Richmond, Ca (San Francisco, Oakland, San Pablo: city hall, crime rate, townhouse)

[JamalJohnson]

Is this city safe? i am pondering moving here with my family

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by JamalJohnson

Is this city safe? i am pondering moving here with my family

Richmond is one of the highest crime areas in the bay area. There is an area called Point Richmond that is decent. The whole place is near a massive refinery. Personally, no way.

[speedoflight]

Agree with this assessment but more...

If you work in the East Bay in the Contra Costa county area, then it's not so bad but if you work in SF, you will face ominous traffic going in to the Bay Bridge toll plaza. Try MILES and MILES of bumper to bumper traffic every morning. Personally, I wouldn't be able to deal with it for long.

Originally Posted by Sassberto

Richmond is one of the highest crime areas in the bay area. There is an area called Point Richmond that is decent. The whole place is near a massive refinery. Personally, no way.

[vondeitch]

I-80 is a brutal during commute hours, so if you have to commute, take BART. If you have to drive, buy near work. Richmond has really bad spots (ie the Iron Triangle) and good spots (Point Richmond). Albany, San Pablo, Hercules and Pinole are nearby and safer than Richmond.

[Caliguy2007]

It's shocking to hear about High Crime Rates in the Bay Area...This is such a Desirable and Beautiful Area to live in,and it also makes me wonder how these Thugs or Troublemakers could even afford to live there.

The entire Bay Area needs to Gentrify all of it's Ghettos or High Crime Rate Areas...We don't need any Ghettos or High Crime Rates in such a Beautiful Location.

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by Caliguy29

It's shocking to hear about High Crime Rates in the Bay Area...This is such a Desirable and Beautiful Area to live in,and it also makes me wonder how these Thugs or Troublemakers could even afford to live there.

The entire Bay Area needs to Gentrify all of it's Ghettos or High Crime Rate Areas...We don't need any Ghettos or High Crime Rates in such a Beautiful Location.

I currently live in one of the "ghettos", and it does suck... but if it's any consolation, the places with the best views are often the most expensive. All I can see from here is a busy freeway! And unfortunately, every big city has to have a bad neighborhood or two, no matter how beautiful it is. I personally don't mind right now, since I'm able to live in a 2-bedroom townhouse for $900/mo.

[blurstar]

Richmond is one of the worst place, if not the worst place, to live in the SF Bay area. I would not let my kids walk on the streets of Richmond.

Just curious.... Of all places you can pick, how in the world did you pick out Richmond???!!! Is it close to the would-be work place? Close to your friends/family?

[City Boy]

Originally Posted by Caliguy29

It's shocking to hear about High Crime Rates in the Bay Area...This is such a Desirable and Beautiful Area to live in,and it also makes me wonder how these Thugs or Troublemakers could even afford to live there.

The entire Bay Area needs to Gentrify all of it's Ghettos or High Crime Rate Areas...We don't need any Ghettos or High Crime Rates in such a Beautiful Location.

What a ridiculous statement. I suppose you want to just dump all the poor people into the bay and let them drown too?

[veganwriter]

Richmond was wonderful ... and it's not now ... but it will be again.

It does depend a LOT on where you live in Richmond. There are some nice residential areas on the South Side ... and you'll be able to see which ones to avoid just by looking ... and the area around City Hall has always been one of the nicer areas. Richmond Hills are as safe and nice to live in as any of the other hill areas. (It's all "The Hills.") In short, there are pockets of safety still left.

A lot depends on if you have children. I would not raise my kids there right now. It's changing ... but there are still some wonderful people in Richmond ... it's just ... there's been a lot of poverty and the schools have been left to die on the vine. Naturally this takes a toll.

I personally think the violence is dying down ... but I don't run the streets in Richmond (or Oakland, or San Francisco) at night. I'm "old."

Unfortunately for many people, but perhaps fortunate for you, "Urban Renual" is coming to Richmond. That means a lot of people are going to be displaced in the coming years.

"Every thing changes."

30 years ago, it was one of the more special places in the world to live. Good quality of life. Now, Standard Oil has been allowed to float a huge environmental spector over the city. (I grew up there ... and I'm shocked at how many of my old friends are either dead or sick.)

But the climate is wonderful. It's generally better than the rest of the Bay Area. There are also some cultural tensions between SOME Hispanics and others. (Many Mexicans and other Hispanics inter-marry and live inter-culturally with blacks and whites there. But ... it's not all like that....)

Richmond will eventually be one of the better places to live. There are a lot of gated communites being built. It's just a shame that so many have decided to go along with the crime and drop-out, anti-school kulture. I honestly don't know what more to say about it.

[Jaymel]

Originally Posted by JamalJohnson

Is this city safe? i am pondering moving here with my family

Hello,
Jamal in all honesty from someone whom have grown up in the rougher parts of Oakland and Richmond-it's a big if ? If you move in the Hilltop N. of San Pablo and a sprinkled few areas near the El Cerrito Boarder maybe.Dont get me wrong I love the Bay Area, this is home to me but by far Richmond Ca. is the most dangerous city in the bay area if not Ca. in 2004 statisticly Richmond was ranked # 1 most dangerous California city, and to make matters worst several schools have been shut down because of financial issues,take it from me there is no myth that Richmond has a bad rep it,s all fact my friend, I left and will not go back-sorry Richmond.