Oroville Area (Vista, Chico, Paradise: sales, sex offenders, crime)

[Cowgirl Kathy]

My husband and I have lived in the outer reaches of the SF Bay Area for a number of years. We are currently in an adult only community, of which we have grown disenchanted and are looking for a place to retire to when I am finished with my career (about 18 months).

We've been to Paradise, and it just is NOT the community for us. Hugsband wants to look at the Oroville area. We are interested in perhaps a small acreage, but one that uses City water, septic is okay. What are our chances of finding something reasonably priced? What's the crime like in the outer reaches of Oroville? Any other communities we should consider? Looking for help to determine what our next steps should be. Thanks!

[heartfocus]

Oroville was and still is known for the fact that its where people from jail get placed when they get out. However, I have known people who live on acreage around there and they like it. Its sort of a down-and-out area in town, still, but is getting better. If you want cheap, its probably going to be the cheapest in Northern California for acreage, I'll bet. I live in Paradise and the peace and quiet is driving me nuts, plus its a terrible place for a single person to live! Oroville is a little hotter in the summer than either Paradise or Chico, too, so if the heat bothers you, you might want to think about that. They have a beach on the river at North Forebay in Oroville that I've been to off season and I want to check that beach out again. The recreation outdoors around here can be great if you know where to go. The crime in the outer areas is not too bad. There are big marijuana growers in the far outer areas and you would want to stay away from those plots, but not because of the crime.

[Cowgirl Kathy]

Thanks, heartfocus, we've decided to pass on Oroville, primarily because of the ex-con issues and the drug remnants that continue to this day. The heat wouldn't bother me, since I currently live in Rio Vista, and we're used to days on end of 100+ weather. We're going to re-focus on moving to Idaho; the politics and financial danger of California is just getting to be too much for me. This is not the California of my youth, I'm afraid. :/

[heartfocus]

Oh you are so right. California has changed for the worst. Immigrants everywhere. Good luck with looking into Idaho. I was there once in Nampa and found the people to be very down to earth and I liked them.

[ryuns]

Just curious, how has the politics and "financial danger" of California affected you personally?

[Cowgirl Kathy]

The personal income tax rates, sales tax rates, and property tax rates for an older couple with limited incomes have affected us in ways that make living in California unsustainable. Those are the "financial dangers" of living here, combined with the political ignorance of the voting public, who continue to approve bonds and measures which ultimately must be paid by taxpayers. Many residents of California do not contribute to the tax coffers, which causes the legislators to increase the tax rates on those residents who DO pay taxes to bear more of the burden than is right.

Add to this the continuing rumble in the legislature to eradicate the protections of Proposition 13, and my spouse and I will be facing what my grandparents went through in the 1970s, and end up facing being evicted out of the home we have worked all our lives to own. My children cannot afford to live in this state, which has made it most favorable for people to choose to live off the public dole (not an attitude that I instilled in my children). No thanks, I'll go elsewhere to live out the rest of my days and spend my meager dollars.

[heartfocus]

I do not feel affected because I lived in Nevada for 20 years and they have terrible social services there due to the very low tax rates on casinos and no personal income state tax. California is a much easier place to grow old in, in my opinion, than those states with such a low tax base.

[Cowgirl Kathy]

Idaho does not have a "low" tax base, but it IS lower than California. The highest income tax rate is 7.4% vs 13.3% in California; if you make more than $50K in California, you pay 10.3% (our current rate). The sales tax rate is 6% vs. 9% in the Bay Area. The price of property is significantly less in Idaho for a whole lot more house and, while their property tax rates are slightly higher, they are more easily assumed because of the lower home price. The price of gasoline in California because of the special formulations is beyond my pay grade, or will be when I am no longer working and especially when they impose a mileage tax to compensate for the losses from hybrid and electric vehicles (Big Brother is watching you) AND continue with the onerous fuel taxes (do you really think they will give up the fuel tax revenues???).

We are independent and self-supporting individuals, and plan to keep it that way.

[bradlywhite]

Cowgirl Kathy,

DO NOT PASS UP ON OROVILLE from what you heard. There is no excon thing here, never heard of it , never been affected by it, and I have lived here since 1971. We are the County seat, so from the County jail, they walk out in Oroville, but if they are from other cities in the County, they usually get there fairly quickly. As per the crime, Oroville has a problem with crime stats, not crime. Our population in town is approx. 16,000. In the Oroville area there is around 50,000-60,000 people. All the crime of 50-60k people gets reported in a town of 16,000. Oroville is a beautiful town that is hotter than Paradise but is actually cooler than Chico usually. There is a variety of things to do in Oroville, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, biking(we have the brad freeman trail. Approx. 40 miles in length)

Take a lok in Oroville again. For some reason, even after the advent of mass communication, Oroville has a bad rep. But it is simply not true.

As per your requst, you can generally find a home on acreage for around $150,000 to$250,000 near town. There may not be city water on it though, but a good well here generally stays a good well.

[LeroyDeshawnJenkins]

Originally Posted by bradlywhite

DO NOT PASS UP ON OROVILLE from what you heard. There is no excon thing here, never heard of it , never been affected by it, and I have lived here since 1971.

are you sure b-rad?

Search California Registered Sex Offenders- California Dept. of Justice - Office of the Attorney General

most of them look like charlie manson. nice aesthetics.

1 of 251 registered sex offenders: