My husband thinking of accepting a job in Oakland, ca? (San Francisco: middle-class, city hall)

[Lourdes09]

We currently live in Chula Vista, Ca, and my husband might be accepting a job in Oakland, Ca. We have a 14 yr old daughter who will be starting High School next year. I have heard so many "not" good things about Oakland, Ca....help!!!! Where would be the best place to raise a teenager?

[Haaziq]

Originally Posted by Lourdes09

We currently live in Chula Vista, Ca, and my husband might be accepting a job in Oakland, Ca. We have a 14 yr old daughter who will be starting High School next year. I have heard so many "not" good things about Oakland, Ca....help!!!! Where would be the best place to raise a teenager?

I am not from the area, but I know a few people who are, and they will tell you, although there are crimes such as robberies, thefts, etc, murders usually don't have innocent victims. Most of the time they are drug related. People from the area have told me that they feel safer than Oakland than San Francisco, because in the latter, innocent people and tourists are usually targeted. Oakland's criminals usually have targets that they know.

[Haaziq]

By the way, if I remember correctly, Rockridge is a nice area.

[Ultrarunner]

You could always live in the city of Piedmont... it is a city completely surrounded by the City of Oakland and Piedmont has the best public schools in the State last time I checked.

Oakland has some great public grade schools and Oakland has a couple of outstanding Private High Schools.

I'm not familiar with Chula Vista schools... so I can't really provide a direct comparison.

Your not too far away... come up for a weekend and take a look.

[oaktownchris]

There are some fine neighborhhods to live in oakland such as Rockridge, Montclair, Lakeshore, Oakmore, but the problem is the public schools especially at the High School level. The only decently performing oakland public high school is Skyline High and I would strongly suggest visiting the school to see if your child would be comfortable.

You didnt mention anything about what type of communtiy that you can afford. If money is not much of an object, there are several nearby small towns with excellent public schools such as Piedmont, Orinda, Moraga and Lafayette.

A less costly option would be Alameda which is a very family friendly town on an island just next to Oakland with well regarded public schools. Out of the 2 public High Schools I would look to live in Alameda Highs attendance area (east side of the island) vs. Encinal High (west side).

[dolivieri82]

I think Oakland has lots of crime and rent is expensive for the parts I would consider living in. Rockridge is cute and safer than most, but too expensive for my blood. Lake Merrit is also good, but some crime around the lake, so I hear. Piedmont is sort of cute, but kind of older. I think other areas are run down and high crime. Berkeley too is wayyy expensive. Consider living in PLeasant HIll and commuting. Its a nice suburb thats pretty safe and good to raise a family. I wouldnt personally raise my 14 year old in Oakland and parts of Berkeley. I work at a middle school in north berkeley and there is a lot of aggression and bullying going on. I wouldnt send my kid to this school ever!

[bvhp415]

Originally Posted by Haaziq

People from the area have told me that they feel safer than Oakland than San Francisco, because in the latter, innocent people and tourists are usually targeted. Oakland's criminals usually have targets that they know.

I think those ppl just feel safer where they are from, and have a fear of places they aren't familiar with. In most cities criminals usually target ppl they know, and that also goes for SF. Oakland is much more dangerous than SF. But in either SF or Oakland you'll find safe places and dangerous places to live.

If your husband doesn't mind the commute I suggest that you look into Alameda, Pleasant Hill, Hayward, San Leandro, and Concord. When looking for a safe place to live in Oakland and not being familiar with it can be very tricky, cuz the good areas often look just like the bad areas.

[teachcal]

Even if you're not Catholic, consider Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland) or Moreau (Hayward). I have to agree with other poster that your only good bet for public high school is Skyline. Most in Oakland Hills area pays for private schools.

[veganwriter]

Wow ... reading the snobby, better-than-thou, shallow, pretentious remarks about Oakland puts me in the mind of why I ... a Bay Area Native ... left California.

I personally think that none of you deserve the place. The Bay Area was once one of the greatest places on earth--for everyone. But PRIDE ... economic racism, and hordes of "invasions" by people who brought their bigoted, narrow minds there destroyed the place. There's no humanity left ... only the kind of shallow greed that's ruining most of the nation.

