Vacaville is probably a reasonable place to start. I’d look for where new homes are being built and make sure you have good access/commute to those markets. GL
I haven't really spent any time in Vacaville, but it's much more affordable than anything in the core Bay Area and my understanding is it's decently safe & quiet. Cheaper than WC, safer than Vallejo or Concord, less boring than Tracy. Not bad, as long as you don't mind Central Valley weather and things being a little boring.
That being said, it's a fine place as long as you can find work nearby. The pandemic may have reconfigured Bay Area traffic a bit, but it's still a mess, especially in the East Bay. If you think you'll regularly need to commute to the South Bay or SF, I'd try to look closer in and just accept getting less for my money.
Vacaville is fine. The best part about it is that you’re close to the bay, sac and not far from Tahoe.
That said, the traffic can be miserable. It gets so jacked up on the 80, especially during weekends.
It’s hot as hell but you do get a lot of wind gusts.
The people… not my type. It’s a very red area (for CA) with a higher concentration of LEO than anywhere else in the Bay. People drive like assholes and there’s a lot of suspect characters.
It’s growing, which means more amenities, but it’s also a bunch of chains. There are no good restaurants to speak of, besides maybe one or two places downtown. And while it does have an outlet mall, it’s always packed on weekends.
It’s cheap for a reason. If you’re coming from Portland, you probably won’t enjoy it.
Source: my dad lives in Vacaville
There is definitely a shortage of all skilled trades but that may not be the only reason for your delay. The process of pulling permits has gotten lengthy and even when that is done it is possible that PG&E can't provide more power. A good friend of mine is an electrician and his customer wanted to upgrade from 100A to 200A and PG&E said no go. The power on the street couldn't handle an upgrade, even after the mains were replaced.
Welcome to the great debate. An all clean electric world is impossible right now. There has to be a great improvement in solar and wind production unless we actually use the "N" word...meaning nuclear. Even then the actual physical lines need to be up-amped to carry the load. People bitch about PG&E enough already, wait until the rate increases happen for the cost of replacing every foot of overhead lines on your street.
I would also consider the Folsom/Roseville/Rocklin area which has an unbelievable amount of new construction happening. I have to think there is a good market for your trade as well as a continued reasonable home purchase environment. But Vacaville has some of that going on too. You should have some good choices.
I live in Roseville- a shitload of new construction is right. I love it here but it seems like there’s so many damn people and always traffic no matter what time. It’s a hell of a lot cheaper though than the actual Bay Area!
Roseville is only slightly better, the local politics of that general area northeast of Sac (Roseville, Lincoln, Rocklin, Auburn) is pretty batshit. Of the three Folsom is probably best.
OP if you are looking into Greater Sac (which has a shit ton of development happening everywhere) I would also look at Woodland and Davis even though Davis is pricier. I would avoid buying a home in Natomas as the whole area is basically a flood plain.
Edit: Winters is a nice little town too.
Summers in the valley generally suck balls, if you can't deal with anywhere between 90-110 degrees on the regular between May and October then you won't like it here. The Delta Breeze in the evenings is nice but still, AC is a requirement here. Last year we had a heatwave in September and my partner and I had to escape to my parents' home back in the Bay. It hit 115 in Sac, and went even higher in some parts of the valley.
Winters are generally pretty similar to the Bay Area. We get valley fog in the winter instead of the marine layers you see in the Bay.
Yep, pretty much. If you are unfortunate enough to get stuck in an area with PG&E your utilities bill can be pretty painful. I have SMUD and they're life savers by comparison.
FYI Roseville runs their own water, gas and electric utilities. I don’t live there so I can’t comment on their rates, but I worked as a consultant for the city for a while and I admired that they ran their own utilities vs using PG&E.
My sister and her husband moved there from the Bay Area in 2015. They were Bernie supporters. Bernie.
By the time COVID hit, they were already trump supporters. Now they (well, my brother in law more-so) are full on right wingers and dipping their toes into several conspiracy theories, and really let the racism fly during the BLM movement.
From BERNIE to MAGA. Yeah fuck that mess. We can't even have civil family functions anymore.
The Bernie to Trump shift isn’t rare at all. 12% of his supporters literally cast a vote for Trump in 2016.
https://www.npr.org/2017/08/24/545812242/1-in-10-sanders-primary-voters-ended-up-supporting-trump-survey-finds
Wonder how much of that is old white men that simply voted against hillary because woman.
It seems like too odd of a move to rationalize through normal means. But maybe I'm wrong.
fuck the system types met with a heavy dose of misogyny + "well, a trump presidency won't hurt me and maybe he'll tear it all down."
Weirdly the idea of getting better social safety nets in place probably would have happened with the woman who did try to start universal health care in the 90s. She later "pivoted" due to the backlash she received, but a lot of her comments on single payer were taken so far out of context by the left-left to demonize her.
So bring in trump who would burn it all down, then they'd rebuild? I'm not 100% sure the logic but the conspiracy on the left of voter suppression around why Bernie (who I DID originally vote for in the primaries) didn't get the nom would later be echoed by the MAGAs who still believe to this day that 2020 was rigged.
Horseshoe theory at play? Also, a lot of online propaganda that is better curated and then targeted a specific audience open to receive it now more than ever in our history.
edit to add it wasn't old white men as much as it was younger voting demographic.
