street. The rif-raf stays on the north side. Golden Gate between Hyde and Leavenworth will improve a lot soon now that the construction of the new Lofts project is almost complete: (http://www.socketsite.com/archives/2013 ... _at_s.html ; http://sf.curbed.com/archives/2013/05/2 ... _units.php ; http://theloftsatsevensf.com/)