Soon to be divorced (african american) mother of 2 moving to San Diego (Los Angeles: appointed, leasing)

[adeltagirl]

Ok guys!!! After great consideration I have chosen to live in Chula Vista (the East lake community). I actually looked at the schools according to greatschools.net and it gives Eastlake excellent reviews. Before I was using SchoolMatters - Home and they weren't so positive. But i think that neighborhood will suit us just fine. I actually am interviewing with Sharps Reese medical center for a position and I plan to rent a house (or maybe a townhome). My housing budget is $2000/month.

What is the commute time in rush hour from Eastlake to the center?

I'm getting sooooo excited!!

[jghall00]

Have you considered Tierrasanta? It provides very easy access to most of the locations of interest in San Diego. I think commute time is an important consideration when you have children, not to mention fuel prices. The three main elementary schools here are ranked 8 or higher on the state API exam. A townhouse will run 1600 - 1900 depending on size.

[kcda]

adeltagirl: I'm so excited for you! If you have any questions about the Eastlake and surrounding area, feel free to ask. If you are going to be working at the Sharp Rees Steely on Medical Center Drive it is probably only a 10 minute drive from Eastlake. I really think you will love this community. Where are you moving from?

[adeltagirl]

I am moving from a south suburb of Chicago (Homewood, IL). We have beautiful trees and lots of grass, wonderful parks, a fantastic sense of community and the diversity is quite balanced.
I hope to get the job with Sharps Reese. I will know in 2 weeks what they have decided.
I am extremely excited to start making some progress toward my move.
Hopefully I can get this job and a start date. Ideally I would like to move at the end of August. I have lots of loose ends to tie up here (divorce, finding residence and schools, and saying goodbye...)

[adeltagirl]

Okay everyone, Tierrasanta has been suggested.
So, the question is:

Chula Vista (Eastlake) VS Tierrasanta????????????????

[vcal2000]

I am not African American, but I've worked at a primarily AA charter school for a long time and know the community well. I would focus on finding a school district with schools that are overall (not just test scores) good schools with programs you're looking for. Look at a variety of things including diversity. Then examine what neighborhoods you could live in and attend those schools. Think about using a charter school also. We have some really good ones in San Diego and you can live anywhere to attend one of those. There are a lot of nice neighborhoods in San Diego, but Poway, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Penisquitos, and far east county like Lakeside and Santee tend to not be friendly places for people of color at this point in time. It's sad, but true.

Look for the schools you want first, then choose where to live.

~V

Originally Posted by revelated

From one African American to another...I'm going to hit you with a reality check for your consideration, take or leave.

If you're trying to find upscale African Americans, successful, educated, etc...you'll be hard pressed. They're out there, but there's no one area to find them in. San Diego's black culture is primarily those you find on MTV Cribs, BET, or the latest Ludacris video. Am I stereotyping, yes...but it applies. Skyline alone is proof of what I'm saying, as is downtown, Imperial Beach, El Cajon, La Mesa, etc.

So, you'll have a choice to make. Do you:
(a) live in a very nice, affluent area with upwardly mobile folks not necessarily of the African American persuasion;
(b) live in a "middle ground" area where there's plenty of diversity, but not a lot of truly successful people (meaning they're striving to improve themselves); or
(c) live in the ghetto, where the people aren't what you want?

Strictly a suggestion...pick option 1 and simply accept that diversity, as I have. Otherwise you'll be dissatisfied at what you constantly find. I speak as someone who used to live in said ghetto, so I fully understand what both sides of the fence look like.

[vcal2000]

Eastlake is a newer community, but is started to get kind of impacted. I don't know that traffic is a problem yet, but it will be if they keep adding housing without adding more highway/roads. Tierrasanta is an older neighborhood, but the commute from there to Chula Vista would not be fun.
From Eastlake you could take mostly side streets and avoid freeways all together if there was a sig alert or something. I think the schools are about the same, although the Eastlake schools are newer facilities for sure. If it were me I would pick the one closest to my job....

~V

Originally Posted by adeltagirl

Okay everyone, Tierrasanta has been suggested.
So, the question is:

Chula Vista (Eastlake) VS Tierrasanta????????????????

[jghall00]

Originally Posted by vcal2000

Eastlake is a newer community, but is started to get kind of impacted. I don't know that traffic is a problem yet, but it will be if they keep adding housing without adding more highway/roads. Tierrasanta is an older neighborhood, but the commute from there to Chula Vista would not be fun.
From Eastlake you could take mostly side streets and avoid freeways all together if there was a sig alert or something. I think the schools are about the same, although the Eastlake schools are newer facilities for sure. If it were me I would pick the one closest to my job....

~V

I wouldn't commute from TS to Chula Vista either. Even though you'd be going opposite traffic flow, it would be a haul. But there is a really large Sharp Hospital facility off 163, a Kaiser near I-15 and I-8, some others near Hillcrest, and probably more in Mira Mesa and towards La Jolla that I'm unaware of. I chose TS because its one of the few areas north of the 8 with good schools within driving distance of USD. Like I said, it's very convenient to nearly everything you would visit in SD. And I never have problems with traffic.

[adeltagirl]

I actually am in the interview process with a facility in Chula Vista (Sharp Reese Med Center I'm praying i get the job) and I am hoping to move into the Pinnacle at Otay Ranch which is literally a 5 minute commute.

I have also found that the schools in the area are rated very highly.

The last thing on the list is a preschool for my 3 year old. Any suggestions???????

[kcda]

Yes, Otay Ranch is even closer to Sharp than Eastlake. I like Otay Ranch but they have very high mello roos taxes. But, since you are renting, it's not a big deal. We have friends that live there and attend McMillan Elementary which is a great school. I believe there is also another Sharp Hospital in West Chula Vista (near the Chula Vista Center Mall). Good luck, I hope you get the position!