Salinas? Monterey? Help pls (Santa Cruz, Bell: high crime, neighborhood, living in)

[suzannavik]

My mother is the new Chief Nursing Officer at Natividad. We moved here from a very nice part of Connecticut, and absolutely love it here in Salinas. It was the best decision we ever made. We are currently renting a house in CreekBridge- 4br/3ba $2200/mo- and live on a beautiful well manicured cul de sac, 4 out of 6 of our neighbors came over within the first week to welcome us to the neighborhood and invite us to a little block party they were having with the other families in the neighborhood that weekend. Nothing like that had EVER happened to us in Connecticut, so if this is the norm in CA we are amazed! I have two young children and am staying with my parents while my husband is in Iraq, if you are planning on having kids soon this really is the place to be. I do playgroups at the Salinas Adult School- which is the 3rd most federally funded government child development center in the state, and also in Monterey and Pacific Grove, all of them are absolutely amazing no matter what your “green” preferences are. My point is that it the county is a great place to raise your kids. Even though I do love my neighbors, I know that gang violence is only a few miles away and that all the pesticides on the farms do make me a little nervous. If you would have these same feelings it is not a far drive from Salinas to Monterey or other local towns.

I don’t care what other people have said I really have to disagree and say that I do not think that there would be a better place to start and raise a family. Hello- farms, fresh fruit, great museums and aquariums, tons of parks and opportunities to be outside in fabulous weather, beautiful scenery (beaches, mountains), and lots of different areas that would pretty much suit any persons needs- Can you tell I love it here? lol

(Oh and if you do get the job and this influences your decision in any way please tell Carol Jordan that I did a wonderful job recruiting you )

[sheri257]

Originally Posted by suzannavik

Even though I do love my neighbors, I know that gang violence is only a few miles away and that all the pesticides on the farms do make me a little nervous. If you would have these same feelings it is not a far drive from Salinas to Monterey or other local towns.

I don’t care what other people have said I really have to disagree and say that I do not think that there would be a better place to start and raise a family. Hello- farms, fresh fruit, great museums and aquariums, tons of parks and opportunities to be outside in fabulous weather, beautiful scenery (beaches, mountains), and lots of different areas that would pretty much suit any persons needs- Can you tell I love it here? lol

I love Monterey county also. But I know people who have lived in Salinas for years who tell me that the crime is starting to encroach even on the better neighborhoods so, to me at least, Salinas is too much of a gamble.

A friend of mine says he's lived there 20 years. Never used to hear sirens. Now he hears sirens every night. He's also had to replace mail boxes because the gang bangers write their graffiti on it. That really scared him because they're now claiming his neighborhood as their territory.

If you're renting and can move at any time if things get bad, I guess that's one thing but ... I would never buy a house there.

[Franklyn]

Originally Posted by vits_feds

well lets see, if your of latino origins you may fit in better in Salinas amongst your own kind who wouldnt mug you as much as they do other races, but if your white i strongly recommend Monterey, there is so much white flight in salinas its not even funny.

Well how does one overcome the inherent ignorance of vits_feds' remarks without resorting to name-calling? Hmmmm. Difficult but not totally impossible.

First, mugging "other races" is exactly opposite of what Salinas crime statistics show. Get your facts straight.

Second, the term "latino origins" is so out-of-tune with how the Hispanic culture functions as to defy belief. There are almost a dozen stratas of "Latinos" striving to co-exist in California, and most of each's criminal activity is inter-Hispacultural - against Hispanics of other classes - rather than intra-Hispacultural [members of their own group] or against other races. But one would have to have a minimum degree of awareness to comprehend this point, apparently.

[Temporarily - for this post - ignoring the point that Hispanics are for the most part classified as "whites" for general ethnical reference purposes]

Could you post some links confirming your claimed "white flight" from Salinas to Monterey claim? The figures I've seen show Monterey permanently gaining a higher percentage of "other" races than Caucasion during the past decade, and as for Salinas losing "whites", that doesn't seem to be supported by statistical records, either, so please prove it or define what you said more clearly as merely your personal [and twisted] opinion.

Originally Posted by vits_feds

Guess the only whites that enjoy diversity are the ones that dont live in diverse areas, go figure.

This opinionated remark needs clarification, in my view. Please be so kind to explain what you mean.

It's quite easy to express ones own bias and bigotry on an anonymous forum like this, but it takes a real person to back it up with facts and figures. So my question is, are you a light weight or a solid thinker? Your response will reveal quite a bit about your overall character, in my view.

[sheri257]

Originally Posted by Franklyn

Second, the term "latino origins" is so out-of-tune with how the Hispanic culture functions as to defy belief. There are almost a dozen stratas of "Latinos" striving to co-exist in California, and most of each's criminal activity is inter-Hispacultural - against Hispanics of other classes - rather than intra-Hispacultural [members of their own group] or against other races.

Very true. The vast majority of Salinas shootings this past year were young, Hispanic males shooting other young Hispanic males.

[jmhunter]

I have lived in salinas for around 7 years. I am white.. I have NEVER had an issue. However I go to santa cruz and i get accosted non-stop by homeless etc.
Monterey (who didnt grow up in the area) people tend to just be scared of salinas, for no good reason I'll take most of salinas over seaside, marina, or even aprts of monterey, anyday.

[Grumbler]

Am a little surprised that, of all the posts on this thread, only one mentioned Carmel Valley. My parents used to manage the former Carmel Valley Inn at the jct of Laureles Grade/Carmel Valley Rd. I was a student commuting over the grade to The York School. My sister used to live just up San Bencanio Rd from Washington Elementary School. Haven't been to Carmel Valley for quite a few years now so I don't know how the cost of housing/rental market compares to Monterey, et al. My other sister lived in Pacific Grove. We all moved out of the region more than a decade or two ago.

[Franklyn]

Originally Posted by Grumbler

Am a little surprised that, of all the posts on this thread, only one mentioned Carmel Valley.

In my view its a stable and mature RE market suffering similar downturns in valuation as others on the peninsula. It was probably not mentioned too much here due to the scarcity of rentals, lack of new construction and the presence of very few multiple housing units. Some of each exist, but in many ways it is still a sellers market up there.

CV is a little more "boutique-ish" then when you lived there, probably, and has built up a lot more since then with the resultant commute traffic at certain times of day turning the main road in and out into a nightmare. Its still a little bit "country" and the village area has been toying with the idea of finally incorporating itself into a "city". But that probably won't happen soon.

Hope that helps.

[georgste]

I lived in Salinas twenty years ago and the local hoodlums would steal my morning paper. Lock 'em up and throw away the key!

Monterey and PG have always been too expensive.

Glad I left Cali back in 1989, forever.

[Franklyn]

Originally Posted by georgste

I lived in Salinas twenty years ago and the local hoodlums would steal my morning paper..........

We've had home delivery since 1992 and have only missed a few papers, most were from new delivery guys probably, or from the neighbors dogs. The local hoodlums don't read that much so could care less about newspapers imo.

[Franklyn]

Originally Posted by Franklyn

Its [CV] still a little bit "country" and the village area has been toying with the idea of finally incorporating itself into a "city". But that probably won't happen soon.

Spoke too soon. LAFCO and the county are working their way through that process now. Will update further if/when an election is set.