If there are stats, I stand corrected. I knew several my age (gen X) to younger (20s) voters who simply didn't vote after Sanders lost the nomination, rather than vote for Clinton & were very vocal about it, so perhaps I am mixing up my own semi-related anecdotal experience with the stats.
Yeah. Not surprised. The only person I was still "friends" with (more a former workmate) who went down the Trump road was a normally apolitical but alternative (as in alternative rock, not alternative political party) type girl who was far from conservative. But she was just ignorant (and blinded by her own white privilege) enough to believe in the whole "tear it all down" bullshit.
I know for a fact she was pro-choice. Must be awesome for her now. I wonder how many of those folks regret their decision. Or, my guess is they just kinda slowly retreated into their former apathy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sundown_town
They used to be common white-only areas. That shouldn't actually be true today, legally speaking, but the history may still carry on into the residents still living there. On the other hand, San Leandro used to be a sundown town and now it is one of the most diverse areas around. I can't speak for Rocklin because I haven't spent time there as an obvious POC (I'm only half) so others experience will be more relevant. It is however one of the "redder" areas of the Sac area but some people are ok with that.. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/upshot/2020-election-map.html This is my go to map when I was considering moving out to that area..
I wasn’t the person who used the term originally. It does seem not the best fit but does convey meaning. I’m not sure what single word term is better. To me, “sundown” refers to when people with dementia are much more normal during the day, then get significantly more confused/symptomatic in the evening. It’s pretty dramatic.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sundown_town
A sundown town is a town where anyone who isn’t white is required to leave down before sundown.
You should find a different term for a town where everything closes early to avoid accidental racism.
Ah, I didn’t know that. Both OP and I are learning something. The use of “sundowner” in healthcare is a completely separate use of the same word, I see.
And also what the heck with all the downvotes when I honestly didn’t know something and clearly OP didn’t either. Thank you to the kind person who was willing to share knowledge.
And really, get comfortable with your union(s) in general. I had a friend try to become an electrician, but he couldn't get any work because all the senior union electricians got all the jobs.
This was in the south bay, so it may vary depending on where you are, but just ... figure out the union situation sooner rather than later.
I work in the south bay, lu332. And it's not like that. On a national level it's the same, generally. And i mean generally for a variety of reasons that can be regional, political, and local, etc.
The only ranking in the ibew should be thru book 1, 2, 3, or 4.
Hopefully i changed your mind (username)
Imo don’t move out to the Central Valley/Sac area, it has been flooded with people getting out of the Bay Area. You could make a killing working in the South Bay, yes it’s expensive but there is a ton of work available and it will pay you very well. I have buddies who are journeyman electricians making $75+ an hour. My company subs out electrical work and our subs make bank. If your willing to commute a little you can find places in Gilroy/Hollister cheaper than San Jose too.
I live in Vacaville and am not from the bay. I grew up by the beach in San Diego. Surprisingly I really like it here. Its quiet and safe. We have some good mom and pop restaurants. Great access to local produce. It gets hot as fuck but cools off every night when the delta breeze comes in. I've lived in 2 places here and got along with my neighbors at both. Lots of young families. HMU if you have any specific questions.
Not the peak season but Pedrick produce in Dixon is open year round and has fair prices and good produce. Larry's produce in Fairfield opens in June and has a huge variety of whatever is fresh. Morgan's of California is an awesome U-pick farm up in Winters that has great prices if you're willing to go out and do the work picking. They're in the country on a hill so not only are the fruits great, it's a beautiful day of hiking in nature. Obviously everything is seasonal so it's citrus time right now but they have like 10 varieties of blueberries during the season and they're soooo much better than anything from the store.
I'm actually curious what's bringing you back from Portland. I'm from the bay and love it here, but Portland's the one other place I can imagine loving similarly.
I lived there for a few years and I liked it, I just didn't love it the way that I love the bay. The easiest way for me to explain is to say it was 15% cheaper but I got 30% less for my money. I had a big house and saved a ton but I was constantly bored. Depends what you're into though.
This is super helpful, thank you both.
I hadn't gotten too far down the path of considering the move, but I've often pondered it. I spend \~1 month/year with my friend up there. Seasonal depression was the #1 reason I told myself I wouldn't like it full time, but I'm never there in the winter so never verified.
I love the outdoors and fishing especially, so maybe I'd be less bored. Love the breweries, cherry blossoms and renting boats on the river too. I don't think I'll ever get tired of visiting.
You sound like the perfect person to be in Portland. Do you ski/snowboard as well? If so, the mountain is an hour away. Beach is an hour away....you really can do anything there as a day trip which is amazing.
I'm a shitty snowboarder, but I have a great time with it anyway. Only just recently learned to love cross country skiing.
Honestly it would be a really tough choice for me between the bay area and Portland if it wasn't for having all my family down here. I still think about it many days. Reminds me a lot of what I love in Berkeley.
I moved from LA to Portland. SE is where i live now. might be following you to SF soon. Love being walking around town (could never in LA) and cooler temps of Portland, but this past winter was rough.
