City, Contra Costa County
© McCormack's Guides
Zip Code: 94806
Bedroom
community in West Contra Costa.
Small, straddles the freeway, good commute, nice city hall, site of community
college, crime troublesome, school scores low. www.mccormacks.com
Some new
tracts are gated. And even with its problems, San Pablo continues to attract
residents. Population 31,190.
After
coming very close, Indians are working to turn their casino into a Las Vegas
operation. A full-fledged casino would bring in many jobs, increase tax
revenues (already about $9 million to San Pablo, half the city’s income) and,
critics contend, worsen crime and traffic. Some argue that with new bingo
machines, the casino has already gone Vegas.
When
Richmond moved north after World War II, San Pablo, a village, incorporated as
a city to avoid Richmond’s grasp.
Click for regional or detailed map
San Pablo
boomed after the war because it built a lot of housing for veterans. But as
Richmond surrounds San Pablo, the city was destined to remain small.
The
population hit 21,500 about 1970, then slipped to 19,500. The 1980s saw a
revival. In 1990, the census counted 25,158 residents. Since then, the city has
filled in lots with modern, middle-class homes and apartments. www.mccormacks.com
The 2000
census placed 32 percent of the city under age 18. Many young families, many
kids. San Pablo embraced redevelopment, a tax approach that spruces up streets
and neighborhoods to make them more presentable to businesses and developers.
Striking murals in downtown.
Interstate
80 congestion is infuriating but San Pablo, because it is close to urban
centers, is a much better commute than many other towns. Many improvements to
freeway.
Three
homicides each in 2005 and 2004. Counts for previous years: 6, 1, 3, 3, 2, 4,
6, 10, 8, 12, 8, 7, 8, 5, 4, 2. See Crime.
Home to
Doctors Medical Center. Voters in 2004 approved a $6 million parcel tax to keep
Doctors running but in 2006 the center was still having money problems.
Also home to Contra Costa Community
College, enrollment 7,400, part timers and full timers. www.mccormacks.com
K-12
education by the West Contra Costa Unified School District. Many schools are
scoring below the 20th percentile. See Schools.
Both
college district and school district have passed bonds to renovate their
facilities and add buildings. In 2004, voters said yes to measure to retain
sports and electives, and in 2005 voted for another bond, $400 million, that
will yield enough money to renovate or rebuild just about every school. State
may put up more money.
State
count in 2008 showed 9,802 residences — 4,243 single homes, 852 single
attached, 3,899 multiples, 808 mobiles. Home prices vary by age of units. New
homes get up in price but not as high as other towns.
Good place
to buy first home.
Chamber of
commerce (510) 234-2067.
• Doctors
Medical Center in 2006 file for bankruptcy, closed some operations, then
reopened them. Future of center is being debated. www.mccormacks.com
•
Community college needs to rebuild but not sure it wants to stay at present
site. The Hayward Fault, large and dangerous, runs through the campus. Decision
to be made within a year.
• Contra
Costa College and the school district run a “high school” on the college. The
belief is that if high school students are exposed to college, they will study
harder and go on to college.
• San
Pablo is buying up some mobile home parks and converting them to regular
housing with more units per acre.
• Thanks
to casino taxes, the city has paid its debts, strengthened its pension fund,
hired four more cops and cut its utility tax. With the new money, the city also
hopes to build a sports park and a community center. The casino employs 540
union workers and draws about 155,000 customers a month. Police calls from the
casino are up, from 12 a month to 70 but the police chief says, no problem.
Most of the calls concern trespassing and auto theft.
City web
site: www.ci.san-pablo.ca.us
City, Contra Costa County
© McCormack's Guides
Bedroom
community in West Contra Costa.
Small, straddles the freeway, good commute, nice city hall, site of community
college, crime troublesome, school scores low. www.mccormacks.com
Some new
tracts are gated. And even with its problems, San Pablo continues to attract
residents. Population 31,216.
After
coming very close, Indians are working to turn their casino into a Las Vegas
operation. A full-fledged casino would bring in many jobs, increase tax
revenues (already about $9 million to San Pablo, half the city’s income) and,
critics contend, worsen crime and traffic. Some argue that with new bingo
machines, the casino has already gone Vegas.
When
Richmond moved north after World War II, San Pablo, a village, incorporated as
a city to avoid Richmond’s grasp.
Click for regional or detailed map
San Pablo
boomed after the war because it built a lot of housing for veterans. But as
Richmond surrounds San Pablo, the city was destined to remain small.
The
population hit 21,500 about 1970, then slipped to 19,500. The 1980s saw a
revival. In 1990, the census counted 25,158 residents. Since then, the city has
filled in lots with modern, middle-class homes and apartments. www.mccormacks.com
The 2000
census placed 32 percent of the city under age 18. Many young families, many
kids. San Pablo embraced redevelopment, a tax approach that spruces up streets
and neighborhoods to make them more presentable to businesses and developers.
Striking murals in downtown.
Interstate
80 congestion is infuriating but San Pablo, because it is close to urban
centers, is a much better commute than many other towns. Many improvements to
freeway.
Three
homicides each in 2005 and 2004. Counts for previous years: 6, 1, 3, 3, 2, 4,
6, 10, 8, 12, 8, 7, 8, 5, 4, 2. See Crime.
Home to
Doctors Medical Center. Voters in 2004 approved a $6 million parcel tax to keep
Doctors running but in 2006 the center was still having money problems.
Also home to Contra Costa Community
College, enrollment 7,400, part timers and full timers. www.mccormacks.com
K-12
education by the West Contra Costa Unified School District. Many schools are
scoring below the 20th percentile. See Schools.
Both
college district and school district have passed bonds to renovate their
facilities and add buildings. In 2004, voters said yes to measure to retain
sports and electives, and in 2005 voted for another bond, $400 million, that
will yield enough money to renovate or rebuild just about every school. State
may put up more money.
State
count in 2006 showed 9,666 residences — 4,224 single homes, 853 single
attached, 3,782 multiples, 807 mobiles. Home prices vary by age of units. New
homes get up in price but not as high as other towns.
Good place
to buy first home.
Chamber of
commerce (510) 234-2067.
• Doctors
Medical Center in 2006 file for bankruptcy, closed some operations, then
reopened them. Future of center is being debated. www.mccormacks.com
•
Community college needs to rebuild but not sure it wants to stay at present
site. The Hayward Fault, large and dangerous, runs through the campus. Decision
to be made within a year.
• Contra
Costa College and the school district run a “high school” on the college. The
belief is that if high school students are exposed to college, they will study
harder and go on to college.
• San
Pablo is buying up some mobile home parks and converting them to regular
housing with more units per acre.
• Thanks
to casino taxes, the city has paid its debts, strengthened its pension fund,
hired four more cops and cut its utility tax. With the new money, the city also
hopes to build a sports park and a community center. The casino employs 540
union workers and draws about 155,000 customers a month. Police calls from the
casino are up, from 12 a month to 70 but the police chief says, no problem.
Most of the calls concern trespassing and auto theft.
City web
site: www.ci.san-pablo.ca.us
