how about zipcode 92117 (San Diego, Vista, Moraga: low income, apartment, new home)

[esmith143]

To be exact, 92111 south of the canyon is called Linda Vista; 92117 south of Balboa and west of the canyon is called Bay Park; 92117 north of Balboa and west of (roughly) Clairemont Dr. is called Bay Ho.

[jimcav]

Originally Posted by esmith143

To be exact, 92111 south of the canyon is called Linda Vista; 92117 south of Balboa and west of the canyon is called Bay Park; 92117 north of Balboa and west of (roughly) Clairemont Dr. is called Bay Ho.

i am hearing that being in the north or northwest sections (clairemont and bay ho) is better?
jim

[NYSD1995]

Originally Posted by jimcav

i am hearing that being in the north or northwest sections (clairemont and bay ho) is better?
jim

North Clairemont and Bay Park are the best. The central part of CLMT is a lot of run-down multi-family along the main streets but is decent a few blocks into the neighborhoods. South side is close to Linda Vista which has a big crime problem.

CLMT is not really that different from SD city, it has a more suburban look n' feel but a lot of those houses have 10 people living in them.

[esmith143]

Northwest part is the best (and also the most expensive). North is pretty good too. The problem with all of 92117 is that it's old (built in the 60's) and houses are relatively tiny.

[RD5050]

The "Mount" street area I mentioned (SW of Balboa Ave & Genesee Ave) is one of the best areas to live in Clairemont. It gets its name because most of the streets are prefixed Mt. XXXXX (ave,st,etc).

The homes here are very well-kept, and the streets are nice in appearance. The entire area is very quiet and peaceful. It is situated alongside Tecolote Canyon.

The nearby shopping centers (walking distance) at Balboa and Genesee are terrific, and have nearly everything you need to live.

Linda Vista (also part of 92111) is just a few miles away from the above area, but it is separated by natural canyon barriers. Linda Vista is not really a terrible place. It has some nice, and some poorer sections. In these poorer sections you will likely find higher crime activity.

Bay Ho and Bay Park are very nice, but the houses are situated on the side of a steep hill which declines down to Mission Bay. So you need to drive up and down lots of inclined streets. Shopping centers are not as close, since most are located at the top of the hill. The scenic views from this area are beautiful.

I recommend driving around all of Clairemont to see it for yourself.

[NYSD1995]

Originally Posted by esmith143

The problem with all of 92117 is that it's old (built in the 60's) and houses are relatively tiny.

You must be a native Californian if you think a house built in the 60's is old

[jimcav]

Originally Posted by El Torro1984

That area ceased being comfertable clean middle class area a while ago. The schools are showing signts that they are failing and on a continuing downward trend.

thanks
jim

[RD5050]

Everyone has different opinions. I still highly recommend Clairemont.

I also recommend driving through the entire Clairemont area yourself, and then deciding if it is right for your family.

When driving through the neighborhoods, stop people on the street, and ask their opinions of the area.

Another idea is to go into a few area supermarkets, and ask people's opinions. That way you will find lots of locals to speak with, who probably have plenty of time to chat.

Also go into the schools, and talk with the faculty.

Wait outside after school lets out, when parents come to pick up their kids, and get parent's opinions of the schools and area.

I wouldn't make a major decision for your family solely based on what you read in this forum.

[NYSD1995]

Originally Posted by RD5050

Everyone has different opinions. I still highly recommend Clairemont.

I also recommend driving through the entire Clairemont area yourself, and then deciding if it is right for your family.

When driving through the neighborhoods, stop people on the street, and ask their opinions of the area.

Also go into the schools, and talk with the faculty.

Wait outside the school around 3pm when parents come to pick up their kids, and get other parent's opinions of the schools and area.

I wouldn't make a major decision solely based on what you read in this forum.

I agree, you have to be careful, especially because a large group of posters in these forums considers any even slightly urban area a "ghetto".

That said, if you ask parents in a bad school what they think of the school, they will say "it's great" because they don't often know any better. Unfortunately the high rate of ESL kids in most SD city schools means that even well-meaning parents and teachers can't stop the school from devoting a disproportionate amount of resources to kids who are way, way behind grade level. Add in a large number of free-and-reduced lunch students (who may be bussed in from elsewhere) and you have an imbalance between the children of middle-class homeowners and low-income (often section 8) renters. That means big disparity in behavior and values.

Personally I am not willing to send my child to a school with the children of parents who feel that disrespectful and even violent behavior is acceptable. Unfortunately that behavior is common and culturally acceptable in low-income communities. Clairemont's large amount of multi-family properties means that this is a reality even in an otherwise nice and middle-class place. It is the same situation in my neighborhood. Over time, the wealthier parents remove their children from the local schools and all that is left is the low-performing students, many of whom don't even live in the neighborhood or live in the small number of apartments at the fringe of the neighborhood.

In general, most of the urban CA schools have failed to accomodate the widely varying demographics of their neighborhoods in a cohesive manner. The exceptions are perhaps the language immersion programs which I believe are the way forward for parents who wish to give their child an urban education experience. They allow ESL kids and native speakers to engage each other, rather than forcing everyone down to the lowest possible level.

[jimcav]

Originally Posted by RD5050

I also recommend driving through the entire Clairemont area yourself, and then deciding if it is right for your family.

When driving through the neighborhoods, stop people on the street, and ask their opinions of the area. .

thanks i plan to--i am using the forum to prioritize where to look, as i may have very little time to house hunt.

thanks
jim