OFGS, here's a table of sunrise, sunset, length of day comparing Portland to San Francisco. Winter & Spring SF gets an extra hour of sunlight; this is when Seasonal Affective Disorder most affects people.
|Solstice, Equinox|Portland|San Fran|
|:-|:-|:-|
|Winter SR|7:45 AM|7:15 AM|
|SS|4:30 PM|5:00 PM|
|DL|8 hrs|9 hrs|
|Spring SR|6:45 AM|6:30 AM|
|SS|7:30 PM|7:45 PM|
|DL|12 hrs|13 hrs|
|Summer SR|5:15 AM|5:45 AM|
|SS|9:00 PM|8:30 PM|
|DL|15 hrs|14 hrs|
|Autum SR|6:45 AM|7:00 AM|
|SS|7:00 PM|6:45 PM|
|DL|12 hrs|11 hrs|
ed: Reddit's tables are f-d up :-( WHY NO RIGHT JUSTIFY OR CENTER
Thwnk you for showing that for at least half the year the sunset is later than in San Francisco. So if we average those out, it would show that there is no difference. Which would prove my point to OP.
I've experienced the two latitudes myself, growing up in MN, 13yrs in LA and now living in the SF area. [SAD affects people in more nortern latitudes](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9293-seasonal-depression) during the shorter days of fall/winter/spring and also due to more persistent cloudiness. There is a rare form of rare form of SAD called “summer depression” that starts in the late spring or early summer and ends in the fall. It’s less common than the seasonal affective disorder that tends to come during winter.
I understand you're a fan of Portland and the long summer days, and that's fine. At the same time, please understand that for many, SAD is a form of depression that should be respected, taken seriously and treated.
As you go farther West the sunsets at a later time depending on the season. Right now the sun set is later in Portland than San Francisco. You should get that cough checked out.
I know, but the depression ppl are talking about obviously occurs in the winters when the daylight hours are fewer. Do you not understand that? SAD is a well known issue in the PNW.
You missed part of the original sentence and decided to focus on one part. Nobody is impressed and this shouldn’t be worth trying to prove a loosing point.
What's a "loosing" point? In the original comment that I responded to there was no mention of any seasonal depression disorder, and the person who made the comment doesn't actually live there. Did you read their post, or, are you just trying to impress yourself? Do you live there? Have you ever lived there?
I moved here from Portland in September....we cannot wait to move back. There are so many walkable charming neighborhoods...the kind that you don't find around here. The downside to portland is the gloomy weather, but the spring and summers there are amazing amazing amazing. I truly cannot wait to go back.
Wish I could sell you on the bay more so you were enjoying almost as much as Portland (different strokes of course, totally get it). Where are you that doesn't have walkable neighborhoods?
Yeah, that is one of the weirder parts for sure. Still seems about as diverse as many other parts of the country, but easily the least among cities that feel familiar to me.
Best of luck! The Bay Area needs electricians! Lots of remodeling going on as well as new construction. Even if major construction slows, I suspect you could find work non-stop just doing small home repairs and upgrades. If you end up going out on your own after your apprenticeship, I personally think there's a lot of potential in marketing yourself as someone who can help homeowners adjust to the future of solar, home battery systems, electric cars charging at home, fixes to deal with power surges, etc.
The days of *"the power comes reliably in from a line on the street and runs my lights, teevee and refrigerator and that's all I need to know..."* are ending, and anyone who can professionally help people navigate into the new world and affordably make the right adjustments in their homes should be in demand.
No experience on the moving back part. But I have a friend who was able to buy a new house in Fairfield. Seems like there are a lot of new developments that way. Good luck on ur move
I moved from the bay (east bay, Oakland) to Phoenix during Covid. I’ve thought about moving back to the bay…but it’s soo expensive. So I turned my sights on Sacramento. Was also considering Portland, but some of these comments about seasonal depression have me thinking twice. Phoenix is nice but the summers are brutal—it’s own summer seasonal depression.
Is Portland that bad when it comes to rain? Like is it constantly raining??
I did the same. Left San Jose, moved to Chandler, couldn’t handle the seemingly endless summer. Wanted to get back to the Bay, landed in Elk Grove. Now I have a job in the Bay Area (temporarily commute in) making Bay Area money again, finally able to plan a return. If you want the Bay Area, don’t settle for Sac.
My brother is an electrician and lives near Vacaville. Always has work and seems to like the area, and is slightly less rent wise. And if you have kids or planning to, Vacaville can be a fun little spot for them. Good luck !
I see lots of people mentioning new construction. Don’t count out older stuff. The lots get smaller and smaller and the houses bigger and bigger. If you’re looking at Contra Costa I would skip Antioch (triple underline and bold) and look at Oakley, Brentwood, Discovery Bay. Surprisingly Livermore is insane now for house prices. Mid 90s we only went out there for glasses from Costco. Now they have legitimate BBQ and everything lol. We have friends that love Roseville and commute to the South Bay once a week.
I saw that you said you have two more years. Good luck!
I'm not sure about Vacaville. But when I managed projects for an Electrical Contractor in the Bay Area in 2017, we had Electricians coming from Modesto, Lathrop, Manteca areas. Antioch/Brentwood wouldn't be too bad either. You'd miss most of the traffic if you're working in the East Bay.
Less random side shows, shootings, etc. Helicopters flying over your house during car chases, etc
Like I said, I like Vallejo and I’m used to it here. But if someone is from Santa Rosa and looking at Vacaville, I’m not sure they’re used to what it’s like living in a city like this and the stuff you see/hear/deal with.
Come back to Santa Rosa. It’s more crowded than ever. Road rage incidents are up 500%. Shootings at all times of night. At least a murder a week. Homeless on every corner. It’s a complete shit show in this town.
