What about Fountain Valley? (Santa Ana, Huntington Beach: insurance, house, neighborhoods)

[jlgarfield]

Hi, I like to learn about various things in the world, and I want to know what Fountain Valley in the OC is like.

I want to know.... is the area worth moving to? Where are the best restaurants? What are the people like? You know, all those Qs and then some.

[Roogy]

In short, no.

[HB2HSV]

Fountain Valley is very nice ! It has nice large homes on quiet residential areas. A good number of restaurants along Brookhurst ave. The north side is bounded by the Mile Square Regional Park and south by the Pacific ocean. I lived in HB for 10+ years and always enjoy Fountain Valley right next door.

[Wurzig]

It's a bedroom community, not too far from the beach but not by the beach, nothing to write home about, 2 very good hospitals, (one on either side of the freeway). It is by Little Saigon, (HUGE Viet population, lots of gangs but a great jewelry mart).

Do not jog alone in Mile Square. Never, ever.

[jkanderson521]

Fountain Valley is a wonderful community, "A Nice Place to Live" is their city motto and pretty much sums it up. It is not flashy like other parts of Orange County, but a very pleasant and middle class community of people who are down to earth and welcoming. I have nothing but good memories of that place as my wife worked in the area for a number of years. I still stop at the gas station off Brookhurst and Talbot off the 405 at least once a month (thats how often I am back in OC) because once, my car battery went dead after driving home to Newport from Santa Barbara and the owner there offered to drive me home all the way to NB himself and get my car fixed. I was touched. The hospital on Talbot is excellent and overall a wonderful place. No complaints, plus you have Fry's right off of Euclid and Ikea off of Harbor (not actually FV, but close enough).

Don't let others scare you away, it is a great community.

[preppyglam]

FV is pretty average. I would say the most special thing about FV is that its pretty dang close to the beach (certain parts- look on a map and you'll see what I mean). Its bordered by HB, close to Newport via PCH, close to the 405 (actually, right off the 405). I do notice that when you drive S on the 405, when you pass the silo with "Fountan Valley" on it (the one right off the freeway)- it smells like sewage. Obviously this is not to say the entire city smells like crap (just that one area by the freeway).

Not sure about the gangs and ethnic population....when I think gangs and ethnic populations, I think Santa Ana, Garden Grove, Hawaiian Gardens, etc. FV doen't sit at the forefront as a "ghetto", but its more like a filler/neutral place....pretty basic, pretty average. Lots of average homes on standard tract house lots (cookie cutter homes). Some neighborhoods are getting old enough that residents are starting to update the look of their house cosmetically- so the neighborhoods are starting to look less homogeneous.

The city is pretty much on a grid of streeets. Easy to navigate. No real landmarks (other than that park prvious posters mentioned- but I wouldn't say that's a huge draw to the city, its more like something you would enjoy if you lived in the city already). I persoanlly think the city has a strange name and their slogan "A Nice Place to Live" is kinda trite. Its really one of the only cities out here that people actually know the slogan for. The only other one that comes to mind in Yorba Linda ("Land of Gracous Living"). Aside from the medical facilities, and maybe a restaurant that fall within the city lines, its not really a destination city. People mostly just live there.

That's about all I can think off in regards to FV. Its just kinda...there.

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by Wurzig

It's a bedroom community, not too far from the beach but not by the beach, nothing to write home about, 2 very good hospitals, (one on either side of the freeway).

Some of us like that, a nice quiet bedroom community for a change in OC

Personally, I think that's a nice place to live.

It is by Little Saigon, (HUGE Viet population, lots of gangs but a great jewelry mart).

I visited the Little Saigon all the time, mostly for the good asian food, but never encounter any gang problem. As a 'gringo', you're there to shop & spend money, they will not bother you at all. Like I said, I don't even see any gatherings/ graffiti as sign of gangs.

Do not jog alone in Mile Square. Never, ever.

I've only drove by and I do see many people jogging in the park. Any insights?

[mrsltd]

Originally Posted by preppyglam

FV is pretty average. I would say the most special thing about FV is that its pretty dang close to the beach (certain parts- look on a map and you'll see what I mean). Its bordered by HB, close to Newport via PCH, close to the 405 (actually, right off the 405). I do notice that when you drive S on the 405, when you pass the silo with "Fountan Valley" on it (the one right off the freeway)- it smells like sewage. Obviously this is not to say the entire city smells like crap (just that one area by the freeway).

Not sure about the gangs and ethnic population....when I think gangs and ethnic populations, I think Santa Ana, Garden Grove, Hawaiian Gardens, etc. FV doen't sit at the forefront as a "ghetto", but its more like a filler/neutral place....pretty basic, pretty average. Lots of average homes on standard tract house lots (cookie cutter homes). Some neighborhoods are getting old enough that residents are starting to update the look of their house cosmetically- so the neighborhoods are starting to look less homogeneous.

The city is pretty much on a grid of streeets. Easy to navigate. No real landmarks (other than that park prvious posters mentioned- but I wouldn't say that's a huge draw to the city, its more like something you would enjoy if you lived in the city already). I persoanlly think the city has a strange name and their slogan "A Nice Place to Live" is kinda trite. Its really one of the only cities out here that people actually know the slogan for. The only other one that comes to mind in Yorba Linda ("Land of Gracous Living"). Aside from the medical facilities, and maybe a restaurant that fall within the city lines, its not really a destination city. People mostly just live there.

That's about all I can think off in regards to FV. Its just kinda...there.

It was formerly known as "Gospel Swamp" back in the '20s and '30s because evangelists would hold revival meetings there, and since it is off the Santa Ana River, much if not all of it would have been "boggy".

And it is a valley of sorts, since you drive DOWN from Huntington Beach into it in spots.

[mrsltd]

Fountain Valley was formerly known as "Gospel Swamp" due to its low elevation, proximity to the river and marshlands, and the old-style revival meetings that would take place there in the '20s and '30s.

It reminds me as sort of an Irvine West, in that it borders Santa Ana, has a good percentage of Asians and Asian-Americans, and is not known for flashiness.

But the climate is a bit better, given its openness to the ocean.

And it is far smaller and closer than Irvine, both in square mileage and population.

I wouldn't see a problem with living there, though the area adjacent to Edinger and Euclid might be a tad sketchy because of the part of Santa Ana it borders. Also, at some points Edinger is the divding line between the two cities and it is not hard to tell the difference looking from one side to the other. But take a look around.

[Bob's Burgers]

Fountain Valley has a community feel to it. It is a small city with many parks and not a lot of multi-residential places to live. It is a family community with few bars and liquor stores; their are no pornographic stores either. Many Vietnamese have moved to Fountain Valley because of the good schools and large multi-family , two story homes. You might have to pay for flood insurance because it is in a valley. I think FV is a "great place to live".