Captiola, and Santa Cruz area?? (Sacramento, Santa Clara: rent, violent crime, house)

[cfamily4]

Hi,

I lived in Santa Cruz for six years (Aptos, SC, Scotts Valley, and Brookdale), and then moved 30 miles east of Sacramento to start a family.
My husband and I are thinking of moving back to Santa Cruz, specifically Capitola, because we have a house that we can rent for fairly inexpensive.
I know, it's odd that we would be selling our beautiful home in Cameron Park (El Dorado County), but we want to live by the beach! We've been up here for 7 years and we are ready for a change.
My husband will commute over the hill (which he did for several years in the past), and I will continue to be a SAHM of a 5 and 6 year old.
I am also expecting our 3rd child this fall, and want to live in a family friendly area. I need a nice family friendly gym, local parks, etc.
Up here in El Dorado County, it is VERY family friendly, little crime, great schools, BUT it is So HOT!
If anyone has any info on schools, activities, lifestyle, I would greatly appreciate it.
We must have our kids in a good school. Never been to interested in private schools, but should I be if moving to Santa Cruz?
Also, a lot of people say that they would not want to raise their kids in SC because they will grow up to be losers and just surf all day???
Please...advice needed.
Basically, I know what it is like to live in SC, but I have no idea what it's like to raise a family there.

Thanks!

[newportbeachsmostwanted]

Originally Posted by cfamily4

Also, a lot of people say that they would not want to raise their kids in SC because they will grow up to be losers and just surf all day???

"Surfing all day" is hardly the issue. The problem, I hear frequently, is that SC is just a lousy place to raise a family. 1. Thousands of college students, 2. Poor public schools, 3. Large homeless population, and 4. Lack of families living in SC.

I believe the surrounding areas such as Felton, Lexington Hills, Capitola, Boulder Creek, etc.. would be extremely better places. From what I hear, the schools are much better.. I recommend that you check every town on www.GreatSchools.net (broken link) ...

Compared to El Dorado County, Cameron Park, I believe crime in Capitola and Santa Cruz will be higher. However, this is mostly non-violent crime. (Drugs and car-theft). In my opinion, the communities in the Santa Cruz Mountains would be a safer, and more-remote place to live than the aforementioned.

[baygirl]

I don't have any personal experience myself, but I have a friend who moved to Aptos last year. They live in a great house that is minutes from the beach. The school district does really well and is relatively small. She also is a SAHM of 4 children and her husband commutes over the hill to Cupertino. She is very pleased with the situation (minus the fog!). I don't know what your idea of reasonable rent is,but they have a 3500 sq ft home for roughly $3,000. per month. The house is fabulous, so I'd say it's a good deal...especially since they have a private access road to the beach.

[Deserter]

I lived in various SC towns for 11 years. I think that right downtown SC is probably not the best area for a family, but there are plenty of nice areas in SC for a family. West Cliff area is nice if you can afford it. Up by the college they have some really wonderful neighborhoods with classic homes. (Off of Bay closer to UCSC than Highway 1.) Those are all good family neighborhoods. Eastside SC near Capitola has some okay areas.

I just want to say a little something about school quality. Like everywhere schools are underfunded and some SC schools have a large ELL population (25-50%). That would bring the overall test scores down since it's hard to do well on a test in a language you don't yet know how to read. However, it doesn't necessarily mean that your child would not be successful there nor does it mean that the school doesn't offer a quality education. If your child is a native English speaker with educated, involved parents they will probably do fine in most schools. All school districts have to post their test scores online. I think you can see the data sorted by subgroups based on language and income level. If the school has good test scores for kids with the same family background as yours, then it's probably just fine.

I certainly don't think growing up in SC makes a kid more likely to be a loser than any other place. They may not be quite so obssessed with corporate jobs or gas-guzzling SUVs. (Or they may actually rebel and become a Republican corporate fat cat. ) Success can be defined in many ways.

Capitola, Soquel, and Aptos are nice beachside family towns. Felton is a good close-in forest town. The other forest towns are nice too, just more difficult commutes, especially in winter. Oh, I almost forgot Scotts Valley if you're into a slightly more conservative family town.

Where's Lexington Hills? By the Lexington Reservoir? I think that's Santa Clara county. I would imagine housing to be quite expensive since it's so close to Silicon Valley jobs.