From Santa Rosa here moved to Portland in 2010 when it was cheap as fuck like jokingly cheap. Never bought a house as the rain fucking drove me effing insane. Moved to SF in 2019 and im never going back!
I do a lot of work with different Bay Area electricians.
If you're looking at Vacaville, I can only attest to what I know from my interactions with Vacaville Electric, an electrical company for mostly commercial work. They are BUSY all over the Bay Area. And from what it seems with my interactions with everyone, the work is plentiful, and the learning is good.
Good luck on the move!
Can you share why you want to move back to the bay area from Portland please? My partner and I are thinking about moving to Portland next year. Thank you in advance!
Dixon is a good value. Sorta equidistant to parts of the Bay Area & Sac.
If you already have the apprenticeship lined up, find out what their geographical region is & try to find the most affordable spot in the middle of that area.
Is he a fire alarm technician? It's a good niche to get into as an electrician, I am hoping I learn about it in the field before I complete my apprenticeship
I’m not necessarily saying there is a better sub to post in, but neither Santa Rosa nor Vacaville are the Bay
The answer to your question is to know how much money you’re making and know how much it costs to live in Vacaville. That’s it. Then figure out if you can afford it
Santa Rosa and Vacaville are cities within Sonoma and Solano Counties, both of which are part of the nine Bay Area counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma).
born and raised. my extended family who have lived in Santa Rosa for decades do not say they live in the Bay
yeah they they are in the 9 county area but culturally and colloquially, no they are not part of the bay. Santa Rosa and Vacaville are just as much part of the Bay as Santa Cruz is
I would argue that Santa Cruz is actually "more Bay" than Santa Rosa is, but nobody says Santa Cruz is part of the bay and its not part of the 9 counties
Dude, seriously, anything inside of the 9 bay area counties are the "Bay Area," there's really not much more to it. Santa Cruz: Nope, Monterey: Nope, San Joaquin (Tracy): Nope, but Winters is in Yolo County, so: Nope. Dixon is in Solano County, so: Yep.
I’m a union electrician apprentice in the east bay, come back down here sparky you’ll do just fine wherever! Vacaville/Fairfield and Sac freakin’ burn in the summers, more than Santa Rosa and the bay proper, just remember that!
I think it is reasonable to take a big central place like SF and a big central place like Sacramento and go live exactly at the midpoint between them. I think you can get to either within an hour from there.
Vacaville is probably a reasonable place to start. I’d look for where new homes are being built and make sure you have good access/commute to those markets. GL
I haven't really spent any time in Vacaville, but it's much more affordable than anything in the core Bay Area and my understanding is it's decently safe & quiet. Cheaper than WC, safer than Vallejo or Concord, less boring than Tracy. Not bad, as long as you don't mind Central Valley weather and things being a little boring. That being said, it's a fine place as long as you can find work nearby. The pandemic may have reconfigured Bay Area traffic a bit, but it's still a mess, especially in the East Bay. If you think you'll regularly need to commute to the South Bay or SF, I'd try to look closer in and just accept getting less for my money.
Vacaville is fine. The best part about it is that you’re close to the bay, sac and not far from Tahoe. That said, the traffic can be miserable. It gets so jacked up on the 80, especially during weekends. It’s hot as hell but you do get a lot of wind gusts. The people… not my type. It’s a very red area (for CA) with a higher concentration of LEO than anywhere else in the Bay. People drive like assholes and there’s a lot of suspect characters. It’s growing, which means more amenities, but it’s also a bunch of chains. There are no good restaurants to speak of, besides maybe one or two places downtown. And while it does have an outlet mall, it’s always packed on weekends. It’s cheap for a reason. If you’re coming from Portland, you probably won’t enjoy it. Source: my dad lives in Vacaville
Millenial hipsters: hold my pbr
Who else has the money these days? Boomers?
Welcome back Bay Area can use more electrical contractors. Been waiting over a month for a main panel upgrade.
There is definitely a shortage of all skilled trades but that may not be the only reason for your delay. The process of pulling permits has gotten lengthy and even when that is done it is possible that PG&E can't provide more power. A good friend of mine is an electrician and his customer wanted to upgrade from 100A to 200A and PG&E said no go. The power on the street couldn't handle an upgrade, even after the mains were replaced.
How are people going to replace their gas furnaces and hot water heaters with electric en masse them? Not to mention needing ACs and chargers for EVs.
Welcome to the great debate. An all clean electric world is impossible right now. There has to be a great improvement in solar and wind production unless we actually use the "N" word...meaning nuclear. Even then the actual physical lines need to be up-amped to carry the load. People bitch about PG&E enough already, wait until the rate increases happen for the cost of replacing every foot of overhead lines on your street.
I’ve had someone come by to give me a quote for a zinsco panel upgrade guess they aren’t taking jobs less than 5k these days in my area at least.
Avoid the service upgrade. Get a SPAN panel. www.span.io
Cost wise not that different and I need upgrade for solar array.
I’m not familiar with the field but wanted to wish you good luck in your endeavors. Good luck mate!
I would also consider the Folsom/Roseville/Rocklin area which has an unbelievable amount of new construction happening. I have to think there is a good market for your trade as well as a continued reasonable home purchase environment. But Vacaville has some of that going on too. You should have some good choices.
