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Moving To Folsom From Bay Area - Lexington Hills, Parkway, Empire Ranc

Lexington Hills Parkway Empire Ranch moving neighborhood

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#1 KerriChanGomez

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Posted 14 April 2016 - 03:29 PM

Hello, my husband is being transferred to Folsom for work. We are relocating to Folsom from San Francisco. We have a 4 year old and a 2 year old, so we're looking for a family-oriented, friendly, safe neighborhood to raise our family. We've looked at the different schools and found most of the information we needed on schools. I'm hoping you can help answer a few questions about the different neighborhoods...

 

1. We checked out Lexington Hills around Christmas while visiting family in Sacramento for the holidays and we saw that most homes are decorated. Is Lexington Hill family-oriented? We loved what we saw!

 

2. We've been warned by friends about possible racism in the foothills. We're from San Francisco and have never experienced any racism (I'm Chinese and my husband is Irish and Hispanic). Is this something we should be concerned about? I don't want our children to be targeted because of their race.

 

3. We're looking at three different neighborhoods: Lexington Hills, Parkway and Empire Ranch. We're drawn to Lexington Hills because of the Christmas spirit we saw. Are the other two neighbors big on holidays and community events?

 

4. When we visited Sacramento around Christmas, the homeless problem was pretty bad with abandoned shopping carts just left by the curb. Is there a homeless problem in Folsom?

 

Thank you so much!



#2 Steve Heard

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Posted 14 April 2016 - 04:01 PM

Hello, my husband is being transferred to Folsom for work. We are relocating to Folsom from San Francisco. We have a 4 year old and a 2 year old, so we're looking for a family-oriented, friendly, safe neighborhood to raise our family. We've looked at the different schools and found most of the information we needed on schools. I'm hoping you can help answer a few questions about the different neighborhoods...

 

1. We checked out Lexington Hills around Christmas while visiting family in Sacramento for the holidays and we saw that most homes are decorated. Is Lexington Hill family-oriented? We loved what we saw!

 

2. We've been warned by friends about possible racism in the foothills. We're from San Francisco and have never experienced any racism (I'm Chinese and my husband is Irish and Hispanic). Is this something we should be concerned about? I don't want our children to be targeted because of their race.

 

3. We're looking at three different neighborhoods: Lexington Hills, Parkway and Empire Ranch. We're drawn to Lexington Hills because of the Christmas spirit we saw. Are the other two neighbors big on holidays and community events?

 

4. When we visited Sacramento around Christmas, the homeless problem was pretty bad with abandoned shopping carts just left by the curb. Is there a homeless problem in Folsom?

 

Thank you so much!

 

Kerri

 

I'm off to an appointment, but wanted to give a quick reply. Can give more detail later. 

 

To your questions:

 

1) Lexington Hills is very family-oriented, but the same could be said for all of Folsom. It's a great family town.

 

2) Regarding racism, while Sacramento was named as the most diverse county in the country, the further east one goes, the less diverse it gets. As with any group, there can be a minority among them that aren't as nice as the rest. My heritage is African, Caucasian and Native American, and my wife is Italian and Mexican. I've lived here for 15 years, and though I've encountered a few knuckleheads, I haven't had any real racial issue.  One friend of mine was at his kids' school in El Dorado Hills and his 6 year old was said because his friend was mean to him. He pointed to a kid who was playing by himself and said, 'why don't you make friend with him?' The kid replied, 'we don't play with the dark ones.' My friend was shocked, but the same thing happened when my daughters were small and we lived in Foster City. There was a dark-skinned kid, the son of a friend, and my daughter said to another friend, 'Let's play with him!' She said, 'No, my dad told me not to play with the black kids.' So, that can happen anywhere.

 

Folsom is growing in diversity, as well as in cultural tolerance and harmony. I think today it's more about shared values. We want a nice safe place to raise our kids and live a good life. 

 

3) Regarding the different neighborhoods and what to expect from them, they all seem to have good holiday stuff going on. Patriotic themes at 4th of July, great Halloween decor, and of course, Christmas.  Lexington Hills, despite its name, isn't very hilly, but has slightly older homes, many with larger yards, and mature trees. The Parkway has HOA (and dues) which help maintain the integrity of the neighborhoods, but there are rules to follow. Empire Ranch homes are less than 15 years old, and although there are some with large yards, most are smaller. Some neighborhoods there have HOAs as well. 

 

4) As far as homeless folks, there have always been and always will be homeless people. When one of Folsom's long time residents and civic leaders, Digger Williams passed last year, someone mentioned at his funeral that he used to bring homeless people to his place for a meal and a shower back in the 60's. It's far less serious here than in Sac, but between light rail and the river trail, it is easy to get here.  

 


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#3 Steve Heard

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Posted 14 April 2016 - 04:05 PM

Ma'am, no offense, but that is an insulting question, and you should be ashamed of yourself.

There are racists everywhere...even in SF.