Your husband will be very safe in Oakland. Oakland is practically a police state right now anyway. From all the multi-million dollar lofts they're building downtown and around the lake, it's clear that Oakland is targeted to be a bedroom community for Satan's Lair ... opps ... I mean for San Francisco. They recently opened one of the largest, most ritzy Whole Foods that I've seen anywhere in the nation. (I travel everywhere.) It's very, very, clear that it wasn't built for the present residents.

There are car break-ins ... most often from the same guys who were hired to work on people's houses for sub-standard wages during the day. (They return at night and make up the difference.) Then there's the new middle-class kids Meth problem ... which means that the perps have changed from the crack monsters in the flatlands to the Meth monsters in the hills. (The only blacks left are the really professional professionals, and people too poor to afford a car to drive up there.)

It's all became about greed, money, degenerate sex, and phony pride in the Bay Area. (That's a LONG way from the 60's.) I'm not surprised at the toxic way some of you described areas of Oakland.

The Oakland Hills are simply ... "kinda old??" WHO are YOU?? The Oakland Hills are, have been, and will always be, a lovely, very pricey, place to live. Landscaped multi-million dollar California homes ... are simply ... "kinda old"?? Don't make me laugh.

The Oakland Hills fire turned out to be a boon for many. The villas that replaced the homes that were ... wait ... why even continue this.

Oakland ... I miss the grit that once was you. Downtown has been raped, the carpetbaggers, government exploiters, and financial manipulators have slayed ye. May you rest in peace. Oh ... and one word about the place of my birth ... Berkeley.

One of the "betta-than-thou" posters talked about the bullying in North Oakland (which for all intense and purposes is Berkeley) schools. The kids are only acting out the anger of their middle-class, toxic, passive aggressive parents, but they're modeling the same behavior. Where there's no room for anything other than an, "I'm better than you" attitude ... what else do you expect than a continuation of bullying by children of what they see their parents doing?? Talk about your cognitive disconnect!!

It breaks my heart to even think about what's happened to California ... and who now lives there. The regents of UC Berkeley along with the reactionaries who took over City Hall decided that they didn't want anyone who might "make trouble" ... or clash with the decor. As a result, you have what you now have, devoid of creative "flavor", heart, warmth, or humanity. Just the kind of places you people left.

Oh ... and all this talk about how safe San Francisco is ... and the only crime that happens, happens in black areas. WHO THE HELL ARE YOU FOLKS KIDDING??? The Mission ... heck ... SF is FULL of some of the most dangerous Mexican and Central American gangs on the planet. Pilipinos gangs are active too. The Cambodian, Viet Namese, and Chinese gangs are much more organized, quiet … and sophisticated … but also, VERY dangerous. (Thinking of opening a restaurant?) At least one child disappears each and every night from San Francisco …. And it’s been going on for decades. And talk to any Parole Officer and he or she will tell you that people from the Peninsula come to San Francisco to do their dirt. (They get much longer sentences in places like San Carlos or Burlingame.) Get off the phony fantasies of shame and deal with the reality of the harvest of our past 30 years.

[calnative44]

Hmmmmm. Oakland has the highest murder rate in the Bay Area. I'm from La Mesa (now Pleasant Hill) and have kids in middle school and high school. I don't know what your price range is for a home, but Oakland is a short commute from Pleasant Hill/Walnut Creek area and would be more in line with the good side of Chula Vista then Oakland. There is no middle ground in Oakland. If you can afford Peidmont at 1M for a 3/2 got for it- it's a great little spot with nice weather and schools, otherwise, you're better off on the other side of the Caldecott tunnel. Pleasant Hill 3/2 home currently is 400K-600K average. Walnut Creek is 600K-900K average. If you can afford it, Lafayette, Orinda, and Moraga has the best schools and location to Oakland but you have to pay for it.

My comparision:

Oakland=can't compare to SD area
Walnut Creek= Similar to La Jolla/Del Mar
Lafayette= Similar to La Jolla/Del Mar
Moraga=Similar to La Jolla/Del Mar
Orinda=Similar to La Jolla/Del Mar
Pleasant Hill= Similar to North County

It really depends on your people, and where you feel comfortable.