El Dorado Hills and racial harmony (Sacramento, Citrus Heights: middle-class, neighborhood, new construction)
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El Dorado Hills is highly resistant to anything that might compromise the "character" of their community--no public transit, no affordable housing, they don't even have a city government! (They are a "census-designated place," not a city, and considered part of the unincorporated county.) The population is over 80% white, less than 10% Asian, 1.5% African American.
While I wouldn't necessarily expect beatings or burning crosses on your lawn, expect hostility and disdain.
You obviously don't live there, and have probably not ever even been there, from your response.
They don't have a city government, because they are not a city, the are a town. They are one town in a county that has only one city (Placerville). They don't have public transportation because they're a suburb/semi-rural area. And they do have affordable housing.
You will NOT expect hostility and disdain. This poster has no idea what they're talking about.
Thanks for the nice invite! EDH must have been a huge culture shock for your family!
Why would it be a culture shock exactly? I'm sure most of the people in EDH share her views, morals and lifestyle. Aren't we supposed to be looking past race?
You obviously don't live there, and have probably not ever even been there, from your response.
They don't have a city government, because they are not a city, the are a town. They are one town in a county that has only one city (Placerville). They don't have public transportation because they're a suburb/semi-rural area. And they do have affordable housing.
You will NOT expect hostility and disdain. This poster has no idea what they're talking about.
There is no legal category of "town" in California--there are incorporated cities with populations much, much smaller than El Dorado Hills, which has a population of 40,000. If it was incorporated, it would be the largest city in the county! Placerville is an incorporated city, and has a population of only 10,000. (By the way, South Lake Tahoe is also an incorporated city, with a population of 20,000, about the same as unincorporated Cameron Park.)
El Dorado Hills does not have a mayor or city council--although considering that the mayor of Placerville is facing multiple felony charges, maybe self-governance just isn't much of a local tradition. A lot of unincorporated regions don't have city governments, but they would be difficult to mistake for "the country"--Arden/Arcade, Orangevale, Fair Oaks, etcetera, which look no different than incorporated "cities" like Citrus Heights, Roseville, Folsom or Sacramento. But not having a city government apparently excuses them from having to act like cities. Suburbs have public transit, as that is part of what makes them suburbs--deliberate large-lot zoning is generally a strategy to keep certain people out of a community after civil rights laws made it illegal to keep them out by property covenant.
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Originally Posted by SDbeachbum
Well, I wasn't really thinking there would be cross burnings or beatings. Do you have firsthand experiences of the hostility/disdain that you can share with me?
I grew up a bit west of El Dorado County, in the eastern edge of Sacramento County, and while I didn't spend much time in El Dorado County proper, I did in Placer County just to the north. Up until the late 1960s, pretty much all of Sacramento's eastern suburbs had racial exclusion covenants that prevented nonwhites from buying land, and as those covenants were made illegal, whites fled farther east to the foothills to avoid integrated neighborhoods. 20 years ago there was an active racist skinhead movement (well, "gang" might be a better term) in eastern Sacramento County and the foothills, which I assumed was wiped out, until the past year or so, when skinhead gang tags started appearing again, and a long-time skinhead leader was murdered. Considering the current political climate, I wouldn't be surprised if things are getting a bit more overt.
Firsthand, no, unless you count the time my sexuality was called into question by a passing pickemup truck because apparently my socks weren't manly enough. I'm of European descent so technically I pass muster with those folks, except for the ones who don't consider southern Italians white.
You will find racially exclusive covenants throughout the country in both rural and city neighbourhoods. Many of these covenants pre-date the Civil Rights Era by decades. Prior covenants have nothing to do with the people who purchased these lots 60, 70, or 100 years later.
The personal character of Placerville's mayor doesn't have a thing to do with the people living there. We have had politicians at all levels of government in all corners of the country who have got themselves into trouble.
In a few cases developers have used large lots to keep out certain people. However, it likely has more to do with economic class than race when it has a tract has been subdivided with that in mind. There are many more subdivisions with large lots because some people want to space between them and their neighbours, room for horses, a small orchard, not have to live 10 feet from noisy neighbours, and not have to live way out in the country to do so.
Your skinhead argument to back up your claims that every community outside the City of Sacramento is racist is weak. The 90s was kind of an era for skinheads. They had the same issue in Portland, Seattle, San Jose and other places. Few people in these areas had anything to do with them.