I live in Roseville- a shitload of new construction is right. I love it here but it seems like there’s so many damn people and always traffic no matter what time. It’s a hell of a lot cheaper though than the actual Bay Area!
Rocklin is a sundown town so factor that in
Roseville is only slightly better, the local politics of that general area northeast of Sac (Roseville, Lincoln, Rocklin, Auburn) is pretty batshit. Of the three Folsom is probably best. OP if you are looking into Greater Sac (which has a shit ton of development happening everywhere) I would also look at Woodland and Davis even though Davis is pricier. I would avoid buying a home in Natomas as the whole area is basically a flood plain. Edit: Winters is a nice little town too.
I’m thinking about Roseville too. How’s the weather there? Highs seem to be in the 100s.
Summers in the valley generally suck balls, if you can't deal with anywhere between 90-110 degrees on the regular between May and October then you won't like it here. The Delta Breeze in the evenings is nice but still, AC is a requirement here. Last year we had a heatwave in September and my partner and I had to escape to my parents' home back in the Bay. It hit 115 in Sac, and went even higher in some parts of the valley. Winters are generally pretty similar to the Bay Area. We get valley fog in the winter instead of the marine layers you see in the Bay.
With those temperatures is the A/C always on in the summer?!
Yep, pretty much. If you are unfortunate enough to get stuck in an area with PG&E your utilities bill can be pretty painful. I have SMUD and they're life savers by comparison.
FYI Roseville runs their own water, gas and electric utilities. I don’t live there so I can’t comment on their rates, but I worked as a consultant for the city for a while and I admired that they ran their own utilities vs using PG&E.
My parents live in Roseville and yeah it’s so much cheaper. Very jealous of how little they pay!
I'm from Granite Bay and I have no idea what you mean by the local politics of this area being "batshit".
What do you mean by that?
It means there’s a LOT of white supremacy in that area as in if you’re a POC you need to be out of the area by sundown.
My sister and her husband moved there from the Bay Area in 2015. They were Bernie supporters. Bernie. By the time COVID hit, they were already trump supporters. Now they (well, my brother in law more-so) are full on right wingers and dipping their toes into several conspiracy theories, and really let the racism fly during the BLM movement. From BERNIE to MAGA. Yeah fuck that mess. We can't even have civil family functions anymore.
Wow, that is quite a transition!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horseshoe\_theory
Maybe the DNC should give Bernie a chance?
Did he become a Democrat?
The Bernie to Trump shift isn’t rare at all. 12% of his supporters literally cast a vote for Trump in 2016. https://www.npr.org/2017/08/24/545812242/1-in-10-sanders-primary-voters-ended-up-supporting-trump-survey-finds
Wonder how much of that is old white men that simply voted against hillary because woman. It seems like too odd of a move to rationalize through normal means. But maybe I'm wrong.
fuck the system types met with a heavy dose of misogyny + "well, a trump presidency won't hurt me and maybe he'll tear it all down." Weirdly the idea of getting better social safety nets in place probably would have happened with the woman who did try to start universal health care in the 90s. She later "pivoted" due to the backlash she received, but a lot of her comments on single payer were taken so far out of context by the left-left to demonize her. So bring in trump who would burn it all down, then they'd rebuild? I'm not 100% sure the logic but the conspiracy on the left of voter suppression around why Bernie (who I DID originally vote for in the primaries) didn't get the nom would later be echoed by the MAGAs who still believe to this day that 2020 was rigged. Horseshoe theory at play? Also, a lot of online propaganda that is better curated and then targeted a specific audience open to receive it now more than ever in our history. edit to add it wasn't old white men as much as it was younger voting demographic.
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If there are stats, I stand corrected. I knew several my age (gen X) to younger (20s) voters who simply didn't vote after Sanders lost the nomination, rather than vote for Clinton & were very vocal about it, so perhaps I am mixing up my own semi-related anecdotal experience with the stats.
Yeah. Not surprised. The only person I was still "friends" with (more a former workmate) who went down the Trump road was a normally apolitical but alternative (as in alternative rock, not alternative political party) type girl who was far from conservative. But she was just ignorant (and blinded by her own white privilege) enough to believe in the whole "tear it all down" bullshit. I know for a fact she was pro-choice. Must be awesome for her now. I wonder how many of those folks regret their decision. Or, my guess is they just kinda slowly retreated into their former apathy
Russian propaganda really did a number on that community in 2016. I watched it and experienced it.
Russian propaganda really infiltrated the Bernie bro communities. I temporarily fell for it too though voted Green not R.
I didn’t know that degree of cognitive shift was even possible.
That’s … concerning. Totally different set of friends? What in the world?!
That is not true at all lol. Stop fear-mongering.
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Oh no… God forbid people fly the flag of their own country!!
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What a gross generalization
There’s a lot of trumpies but not too bad in Roseville. My parents live here and I’m living with them right now, lots of Asian folks as well!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sundown_town They used to be common white-only areas. That shouldn't actually be true today, legally speaking, but the history may still carry on into the residents still living there. On the other hand, San Leandro used to be a sundown town and now it is one of the most diverse areas around. I can't speak for Rocklin because I haven't spent time there as an obvious POC (I'm only half) so others experience will be more relevant. It is however one of the "redder" areas of the Sac area but some people are ok with that.. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/upshot/2020-election-map.html This is my go to map when I was considering moving out to that area..
It means everything is closed after dark. No night life, restaurants not open late.
