Is Kensington Family Friendly? (San Diego, El Cajon: apartment, rent , work)

[etcettera]

We just moved here from Chicago with our 6 month old and are renting a small apartment in Carmel Valley while we look for a more permanent residence. We want to rent a 3 bdr house (we really want to buy but can't afford $650k and there's not much else below that). Carmel Valley is nice but a bit too sterile for us. We like Encinitas, but there isn't a whole lot available right now.

My husband wants to look in Kensington, Normal Heights, Mission Hills or North Park. We can't afford Mission Hills though. Can anyone tell me if these are nice areas and safe for a young family? How are the schools? Apart from Mission Hills, which is the best area?

Thanks!

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by etcettera

We just moved here from Chicago with our 6 month old and are renting a small apartment in Carmel Valley while we look for a more permanent residence. We want to rent a 3 bdr house (we really want to buy but can't afford $650k and there's not much else below that). Carmel Valley is nice but a bit too sterile for us. We like Encinitas, but there isn't a whole lot available right now.

My husband wants to look in Kensington, Normal Heights, Mission Hills or North Park. We can't afford Mission Hills though. Can anyone tell me if these are nice areas and safe for a young family? How are the schools? Apart from Mission Hills, which is the best area?

Thanks!

Thes areas are very nice and full of young families (like my brother). in fact they are some of my favorite areas in all of SD. The areas are safe enough but you are living in the heart of a major US city so adjust your expectations accordingly. This is not Carmel Valley. There are rough neighborhoods nearby and plenty of "colorful characters". If you are the type of person who is scared of a thuggy looking teenager you might think twice about living in these areas.

With the exception of Mission Hills (Bryant I believe) - I would not send my child to any of the local schools, especially Adams, Franklin, or North Park elementary, and would certainly not send my kids to any of the middle or high schools.
San Diego Unified has open enrollment, magnets, and charters so you can potentially send your child to any school in SD. My brother's kid is bussed from Normal Heights along with several others to Clairemont for school. My co-worker in NH sends his kids to Green in Del Cerro. Almost everyone I know in town with kids does this.

[Sampaguita]

I live in El Cerrito which is east of Kensington (Kensington, Talmadge, El Cerrito). A house across the street from us has just been purchased & remodeled by a local realtor. It is beautiful! A 3-bdrm/2bath, 1929 Spanish Revival with an eat-in kitchen, bonus family room with French doors, down-stairs office area, living and dining rooms. They are planning on having an open-house soon but they've told me to spread the word in case someone might be interested. The owner told me they are planning to rent it out for $2300/month.

Our neighborhood is very friendly and I know there is a mommy-baby group. My neighbor is quite involved with them.

I would not recommend any of the public schools nearby either.

If you're interested, please PM me & I'll get you the name & number of the owner.

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by Sampaguita

I would not recommend any of the public schools nearby either.

have you ever looked at Hardy right next to SDSU?(Montezuma & 55th I believe)? From my understanding it is very well-regarded.

[Sampaguita]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

have you ever looked at Hardy right next to SDSU?(Montezuma & 55th I believe)? From my understanding it is very well-regarded.

I haven't -- but I'll ask my neighbor about it.

etcettera - since your child is only 6 months old, are you more interested in day-care or were you just asking about schools in general? Even though we don't have children of school age we are always looking at the schools in different areas when discussing the possibility of moving.

[sdurbanite]

I live in Kensington, and while I don't have info on schools, I do know that the few kids that live around me go to private schools. I guess that says something about the local one, right?

Like Sassberto said, the neighborhoods you are looking into are full of young couples and families that don't want suburban life. I absolutely love it. While Carmel Valley is very nice, you sorta live around the same type of people that think the same way. I guess that's good for some people, but it isn't for me. My neighbor's 15 year old daughter told me that she asked her current boy if he was Republican or not, and he went "Huh?" She told me she broke him down only to find out his thinking was Democrat. Now they're happy as can be...LOL I never knew a 15 year old would even care about politics.

Back to the topic - you may want to also check out the neighborhoods of South Park, Burlingame, Hillcrest and Banker's Hill. All of which are good for younger couples. Again, I know nothing about the schools in those areas.

[etcettera]

Sampaguita, we're looking at some places on Saturday, but I may just get in touch with you for that info - thanks! We're not looking for daycare, we just want to know how the schools are since we hope that where we end up now is where we'll be once he starts school (although probably in a different house). We don't want to set down roots and then decide to live somewhere else and have to start all over.

It sounds pretty good so far. Are break-ins ever an issue, I saw that in another thread? We lived in the city in Chicago and got broken into, so I'm a little weird about that. We def. aren't looking for homogeneous and white washed (which is why Carmel Valley doesn't feel right), but we want to make sure our family is safe all the same.

[Sampaguita]

In the 4 yrs we've been in El Cerrito, I know of only 1 break-in in our little horse-shoe block and that was into a house that no one was living in at the time (owners live in Vegas). That was about a year ago. I'm not sure about the surrounding El Cerrito neighborhoods but we probably would have heard if a break-in had occurred.

I also am unaware of any auto thefts. I am constantly (stupidly) leaving my car unlocked & have had nothing stolen.

If you want to drive into this neighborhood, follow El Cajon Blvd, east, and turn left onto El Cerrito Drive. The border of this particular neighborhood is 54th to the west, College Ave to the east & El Cajon Blvd to the south.

We are one of those up & coming neighborhoods that is still somewhat affordable compared to Kensington & Talmadge, North Park and Normal Heights. We are clamoring for improvement so hopefully, things will only get better!

Good luck with your search!

[kettlepot]

For what it's worth, I was talking to a neighbor once about schooling (I don't have any kids of my own), and she said she was fine with the city's elementary schools. It was only after 5th grade that she felt the need to get her kids out of the SDUSD.