My brother is Asian, and he lives in Granite Bay. He claims there is no direct racism, but there is a condescending "Oh look, it talks! How amazing!" attitude. Granite Bay might be a bit more conservative than EDH though.
Why would it be a culture shock exactly? I'm sure most of the people in EDH share her views, morals and lifestyle. Aren't we supposed to be looking past race?
I do look past race, but that wasn't actually what I was referring to. I meant more in terms of going from a very vibrant city, that runs 24 hours a day, filled with millions of people, to a ruralish place like EDH.
I do look past race, but that wasn't actually what I was referring to. I meant more in terms of going from a very vibrant city, that runs 24 hours a day, filled with millions of people, to a ruralish place like EDH.
You won't find that outside of the Bay Area, but even San Francisco isn't a city that runs 24 hours a day. Sacramento is more like a city that runs 12 hours a day with tens of thousands of people, at least closer to downtown/midtown. The rest of the region is basically quiet suburban neighborhoods of various economic strata, from great wealth to abject poverty.
Thanks for the nice invite! EDH must have been a huge culture shock for your family!
We are a racially mixed family and have not experienced hostility from anyone in this area. There are bigots and idiots in big cities, too. We are happy to see more diversity in the Foothills in the past few years than previously.
I have lived in EDH for almost 2 years now. I'm a white guy and my wife is of Indian descent. I've never heard anyone say anything close to being a racist remark. People in EDH are friendly and laid back for the most part. It's only 1 exit past Folsom people. It's a nice area and I'm sure you will enjoy living here.
What is all this EDH needs to be incorporated talk? There is only 1 exit for EDH (Bass Like has a mix of different addresses so I don't really count it as an exit for EDH). It seems to be fine without being a city, why have more government for a small town? The light rail ends in Folsom but you can catch the El Dorado bus that goes downtown and is faster than the lightrail, or you can drive down to Folsom Blvd and park your car and take the rail.
There is no legal category of "town" in California--there are incorporated cities with populations much, much smaller than El Dorado Hills, which has a population of 40,000. If it was incorporated, it would be the largest city in the county! Placerville is an incorporated city, and has a population of only 10,000. (By the way, South Lake Tahoe is also an incorporated city, with a population of 20,000, about the same as unincorporated Cameron Park.)
El Dorado Hills does not have a mayor or city council--although considering that the mayor of Placerville is facing multiple felony charges, maybe self-governance just isn't much of a local tradition. A lot of unincorporated regions don't have city governments, but they would be difficult to mistake for "the country"--Arden/Arcade, Orangevale, Fair Oaks, etcetera, which look no different than incorporated "cities" like Citrus Heights, Roseville, Folsom or Sacramento. But not having a city government apparently excuses them from having to act like cities. Suburbs have public transit, as that is part of what makes them suburbs--deliberate large-lot zoning is generally a strategy to keep certain people out of a community after civil rights laws made it illegal to keep them out by property covenant.
Because all cities have to provide public transportation and dense construction... EDH isn't my cup of tea politically, but it's a nice enough place if you're looking for. I seriously doubt the number of buses is a big consideration for people looking at EDH.
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I grew up a bit west of El Dorado County, in the eastern edge of Sacramento County, and while I didn't spend much time in El Dorado County proper, I did in Placer County just to the north. Up until the late 1960s, pretty much all of Sacramento's eastern suburbs had racial exclusion covenants that prevented nonwhites from buying land, and as those covenants were made illegal, whites fled farther east to the foothills to avoid integrated neighborhoods. 20 years ago there was an active racist skinhead movement (well, "gang" might be a better term) in eastern Sacramento County and the foothills, which I assumed was wiped out, until the past year or so, when skinhead gang tags started appearing again, and a long-time skinhead leader was murdered. Considering the current political climate, I wouldn't be surprised if things are getting a bit more overt.
Really? You missed the rallies they were having in 2006? David Lynch, who is who you are referring to, lived in Citrus Heights -- which is part of the City of Sacramento and not unincorporated eastern Sacramento County which you apparently think is the epicenter of Sacramento's white supremacist movement. There are racial gangs everywhere, and in the scheme of things, groups like Sacto Skinheads are barely a blip on the radar of Sacramento's gang activity.
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Thanks for the nice invite! EDH must have been a huge culture shock for your family!
