How is life in Sacramento for African Americans (Los Angeles, Oakland: rent, house)

[NewToCA]

Originally Posted by pba

So if this subject isn't Political then you're saying it fits more under the Controversy category. Interesting. If you post this in the other forum then you won't be talking to Sacramento people which is basically the whole intent of the post.

Though the topic is fine, the discussion is getting too personal.

[RobSac]

Originally Posted by B to the T

my best bud is black,

Slick. Avoid the "my best friend is black" cliche by replacing "friend" with "bud".

[cinderella#1]

if u want 2 keep your soul this is actually any place in cali anywhwre but the northwest

[CalihereIcome]

I'm a single (divorced) Black woman - originally from the suburbs of NYC but living in Georgia (15 mins. outside of ATL) and hating it. Why do I hate GA? - not enough cultural diversity and progressive thinking; no real cultural events to speak of - unless you're into food festivals, church dinners and other excuses that people here use to eat lard-ladened foods; too many confederate flags and ticked-off white people - especially since the election; too transient -- anything older that 10-15 years old becomes a ghetto while everyone flocks to the newest subdivision, neighborhood, etc.; no natural wonders (other than Stone Mountain Park) or beaches/skiing to travel to and appreciate within an hour or two. I have given it four long years and now I'm heading to Cali.

I am considering job options in several California areas (Bay Area, Southern Cal - including LA, Orange & San Diego - and Sacramento just became an option) so I am seeking your input re the following: (1) because I'm taking a pay cut from my NYC gig, I would like to be in an area that has affordable but safe rentals -- i.e., gated townhouse or apartment community with 2 beds for under e.g., $1,200 a month, (2) safe as in no bars on the windows, clean places to shop for food, a walkable downtown/shopping area and, ideally, driving distance to a Whole Foods would be nice, (3) noticeable and diversified Black presence in terms of professionals/blue collar workers, etc. -- to white people reading this - don't be offended, but it's just human nature that people like to occasionally see other people who look, talk, act like themselves -- don't you?, (4) diversity in terms of folks from other communities also -- I had no idea how much I'd miss being around my Latino and Asian neighbors when I left NY for GA -- dropping by a street fair, going to a specialty market for an imported ingredient or inexpensive gift/trinket and just absorbing/sharing flavor from other cultures, (5) "not-too-racist" white folks -- hey, I have lived in Georgia for 4 years so I'm not thin-skinned but I'd like for someone I'm dating to be able to drive his nice car in my neighborhood without (constantly) getting stopped for "DWB," (6) even if I'm not in an actual metropolis (first time that I have ever used that word - LOL), I would like to have access (i.e., 30-45 min. drive or less) to some museums and cultural activities, great shopping, gourmet foods, live music, (7) I have lived in a bedroom community sans singles before and didn't love it so I would like to be in a place where there are places for young singles to congregate, have a drink, listen to music, etc. - again, even if its a reasonable drive away, (8) along those same lines, love the idea of being able to get to a beach or skiing or a glorious park and then turn around and come home the same day.

Okay, that's my wish list -- it's long and a bit idealistic; but a lot of it is negotiable and hey, you gotta put it out there - right? Thank you much to all who take the time to read this and provide feedback - please don't limit to Sacramento if you have insight re other areas.

Also, I am kind of rushing to get this out so I hope that I haven't offended anyone by being so straightforward (my NYC disposition will never leave me); I just enjoy being around people from ALL backgrounds - especially my own.

[Majin]

Pocket

[iverras]

Sacramento is very diverse and a great place to live. I'm a life long resident of the area and realtor. You can go to my web site [URL="http://www.callirma.com"]www.callirma.com[/URL] for any info you might need regarding some of your concerns in this area.

[edwardius]

The Sacramento region is racially diverse, but its not very socially diverse. What I mean is that the area doesn't do a particularly good job of retaining or attracting the middle class and upper middle class minority members. In the wealthier areas of Sacramento (like Folsom, Granite Bay and El Dorado Hills) there just aren't a lot of African Americans. The neighborhoods with large minority communities tend to be pretty poor (Oak Park, Meadowview and Del Paso Heights).

