Moving to East Bay! (San Francisco, Oakland: low income, section 8, crime)

[SANFRAN2008]

We are in the process of moving to the East Bay in Nov and are looking for some advice on the area. If we are looking for a safe, chic and at the same time family oriented city with good schools, where would you all recommend?

We are interested primarily in the Walnut Creek, Pleasanton area and perhaps the San Leandro area.

Thoughts?

Thank you!

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by SANFRAN2008

We are in the process of moving to the East Bay in Nov and are looking for some advice on the area. If we are looking for a safe, chic and at the same time family oriented city with good schools, where would you all recommend?

We are interested primarily in the Walnut Creek, Pleasanton area and perhaps the San Leandro area.

Thoughts?

Thank you!

Forget San Leandro... I work there and shop there, and I live at the border of SL and Oakland.... it's got huge problems they are not addressing, hoping they will disappear.

Crime is increasing, gangs are increasing, retail is shrinking and schools are going to be squeezed further by a lot of new residential building that is supposed to be low income and section 8.

[clongirl]

I much prefer Walnut Creek to Pleasanton. Both places have what you are looking for but I think Walnut Creek is prettier, has a more rural/country/established feel in many areas and doesn't have the sprawling new housing estates everywhere. Of course if you're okay with that, the Pleasanton is a good choice also. I like Walnut Creek's proximity to San Francisco- only half hour by BART. I agree with Tallysmom, San Leandro isn't that desirable so skip it if you can.

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by Tallysmom

Forget San Leandro... I work there and shop there, and I live at the border of SL and Oakland.... it's got huge problems they are not addressing, hoping they will disappear.

Crime is increasing, gangs are increasing, retail is shrinking and schools are going to be squeezed further by a lot of new residential building that is supposed to be low income and section 8.

The Area of San Leandro along Bancroft and Estudillo Aves is really nice.

So is the Bay-O-Vista Area of San Leandro.

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by clongirl

I much prefer Walnut Creek to Pleasanton.

I would agree were it not for SF2008 saying they wanted somewhere 'chic'. Those places are wealthy and nice, but chic? I dunno about that.

The chicest area of the East Bay imHo begins in Oakland at Lake Merritt(maybe include Glenview and Oakmore) and the Lakeshore and Grand Lake Districts sweeps north through Piedmont, Montclair, over to Rockridge, up into Berkeley through the campus and ends around Albany.

[clongirl]

Well, I don't know you'll find "chic" anywhere in California. I've honestly only seen that in Paris and perhaps London. We seem pretty casual overall here with our jeans and Birkenstocks!

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by clongirl

Well, I don't know you'll find "chic" anywhere in California. I've honestly only seen that in Paris and perhaps London. We seem pretty casual overall here with our jeans and Birkenstocks!

Im talking about how people live, not really how they dress. And even then, In my experience, most Europeans dress like backpackers. Not exactly 'chic'. The Areas I mentioned are wonderful neighborhoods with very wealthy and highly educated, worldly, professional, cosmopolitan people.

Heck now that I think about it, not many places in the entire country are as sophisticated as that corridor of the East Bay I mentioned.

[sav858]

I'd go with Walnut Creek, it's going to offer you the most amenities with low crime and good schools compared to pretty much anywhere else in the East Bay.