thoughts on moving to Vallejo? (Los Angeles, Oakland: apartments, crime, houses)

[kai.pacifica]

My girlfriend and I are sick of SoCal. The infrastructure is falling apart, everything has gentrified and driven middle class families out, and the people here are very wealthy conservatives (and the very poor). The working class, genuine, arttistic, "real" people are leaving in droves. So, the girlfriend and I are looking to NorCal. Although the rents scare us to death, the people are nicer than SoCal, the attitudes are more liberal, and there is an "artistic feeling" in the air. My girlfriend and I both need that vibe. So, we're looking at Vallejo. On Craigslist we've seen some great houses/apartments... and using Google maps "street view" we've generally looked at the quality of the neighborhoods... So...

Where in Vallejo is the best to look? Are there places to completely avoid? Is there a SoCal town you could compare Vallejo to? (I expect to find work in Berkeley or Oakland)

Thanks!

[sav858]

Vallejo is a bankrupt craphole that I would never move to. The best thing my parents ever did was move away from that god awful, crime ridden town. It has some OK parts but most of it is ghetto. Do you really want to move to a city that just declared bankruptcy for better public services like infrastructure?? There are much better places to live rather than Vallejo. And don't expect any type of culture except for ghetto fabulous in Vallejo.

I dunno what makes you think the Bay Area will be more "working class" but the pretentious snob factor is just as bad there. Rich conservatives vs. rich liberals = same difference IMO.

I know I was a bit harsh and all of Vallejo isn't horrible but I just hate that town for various reasons. Nearly all of my family has left that town and never missed one thing about it besides memories of when it was a better place to live.

[susie4]

My suggestion would be to move to Napa. I used to live in Napa but would rarely go to Vallejo. There is a Kaiser hospital there where my kids were born. There are the better areas of Vallejo, but if were me, I'd move to Napa instead.

My suggestion is to go to Vallejo and check out the neighborhoods. I couldn't tell you which to stay away from as I don't remember them that well.

[Melody74]

Try El Cerrito, Albany, Alameda, etc. Avoid the $4.00 bridge toll.

[skywalker400]

I would say Los Angeles is significantly less "gentrified" than the Bay Area, comparing the demographics of the two. From what you say your looking for though, Id check out West/South Berkeley, North Oakland and depending on your search for "realness" check out parts of West and East Oakland. I actually like the liveliness of the Fruitvale district and its proximity to BART. Theres a lot more to do here in the East Bay than out in Vallejo for sure.

[kai.pacifica]

It may be true, but SoCal (especially Los Angeles) gentrification has happened very quickly... and left no "arts scene" whatsoever. The Bay Area has gentrified, but it seems to the casual visitor to have kept its personality moreso than the south.

For me, I come from an artistic but very working class background. Working class people are "real" to me. That's where my comfort zone is. I'm not looking for "gritty realism" (I've found enough of that in LA... the home of gang culture)... just "regular joes."

[firtree]

I'm moving to Vallejo and am an artist/musician. I'm doing it to focus on my work and live in a house of my own. My first recommendation to you is to be sure you can't find something in Oakland or Berkeley first. They've got everything you'll love. Vallejo is affordable but no amenities. You'll have to drive to Oakland, Berkeley or SF to get what you want. The bridge toll can be a deterrent if you think that way. For some of us, it isn't. We love urban life and it's a short drive away.