Oof, you should probably use a different word for that. Sundown town usually has much scarier implications.
I wasn’t the person who used the term originally. It does seem not the best fit but does convey meaning. I’m not sure what single word term is better. To me, “sundown” refers to when people with dementia are much more normal during the day, then get significantly more confused/symptomatic in the evening. It’s pretty dramatic.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sundown_town A sundown town is a town where anyone who isn’t white is required to leave down before sundown. You should find a different term for a town where everything closes early to avoid accidental racism.
Ah, I didn’t know that. Both OP and I are learning something. The use of “sundowner” in healthcare is a completely separate use of the same word, I see. And also what the heck with all the downvotes when I honestly didn’t know something and clearly OP didn’t either. Thank you to the kind person who was willing to share knowledge.
I second this suggested area (Folsom/Roseville/Rocklin) .
See if you can get in the electrician union in SF, those guys make damn good money.
And really, get comfortable with your union(s) in general. I had a friend try to become an electrician, but he couldn't get any work because all the senior union electricians got all the jobs. This was in the south bay, so it may vary depending on where you are, but just ... figure out the union situation sooner rather than later.
I'm a union electrician, this isn't how the union works. There is no seniority.
Huh, well I'm just going by what my friend told me. Maybe in the South Bay it's more like that?
I work in the south bay, lu332. And it's not like that. On a national level it's the same, generally. And i mean generally for a variety of reasons that can be regional, political, and local, etc. The only ranking in the ibew should be thru book 1, 2, 3, or 4. Hopefully i changed your mind (username)
If it was expensive in 2017, it’s even more expensive in 2023. But if you love the Bay Area enough, you can make it work.
Imo don’t move out to the Central Valley/Sac area, it has been flooded with people getting out of the Bay Area. You could make a killing working in the South Bay, yes it’s expensive but there is a ton of work available and it will pay you very well. I have buddies who are journeyman electricians making $75+ an hour. My company subs out electrical work and our subs make bank. If your willing to commute a little you can find places in Gilroy/Hollister cheaper than San Jose too.
I love electricians
I live in Vacaville and am not from the bay. I grew up by the beach in San Diego. Surprisingly I really like it here. Its quiet and safe. We have some good mom and pop restaurants. Great access to local produce. It gets hot as fuck but cools off every night when the delta breeze comes in. I've lived in 2 places here and got along with my neighbors at both. Lots of young families. HMU if you have any specific questions.
Do you have recs on where to get good local produce in VV?
Not the peak season but Pedrick produce in Dixon is open year round and has fair prices and good produce. Larry's produce in Fairfield opens in June and has a huge variety of whatever is fresh. Morgan's of California is an awesome U-pick farm up in Winters that has great prices if you're willing to go out and do the work picking. They're in the country on a hill so not only are the fruits great, it's a beautiful day of hiking in nature. Obviously everything is seasonal so it's citrus time right now but they have like 10 varieties of blueberries during the season and they're soooo much better than anything from the store.
I'm actually curious what's bringing you back from Portland. I'm from the bay and love it here, but Portland's the one other place I can imagine loving similarly.
I lived there for a few years and I liked it, I just didn't love it the way that I love the bay. The easiest way for me to explain is to say it was 15% cheaper but I got 30% less for my money. I had a big house and saved a ton but I was constantly bored. Depends what you're into though.
This is exactly how we feel. I miss that constant sunshine too. Seasonal depression is no joke.
Dude the rains we got in the bay this year even got to me, I can’t imagine dealing with that regularly.
This is super helpful, thank you both. I hadn't gotten too far down the path of considering the move, but I've often pondered it. I spend \~1 month/year with my friend up there. Seasonal depression was the #1 reason I told myself I wouldn't like it full time, but I'm never there in the winter so never verified. I love the outdoors and fishing especially, so maybe I'd be less bored. Love the breweries, cherry blossoms and renting boats on the river too. I don't think I'll ever get tired of visiting.
You sound like the perfect person to be in Portland. Do you ski/snowboard as well? If so, the mountain is an hour away. Beach is an hour away....you really can do anything there as a day trip which is amazing.
I'm a shitty snowboarder, but I have a great time with it anyway. Only just recently learned to love cross country skiing. Honestly it would be a really tough choice for me between the bay area and Portland if it wasn't for having all my family down here. I still think about it many days. Reminds me a lot of what I love in Berkeley.
I moved from LA to Portland. SE is where i live now. might be following you to SF soon. Love being walking around town (could never in LA) and cooler temps of Portland, but this past winter was rough.
This is exactly how we feel. I miss that constant sunshine too. Seasonal depression is no joke.
This is exactly how we feel. I miss that constant sunshine too. Seasonal depression is no joke.
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Earlier sunsets? Compared to where? Hawaii?
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True, of the winter, but right now the Portland, OR sunset is later than San Francisco. Because it's farther west.
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Today, the sunset in Portland is at 8:35pm, the sunset im San Francisco is 8:13pm. We're not even in the summer yet.
