Living in Grass Valley (San Francisco, Sacramento: low income, fit in, for sale)

[mikeyweeks]

I have an interview for a job in the Grass Valley/Nevada city area, and wanted to ask some questions.

First, some background. My wife and I have visited the area before, and have liked it for several reasons, some of which may be based more on perception than reality - cute town with lots of older houses, outdoor activities, the most progressive county on the western slope of the sierras(?), housing has become more affordable recently, a decent amount of culture for a small town. To what degree are these observations accurate?

A little more about what we are looking for. What is the culture like there? We'd like to be able to find a community of progressive people who enjoy things like outdoor recreation, sustainability, emphasis on local products, growing your own food, etc. I'd like to be able to get around on my bike and I've heard that Grass Valley is not bicycle friendly. Is that true? Also, I know it rains a lot, but is it mostly gray even when it is not raining - ala Portland/Seattle? Is it easy to meet people or is it more of a closed community? Does the area become more conservative once you move out of GV/Nevada City, or can you live a few miles from town with a little land and find some of the things we are interested in? The cost of living seems to have come down in the last few years. Are there hidden costs associated with living there which don't normally come into typical calculations of cost of living?

Thanks for taking the time to read and respond.

[wburg]

Nevada City is a cute touristy town, Grass Valley is a bit more practical--the conventional wisdom is that you can buy nails at the hardware store in Grass Valley, but in Nevada City the only nails for sale are the old-fashioned square wrought-iron nails they sell in tourist boutiques. The area is relatively progressive for a foothill community, but generally the Sierras are very much a conservative stronghold, although more of a "mind your own business" variety. "The most progressive county on the western slope of the Sierras" is kind of like saying "The most conservative neighborhood in San Francisco." It's a matter of degree.

Grass Valley has some other cultural attractions like a local theater scene and a couple of art galleries. Other than small backyard gardens, the mountains aren't quite so well-suited to growing your own food (the agriculture, however, is all just downhill in the valley, the same place that Bay Area shoppers get their "locally grown" fruit and vegetables, along with about half the country.)

I think the area gets a little snow in the winter, and a bit more rain than the valley floor, but summers are generally long and hot (except for freakish years like this one.) It's a lot drier and sunnier than the coastal range.

Not sure about bikeability. Like a lot of rural communities and small cities, they probably don't have bike lanes, and outside of the downtown areas maybe not even sidewalks.

[hydro]

Progressive isn't exactly the term I would use, but it is a very liberal area in a sense, especially the NC community. Deadheads welcome. Not a bikeable community but if you road bike and can handle hills then you could bike there recreationally.

[rcclifford]

We lived in Nevada City, 3 miles from Grass Valley and from all the locals we met, one important message comes across: know the neighborhood and read The Union for background. There are a lot of roughkins, absentee landlords (who had to be cited by the city before they would get the partying under control) and the recent fad is kids on heroin. The meth problem has been here for a long time on a grand scale so that even if you can tolerate marijuana growers (because they're good for the economy), there is serious gossip about the Mexican drug cartels overrunning the hippies growing operations and they are armed.

You can say, oh, these are problems everywhere but this area is not suppose to be everywhere. It's suppose to be special but with liberal politics and an high tolerance for bad behavior and Grass Valley threatening bankruptcy and severe layoffs at Nevada County, just protect yourselves by: choosing a secure neighborhood, where everyone knows each other's business (this is a good thing).

We visited a low income senior housing project on Hughes Road, near downtown, and the manager of 95 senior apartments was "spun" on something and I sat there in horror wondering what would happen to older residents, if she passed out, disappeared or "whatever". Apparently, this large development corporation does not do random drug testing on their employees.

Our neighbor in Nevada City is a Corrections Officer. She says each spring and summer a certain number of derelicts, homeless and mentally ill come to the area and set up camps along the creeks and rivers. I don't know how much this is tolerated; you would have to check with Grass Valley Police and ask how they prevent crime, etc.

This area is stunningly beautiful but close to Sacramento and the Bay Area, where the pressure to "move on" or "move out" or "get out" because of the cost of living and reduced city services may be the cause.

We saw a big difference in one year; business is off in both Nevada City and Grass Valley retail stores. They have depended on events. This June the weather is still about 50 degress with more snow in the high Sierras; there could be some flooding, if the weather gets suddenly hot, which it is expected but that won't affect most parts of Grass Valley.

All of this is clearly communicated in The Union, the local online newspaper.

[mikeyweeks]

Thanks for the comments. I had the interview two days ago, and will find out if I got the job in a couple of days.

I'm really interested in anything people can share about alternative lifestyles in Grass Valley. I'm not referring to sexual or drug culture but emphases on rejecting modern approaches to technology, agriculture, etc., and greater focus on the local, community living, and seeking non-violent approaches to solving societal issues. While I recognize that this is very broad, some places have a groundswell of people who are seeking to live this way, while others tend not to.

