Oakland is a dangerous place?? (San Jose, San Francisco: crime rates, neighborhood, schools)

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by cvanripe10

Ok I am really confused here.

San Francisco comes off as this educated, progressive, clean, artsy european type city. Lots of money and lots of professionals it seems.

However.....right across the bay is Oakland. Oakland is ranked one of the most dangerous cities in the USA. Some people refer to it as a ghetto.

How is this possible!?!? It's suppost to be extremely expensive. Why in the world would anyone pay such a high price to live in a 'dangerous ghetto'???

I don't understand how Oakland can be as bad as people make it out to be

I have lived in Oakland since 1985, and in the flats, as they are called. It's truly block to block. I've had my house broken into once, my apartment was broken into once, my husband's truck door window was smashed, as were a long line of them down the street, and my car was also broken into once -- well not broken -- my mother left the door unlocked. They stole a stuffed thick wallet from the glove compartment. What I would have given to see their faces as they opened it up to find all our coupons....

As a habit, when I am in my house my front door is bolted. Both doors are locked. That's a habit from childhood, when I lived in a very Norman Rockwell existance in Cranberry Township PA.

We've never been mugged, or threatened. We do hear shots in the distance. We do have homeless junkies wandering the streets. I do not feel like I live in fear, I am not afraid.

All in all, I'd do it again... but I'd probably find a better neighborhood, so my house equity would soar more....

Not to mention, there are parts of San Francisco that make where I live look like Disneyland...

[tabithaP]

I live in Oakland and rarely lock my doors and we have never had a problem. I live in a nice part of Oakland. Oakland has a problem with gang violence and since I am not in gang and or hanging out in the flats I feel safe. Like others have mentioned Oakland is truly block by block in some neighborhoods. Honestly I am more worried about living on the Hayward fault then I am about violence.

However there does seem to be high percentage of auto theft and break ins regardless of where you live in Oakland, but I rather live here than 90% of the US.

[fizbin]

Oakland gets an overly bad rap. It is a big city, and like most big cities it has outstanding neighborhoods, good neighborhoods and bad neighborhoods. It gets an over-emphasized negative slant because the SF-based media outlets have a vested interest in promoting SF, which they do to some degree by glossing over the problems of SF, and by magnifying the problems in Oakland.

We're in a nice-to-outstanding neighborhood. Sure, we lock our doors - that is just common sense. But no crime to speak of anywhere nearby, no gunshots overheard. Just peaceful living in the woods with a view. We used to live close to Lake Merritt, and the overall feeling was just about the same (although not so woodsy, no view).

No doubt about it, not all neighborhoods are this peaceful, but most of the crime in the bad neighborhoods is isolated to the bad neighborhoods, and is almost all black on black gang related stuff.

If you live in the right 'hoods Oakland is as safe as any big city in the US. If you live in the wrong 'hoods it can be ugly.

[OAKLANDGASTEAM]

well i gotta say im 15 i live in west oakland im in a gang called GAS-TEAM and gang violence isnt just the problem with our city its the fact that people dont watch there surroundings and have no fear if people would stay in there neighborhood there wouldnt be so much murder rate.

[OAKLANDGASTEAM]

Originally Posted by fizbin

Oakland gets an overly bad rap. It is a big city, and like most big cities it has outstanding neighborhoods, good neighborhoods and bad neighborhoods. It gets an over-emphasized negative slant because the SF-based media outlets have a vested interest in promoting SF, which they do to some degree by glossing over the problems of SF, and by magnifying the problems in Oakland.

We're in a nice-to-outstanding neighborhood. Sure, we lock our doors - that is just common sense. But no crime to speak of anywhere nearby, no gunshots overheard. Just peaceful living in the woods with a view. We used to live close to Lake Merritt, and the overall feeling was just about the same (although not so woodsy, no view).

No doubt about it, not all neighborhoods are this peaceful, but most of the crime in the bad neighborhoods is isolated to the bad neighborhoods, and is almost all black on black gang related stuff.

If you live in the right 'hoods Oakland is as safe as any big city in the US. If you live in the wrong 'hoods it can be ugly.

Well Most certainly something i'd like to express is, that the violence in oakland isn't majorly black on black crime it's hood vs hood and thats means folks die and their family creates something called a team "gang" and that reduces fuel 2 the fire because people die everyday so gang are always created.SUMMARY

[andyadhi01]

Originally Posted by cvanripe10

San Francisco comes off as this educated, progressive, clean, artsy european type city.

Care to explain how SF is more progressive and clean than Oakland? SF has just as many dirty,dangerous, crime-ridden areas outside of the touristy areas as Oakland. Also, do you not see all the Asians in SF? Given the high % of Asians here, it is pretty culturally insensitive to call SF European. You can't ignore a large chunk of the population just because they don't like you or are culturally different.

[BayDude]

Originally Posted by andyadhi01

Care to explain how SF is more progressive and clean than Oakland? SF has just as many dirty,dangerous, crime-ridden areas outside of the touristy areas as Oakland. Also, do you not see all the Asians in SF? Given the high % of Asians here, it is pretty culturally insensitive to call SF European. You can't ignore a large chunk of the population just because they don't like you or are culturally different.

LOL I hate when people call SF "european". Almost as bad as calling it "frisco" or "san fran". SF is a gritty, grimy city that just has "older" architecture. Nothing really "european" about it.

[Gentoo]

Oakland gets an overly bad rap. It is a big city, and like most big cities it has outstanding neighborhoods, good neighborhoods and bad neighborhoods. It gets an over-emphasized negative slant because the SF-based media outlets have a vested interest in promoting SF, which they do to some degree by glossing over the problems of SF, and by magnifying the problems in Oakland.[LEFT]
Read more: http://www.city-data.com/forum/san-francisco/191286-oakland-dangerous-place-2.html#ixzz0hwRM2hB6
[/LEFT]

Exactly! I go to the Bay Area several times a year and grew up there. In Oakland I just stay out of the bad areas and not worry at all because I don't have to. In SF, I always look over my shoulder because crazies are spread out there. The local news there puts Oakland down a lot (perhaps to keep the tourist dollars in SF?). Oakland is a fine and beautiful place honestly. Do not believe the media hype.

[Yvetta]

Originally Posted by cvanripe10

Ok I am really confused here.

San Francisco comes off as this educated, progressive, clean, artsy european type city. Lots of money and lots of professionals it seems.

However.....right across the bay is Oakland. Oakland is ranked one of the most dangerous cities in the USA. Some people refer to it as a ghetto.

How is this possible!?!? It's suppost to be extremely expensive. Why in the world would anyone pay such a high price to live in a 'dangerous ghetto'???

I don't understand how Oakland can be as bad as people make it out to be

Oakland is like any other city in America, it has it's good and bad areas.
It is a very beautiful, picturesque city with gorgeous views,beautiful neighborhoods and a friendly atmosphere.
Oakland is listed as the most DIVERSE city in America. 150 languages spoken and is very culturally progressive. Years ago it was predominately black by about 5%, (hence the negative publicity) but due to gentrification the population now is majority caucasian.
Don't listen to the negative hype, the media and the naysayers who have never set foot here..... Check it out yourself and you will be totally surprised at the beauty and awesome lifestyle.

[trunky]

So Oakland has gotten a lot of negative publicity because at one point it was predominantly black?