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Central West District

Prior to the 1940s, the area that encompasses the Central West District was covered with sand dunes. Although there were a few homes here in the early part of the 20th century, they were accessible only by sidewalks made of planks. The district saw its greatest development after World War II, when the returning soldiers and their new families caused a demand for housing (and real sidewalks!). Today, it's primarily a middle-income area with single-family homes. It's quite foggy during the summer, but that's balanced by the amazing sunsets during the rest of the year. The neighborhoods in the Central West District include:

• Inner Sunset
• Outer Sunset
• Parkside

View healthcare facilities in this district

Inner Sunset
Located just south of Golden Gate Park, Inner Sunset is largely a residential neighborhood with many single-family, predominantly stucco homes. It's attractive to families because of its community environment; in fact, it's been said that Inner Sunset seems very much like a small Midwestern town. The streets are safe and quiet—it's a nice walking neighborhood—and there are excellent schools and neighborhood shopping districts. Because of its proximity to UCSF, there also is a strong student population in the area. It's estimated that nearly half the homes in the Sunset have what is referred to as an "in-law apartment"—a garage converted to a small apartment, which is a popular rental option with students.

Inner Sunset's boundaries are Ninth Avenue, Quintara Street, 19th Street, and Golden Gate Park. Neighborhood shopping is centered around Irving Street, where you'll find a vaiety of different shops, bookstores, cafés, pubs, and restaurants. The neighborhood also encompasses Golden Gate Heights, sometimes called Larsen Peak or Sunset Heights Park, a subsection of the Inner Sunset that is perched on 725-foot-high bluff and characterized by its huge retaining walls and steep streets. In contrast to the rest of the Inner Sunset's small-town feel, the homes in Golden Gate Heights are relatively new and very upscale.

Outer Sunset
Even though the Outer Sunset is one of the foggiest pockets of all San Francisco, it's attractive to home owners because of the still-affordable prices of most houses. In fact, the Sunset has one of the highest rates of home ownership (as opposed to rentals) of any neighborhood in San Francisco. Bordered by Golden Gate Park to the north, 19th Street to the east, Quintara Street to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west, the neighborhood is largely populated by families and senior citizens. It's a decidedly "un-trendy" area—and the residents like it that way. This middle-income neighborhood offers an easy commute to the bustling downtown district, while the neighborhood itself retains its small-town feel.

About 85 percent of the homes in the Outer Sunset were originally tract housing built for returning soldiers after World War II. Nearly all the houses are two stories, with the garage as the first story and the home itself as the second story. This gives a fabulous view of the hills and the ocean. The Outer Sunset neighborhood has tree-lined streets that are great for walking, bicycling, and jogging. The San Francisco Zoo and the beach are nearby.

Parkside
Developed by the Parkside Realty Company after the 1906 earthquake, the Parkside is a quiet neighborhood of mostly single-family homes. It's bordered to the north by Quintara Street and to the south by Sloat Boulevard, with 19th Street and the Pacific Ocean on its east and west borders. This neighborhood has a small-town atmosphere. There are playgrounds and a playing field (McCopping Square), and in the summer you can listen to free concerts at the Stern Grove amphitheatre, located at the south end of the neighborhood.

The area is predominantly residential, catering to middle-income families. It's close to Golden Gate Park and the beach, and there's a public pool at Larsen Park on the west edge of the neighborhood. The main retail area along Taraval Street offers multi-ethnic cafés, restaurants, and service businesses that are oriented toward local residents.

Healthcare facilities in the Central West District::
No major facilities are located within this district, but the following facilities are a short distance away in the Central District:

• California Pacific Medical Center, Davies Campus
• St. Luke's Hospital
• UCSF Medical Center at Parnassus