So while you may hear people here talk about how diverse Sacramento is, depending on how educated/wealthy you are, your actual experience with diversity in Sacramento may underwhelm you. In terms of class the poor people in Sacramento are quite diverse, but the diversity dissipates with income. If you are looking to find diverse middle and upper class neighborhoods, you probably would do a lot better in Atlanta than Sacramento. Where the middle and upper classes are just more diverse.

In this region, your best bet for living in a neighborhood that is middle class or better with a significant minority presence, would be Greenhaven/the Pocket, Elk Grove and Natomas.

All of these neighborhoods are pretty suburban in character. These are the neighborhoods where the government employees who are minority members tend to favor because they can find fairly good schools while still sending their kids to schools where the kids will see other students who look like them. If you were to move to Sacramento, these neighborhoods/communities are probably your best bet.

If you were looking for something that is less suburban and more walkable, you could look at midtown, but their really aren't many black people in midtown. This neighborhood is much more white the Elk Grove, Natomas or the Pocket. In some respects it has what you are looking for, but in terms of diversity its lacking.

Honestly based upon what you are looking for, I would be looking more at the bay area, LA or maybe San Diego. There are parts of Oakland like Rockridge that really sound like what you are looking for. Places that are diverse and urban.

In the Bay Area, the middle class and the professional class is much more diverse. In Sacramento that is much less the case. This is why groups like that National Association of Black MBA don't have a chapter here. There are cities that are much smaller than Sacramento like Dayton, Columbus, Hartford, and Memphis that do. I think the reason you don't find that type of organization in Sacramento is that, their just aren't enough potential members locally to support such an organization. In these other communities there are more opportunities for African Americans to get ahead.

National Black MBA Association - NBMBAA chapters is providing opportunities

[Majin]

Thats the most inaccurate picture of Sacramento I have ever heard in my life. You're basically trying to argue that although the facts state Sacramento is diverse, Sacramento isn't really diverse.

Yeah, lets not get the facts get in the way of my perception

Also, don't try to pretend that the Bay Area is the beacon is diversity because it is not. The Bay Area, like LA, is very segregated and is not really diverse. There are large areas of the bay that are 80% Asian. San Francisco is vas majority white and asian. Blacks and Hispanics typically segregate in the poorer parts of Oakland.

I'd argue Sacramento is more diverse and more integrated than any part of the bay area altought yes we have some very white suburbs just like every other major city in the country.

[CalihereIcome]

Thank you Majin and X15 - I'm starting to get a picture based on both replies. (LOL - Majin, when you said "Pocket" in your first comment, I thought that was some sort of blogging term like "bumping" or "tag.") Also, per X's suggestion, going to look into Elk Grove and Natomas.

[edwardius]

When you are bored, you often make stuff up.

Originally Posted by Majin

I have to admit this was one of my better trolls, if not one of the best of all time. I'm glad its so easy to get people riled up here. I'm gonna have a really fun time on this forum now that SSP seems dead.

Look at the data.

Compare a map of the area by ethnicity vs a map of the area by income and educational attainment.

STI: ERsys - Sacramento, CA (Ethnicity)

STI: ERsys - Sacramento, CA (Income)

STI: ERsys - Sacramento, CA (Education)

The poor in Sacramento are very diverse. The middle class and the wealthy aren't that diverse.

Second, look at immigration patterns. In the bay area, high housing prices tend to push out the poor, you also have a lot more high skilled immigrants, the engineers from India, Korea and Taiwan. In this area, we have a lot more Mexican, Hmong, Vietnamese boat people and the Russians. None of the immigrant groups in Sacramento are particularly well educated. The well educated immigrants just aren't coming here. So the poor are very diverse, the middle class and the wealthy isn't diverse.

Locally, the big problem is the schools. The minority folks are disportionately likely to drop out. So you have persistence in the poverty rates for these groups that never graduate from high school. So the area isn't turning these minority neighborhoods into a future middle class.

In LA, you have neighborhoods like Whitter and Baldwinn Hills, neighborhoods where the middle class and wealthy Hispanics and African Americans live. In Sacramento, there really isn't anything comparable to that yet. In the bay area, you have lots of neighborhoods that area both diverse and not poor. Whether its Alameda, Rockridge or Berkeley. The Silicon Valley is highly educated and highly diverse.

Sacramento really has yet to pull that off.