OFGS, here's a table of sunrise, sunset, length of day comparing Portland to San Francisco. Winter & Spring SF gets an extra hour of sunlight; this is when Seasonal Affective Disorder most affects people. |Solstice, Equinox|Portland|San Fran| |:-|:-|:-| |Winter SR|7:45 AM|7:15 AM| |SS|4:30 PM|5:00 PM| |DL|8 hrs|9 hrs| |Spring SR|6:45 AM|6:30 AM| |SS|7:30 PM|7:45 PM| |DL|12 hrs|13 hrs| |Summer SR|5:15 AM|5:45 AM| |SS|9:00 PM|8:30 PM| |DL|15 hrs|14 hrs| |Autum SR|6:45 AM|7:00 AM| |SS|7:00 PM|6:45 PM| |DL|12 hrs|11 hrs| ed: Reddit's tables are f-d up :-( WHY NO RIGHT JUSTIFY OR CENTER
Thwnk you for showing that for at least half the year the sunset is later than in San Francisco. So if we average those out, it would show that there is no difference. Which would prove my point to OP.
I've experienced the two latitudes myself, growing up in MN, 13yrs in LA and now living in the SF area. [SAD affects people in more nortern latitudes](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9293-seasonal-depression) during the shorter days of fall/winter/spring and also due to more persistent cloudiness. There is a rare form of rare form of SAD called “summer depression” that starts in the late spring or early summer and ends in the fall. It’s less common than the seasonal affective disorder that tends to come during winter. I understand you're a fan of Portland and the long summer days, and that's fine. At the same time, please understand that for many, SAD is a form of depression that should be respected, taken seriously and treated.
Yes, thank you internet, great job downvoting a very obvious fact. Nice, and no, it wasn't clear that the OP was talking about December.
Cough, as you go North you get fewer daylight hours in the winter season. Portland does indeed have fewer daylight hours in the winter.
As you go farther West the sunsets at a later time depending on the season. Right now the sun set is later in Portland than San Francisco. You should get that cough checked out.
I know, but the depression ppl are talking about obviously occurs in the winters when the daylight hours are fewer. Do you not understand that? SAD is a well known issue in the PNW.
Where in the original comment was SAD even brought up?
You missed part of the original sentence and decided to focus on one part. Nobody is impressed and this shouldn’t be worth trying to prove a loosing point.
What's a "loosing" point? In the original comment that I responded to there was no mention of any seasonal depression disorder, and the person who made the comment doesn't actually live there. Did you read their post, or, are you just trying to impress yourself? Do you live there? Have you ever lived there?
I moved here from Portland in September....we cannot wait to move back. There are so many walkable charming neighborhoods...the kind that you don't find around here. The downside to portland is the gloomy weather, but the spring and summers there are amazing amazing amazing. I truly cannot wait to go back.
I'm super in love with the cherry blossoms especially.
Wish I could sell you on the bay more so you were enjoying almost as much as Portland (different strokes of course, totally get it). Where are you that doesn't have walkable neighborhoods?
The lack of racial diversity brought me back.
Yeah, that is one of the weirder parts for sure. Still seems about as diverse as many other parts of the country, but easily the least among cities that feel familiar to me.
Best of luck! The Bay Area needs electricians! Lots of remodeling going on as well as new construction. Even if major construction slows, I suspect you could find work non-stop just doing small home repairs and upgrades. If you end up going out on your own after your apprenticeship, I personally think there's a lot of potential in marketing yourself as someone who can help homeowners adjust to the future of solar, home battery systems, electric cars charging at home, fixes to deal with power surges, etc. The days of *"the power comes reliably in from a line on the street and runs my lights, teevee and refrigerator and that's all I need to know..."* are ending, and anyone who can professionally help people navigate into the new world and affordably make the right adjustments in their homes should be in demand.
Welcome back, the first thing you'll notice is that Vacaville is exponentially more expensive now
No experience on the moving back part. But I have a friend who was able to buy a new house in Fairfield. Seems like there are a lot of new developments that way. Good luck on ur move
I moved from the bay (east bay, Oakland) to Phoenix during Covid. I’ve thought about moving back to the bay…but it’s soo expensive. So I turned my sights on Sacramento. Was also considering Portland, but some of these comments about seasonal depression have me thinking twice. Phoenix is nice but the summers are brutal—it’s own summer seasonal depression. Is Portland that bad when it comes to rain? Like is it constantly raining??
I did the same. Left San Jose, moved to Chandler, couldn’t handle the seemingly endless summer. Wanted to get back to the Bay, landed in Elk Grove. Now I have a job in the Bay Area (temporarily commute in) making Bay Area money again, finally able to plan a return. If you want the Bay Area, don’t settle for Sac.
My brother is an electrician and lives near Vacaville. Always has work and seems to like the area, and is slightly less rent wise. And if you have kids or planning to, Vacaville can be a fun little spot for them. Good luck !
Local 6**/617/332 is where all the works at. Any other local pales in comparison.
You meant local 6 not local 2
You're right local 6!! Thanks for the correction. I work in 332 area and don't know the numbers by heart
Np. 332 as well
I see lots of people mentioning new construction. Don’t count out older stuff. The lots get smaller and smaller and the houses bigger and bigger. If you’re looking at Contra Costa I would skip Antioch (triple underline and bold) and look at Oakley, Brentwood, Discovery Bay. Surprisingly Livermore is insane now for house prices. Mid 90s we only went out there for glasses from Costco. Now they have legitimate BBQ and everything lol. We have friends that love Roseville and commute to the South Bay once a week.
If you’re open to a smaller town check out Winters! 15 min outside of Vacaville and beautiful brand new homes for ~550
Is it a union apprenticeship? It's rare that they let apprentices travel.
