Anyone else LOVE California suburbs? (Santa Clarita, Rancho Cucamonga: renting, home, landscaping)

[ryuns]

Originally Posted by mrsltd

Ok, look, suburbs are not JUST new or almost new places to live.

Many if not most of the cities in Southern California could be considered suburbs, the main difference between HOA areas and others is age and management.

Not all 'burbs are Irvine or Lake Forest. In fact, not everything in these two cities is HOA either.

Whittier? Suburb.
Arcadia? Suburb.
Fullerton? Suburb.
Buena Park? Suburb.
La Palma? Suburb.
Artesia? Suburb.
Hawaiian Gardens? (don't roll your eyes) teeny tiny suburb.

These are just aging/aged smaller cities here in the Southland.

I think, though, that the term "suburban" has come, for many, to mean, "not too black, not too brown, not blighted, not too old", rather than just a smaller town off the main municipality in an area (the one with the biggest population and/or courthouse).

Agreed. Most of these conversations, even though congenial and well-meaning, seem to revolve around limited aspects of each. There are plenty of suburban areas with cheap construction, tiny lots, HOA's that don't provide anything but annoyance. There are plenty of blighted urban areas with graffiti, poor schools, and crime. Most suburban defenders focus on the "still nice" outer ring suburbs and leave out all of the "suburbs" that rich folks left long ago. These are some of the shadiest areas of all, because they're have wealthy, fresh suburbs, and they also don't have urban appeal, so aren't particularly good targets for gentrification. All of the "bad" areas of Sacramento fall in to this category, while much of the urban grid is relatively safe, and the early 1900s-era first ring suburbs are some of the nicest areas in town.

Insofar as suburbs = long commutes, shopping/eating/drinking options dominated by chains, extreme car dependency, poor use of space/high use of resources (large amounts of impermeable surfaces, over-fertilized grass, 3000 sf of space to heat and cool) I abhor them. Insofar as they = a little space for a garden, tree-lined streets (this is a high bar, because most 'burbs tend to decay more quickly than trees can mature, and many 'burbs eschew my much-loved street trees because of maintenance issues), calm traffic, and bike lanes) then I can get behind that.

[DMenscha]

Originally Posted by thechoson

Suburbs seem to get a bad rap among some people. But I personally love everything that others may "hate" about them. I like the cookie cutter tract homes, the chain restaurants, the Costcos, hell even the Wal Marts (but if possible, Target please). Add to that the California weather, generally low crime, and car culture. Every time I watch a movie that depicts some level of California suburban living - Back to the Future, My Blue Heaven, Brick, etc., I think "man that looks like a nice place to live."

Funny, I think exactly the opposite. I moved out of Sunnyvale as soon as I turned 18 and haven't looked back.

[WhatUpFLA]

Originally Posted by ryuns

Agreed. Most of these conversations, even though congenial and well-meaning, seem to revolve around limited aspects of each. There are plenty of suburban areas with cheap construction, tiny lots, HOA's that don't provide anything but annoyance. There are plenty of blighted urban areas with graffiti, poor schools, and crime. Most suburban defenders focus on the "still nice" outer ring suburbs and leave out all of the "suburbs" that rich folks left long ago. These are some of the shadiest areas of all, because they're have wealthy, fresh suburbs, and they also don't have urban appeal, so aren't particularly good targets for gentrification. All of the "bad" areas of Sacramento fall in to this category, while much of the urban grid is relatively safe, and the early 1900s-era first ring suburbs are some of the nicest areas in town.

Insofar as suburbs = long commutes, shopping/eating/drinking options dominated by chains, extreme car dependency, poor use of space/high use of resources (large amounts of impermeable surfaces, over-fertilized grass, 3000 sf of space to heat and cool) I abhor them. Insofar as they = a little space for a garden, tree-lined streets (this is a high bar, because most 'burbs tend to decay more quickly than trees can mature, and many 'burbs eschew my much-loved street trees because of maintenance issues), calm traffic, and bike lanes) then I can get behind that.

This certainly isn't the case in southern Orange County.

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by Gentoo

Even though these types of places are now becoming typical across the country, there's just something about these types of communities that seems un American to me. We would never allow the government to have so much control as an HOA but I guess since an HOA is private that makes it ok?

As long as there are other neighborhood choices. Personally, I'd never live with an HOA jackboot on my neck, but those who do sign off on them when they put their sig on the CC&R docs shouldn't ***** and moan when it bites them in the ass or when they see just what type of person is attracted to the enforcement side of an HOA (think: forum mod).

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by MamaRed

I'll take quirky and original, with personality anyday!

No need to leave So Cal for that.

[MamaRed]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

No need to leave So Cal for that.

This I know. I've lived in the desert since before the OC relocated and brought their "suburbs" with them. We live in an older area where houses were built before developers bought up whole neighborhoods. We're moving to WA for my husband's work, and I'm really looking forward to something totally different. Growing up in a town that has fought Orange County-ization for years, it just caught me off-guard to see people so excited about the coming of the cookie cutters.

I know there are suburbs in California that don't have tile roofs, on stucco houses, on small lots, but that seems to be what everybody is clamoring to move into.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

As long as there are other neighborhood choices. Personally, I'd never live with an HOA jackboot on my neck, but those who do sign off on them when they put their sig on the CC&R docs shouldn't ***** and moan when it bites them in the ass or when they see just what type of person is attracted to the enforcement side of an HOA (think: forum mod).

Put as only Fontucky can

[hnsmith]

I love california ...suburbs

[infinite_limit]

Originally Posted by Steve97415

I think this kind of urban design is attractive to those who want to live in a Me-Bubble, a rather common phenomenon in California.

Traditionally, urban environments were designed to promote social interaction. While out walking in your neighborhood, you cross paths with Mrs. Ainsworth who is out taking her new baby for a walk in the stroller. You stop for a moment to chat and inquire about the new playground set that Mr. Ainsworth is building in the side yard. Mrs. Ainsworth asks about your wife's new car and invites the both of you to come over for afternoon coffee on Saturday. These kinds of incidental social connections, repeated hundreds of times a week, result in strong cohesive neighborhoods...genuine community where familiarity with the people you live around results in mutual benefit and public safety.

Suburbs are seemingly designed to avert social interaction. You are your own community. Your car becomes a mobile extension of your Me-Bubble and the sterile clones of corporate stores and chain restaurants allow you to maintain a kind of anonymity even while out in public. When Mrs. Ainsworth backs out of her driveway and doesn't see you coming, you slow down and blare your horn at the vague presence behind the darkened windshield -- you have no idea who lives in that house anyway. She responds with a middle-fingered salute from the driver's window as you roar past her. Who the hell does she think she is? Someone who lives in the neighborhood? What neighborhood? You have your own house and that's that.

This is very well said

I can't explain how depressing it feels to know that if I want to interact with society, I have to pile in my money pit also known as automobile.

Furthermore this forces me to game plan every single place I'm going for ideal "avoiding traffic/wasting gas" . Absolutely no sense of excitement or adventure. Every single day feels just like the last. Same roads, same lights, same direction. No social interaction. Return home and hide in house away from the world outside.

Depression.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by infinite_limit

Absolutely no sense of excitement or adventure. Every single day feels just like the last. Same roads, same lights, same direction. No social interaction. Return home and hide in house away from the world outside.

Depression.

For those who would place cloned beige homes in planned sterile communities within beige walls as the height of human living arrangements, "absolutely no sense of excitement or adventure" is a badge of honor, especially in the eyes of the Grand Poobah (HOA Pope) and his court.

Thankfully, not all places called "suburbs" are all South OC-style Legolands.