Where can a African American family live in the OC? (Los Angeles: 2013, rent)

[Lifeisawesome]

Hello everyone,

My husband and I are considering moving to the OC. We'd like to live in a community that's tolerant of all people. We are from the East Coast and have lived in affluent communities there without any problems. We've been in Los Angeles for a few years and have lived in Los Feliz, Beverly Hills and similar communities. We've read some horror stories about the OC so we'd appreciate some first hand advice/suggestions.

We'd be looking to buy up to $600k and live in a community that has an excellent schools. We both went to high performing stem schools growing up so education is very important. He will be commuting to Irvine and I will have to go to LA at least once a week for business.

Thanks for your advice!

[ysr_racer]

Originally Posted by Lifeisawesome

Where can a African American family live in the OC?

Anywhere they want. We don't bite.

[Reader33]

I don't really think there is a "right" answer here or list of cities someone can give you. You can have someone tell you that they have black neighbors or friends or family that live in this town or that town but you can't judge their experience as reliable because every neighborhood is different. Everyone's perspective is different.

You can be told a certain city is great and find a great house and then find that your neighbor is a jerk and there's one specific bully at your school that can change your child's whole education experience. Your experience would that neighborhood/school is bad but the person down the street thinks it's wonderful.

The best thing you can do is look at more educated cities or parts of cities. Then look at the "Great Schools" reviews and aim for a school with a "score" or 8, 9, or 10. Then start looking at neighborhoods. Be sure to get a realtor that "walks" the neighborhoods and actually knows something about the area and the people. There really are realtors that do this and do their job very well because they talk with people door to door and really get a feel for the area.

Once you find some houses start asking the realtor about racial/cultural issues. If the realtor is actually in tune with the area, then they should have an idea of this.

Any neighborhood can have rotten people and any neighborhood can be wonderful. Honestly, i think a lot of it is luck.

ETA: If 600K is your max, then plan on a condo. You won't get a house for that in OC in the type of area you want. You need closer to $800k for a house.
Good luck!

[Teckeeee]

600k will get you a home in Costa Mesa, but schools aren't great, so I have been told by friends/family. That will be some what fixer upper. Sound, but dated.

[red4ce]

How many kids do you have and how old are they? How far are you and your husband willing to commute? How 'excellent' do the schools have to be, best of the best or will above average suffice? Irvine has top notch schools but as mentioned earlier $600k won't get you much. Lake Forest and Mission Viejo are a tad cheaper but they're even further south than Irvine so that wouldn't work out very well for your drive to LA. Fountain Valley and Westminster fit your criteria as long as you don't mind living around Vietnamese people. If your husband is willing to drive a bit, Brea and Yorba Linda up in North OC are quite nice.

[Electrician4you]

The only place you may have a issue is barrio Santa Ana. Westminster has a Vietnamese community Garden Grove gas a Korean community. Fountain Valley and even Huntington would work for you. Costa Mesa
The horror stories you hear are bs. People go drinking and start crap. You don't sound like the type who is gonna go out and start straight thuggin' . I would seriously rent for the first year and do some scouting for a place.
You can buy houses for 5-600k but they most likely won't be new inside will need rehab possibly full renovation and they will most likely be 50-60s vintage and 1400 sq ft average
I think the race thing is really blown out of proportion. Where did you hear the stories?

[ExeterMedia]

Before moving to OC, I got a lot of stories from friends about "racism", and honestly, a lot of it is BS.

Sure, there may be some isolated incidents like any other area, but it's not an epidemic or anything close to that.

I think a lot of it comes from how people perceive South County OC (since North County seems really diverse, pretty much like an extension of LA). South County is full of white people, let's just get over that fact right now. We're talking 90% and more white for some of the cities here. Good thing is, most of them aren't racist, and if they are, they hide it away pretty well. It's California, hard to be an outright racist without sticking out like a sore thumb.

[Lifeisawesome]

Thank you everyone for your responses! They are much appreciated.

We are willing to live in a 3bd/2ba condo/townhouse - our preference would be a townhouse but it depends.

How many kids do you have and how old are they?

One child elementary school age.

How far are you and your husband willing to commute?

No more than 1 hour.

How 'excellent' do the schools have to be, best of the best or will above average suffice? Irvine has top notch schools but as mentioned earlier $600k won't get you much. Lake Forest and Mission Viejo are a tad cheaper but they're even further south than Irvine so that wouldn't work out very well for your drive to LA. Fountain Valley and Westminster fit your criteria as long as you don't mind living around Vietnamese people. If your husband is willing to drive a bit, Brea and Yorba Linda up in North OC are quite nice.

Excellent school with great activities - sports, arts and math and science.

The only place you may have a issue is barrio Santa Ana. Westminster has a Vietnamese community Garden Grove gas a Korean community. Fountain Valley and even Huntington would work for you. Costa Mesa
The horror stories you hear are bs. People go drinking and start crap. You don't sound like the type who is gonna go out and start straight thuggin' . I would seriously rent for the first year and do some scouting for a place.
You can buy houses for 5-600k but they most likely won't be new inside will need rehab possibly full renovation and they will most likely be 50-60s vintage and 1400 sq ft average
I think the race thing is really blown out of proportion. Where did you hear the stories?

We'll check out those communities you mentioned. In terms of stories: Blacks share their painful stories of bias in Orange County - Los Angeles Times
Black family flees O.C. city after tires slashed, racial taunts - latimes.com
Black Family Driven Out Of Orange County, Calif. Due To Racism (VIDEO) (video interview with family)

[Sunny_View]

In answer to your question OP, I think most of what everyone has said is basically true. You can't really narrow it down to a list of cities because California is SO diverse.

Besides, racism is so wide-spread, so one person's experience in a particular area may not be the same as yours. You could end up moving right next door to someone who is racist lol. YOu just never know.

I will say this however, being an african american woman myself who is now living in OC (I'm from the East Coast as well), I will say that I don't feel different or "out of place" anywhere here. In fact, I probably witnessed more racism back where I was from on the East Coast than I have ever experienced in CA. I haven't experienced racism here yet, but I'm sure it exists. Prejudice and racism can exist anywhere though so it's hard to really give some sound advice.

Personally, I think you should primarily find a place that suits you and your family's wants and needs FIRST, and then worry about racism second. Also, like someone else mentioned, it's really hard to be racist in CA, especially in Southern California. It definitely exists no doubt, but it's just so diverse here that I think you're in the wrong state or the WRONG area to be a racist if you want to only stick to seeing ONE race around you lol.

I see people of ALL types of races living here, interracial marriages and dating is common here, and I've never felt out of place, even though I don't find a lot of fellow black women in OC lol.

Honestly, sometimes life is what you make of it. I don't go places expecting racism, so therefore maybe I don't experience it or notice it as much as someone else who's "on edge" waiting for the other shoe to drop and expecting to experience it. You know what I mean?

Anyway, I wish you and your family well in your move. I think you guys will be okay! Orange County has it's nice parts and it's not-so-nice parts just like ANY other city in the US. I think you will be just fine. There are some parts of the US that are even LESS diverse, yet my family lives there and they get along just fine.

[ysr_racer]

Take this in the manner in which it's meant, but if you spend your life worrying about what might happen, you've already lost.

If someone doesn't like you, (and trust me, there will be people out there that don't) it's their problem not yours. I think it's time we stop playing the victim card.