Tell me about Santa Rosa, CA (San Francisco, Oakland: apartment, crime rate, mobile home)

[Bette]

We just heard about a nice 55 plus community. We have a home in Boca Raton, FL which we would keep but my husband loved Healdsburg, CA and I understand Santa Rosa is close by. We love SF also.

We are not 55 yet but this would be something to think about. It would be a second home for us.

[sergeyn]

Originally Posted by Bette

We just heard about a nice 55 plus community. We have a home in Boca Raton, FL which we would keep but my husband loved Healdsburg, CA and I understand Santa Rosa is close by. We love SF also.

We are not 55 yet but this would be something to think about. It would be a second home for us.

I go to Santa Rosa once in a while. Not an expert on it but a lot of parts of it sure look nice. Other parts aren't so nice but it's a pretty big city-- it has different sides to it. And just like any serious city it has traffic problems.

I'd move there in a heartbeat (after doing some research about particular neighborhoods, of course). It's next to Wine Country and is not too far from Sonoma beaches. Definitely one of the nicer places in the Bay Area according to my book.

Petaluma (half an hour South) is, I think, even better. Some smaller towns nearby like Sebastopol or Healdsburg (which you mentioned) are probably some of the best places to live. Not that I lived there, just appears to me that way...

[Linenoise]

Santa Rosa does have some bad parts (although, not bad like in a "real" city such as Oakland or Richmond). Typically, the northeast side is pretty nice. The areas directly around and to the west of highway 101, not so much. My wife used to have an apartment around the Coddingtown Mall, and the area was pretty skanky. Safe enough by day, but you made sure to lock everything up at night. The areas up around Spring Lake are expensive, but you've got hiking/biking trails in the area and its up in the hills.

I live in Rohnert Park, and like it better. It's just a bedroom community, but its cheaper than Petaluma and less crowded/run down than Santa Rosa. It's also cooler - there's only about 3 days a year where it DOESN'T cool down to 60-70 at night, saves on A/C costs. Santa Rosa is warmer and doesn't get as cool a breeze at night. There's just not to much to DO in Rohnert Park.

Cotati is ok - smaller town, mostly a bedroom community, but locally famous for its annual accordian festival, where everyone gets drunk and plays polka music.

Petaluma has larger, more expensive homes (some old victorians, and its more expensive by virtue of being closer to SF - shorter commute). Although I hear the new area at the south end, around 101/116 have a higher crime rate (breakins, etc).

As for the traffic - they're currently widening 101 through the main part of Santa Rosa from 2 lanes to 3 lanes.. its supposed to be done sometime this year/next year. During commute times it's pretty jammed, although there are enough back ways around that it's not crippling. Once the widening is done, hopefully it will go much smoother.
There's quite a few good places to eat in the area, mostly in Petaluma - lots of mom-and-pop places.

[Travt2000]

Would a Petaluma to Santa Rosa commute be easily doable? There's a very good chance that I will be accepting a job in Santa Rosa at the end of this week and want to have an idea of good areas to live in. Petaluma is appealing because it's closer to San Francisco and seems like a little easier drive over to Napa (have friends there).

[thomasw98]

Originally Posted by Bette

We just heard about a nice 55 plus community. We have a home in Boca Raton, FL which we would keep but my husband loved Healdsburg, CA and I understand Santa Rosa is close by. We love SF also.

We are not 55 yet but this would be something to think about. It would be a second home for us.

Some fairly intense rain in Healdsburg. Keep that in mind.

[MissDaisy]

Originally Posted by Travt2000

Would a Petaluma to Santa Rosa commute be easily doable? There's a very good chance that I will be accepting a job in Santa Rosa at the end of this week and want to have an idea of good areas to live in. Petaluma is appealing because it's closer to San Francisco and seems like a little easier drive over to Napa (have friends there).

Oh, yeah, people do that commute (and reverse) all the time. With the 101 construction it can get slow @ hwy 12 through downtown, but just take Petaluma Hill Road instead of 101 and you will mostly avoid the mess.
Napa is much easier (and prettier) to get to from Petaluma.

[prairie guy]

Yes, a Petaluma-Santa Rosa commute is doable--better than the reverse--but traffic in Sonoma County is getting worse yearly. Even with the additional new lanes, expect delays--especially if you are commuting to the north end of Santa Rosa from Petaluma. If so, then Windsor/Healdsburg area is much quicker (the latter nicer but more expensive than the former). Sebastopol/Russian River are doable but a little less convenient commute unless to west end of SR and also expensive housing. Take a close look at WHERE in Santa Rosa you'll work, and THEN choose where to live, because the traffic is bad enough that a few miles WILL make the difference between a good commute and an aggravating one. (If you have kids and need to be worried about public schools, then that's another layer of complication!)

[IloveCA]

I lived in Santa Rosa for over 10 years and I LOVED IT!!!! It is the greatest town. It is beautiful, the weather is amazing, the scenery to die for, great stores and restaurants. You could not ask for anything more! I moved to IL 4 years ago and I absolutely hate it here! Being here in the midwest makes me realize just how FABULOUS California is. I am planning on moving back to my beloved town.

[thomasw98]

Originally Posted by Linenoise

I live in Rohnert Park, and like it better. It's just a bedroom community, but its cheaper than Petaluma and less crowded/run down than Santa Rosa. It's also cooler - there's only about 3 days a year where it DOESN'T cool down to 60-70 at night, saves on A/C costs. Santa Rosa is warmer and doesn't get as cool a breeze at night. There's just not to much to DO in Rohnert Park.

What is going to happen to Rohnert Park if the huge casino is built. Personally, I would never want to live anywhere near any casino. Which is too bad since I was really thinking seriously about Rohnert Park.

[RCB]

Need some information about Santa Rosa, CA. The area around Hardies Lane and West Steele Ave, is that a safe neighborhood? We are looking at a Mobile Home Park in that area.