Given your budget and location, good fucking luck getting something that isn't a turd, vast majority of cars are auto because you're in one of the top 10 most congested commutes in the country.
I'd be looking at Mazdas, Hondas, and maybe a Nissan or two (sentra?), if you're adventurous an old BMW might be a hit as well, given your budget you can't be too picky. Toyota's are a bit overpriced around here, and most of their cars are tripe in terms of 'fun'. Also take a look at pickup trucks, late '80s early 90's Nissan, Toyota, Ford/Mazda, higher chance of finding a manual and resell will be easy at the right price.
Go to craigslist, put in $1500 max price, manual transmission, and type in a brand name; Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Nissan, BMW. If you see something that catches your eye, google it. Good luck.
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/5612018429.html
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto/5596360143.html
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/cto/5602909434.html
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto/5601029254.html
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/5609020718.html
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/5597856871.html
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/scz/cto/5570663534.html
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/cto/5572227365.html
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/5545982296.html
Set the bar low, go check out some cars and whatever the ad says the car is, expect something at best 80% as good.
Edit: Insurance will be cheap if you have a good provider, I had an accident on record and a big name provider, at first they were charging me $90/month on my $1k truck that I sold for $2k last year, years ago I switched providers and the accident dropped off my record, it became a second car and my insurance was ~$35/month for the beater. Basically you pick the policy where if YOU make a mistake your insurance company laughs at you and you eat the cost of replacing the car, deductible: lol. All other values on the insurance coverage should be as you feel fit so you don't end up with garnished wages because your brake failed rolling down a hill and you took out someone crossing the street.