Where are the best and safest places to rent affordable apartments in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York?

I am applying for jobs at UCLA, UCSF and a number of colleges in New York. I have only ever lived in Georgia where you see apartment complexes everywhere. If I am successful with my applications, I would need to find somewhere to live and am trying to find out where the safest places to live are and what is affordable in those three cities.

Public Comments

1. First contact the HR dept of your new company They will be the best to recommend areas close to the job. Second go the local police dept/website and ask for a crime report for the area of interest! ... If you plan to move to LA ..I recommend if you live in the outskirts ... to live by the metro line....TRAFFIC SUCKS
2. I have visited SF and NY, but I live in LA, so I could only comment on LA. The cities near UCLA are very pricey -i.e. Westwood, Brentwood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, with decent one-bedroom apts. starting at a minimum of $1,500 a month. They are safe I guess, no drive-bys or muggings, if thats what you mean. If you are willing to commute a little bit, there are of course cheaper apts in the outer cities, but traffic will be an issue, as well as the quality of the neighborhood. I personally would look into Santa Monica, it's culturally diverse, it's right by the beach, close to UCLA, plenty of nightlife, shops and restaurants.
3. You can check for apartments near the colleges/universities of which you are applying. They should be better for commute purposes and I would think fairly nice housing. Check out this link...http://www.forrent.com/search-apartments-near-colleges.php Good Luck!