Richmond, Ca (Berkeley, San Rafael, San Pablo: school, to live in, cost of living)

[Mr. Fantastic]

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

There is nothing to argue.

Agreed, Oakland's schools really suck.

[18Montclair]

Hahaha...Checkmate.

[Telemill]

Funny. Interesting arguments.

[TopLatinDaddy]

Yes. There is crime in some areas of Richmond. Namely the Iron Triangle where the overwhelming majority of violent crime happens and where North Richmond is located. It is relatively a small area.

However, there are many wonderful areas in Richmond. Please stop the Richmond bashing.

A couple of great areas were mentioned above in the thread:

* Point Richmond
It is beautiful and it feels like its own small bay town. When you are there, just south of the Richmond-San Rafael bridge, it has the feel of many of the small towns around the bay in Marin County.

* The hills:
AKA Richmond Heights. Just as beautiful as the Berkeley hills but a fraction of the cost. It leaves nothing to be desired except more public transportation, although I have a feeling that residents prefer it that way.

*Beyond the hills:
The hills of Richmond extend over toward San Pablo Reservoir and Wildcat Canyon/Tilden towards Orinda. It is a hidden gem that few know about. Take San Pablo Dam road eastward and you will be surprised to come out in Orinda/Moraga 25 minutes later in an entirely different part of the Bay Area behind the Berlekey hills and Caldecott tunnels.

*Marina Bay:
Just north of the Albany Horse Track, Marina Bay is Bay Area living at its best. If you have a boat, many of the homes have water access and a dock, or you can live a block from the Marina where many dock their boats. You can literally walk to the Bay Bridge from there on the protected (and restored) Bay Trails that run along the bay shore.

*Civic Center:
It is beautiful, central, convenient, and reasonably priced. Did you know there is a hill in the Civic Center area? Just north of Barret and west of San Pablo avenue.

*Point Izabel:
Part of the Miller/Knox park system, this is a beautiful park area where you can find the beginning of beautiful and responsible housing development. There is a large dog park and of course Costco lol.

*Point Potrero/Brickyard Cove/Richmond Yatch Club
Yatch club! Need I say more.

*Richmond annex:
It blends into beautiful El Cerrito and it is often difficult to distinguish between the two.

There are other nice smaller neighborhoods, but these were the ones that came to mind.

Good luck with your house search. Don't count Richmond out until you see the neighborhoods I mentioned above. You will be gladly surprised.

[hannaranch]

I lived in Richmond for 30 years and would never bring my family to that area. Sure they have some nice areas, but you still have to deal with
the people and the city government!!

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by hannaranch

I lived in Richmond for 30 years and would never bring my family to that area. Sure they have some nice areas, but you still have to deal with
the people and the city government!!

How is that different from any other city with good and bad areas?

[DrDipNStein]

Richmond is a dump. I'm sure there is a sq mile somewhere in the city with pretty flowers growing that some ghetto apologist will claim makes the city nice but the truth is your odds of getting shot while going about your daily business is higher in Richmond than most places in the USA. Berkeley and Albany are probably the only nice places in the East bay. The rest is overrun by thugs and misunderstood youth.

[Nineties Flava]

Originally Posted by DrDipNStein

Richmond is a dump. I'm sure there is a sq mile somewhere in the city with pretty flowers growing that some ghetto apologist will claim makes the city nice but the truth is your odds of getting shot while going about your daily business is higher in Richmond than most places in the USA. Berkeley and Albany are probably the only nice places in the East bay. The rest is overrun by thugs and misunderstood youth.

Spoken like someone who's never been to the east bay.


Sure... if we forget about suburbs in the east bay that completely mop the floor with Berkeley and Albany in terms of exclusivity and wealth like Orinda, Moraga, Piedmont, Danville, Pleasanton, Dublin, etc. or the equally nice suburbs like El Cerrito, Pinole, Hercules, Fremont, Alameda, etc. then you might have a point

[llowllevellowll]

Originally Posted by DrDipNStein

Richmond is a dump. I'm sure there is a sq mile somewhere in the city with pretty flowers growing that some ghetto apologist will claim makes the city nice but the truth is your odds of getting shot while going about your daily business is higher in Richmond than most places in the USA. Berkeley and Albany are probably the only nice places in the East bay. The rest is overrun by thugs and misunderstood youth.

You might just be off your rocker...

[nulifebeginning]

I live in Richmond now, moved here 36 years ago. It was like the wild wild west, killings going on everyday, when I first came.

True the weather is beautiful, the scenery is beautiful. Depending on where you move in this fine, crime ridden city. There's a lot more work to be done here...a LOT.

I raised my children here...WRONG move. I didn't know it was like this until it was too late to move on. You just can't pick up and move when you have children. I thought this was the ideal place to raise my children I was sadly mistaken.

I am making myself available to assist in making this a BETTER place to live for all concerned, there is hope, there is a change on the horizon. Richmond is such a small city...to small for what is happening here. I've seen a HUGE change from the first time I came, changes are being made every day. Those families who's causing the issues, are slowly but SURELY moving away. Making room for people who will appreicate what's here.