Santa Rosa-Neighborhoods (San Francisco, Berkeley, Bell: real estate, sex offenders, low crime)

[aqualung8705]

I was born in Santa Rosa, lived there until I was 13, lived in Napa for 27 years, then moved to Las Vegas just over three years ago. My maternal grandparents (Feoder & Maria Sennik, daughter Eugenia) were care takers of the McDonald Mansion for 17 years, and were there when Pollyanna was shot.

I partially grew up in the carriage house. What a lot of people don't know is that the third story of the mansion in the movie was a matte painting. The house was empty, and a little spooky while I lived there.

After they left the mansion, the moved to the northern end of Grand Ave, next door to the Clover Stornetta Dairy. Back in those days one could walk to the south end Grand Ave without any problems. Mind you, this was in the mid 70's.

My mother, younger sister, and I lived on Modoc Dr (NW of Codding Town) after my grandparents left the McDonald Mansion.

I think that it's great that the McDonald Mansion is being restored to its original glory.

Does anyone here remember that time period? It would've been the mid to late 50's to the early 70's. It'd be nice to chat with people who remember that area and time period.

[SD Observer]

Can any Santa Rosa locals tell me about the neighborhood around Dutton Meadow & Boron Avenues ?

My sister got a job in SR and wants to possibly buy a townhouse in that area.

Is it quiet family oriented or ghetto run-down ?

[smiles]

I would have to vote - Ghetto.

I don't know if your sister has kids or not, but the schools in that area are bad.

Also, those houses are not great quality homes. They were built quickly and cheaply.

What price range is your sister looking at? Maybe I could suggest a neighboorhood that is nicer and in her price range.

[SD Observer]

Originally Posted by smiles

I would have to vote - Ghetto.

I don't know if your sister has kids or not, but the schools in that area are bad.

Also, those houses are not great quality homes. They were built quickly and cheaply.

What price range is your sister looking at? Maybe I could suggest a neighboorhood that is nicer and in her price range.

Thanks Smiles. ............. When you say the schools are bad do you mean because of the student population ? And when you say ghetto do you mean gangsters, gunshots at night, lots of street crime ?

She has a 5 year old son and is divorced. She wants to spend between $438,000 and $500.000.

Is this a mainly Caucasian or Hispanic area ?

[calif]

She could get a mansion just an hour from there. But, if she is set on Santa Rosa she better start looking either in West County or Bennett Valley Area. There are some nice townhomes off of Summerfield Rd. I think on Shade Tree Lane, fyi.

[smiles]

SD

Mainly Hispanics and tweekers around there.

The test scores at the schools are very low, because english is a second language for a lot of the student population. Also, there is a large gang population in the middle school. The high school has a high pregnancy rate. Sad all around.

You have got the idea about ghetto...except I wouldn't say gun shots at night. Maybe a stabbing, break ins, domestic disturbances, lovely loud music (gosh I'm getting old, music never bothered me before), cars coming and going all night.

I am racking my brain trying to think of nice townhouses. Is she set on a townhouse? If she is, she might check the Bennett Valley area, maybe Larkfield, or Wikiup. Maybe she could get a forclosure in Fountain Grove. There are some nice townhouses up there, but they are usually asking in the 600K's. But you never know prices have come down quite a bit. I don't know where she will be working, but there are some nice townhouses in the R section or the M section of Rohnert Park near Sonoma State University. If she is not set on a townhouse, there are some nice homes off Guerneville Rd, between Marlow and Fulton. The elementary school is a good one (I think its name is Biella). There are also some nice houses in Larkfield and the Mark West area. That is a good school district. But if she is working in South Santa Rosa, she might not want to live in North Santa Rosa. It is a pain to get across town.

Hope that helps.

[SD Observer]

Thanks Smiles for the detailed and helpful info you supplied us.

[calif]

Biella school was on lockdown not that long ago I believe because there was a shooting in the area.

[smiles]

Actually it was a burglary and police chase. It was in May. From the Press Demo archives:

"A resident reported just before 8 a.m. he had found two men stealing tools from a work site near Piner and Marlow roads, Sgt. Lisa Banayat said. He followed the men in his car and described their vehicle to police. As the suspects fled, they hit a car and kept going, Banayat said. Near Zinfandel Avenue and Reisling Way, the car stopped and two men ran from the vehicle. The first suspect was arrested at that time. Biella Elementary School on Jennings Avenue was locked down temporarily. Officers ended the search after about an hour, and minutes later, an officer found the second suspect on West College Avenue near Dutton Avenue."

[impatient Pete]

You guys are talking about my neck of the woods.

My wife and I live in a townhouse near Piner and Marlow (Windmill Circle). It used to be a very nice complex, but recently it seems to be slipping a little. One of the owners owns 5 or 6 properties and she rents out to section 8 tenants. So now we have a few dudes who hang out on their front steps or on the sidewalk or parking lot wearing only shorts (beer gut dude!) sucking on a 40 while their kids play in the street. The one guy's wife is pregnant and she sits out there on the sidewalk smoking all day. Niiice...

We are close to Indian Village. Close enough to hear the pounding Mexican polka music every few days. I mean POUNDING! I thought it was coming from our complex, but I realized that it was coming from another neighborhood after walking around looking for it! We also get the frequent tire burn outs and the occasional gunshots.

We are also next to Marlow apartments. Whew! Some interesting folks there I'll tell you. A little noisy too.

Oh yah, there was that time a few years ago when some homey gang banger tried to get into the house on a Sunday morning. He was banging on the door yelling "Let me in motherf**ker!" When the cops showed up and arrested him, they came back and told me that the guy had multiple felony arrest warrants!

Then there's the homey in the complex with his stupid german Shephard. One of my other neighbors went over to talk to him about it and the dude with the dog told him to buzz off. Well I guess he couldn't muster the nads to tell animal control the same, so now he just lets him bark long enough to **** everyone off. Oh yah, he lets the dog crap in the common area and doesn't pick it up. Ahhh...diversity!

Honestly, I have to say that my wife and I are glad to be leaving the area. We are moving to another state soon. What really stinks is the fact that we put alot of work into our house to make it our own little Italian Villa. Hardwood floors, plaster walls, very nice - all to watch the neighborhood diversify into a bad neighborhood. It's too bad but what are you going to do?

There is one sweet spot. Every night, this older looking Mexican guy takes his grand daughter for a slow bike ride around the complex for an hour or so. He walks with her while she rides her little bike with the training wheels around the complex many times.
It's so sweet.

What really stinks is the fact that we are going to be renting the place out when we're gone, but I can't recommend the neighborhood!

So ANYWAY- Montgomery Village is nice. My wife and I go for coffee there all the time at Wolff Coffee. it's a great shop and we are going to miss it.

My folks live on 3rd between Dutton and Stony point. Their neighborhood has slid downhill as well. Now they have a dealer across to street who sits around his lowrider with his friends as they drink. Basically if I was going to stay in the area, I don't know where I'd be looking either.

I have a friend who used to live on this side of town. he told me that now, when he drives to see me, he feels the change in the vibe as he crosses the freeway to the West Side.

We used to live downtown, which was basically nice. We had an occasional break in with my wife's car, but it was easy to break into and we lived right off of Mendocino Avenue. I mean right off of it, near the JC.

Oh geez santa Rosa sucks!