Moving to SAC, what are the Best, Cleanest, Safest neighborhoods?

[caligirlz]

Originally Posted by pointeau

Clean? No trash on the streets and along the curbs, human or otherwise. Safe? Well, let's see...I want my wife to be able to go walking without being mugged or approached by homeless people; I want to leave my house without worrying about it getting broken into; I want to park my car without it getting broken into. This is where I would live. Work is tentatively on 12th Street and that's not a matter of choice. What's important to us is walking, hiking, biking (street), close proximity to stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joes. We are open to urban, suburban or rural. Thanks for your input.

I used to live in East Sac. I could walk at night without being mugged. However, I did encounter homeless people as I walked near the light rail, UCD & Safeway on Alhambra. I learned which streets I could walk & at what times. I lived in a gated, locked condo complex & there was no way any stranger could access the units. although, they were able to get through the gates into the parking lot & roamed around the gardens, but our community was very alert & these people were taken care of very quickly.

I now live in Folsom, within walking distance to a shopping center, a short drive to Whole Foods & Trader Joes. I have access to neighborhood trails for walking, running, biking, etc. It is clean for the most part, although trash does blow up from the shopping center or those who prefer to litter. Folsom is awesome for its proximity to Folsom Lake, the American River Parkway, lots of outdoor activities, and decent shopping. It's one of the safer suburbs along with Granite Bay, EDH, Roseville/Rocklin.

I don't think there are any guarantees to prevent a house or car from being broken in to. It happens in nearly all neighborhoods. You can be safe in any neighborhood, as long as you are street wise. I don't think you can leave your house unlocked all the time without inviting trouble at some point. And yes, there are neighborhoods that put you at higher risk. I also think that some of the older neighborhoods have more of a dirty, run down feel.

East Sac has a Trader Joes, but you would need to drive to Arden for Whole Foods. Its very doable. EDH has a Nugget & is very close to Folsom. Roseville also has a Whole Foods, Nugget & Trader Joes.

[wburg]

There is also the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-Op in the Alhambra Triangle, just south of East Sacramento on the eastern edge of Midtown--all the stuff you'd expect at Whole Foods plus it's locally owned--and all the assorted farmer's markets in the central city, like the Sunday night Southside market, Saturdays in Midtown at 20th and J, and the assorted daytime mid-week markets at central city parks Monday-Friday. That, and even the Grocery Outlet discount market in Midtown sells organic produce and imported cheese.

East Sacramento also has some amazing homegrown places--Corti Bros. is a great locally owned market, owner Darrell Corti is a wine expert with a worldwide reputation, and Selland's Market has a great reputation for specialty foodstuffs that are way out of my price range (I'm more of a Grocery Outlet guy.)

[justducky2]

East Sacramento, or Folsom. Both have Trader Joes, Whole Foods or Elliott's Natural Foods or the Sacramento Co-op. Both safe, and walkable.

[ryuns]

Land Park, Curtis Park or East Sac will be fine choices. I always put in a plug for Curtis Park, which is where I live, for people without kids. It's often a little cheaper than Land Park, partly because the elementary school is not very well-rated, while Land Park's elementary is one of the best in the city.

For air quality, it may sounds somewhat ironic, but you're probably best in the city, as long as you're not rest next to a freeway. The city has lower levels of dust and pesticides. Also somewhat ironically, the base of the valley does a little better than the low foothills because of proximity to bay winds and being beneath (rather than inside of) inversion layers.

[u225615]

Capital Village in Rancho Cordova

With a budget of no more than 1500 you should be able to find a 3/2 with a garage (I think all the garages are in back of the units).

Walkable to all the basics...banking, dining, drug store, health clinic, Starbucks

Miles of bike trails in neaby StoneCreek Development

This part of Rancho is quiet and safe

Trader Joes about 10 minute drive north and Whole Foods about a 15 minute drive East (highly dependent on time of day due to traffic).

Here's a link with a few pics...

Capital Village in Rancho Cordova | Sacramento Appraisal Blog | Real Estate Appraiser

[u225615]

Originally Posted by NewToCA

Some apartments north of Folsom Blvd and west of Hazel Ave. Should be in your price range, and a nice and safe area.

If these are the Oak Brooke Apartments... would be about the only apartment complex in Rancho to consider...the downside is there isnt much out there except car dealerships, a credit union, light manufacturing, furniture stores, Nimbus Winery complex, and a gas station. OTOH it's close to Folsom with lots of retail and bike trails and across the street from a light rail station (and away from the bad parts of Rancho).

[pointeau]

Thanks to everyone for your input, you've been most helpful!

[vplegend]

Originally Posted by Lillp

There really are a ton of areas that would fit that bill and your requirements are minimal enough that it's difficult to make recommendations. I would probably look for a place in Land Park or East Sacramento to cool your heels for a year, since both are really walkable close in neighborhoods, but tend to be expensive so if you decide you want a larger home in the future you may be priced out in your range. East Sac has a Traider Joe's and is very walkable/bikable. Land Park has a Sprouts Market, and an pretty incredable park. Both have close access to the bike trail that wraps up from the Sacramento River along the edge of downtown and then up the American River to Folsom, without having "too much" access (the trail is awsome and makes for a super easy bike commute if you choose, but tends to be a cooridor for homeless). Neither neighborhood will have a ton of options in your price range, but they are out there.

There are some very nice newer little suburbs in the Southport area of West Sacramento that have parks/easy access to downtown, biking and running trails, rowing, and a "Nugget" market that is a local grocery chain in a similar style to Whole Foods.

I agree.

[jennarwright]

South Land Park and the Pocket are clean and safe, have good outdoor access (esp. the Pocket with its canals and river access) and both are an easy commute downtown. If you don't mind a longer commute with traffic, you could look at Folsom or the American River areas of Sacramento. Some of the west parts of Elk Grove are also nice if you don't mind living in the suburbs--there is access to outdoor walking, grocery stores, ethnic food and still an easy commute downtown.

[pointeau]

Originally Posted by jennarwright

South Land Park and the Pocket are clean and safe, have good outdoor access (esp. the Pocket with its canals and river access) and both are an easy commute downtown. If you don't mind a longer commute with traffic, you could look at Folsom or the American River areas of Sacramento. Some of the west parts of Elk Grove are also nice if you don't mind living in the suburbs--there is access to outdoor walking, grocery stores, ethnic food and still an easy commute downtown.

Thanks for all these good tips. To everyone, thanks. We are finding, so far, that Sacramento does have some really nice areas, with lots of greenery, trails, parks, and so forth. And the people we've been encountering are really quite nice. Would still like to hear more. Thanks again.