Anway, I have a close friend raising her 2-year-old in Capitola and there are all kinds of neighborhood family activities. Egg-hunting on the beach, for example. He seems to be thriving and I think it's a wonderful place to raise a kid. Good luck!

[matnmiss]

Originally Posted by baygirl

I don't have any personal experience myself, but I have a friend who moved to Aptos last year. They live in a great house that is minutes from the beach. The school district does really well and is relatively small. She also is a SAHM of 4 children and her husband commutes over the hill to Cupertino. She is very pleased with the situation (minus the fog!). I don't know what your idea of reasonable rent is,but they have a 3500 sq ft home for roughly $3,000. per month. The house is fabulous, so I'd say it's a good deal...especially since they have a private access road to the beach.

I know this post is old....but I would really like some more information about the area in Aptos that your friend is living. I am getting ready to relocate there and am looking for a kid friendly area as well.

Thanks!

[rubyskye]

Originally Posted by cfamily4

Hi,

I lived in Santa Cruz for six years (Aptos, SC, Scotts Valley, and Brookdale), and then moved 30 miles east of Sacramento to start a family.
My husband and I are thinking of moving back to Santa Cruz, specifically Capitola, because we have a house that we can rent for fairly inexpensive.
I know, it's odd that we would be selling our beautiful home in Cameron Park (El Dorado County), but we want to live by the beach! We've been up here for 7 years and we are ready for a change.
My husband will commute over the hill (which he did for several years in the past), and I will continue to be a SAHM of a 5 and 6 year old.
I am also expecting our 3rd child this fall, and want to live in a family friendly area. I need a nice family friendly gym, local parks, etc.
Up here in El Dorado County, it is VERY family friendly, little crime, great schools, BUT it is So HOT!
If anyone has any info on schools, activities, lifestyle, I would greatly appreciate it.
We must have our kids in a good school. Never been to interested in private schools, but should I be if moving to Santa Cruz?
Also, a lot of people say that they would not want to raise their kids in SC because they will grow up to be losers and just surf all day???
Please...advice needed.
Basically, I know what it is like to live in SC, but I have no idea what it's like to raise a family there.

Thanks!

I wish i had grown up to be a "loser" that surfs all day. wow.
With that perspective, why live in Santa Cruz?
One of the best things about living here is the lack of that kind of attitude.

[rubyskye]

Originally Posted by matnmiss

I know this post is old....but I would really like some more information about the area in Aptos that your friend is living. I am getting ready to relocate there and am looking for a kid friendly area as well.

Thanks!

Oh, this thread is old? Oooops, i just left a bitchy post to the O.P.
If i had kids, i'd live in either Soquel or Aptos. It's difficult to go wrong with Aptos with the exception of just a few places right next to HW1.
Both Soquel and Aptos are Mellower, quieter, (probably better schools but i dunno) but you're still basically in S.C.. with easy access to everything and the bus system is excellent.
I always have the sense that Soquel is very family friendly but that may be because i drive by 3 different schools almost every day.

[matnmiss]

Originally Posted by rubyskye

Oh, this thread is old? Oooops, i just left a bitchy post to the O.P.
If i had kids, i'd live in either Soquel or Aptos. It's difficult to go wrong with Aptos with the exception of just a few places right next to HW1.
Both Soquel and Aptos are Mellower, quieter, (probably better schools but i dunno) but you're still basically in S.C.. with easy access to everything and the bus system is excellent.
I always have the sense that Soquel is very family friendly but that may be because i drive by 3 different schools almost every day.

Thanks for the reply. I have heard the Rio Del Mar area of Aptos is nice and the schools look good online. I need to go drive around the area and check it out.

[rubyskye]

Originally Posted by matnmiss

Thanks for the reply. I have heard the Rio Del Mar area of Aptos is nice and the schools look good online. I need to go drive around the area and check it out.

The Rio Del Mar area is very nice. It's close to the ocean (and the best beach on the bay imo just a wee bit south), HW1 (don't get too close) and just minutes (as long as it's not rush hour) south of Santa Cruz.
It's a higher end area so i imagine that the schools are well funded but i'm not a parent so i'm not in that loop at all.
It's not a rural part of Aptos so if that's important to you, the Rio Del Mar area
wouldn't suit you.
Good luck.