Kid friendly/gay friendly nice neighborhood near Sac VA Medical Center? (Sacramento: to rent, houses) - California (CA) - City-Data Forum

just800 · 01-31-2014, 10:09 AM

Help....I am considering a job at Sacramento VA Medical (Mather) and am so confused over which neighborhood is best. We are a gay couple with kids so a nice safe friendly neighborhood is important. So are schools. I dont want to live too far from central sacramento, but dont want to be broke either paying for a huge mortgage. A fairly short commute would be nice too....i was hoping for a job closer to midtown but it looks like this facility is on the outskirts of Sac. Activities for my kids or place to play are important and we enjoy getting out and doing things whether its a museum or outdoors. I've heard some say Tahoe Park, is it? I love East Sac but not sure if the nicer houses are in price range. Also im sure we may have to rent a little while until we find something right. .

NickB1967 · 01-31-2014, 12:26 PM

The problem is that Mather is not a short commute from Midtown, although it is a reverse one at least, so perhaps East Sac or Midtown could work for you.

However, for good schools and the nice part of the American River Parkway, look into Folsom. Rancho Cordova, although not as nifty as Folsom, also has better schools and parks than Midtown or East Sacramento. And you would be right near your job.

Yes, both of the neighborhooods are more conservative. However, if you aren't blasting "I'm GAY GAY GAY" out loudspeakers or flying a Rainbow Flag illuminated by floodlights, the neighbors honestly are not going to care. They may not vote like you do, but the Rule of Suburbia is to mind your own business, really.

xeney · 01-31-2014, 01:14 PM

My spouse commutes from midtown to near Mather and it is a pretty crappy commute - he works a shifted schedule in order to avoid traffic, which is not ideal with young kids. Light rail is available but it makes the commute even longer. So I am not downplaying that aspect of the decision, because it really does suck.

On the other hand, if you lived in East Sacramento, your kids would rarely be the only kids in their classroom with gay parents. You would not have to deal with people assuming that, in order to get along, you should keep your personal life under wraps.

I don't know much about the College Greens area except that I have friends who live there and love it ... I wonder if that would be worth looking into? I believe it's more conservative than East Sac and certainly midtown, but close enough that I know some College Greens kids who go to school in East Sac (via open enrollment), and close enough for socializing/family activities in the central city. It's one of the places we considered when we realized my spouse wasn't going to find work downtown again any time soon.

Good luck and welcome to the area!

ryuns · 01-31-2014, 02:09 PM

Tahoe Park is nice, but you'll want to have a look at the school district. East Sac is nicer, a little more metropolitan, but definitely pricier. Land Park and Curtis Park are comparable, make for a bit longer commute than East Sac. (The quieter parts of) Midtown have their own charms, even for parents, but it makes for a longer commute and a lot fewer housing options. I'd check out those areas and see what you think. That keeps you closest to the big city and doesn't feel like bland suburbia, if that bugs you.

But yeah, there are other options. Nick is right that, even out in suburbia, people are likely to be generally welcoming (and certainly not openly disapprove of you). But xeney is also right that that may not extend to finding a real social network, knowing your kids will be treated well, etc.

just800 · 01-31-2014, 05:01 PM

Thanks for all the tips. Im thankful for all the information i can get!

caligirlz · 01-31-2014, 11:17 PM

If we knew your budget & preference of types of neighborhoods, we could give you much better advice.

Close to Mather, I would suggest looking at Anatolia or Kavala Ranch.

Driving from Folsom towards town is incredible awful traffic. It's always backed up (as I'm driving the opposite direction), and there are only 2 lanes for regular cars until Hazel, then it opens up to 3 majorly congested lanes.

I would suggest you find a neighborhood close to the light rail, and go from there, although, I'm not sure how close the light rail station is to the VA.

acm427 · 10-14-2014, 12:15 PM

I am a homeowner in Tahoe Park, and my husband and I fondly refer to to it as the "gay-borhood." We are a straight, childless couple in our twenties. Our neighbors on the left are a mid-40s lesbian couple without kids. Our neighbors on the right are a mid-40s gay couple with two kids. Probably four or five other gay couples on our block alone. The houses have a lot of character, but are smallish. Mostly 2-3 bedrooms. The neighbors are friendly, and the neighborhood association is very active. Probably a 15 minute commute to Mather. Since we don't have kids, I haven't done too much research in the school system. Good luck!

Bonez765 · 10-14-2014, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by just800

Help....I am considering a job at Sacramento VA Medical (Mather) and am so confused over which neighborhood is best. We are a gay couple with kids so a nice safe friendly neighborhood is important. So are schools. I dont want to live too far from central sacramento, but dont want to be broke either paying for a huge mortgage. A fairly short commute would be nice too....i was hoping for a job closer to midtown but it looks like this facility is on the outskirts of Sac. Activities for my kids or place to play are important and we enjoy getting out and doing things whether its a museum or outdoors. I've heard some say Tahoe Park, is it? I love East Sac but not sure if the nicer houses are in price range. Also im sure we may have to rent a little while until we find something right. .

any place in california would suit you.

xenxes · 10-14-2014, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acm427

I am a homeowner in Tahoe Park, and my husband and I fondly refer to to it as the "gay-borhood." We are a straight, childless couple in our twenties. Our neighbors on the left are a mid-40s lesbian couple without kids. Our neighbors on the right are a mid-40s gay couple with two kids. Probably four or five other gay couples on our block alone. The houses have a lot of character, but are smallish. Mostly 2-3 bedrooms. The neighbors are friendly, and the neighborhood association is very active. Probably a 15 minute commute to Mather. Since we don't have kids, I haven't done too much research in the school system. Good luck!

I thought Midtown was the gayborhood, i.e. Lavender Heights. Plenty of gay couples in Med Center and Elmhurst areas too, with and without kids.

This post is old but yeah, most parts of the state is good. And in the cities, being gay ain't even a thing (no one bats an eye).

Let us know where you ended up moving to.

shelato · 10-15-2014, 01:10 PM

What is your budget and are you hoping to rent or buy? I acknowledge that it costs a lot more to buy a home in East Sac than say Tahoe Park or College Greens, but the rent gap between the two areas is much narrower.

In general I wouldn't be too worked up about being gay anywhere in Sacramento. Generally if you can afford to buy into a neighborhood people don't care.