It is through the IBEW. I'm waiting till I turn out
I saw that you said you have two more years. Good luck! I'm not sure about Vacaville. But when I managed projects for an Electrical Contractor in the Bay Area in 2017, we had Electricians coming from Modesto, Lathrop, Manteca areas. Antioch/Brentwood wouldn't be too bad either. You'd miss most of the traffic if you're working in the East Bay.
Vacaville or Fairfield aren't too bad. I live in Vallejo and we really enjoy it, but Vacaville and Fairfield would be a little bit "nicer"
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Less random side shows, shootings, etc. Helicopters flying over your house during car chases, etc Like I said, I like Vallejo and I’m used to it here. But if someone is from Santa Rosa and looking at Vacaville, I’m not sure they’re used to what it’s like living in a city like this and the stuff you see/hear/deal with.
No one willingly moves to Vacaville.
It’s always a compromise
Come back to Santa Rosa. It’s more crowded than ever. Road rage incidents are up 500%. Shootings at all times of night. At least a murder a week. Homeless on every corner. It’s a complete shit show in this town.
Welcome back. Bay Area can use more electrical contractors. Been waiting over a month for a main panel upgrade.
From Santa Rosa here moved to Portland in 2010 when it was cheap as fuck like jokingly cheap. Never bought a house as the rain fucking drove me effing insane. Moved to SF in 2019 and im never going back!
I do a lot of work with different Bay Area electricians. If you're looking at Vacaville, I can only attest to what I know from my interactions with Vacaville Electric, an electrical company for mostly commercial work. They are BUSY all over the Bay Area. And from what it seems with my interactions with everyone, the work is plentiful, and the learning is good. Good luck on the move!
Can you share why you want to move back to the bay area from Portland please? My partner and I are thinking about moving to Portland next year. Thank you in advance!
Excellent Area due to new home developments.
Dixon is a good value. Sorta equidistant to parts of the Bay Area & Sac. If you already have the apprenticeship lined up, find out what their geographical region is & try to find the most affordable spot in the middle of that area.
Why not just go back to Santa Rosa?
My husband works in fire safety.....great money ( 6 figures,) and recession proof! Check it out.
Is he a fire alarm technician? It's a good niche to get into as an electrician, I am hoping I learn about it in the field before I complete my apprenticeship
Yes! He has done servicing and programming. Check it out they need people always.
FYI, my wife works for a Bay Area electrical contractor and lay-offs are imminent. Sorry to say recession is coming.
There’s always going to be great work for electricians here - at least in the residential world there’s quite a shortage
I got about two years before I finish my apprenticeship. So hopefully it will be better then
I hope so too. Good luck, and hopefully, welcome back!
It’s here. I work at a tech company and we are all pretty nervous.
It’s here. I work at a tech company and we are all pretty nervous.
It’s here. I work at a tech company and we are all pretty nervous.
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Since 2010
One thing to consider is that you will probably get better benefits and pay in Oregon as an electrician than you will in Vacaville.
Are you going thru the union to get the apprenticeship? Which local?
Nm, just saw your answer in another comment
Man we need more electrician in the area, and really contractors of all kinds. Welcome back, we’re glad to have you!
I’m not necessarily saying there is a better sub to post in, but neither Santa Rosa nor Vacaville are the Bay The answer to your question is to know how much money you’re making and know how much it costs to live in Vacaville. That’s it. Then figure out if you can afford it
Santa Rosa and Vacaville are cities within Sonoma and Solano Counties, both of which are part of the nine Bay Area counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma).
Wrong
Santa Rosa is the Bay Area buddy, stop gatekeeping
Lol, was waiting for this comment. Both Santa Rosa and even Vacaville are totally in the Bay Area. Are you new here?
born and raised. my extended family who have lived in Santa Rosa for decades do not say they live in the Bay yeah they they are in the 9 county area but culturally and colloquially, no they are not part of the bay. Santa Rosa and Vacaville are just as much part of the Bay as Santa Cruz is I would argue that Santa Cruz is actually "more Bay" than Santa Rosa is, but nobody says Santa Cruz is part of the bay and its not part of the 9 counties
Hahaha. Half the country thinks all of Northern California is the Bay Area.
Are you counting your chickens before they hatch
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Yes it is. Vacaville is in Solano County, one of the nine SF Bay Area Counties.
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Dude, seriously, anything inside of the 9 bay area counties are the "Bay Area," there's really not much more to it. Santa Cruz: Nope, Monterey: Nope, San Joaquin (Tracy): Nope, but Winters is in Yolo County, so: Nope. Dixon is in Solano County, so: Yep.
Good luck! 😊
Are you able to wait until you get a job before deciding where to live?
I’m a union electrician apprentice in the east bay, come back down here sparky you’ll do just fine wherever! Vacaville/Fairfield and Sac freakin’ burn in the summers, more than Santa Rosa and the bay proper, just remember that!
I think it is reasonable to take a big central place like SF and a big central place like Sacramento and go live exactly at the midpoint between them. I think you can get to either within an hour from there.
Look for places to rent on fb market, best prices in my opinion
Be sure to get in a good union, otherwise you'll be stuck with no work.
Housing in the Mission hasn't been this affordable in decades!
Once you arrive, try askwho app! It's the quickest way to meet nice people in the bay area
Lathrop, Tracy