If you are worried about Folsom, then please buy a home somewhere else. We don't want people here like you who will attempt to further divide us.

Unbelieveable how so many people buy into the Liberal mantra that "white areas are racist".

Pathetic.

 

I think she has legitimate concerns and it was a valid question from someone who doesn't know the area well.

 

As I said in my response, there are knuckleheads everywhere, and I've experienced it here and in the Bay Area.

 

Why not try welcoming her instead of suggesting she go elsewhere? 


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Owner - MyFolsom.com

916 718 9577 


#4 KerriChanGomez

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Posted 14 April 2016 - 04:38 PM

Ma'am, no offense, but that is an insulting question, and you should be ashamed of yourself.

There are racists everywhere...even in SF.

If you are worried about Folsom, then please buy a home somewhere else. We don't want people here like you who will attempt to further divide us.

Unbelieveable how so many people buy into the Liberal mantra that "white areas are racist".

Pathetic.

 

"Sir," how was what you said *not* offensive? "We don't want people like you..."; "Pathetic"; "Liberal mantra" Everything you said in your response was offensive and adds absolutely no value. I'm asking a question because our friend's niece was called "soy sauce" and "fried rice" in a El Dorado high school by white kids. She was mercilessly taunted for her skin color. That was why I asked this question. You're taking this particular question unnecessarily personally and defensively. Calm down and exert your rage into something more worth your time. A random question some stranger posted on a public forum is not it.



#5 sunnyCA

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Posted 14 April 2016 - 05:27 PM

Welcome!  All of the neighborhoods you mentioned are family-friendly and safe. Since you have a 4 year old who will enter school soon, it might be helpful to know that Lexington Hills residents go to Oak Chan Elementary, Parkway goes to Folsom Hills or Empire Oaks (depending on the part of the Parkway you live in) and Empire Ranch goes to Empire Oaks or Russell Ranch (again depending on which part of the neighborhood you are in). Another option is the Spanish immersion program at Folsom Hills--that program is by application and in that way is different than the typical "neighborhood" schools.  All of those elementary schools are great and then they all feed into Folsom Middle School and Vista del Lago High school.  You can read more about them on the greatschools website.

 

I think you will find Folsom to be a great town to raise a family in. The trails, parks, and activities around town are wonderful and together with good schools and lots of options for sports/music/drama, etc., your kids will love it!

 

Good luck to you in your move!



#6 KerriChanGomez

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Posted 14 April 2016 - 05:31 PM

Welcome!  All of the neighborhoods you mentioned are family-friendly and safe. Since you have a 4 year old who will enter school soon, it might be helpful to know that Lexington Hills residents go to Oak Chan Elementary, Parkway goes to Folsom Hills or Empire Oaks (depending on the part of the Parkway you live in) and Empire Ranch goes to Empire Oaks or Russell Ranch (again depending on which part of the neighborhood you are in). Another option is the Spanish immersion program at Folsom Hills--that program is by application and in that way is different than the typical "neighborhood" schools.  All of those elementary schools are great and then they all feed into Folsom Middle School and Vista del Lago High school.  You can read more about them on the greatschools website.

 

I think you will find Folsom to be a great town to raise a family in. The trails, parks, and activities around town are wonderful and together with good schools and lots of options for sports/music/drama, etc., your kids will love it!

 

Good luck to you in your move!

 

Thank you so much! That's the exact kind of environment we are looking for. The schools seem stellar and there seem to be way more parks and trails in the Folsom. The crime rate seems to be very low as well. Folsom really is a beautiful area. We are looking forward to getting involved in the community after we move :)



#7 ambrno33

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Posted 14 April 2016 - 06:26 PM

All three are great neighborhoods with family oriented neighbors. You really cannot go wrong! Just find the house that best suits your family (yard size might deter you from Empire Ranch).
Enjoy the search!
On the opposite side of the racism thing, my daughter was in the co-op preschool at the local elementary (highly reccommend), and she was the minority as a white kid. We loved the diversity, the parents were wonderful, and we learned so much about the other cultures (Indian, Asian, and one family from Poland)! A lot of fun!

#8 KerriChanGomez

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Posted 14 April 2016 - 06:30 PM

All three are great neighborhoods with family oriented neighbors. You really cannot go wrong! Just find the house that best suits your family (yard size might deter you from Empire Ranch).
Enjoy the search!
On the opposite side of the racism thing, my daughter was in the co-op preschool at the local elementary (highly reccommend), and she was the minority as a white kid. We loved the diversity, the parents were wonderful, and we learned so much about the other cultures (Indian, Asian, and one family from Poland)! A lot of fun!

 

Hi, thank you so much! We definitely prefer a larger yard for our kids and our two dogs to run around. I'm so glad to hear that all three of the neighborhoods we're looking at are family-oriented :)



#9 Howdy

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Posted 15 April 2016 - 07:54 AM

There are some nice homes in the Parkway, but unless you want a very restrictive HOA breathing down your neck at every turn I would be avoiding that area. We just bought a new(to us) house in Folsom and the Parkway was not even a consideration because of this. 



