is sacramento ghetto? (Los Angeles, Oakland, Bakersfield: big house, buy, calculator)

[edwardius]

I think Southport is pretty comparable to N. Natomas or Elk Grove. But in Brodrick and Bryte, I think those parts of West Sac are probably closer to Oak Park and Del Paso Heights because of the gangs and the prostitutes.

[AuburnJack]

Originally Posted by ubu

I think Southport is pretty comparable to N. Natomas or Elk Grove.

Um. Not really, no. Visually, maybe. But... no.

Originally Posted by ubu

But in Brodrick and Bryte, I think those parts of West Sac are probably closer to Oak Park and Del Paso Heights because of the gangs and the prostitutes.

If you say so.

[AuburnJack]

Originally Posted by unhookt

I used to commute by bike from Sacramento to Davis through West Sac and I must confess that the parts of town I had to ride through - including the area around Raley Field - were extremely seedy. Lots of sketchy motels, prostitutes, homeless, beggars and trashy folks everywhere - in broad daylight on weekdays. The meth problem hit West Sac hard. Coupled with the existing, long-term gang problem, crime has always been a serious issue.

West Sac was the scariest part of my commute - people in cars driving by would shout profanities and swerve at me on a regular basis. With the Port of Sacramento, FedEx and UPS located there, it is heavily industrial. Lots of truck traffic during the day and empty lots at night.

I have several friends who have purchased homes in the new communities in West Sac. These developments starkly contrast the surrounding areas and are targets for break-ins. Three of my friends in these upscale communities have had their homes broken into recently - one of them three times!

I would definitely not consider living in West Sac. It may be improving, but given its current condition, it will be a long time before it is the kind of place that I would consider acceptable for raising a family.

When did you used to commute? I keep hearing about hordes of streetwalkers, tempting us all with forbidden longing, but I have yet to see one even at night when I make the occasional drive on W. Capitol for food, much less in broad daylight.

Considering that West Sac is a blue-collar area, yup, there's a meth problem here. There's a meth problem everywhere in this region, though. That's like saying West Sac has a flooding problem.

And I sympathize with your friends, and can only hope that we don't have to deal with the same problem. Home invasions are another epidemic problem throughout the region, due to the integrated nature of the Sacramento urban center (great neighborhoods often bordering blighted ones).

Of course, to each their own. Good luck in finding the place that you deem acceptable to raise your family. We're going to raise ours here, and I'm pretty sure we'll be just fine, thanks.

[edwardius]

West Sac has a meth problem, a gang problem, and a prostitution problem. But other than that, its nothing like Oak Park, Meadowview or Del Paso Heights, right?

Jack you don't seem real credible here.

[wburg]

What some people might interpret as a "woman walking down the street" might be seen by others as a "streetwalker" depending on that woman's age, race, and clothing. Just as what some people might interpret as a "man walking down the street" might be seen by others as a "dangerous thug" "gang member" or "homeless bum" depending on his age, race and clothing.

[AuburnJack]

Originally Posted by edwardius

West Sac has a meth problem, a gang problem, and a prostitution problem. But other than that, its nothing like Oak Park, Meadowview or Del Paso Heights, right?

Jack you don't seem real credible here.

Yeah, what do I know? I just live here and drive through here on a daily basis. As in, this morning.

Six months ago, I lived a stone's throw from Meadowview, and drove through it regularly to go to a friend's house. Believe it or not, I have been able to formulate a pretty detailed comparison.

Since apparently my first-hand experience with my own neighborhood means nothing, I'll repeat everything one more time, for those who seem to lack critical reading skills:

-The entire Sacramento area has a meth problem. Including the rich, white suburbs. West Sac doesn't stand out in that regard, with the exception of it being more blue-collar and thus more visible to those who base their assumptions about a neighborhood and its residents on such things.

-Seeing as how Oak Park and Meadowview don't have an aggressive injunction against gang activity, I'm going to go with no, West Sac isn't like Oak Park or Meadowview. Especially when you factor in the actual amount of reported gang-related crime in each of the areas in contrast with the respective city's responses. Of course, I could also repeat my own first-hand observation as a middle-class white guy that has lived in both areas, but that is apparently not as "credible" as the in-depth information that can be gleaned by looking carefully out your car windows.

-I haven't had any prostitutes walk my block yet. Time will tell whether or not the work on W. Capitol to clean up that area will be effective.

When I prepared to move to Sacramento, I listened carefully to warnings from the people on this board, decrying West Sac as a place where I shouldn't settle to raise a family. Once I moved to the region, my observations seem to indicate that the area wasn't nearly as bad as I'd been led to believe, experienced before, or seen firsthand in the Sacramento neighborhood I'd moved to (Pocket). Now that I've bought here, my suspicions were confirmed. It's really not that bad here.

And yet, every time I ask where all of the vitriol towards West Sac comes from, I hear the same litany of "drugs! prostitutes! gang injunction!" And when I indicate that none of this has visibly impacted my life as a resident, like it most certainly would in areas such as Meadowview and Oak Park, I'm told my observations aren't "credible," with the same reasons as to why I *should* think my neighborhood as bad repeated again.

The short version? To anyone reading this thread and following this particular tangent: West Sac isn't perfect, and certainly isn't as nice as desirable areas like Land Park or East Sac. However, it's really not that bad, if you don't mind sharing your living space with... wait for it... poor people. And the new developments/projects are pretty cool.

[edwardius]

Originally Posted by wburg

What some people might interpret as a "woman walking down the street" might be seen by others as a "streetwalker" depending on that woman's age, race, and clothing. Just as what some people might interpret as a "man walking down the street" might be seen by others as a "dangerous thug" "gang member" or "homeless bum" depending on his age, race and clothing.

The problem with this is that while pumping gas at the Flyer's gas station on Jefferson and West Capitol Avenue, I have been approached by a woman offering to perform a sex act on me. That wasn't the only time that has happened to me. I was also approached while walking back to my car in the Big Lots parking lot across the street.

What I really think is happening is that when you see a streetwalker, you are the type of person who just assumes its a woman walking down the street. I suspect when you see a gang member or a dangerous thug you also just assume that is a man walking down the street.

The world needs people who see the best in others. So i am not saying this world view point is necessarily bad, in other contexts, I think its a probably a big strength. But in this context, it tells me how much to weigh the value of your opinions.

Again what all this commentary is telling me is how much to weigh the value of comments by various posters.

At this point, I doubt anyone is going to be persuaded by the other person. But I have a much better idea of which posters I think are the most credible.

[wburg]

edwardius: West Capitol does have a lot of prostitution. I'm not trying to claim that prostitutes don't exist, nor thugs and gangs. I have lived in cities for a long time, and knowing how to spot trouble (and people who can be trouble) is an essential skill. In fact, I consider myself pretty cautious in that regard. But I think people tend to over-exaggerate things to a great extent, and some who simply assume the worst based on appearance, because they have so little exposure to people outside their little exoburban enclaves.

But then, I also spend a lot of time in Oak Park. Oak Park is in far worse shape than Broderick/Bryte, but I have friends who live there and like it just fine.

[AuburnJack]

Originally Posted by edwardius

At this point, I doubt anyone is going to be persuaded by the other person. But I have a much better idea of which posters I think are the most credible.

Likewise. I have a much better idea of which posters I think are scared of their own shadow, and/or have a warped and self-involved definition of the word "credibility."

[NewToCA]

Folks, please discuss topic and not each other.