Vallejo Depressing Cheap Place to live (Oakland, Napa: 2014, renters, crime rates)

[rah]

I just want to point out that if any of you are cool with the crime rate in SF, than you should be ok in Vallejo, because it has a lower crime rate than SF does. Vallejo has its bad parts for sure, and it's a little isolated, but I feel like people often exaggerate how bad crime is there overall (and sometimes those people will then turn around and say SF is extra safe, lol).

[sav858]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

Not sure why a person has to have lived in a place to see potential. Absolutely huge numbers of people have returned to formerly run down urban areas in past decades betting on renewal. And benefitted greatly for their vision and investment.

And no one denies the present problems of Vallejo. Given the potential the existing problems are why it is an accessible investment option.

Anyone who has lived there knows what a terrible, depressing place it can be despite the cute little Victorian's you guys seem to be raving about. It's basically Antioch with a ferry to SF. But even Antioch will be connected to BART soon, so you might see that city turn around before Vallejo.

Vallejo hasn't changed one bit for the better in 30+ years and has actually gotten worse. It's not a good location either; the ferry is a long and expensive commute option and it's across a bridge.

If some of you think it has potential and is a good investment, by all means start investing. Anything to help that hellhole of a town. It just always seems like the only people who praise Vallejo on this forum have never actually spent much time there or have family that lives there.

[Chuck5000]

sav858, 1 hour ferry ride to downtown SF is actually pretty darn good, that's 1 hour in one seat on a pleasant ride where one can do some work.

Many, many, many people in the Bay Area are being pushed to 75 or 90 minute door to door commutes to SF. Vallejo will benefit, if not soon, then eventually.

And I personally know 2 people who live there, in the "good" parts, because it's what they can afford, and nobody thinks its Disneyland, but calling it "terrible" universally is just ridiculous.

Rents in Richmond, which would have to be an equally "terrible" place to live, are going up significantly. Vallejo is just one cycle behind.

[sav858]

Originally Posted by Chuck5000

sav858, 1 hour ferry ride to downtown SF is actually pretty darn good, that's 1 hour in one seat on a pleasant ride where one can do some work.

Many, many, many people in the Bay Area are being pushed to 75 or 90 minute door to door commutes to SF. Vallejo will benefit, if not soon, then eventually.

And I personally know 2 people who live there, in the "good" parts, because it's what they can afford, and nobody thinks its Disneyland, but calling it "terrible" universally is just ridiculous.

Rents in Richmond, which would have to be an equally "terrible" place to live, are going up significantly. Vallejo is just one cycle behind.

I don't know anyone that would consider a 1-hour travel time on transit "pretty darn good", that's rather long for most people. Yeah Vallejo has a direct connection to SF which is an advantage over places like Fairfield but not one that is quick, cheap, or frequent.

It's a rather large city (115K) so of course it will have some decent areas but overall the town is terrible imo. There are more dumpy, trashy areas than there are nice areas.

Also with American Canyon as an option for many, I still think Vallejo has a long ways to go before it starts to attract middle and upper middle class families. It may attract people for the lower home prices but it's not going to be the type of people that will improve the city overall.

I think Vallejo will pretty much stay the same. You don't really see too many far-flung suburbs improving and if anything some are getting worse (Fairfield, Suisun, Antioch, etc..)

[ashpelham]

The next big gentrification target. Soon, all of those unpleasantries you mentioned will be out in the Birmingham suburbs with me! HOO RAY.

[clongirl]

Originally Posted by sav858

Anyone who has lived there knows what a terrible, depressing place it can be despite the cute little Victorian's you guys seem to be raving about. It's basically Antioch with a ferry to SF. But even Antioch will be connected to BART soon, so you might see that city turn around before Vallejo.

Vallejo hasn't changed one bit for the better in 30+ years and has actually gotten worse. It's not a good location either; the ferry is a long and expensive commute option and it's across a bridge.

If some of you think it has potential and is a good investment, by all means start investing. Anything to help that hellhole of a town. It just always seems like the only people who praise Vallejo on this forum have never actually spent much time there or have family that lives there.

Yeah, but you're the one that thinks Monument blvd in Concord is an actual ghetto. You are probably more sensitive than most to anything that doesn't look like new, spotless, tract housing in San Ramon.

Vallejo actually has some nice areas. I had boyfriends from there when I was younger, but they lived in the "Crest". I'm sure there's far more gentrification happening that you realise.

[sav858]

Originally Posted by clongirl

Yeah, but you're the one that thinks Monument blvd in Concord is an actual ghetto. You are probably more sensitive than most to anything that doesn't look like new, spotless, tract housing in San Ramon.

Vallejo actually has some nice areas. I had boyfriends from there when I was younger, but they lived in the "Crest". I'm sure there's far more gentrification happening that you realise.

I'm not the only one that thinks the Monument corridor is ghetto, a lot of people do, so I'm not sure what your point is with that. Do you go around telling the other Lafayette soccer moms about how you're a SF native and your former bf's from Vallejo for some street cred? Bumping some Mac Dre in the minivan? You're so hardcore Clongirl.

Well then tell me about the gentrification if you're so knowledgeable about it....oh wait you're not are you? Nor is anyone else on this thread praising Vallejo.

[Shelacious]

Originally Posted by clongirl

Yeah, but you're the one that thinks Monument blvd us an actual ghetto. You are probably more sensitive than most to anything that doesn't look like new, spotless, tract housing in San Ramon.

Vallejo actually has some nice areas. I had boyfriends from there when I was younger, but they lived in the "Crest". I'm sure there's far more gentrification happening that you realise.

LOL at the Crest! Thought I'd never see that neighborhood mentioned in this forum (the hood in which I grew up, BTW).

I still have family there--I don't' think it's that depressing and cheap place to live--I've seen worse, much worse. It is as vibrant as it was when Mare Island was still an active base? No, but it's always had the feel of a small town, even with it's current population. If not for the I-80 corridor traffic, and the fact I just don't like living on the outskirts of the Bay Area, and that fact that I didn't want to live in a town I grew-up in, I wouldn't mind having bought a great Victorian (and boy where there some great prices when I was looking to buy) or in one other of my favorite neighborhoods in Vallejo. Maybe it will "gentrify," or maybe not, but having lived here for years, and heading there often to visit my family, it's not like living in the armpit of hell. And much more diverse housing stock and history than Antioch, IMO. YMMV.

[SFBayBoomer]

Vallejo to San Francisco by ferry sounds enjoyable, but what percentage of Vallejo inhabitants have jobs in the City?

More likely they are heading to downtown Oakland and have to face a horrible car commute.

[PixelatedTherapy]

Originally Posted by rah

I just want to point out that if any of you are cool with the crime rate in SF, than you should be ok in Vallejo, because it has a lower crime rate than SF does. Vallejo has its bad parts for sure, and it's a little isolated, but I feel like people often exaggerate how bad crime is there overall (and sometimes those people will then turn around and say SF is extra safe, lol).

People seem to exaggerate crime in pretty much every city.