#10 bordercolliefan

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Posted 15 April 2016 - 09:43 AM

Folsom is extremely diverse. My daughter is at Folsom High, and her group of friends who went to prom together included 3 white kids, 2 Indian Americans, 1 Muslim, and about 8 Asian kids. They had a great time.

Intel has brought people from many different countries to live and work in Folsom, and my kids' high school friends are diverse and very tolerant of different ethnicities, sexualities, genders, etc. It is very promising for the future of our country.

#11 KerriChanGomez

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Posted 15 April 2016 - 09:48 AM

There are some nice homes in the Parkway, but unless you want a very restrictive HOA breathing down your neck at every turn I would be avoiding that area. We just bought a new(to us) house in Folsom and the Parkway was not even a consideration because of this. 

 

Thank you for the tip! I was wondering about the HOA restrictions. Do you mind me asking what area of Folsom you live and how do you like it so far?



#12 KerriChanGomez

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Posted 15 April 2016 - 09:52 AM

Folsom is extremely diverse. My daughter is at Folsom High, and her group of friends who went to prom together included 3 white kids, 2 Indian Americans, 1 Muslim, and about 8 Asian kids. They had a great time.

Intel has brought people from many different countries to live and work in Folsom, and my kids' high school friends are diverse and very tolerant of different ethnicities, sexualities, genders, etc. It is very promising for the future of our country.

 

Thank you! We are very excited about our move!



#13 giacomo

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Posted 15 April 2016 - 10:48 AM

As Steve mentioned, we have great neighborhoods in all of Folsom.  The public schools in Folsom have a very good reputation with some of our elementary schools winning the prestigious Presidential Awards for Excellence.

We have a wonderful public parks system run by the city's Parks and Recreational department that offers so many activities too many to list here. Our Folsom Lake recreational area includes our world famous Folsom lake along with miles and miles of bike trails and walking trails.  Great retail shopping areas from the fashionable Palladio, to  Broadstone Shopping center, Costco, Sam's and our premium outlets. Great shops and casual and fine dining throughout Folsom including our wonderful old Town on Sutter street and East Bidwell business district.  We have something for everyone and all are welcome.  We also have a wonderful variety of youth sports programs that your youngest is old enough to start in with our recreational soccer club, which I think just about all families in Folsom either know someone who's child has participated in or their own children have participated in.  We've been living in Folsom for 23+ years and love it.  Yes, things have changed and there is more cars on the road, but compared to San Francisco, it doesn't come close to the congestion you had.

As Steve said we've all come across some knuckleheads, but overall it's a great place to raise a family. 

Check out www.greatschools.org  and you can check out all of our schools and the ratings they received.  Good luck in your search for the neighborhood that fits what you're looking  for. Steve can be a great help



#14 Carl G

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Posted 15 April 2016 - 10:56 AM

I know I'm biased, but you cannot beat Folsom... and you don't have to believe me, others agree too.  Take a look at https://wallethub.co...lifornia/15993/ (2015’s Best & Worst Cities for California Families).

 

Regarding your concerns of racism... no place is perfect.  When I look around my neighborhood (Natoma Station) I see many different races.  When I look at the kids playing at my children's school, I see different races playing together, not because they are forced to, but because they are genuinely friends.  I'm a white guy so I may be missing a lot, but to me it seems that here in Folsom financial disparity causes more friction than does racial.



#15 KerriChanGomez

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Posted 15 April 2016 - 11:08 AM

As Steve mentioned, we have great neighborhoods in all of Folsom.  The public schools in Folsom have a very good reputation with some of our elementary schools winning the prestigious Presidential Awards for Excellence.

We have a wonderful public parks system run by the city's Parks and Recreational department that offers so many activities too many to list here. Our Folsom Lake recreational area includes our world famous Folsom lake along with miles and miles of bike trails and walking trails.  Great retail shopping areas from the fashionable Palladio, to  Broadstone Shopping center, Costco, Sam's and our premium outlets. Great shops and casual and fine dining throughout Folsom including our wonderful old Town on Sutter street and East Bidwell business district.  We have something for everyone and all are welcome.  We also have a wonderful variety of youth sports programs that your youngest is old enough to start in with our recreational soccer club, which I think just about all families in Folsom either know someone who's child has participated in or their own children have participated in.  We've been living in Folsom for 23+ years and love it.  Yes, things have changed and there is more cars on the road, but compared to San Francisco, it doesn't come close to the congestion you had.

As Steve said we've all come across some knuckleheads, but overall it's a great place to raise a family. 

Check out www.greatschools.org  and you can check out all of our schools and the ratings they received.  Good luck in your search for the neighborhood that fits what you're looking  for. Steve can be a great help

 

Thank you so much! I'll start looking into different activities for our children. I've been so preoccupied looking at schools and neighborhoods, thank you for the tips on shopping, historical sites, and parks/trails.







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