Am I naive for thinking that Fresno and Bakersfield will change?

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by Red John

I personally think states like California are excellent places because of the number of cities and/or metropolitan areas they have to offer with over 1 million people. Fresno has already crossed that threshold and Bakersfield should soon enough. Both cities represent the 5th and 6th largest areas over or approaching a minimum of 1 million people in all of California. The other four ahead of them being Greater Los Angeles CSA, San Francisco Bay Area CSA, San Diego MSA, and the Sacramento CSA.

I think that as coastal Californians continue moving into the inland Central Valley cities that eventually when they reach a certain size, they'll begin reforming and upgrading the infrastructure to better reflect areas of their sizes. Currently Fresno and Bakersfield both present challenges, especially in the arena of urbanism and leveling off blight and crime.

Going into the future as the influx in residents will continue, do you think Fresno and Bakersfield will catch on to more positive trends and begin changing for the better? Add more infrastructure that they need. Reduce some of the blight and crime and instill sustainable urban fabric and lure employers.

Am I naive for thinking these places can change and do a turnaround?

It is about the future of water availability and whether the drought continues IMO.... San Joaquin Valley Land Subsidence Monitoring Network | USGS California Water Science Center

[Californiaguy2007]

Bakersfield in my opinion has potential because of it's proximity to Southern CA,Affordability and a Business Friendly Climate.

I also wanted to add that Bakersfield is not as bad as some people make it out to be.(There are much worst parts of the country)...Bakersfield is also not as small as it name may suggest,but is a mid-sized city with an urban population of over 400,000 and is similar to any other mid-sized city in the country with the positives/negatives as well as the good/bad parts of town.

I used to live up in Washington State,so the major thing I had to get used to when I moved down here over 10 years ago was the Intense Dry Summer Heat,but to be honest you get used to it and were not as hot as Las Vegas or Phoenix,especially since we do get cooler marine air that flows in from time to time during the summer.