Oleander-Sunset- an urban district just south of Downtown Bakersfield

Oleander-Sunset is one of Bakersfield’s most urban, diverse, and eclectic neighborhoods. Homes began to fill in during the late 19th century especially east of A Street. Oleander Avenue contains some of Bakersfield nicest historic mansions and was once the City’s most coveted address. The Eastern half of the district has a higher poverty rates but better urbanity (more dense, access to some walkable commercial, and consistent sidewalks).

Oleander/Sunset has good bones and great access to Downtown Bakersfield with pretty good public transit and bike infrastructure. There is the potential for it to be a quality urban neighborhood but several improvements are needed (i.e. better urban form along Chester & Union, improved sidewalks, quality schools, more walkable amenities, and improved safety outcomes). 

Click here to view my Oleander-Sunset Album on Flickr

URBAN STRENGTHS:

* Excellent access to Dwtn being on the southern edge of the central district.
* Great connectivity thanks to the districts highly gridded street network.
* Several dedicated bike lanes in Oleander.
* Solid income diversity and lots of family households here.
* Sale prices are very reasonable esp. for California. 1-beds sell anywhere btwn 100K-300K. 2-beds btwn 150K-300K and 3 & 4 beds btwn 200K-500K. Some 5-beds sell for more.
* Good # of rentals and pretty affordable. 1-beds lease for around 1K and 2-beds 1K to high 1Ks. Plenty of 3 beds that lease btwn the mid 1Ks-2K.
* Decent parks including a pair a attractive mid-sized parks (i.e. Beale & Lowell Park) and lots of ball fields by the high school.
* Decent amenities include lots of small grocerias, a couple drug stores, several boutiques, a bookstore, several dessert joints, plenty of salons & barber shops, several florists, lots of churches, and a couple doctor’s offices.

URBAN WEAKNESSES:

* Sidewalks and ADA curbs are spotty in places
* Okay density.
* Ok transit.
* Residential streets are way to wide.
* Not great diversity as 70% of the neighborhood is Hispanic.
* Several public schools in the neighborhood but poorly rated.
* Moderate level of crime and certainly some blight.
* Tree canopy is spitting and generally better in the western half of the district.
* Some cultural activities including plenty of restaurants, a couple night clubs, and good access to Dwtn amenities.
* Lots of autocentric and uninspiring modern commercial along the main commercial districts (Chester & Union Ave).