Hopefully, this makes some sense, and if anyone has some lived experience with what I'm talking about within the Grass Valley area, your comments would be appreciated. Thanks.

[hydro]

there are some intentional communities and modern homesteaders up on the ridge= North San Juan and Camptonville.

Originally Posted by mikeyweeks

Thanks for the comments. I had the interview two days ago, and will find out if I got the job in a couple of days.

I'm really interested in anything people can share about alternative lifestyles in Grass Valley. I'm not referring to sexual or drug culture but emphases on rejecting modern approaches to technology, agriculture, etc., and greater focus on the local, community living, and seeking non-violent approaches to solving societal issues. While I recognize that this is very broad, some places have a groundswell of people who are seeking to live this way, while others tend not to.

Hopefully, this makes some sense, and if anyone has some lived experience with what I'm talking about within the Grass Valley area, your comments would be appreciated. Thanks.

[FoothillsLightbulb]

We moved to the Grass Valley area, W. Nevada County, about a decade ago and I only have one word for this place--weird. Part of it is the area is so sprawled out and these areas are separated from one another.

They are: Penn Valley, Lake Wildwood, Lake of the Pines, the city itself, Alta Sierra, Nevada City, The Ridge. In the 60's the county put in the three resort/retirement communities of Lake Wildwood, Lake of the Pines, and the worst planned subdivision I have ever seen in my entire life, Alta Sierra. If you move to Alta Sierra, better like your car because you will be in it all the time. There are no sidewalks, one little park, no bike paths, and the roads are extremely curvy and dangerous. It is also high density housing so if you have a death wish, move there.

The place is made up of cadres of people that do not interact. It is a highly fragmented community. Western Nevada County is heavily car based. You will NOT find bike paths, open space, parks, etc. outside of downtown GValley. You will find narrow roads, no shoulders, and good luck on your bike!! It is just a horribly planned place and all based on the car.

You will drive A LOT unless you move to Lake of the Pines of Lake Wildwood that come with their own
social life for which you have to pay and Nazi-style gates you have to drive through. Both are gated communities.

The irony is the barrel of the gun or end of the gun (county is shaped like a gun which some people love here) is Lake Tahoe and it is the complete opposite of this side of the county. TOURISTS run that place so they get bike paths out the wazoo. Lots of parks. Cross country ski centers...but this is in the same county so if you move to W. Nevada County, understand we are the poor step-child to Lake Tahoe.

It has been very hard to find a group to get in with here. The other ones are: pot growers/heads (HUGE), Nevada City, KVMR people (very cliquey--same people on that station for 30 years. Don't expect to walk in there and "volunteer" or even get on the station), white trash, rednecks, retirees that seem to spend all their time driving to see their grandkids (to the Bay area) so one wonders why they moved here. No city/county parks. The Ridge is our 'Appalachia' so be careful up there. You can prob score some great meth!

It's just weird and you will have to fit into some GROUP here or feel very isolated.

We are planning to relocate but still have not decided where but we do know, we want bike paths, parks, non-reliance on our cars, and a friendly integrated community.

If you want to isolate though, this is the place.

[looking4home]

I'm glad you resurrected this thread. I recently visited the area, and got quite a nasty shock. I had last been up there about a year ago, and noticed that Nevada City, in particular, was going downhill. However, Grass Vallley, by contrast, seems more prosperous and diverse.

Nevada City is is just downright dirty and scummy now, with bums and low-lifes on the street. It was always weird, and a haven for those who were seeking alternative lifestyles, but I noticed so many young people now that seemed under the influence in public, and everywhere you looked were freaks and hippies, both young and old. Not as many tourists as there used to be, and it's not a surprise, as the shop fronts were dirty on Broad St. with flies and garbage everywhere. It used to be a healthy mix of professionals, artists, tourists, retirees, and entreprenuers who had eclectic small shops. Now it's all about getting your chakra adjusted or your soul massaged. And the few normal stores that remain aren't selling anything you couldn't find down in the valley. Nevada County had its heyday in the 80's and 90's when there was an influx of people with money, creative talent, and vision from the Bay Area and So Cal. But they are all long gone now, and what remains is a community overtaken by the drug culture.

[marland]

Nevada City has always been full of hippies and freaks. Its not like the drug culture was some how new to the area. Going back to the 60's and 70's Nevada City and Grass Valley were places the hippies moved to grow and smoke dope. If you don't want to live in a hippie town I understand that. But this isn't something new to the area nor to the region.

[raindude]

BTW, having lived in Portland GV and NC are not anywhere close to being grey and rainy. I live in Newcastle now (sort of close) and it is night and day. I seriously don't know how I tolerated 7 years in Portland. This area is phenomenal.