Talk:Salinas, California

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[edit] Bias Housing Prices section

i'm wondering if the stuff about housing prices is biased? it seems to be saying that the mortgage prices are too high, which is an opinion. Dandube 14:14, 20 January 2006 (UTC)

No, it isn't bias, especially since its based on MCAR and Census data. The section describes the wide disparity between house prices and incomes in Salinas. The house price-income disparity is, according to Forbes, higher on the Central Coast (the Bay Area and NYC metro have higher incomes) and especially Salinas than anywhere else in the country, a fact that is truly worth mentioning; just like you'd mention crime, loss of population or other pressing socio-economic issues. Thanks. Gerdbrendel 19:31, 20 January 2006 (UTC)

-Roberto C

Also, recently Salinas was listed as one of the three most overvalued real estate markets in the country. See http://money.cnn.com/2005/12/29/real_estate/buying_selling/handicapping_housing_markets/index.htm

The Housing prices section is unsourced bias opinion. It also represents original work. Furthermore, the one reference sited is no longer valid. Because of these, it does not follow wiki guidelines. If some feel that this section is needed, then it needs reworded and sourced. For now, I'm going to tag it as unsourced and weasal.Fcsuper 16:27, 2 December 2006 (UTC)
Well Salinas is one the list of one of America's most overpriced cities and a look at the city's median home price in excees of $700,000 and median household income of $48,000 should make it very clear why. I admit the section isn't well written-so I'll re-write in the next couple of days. Regards, SignaturebrendelHAPPY HOLIDAYS 06:22, 4 December 2006 (UTC)

-Robert C. On a different note, I propose enlarging the discussion regarding gang violence, as the level of influence gangs have on the city's youth (especially on Hispanic youth in the east side) is substantial and in some neighborhoods is on par with the most gang-affected cities in the U.S. I will try to find published sources (I grew up in Salinas' East Side but don't pretend to be able to edit the article based on my own experiences).


Yes, there is a gang problem in some of the cities neighborhoods, most notably the east side, but overall the homicide and violent crime rate in Salinas is not any higher than in most other mid-sized California cities such as Stockton, Modesto, Fresno, or Long Beach. One also needs to consider that some neighborhoods, most notable Creek Bridge and Harden Ranch are as gang free as most suburban areas lined with similar McMansions. IMO: There is no real reason to even mention gang violence in the city as it is not anywhere near as high as in, say, Compton ir Inglewood. Also, please sign your posts by placing four tidles (~) at the end of each post. Thank you. Regards, Signaturebrendel 01:31, 26 April 2006 (UTC)
Brendal, it's not referenced at all, and it represents original research anyways. Simply saying something is referenced doesn't make it so. It's making a point, and that's the point. It shouldn't. If you can reword it to be factual and not original research, then please do so. Perhaps find a creditable source that makes the comparison between median home prices and wages? Otherwise, it doesn't belong. San Jose, California entry under the heading "Growth" has a good example of how this section should look. Except for the last paragraph (which does seem out of place), it is concise, factual and directly referenced. If this issue can't be addressed very soon, the marker will be added back to get some attention to the section for improvement. Do you agree that improving wiki articles should never be discouraged?Fcsuper 04:50, 4 December 2006 (UTC)
P.S., the references 1 and 2 are no longer valid weblinks.
See my post above. The section is not making a point, it simply states that fact that the city's median home prices is way, way higher than it usually would be for city with a mid-range median household income. The two links may have expired because they were linked to real estate listing that have been closed since. BTW: My username is spelled with an e, not an a. Regards, SignaturebrendelHAPPY HOLIDAYS 06:25, 4 December 2006 (UTC)

Brendel, it's not simply stating a fact. It is largely a POV presention of hypothetical scenarios. It has the following:

1) A hypothetical scenario that represents original research: "This means that when financed through a regular 30 year loan at 5.7% interest with a $100,000 downpayment, the mortgage payment on an average 1300+ sq ft home would be in excess of $3,000 a month. Assuming a household spends 50% of all net income on housing an annual gross income of $95,932 would be required. If the household only spends 30% of all net income on mortgage payments an annual gross income of $143,899 would be required."

  • The fact that it is saying "This means that..." is a de facto statement of original research. There's no way to say otherwise. The statement is self-declaring that it is making an interpretation!
  • "Assuming a household spends..." is an hypothetical statement. Again, it's not a statement of fact. It's a scenario. A scenario is not fact, it's hypothetical.
  • "If the household only spends..." is another hypothetical statement. Ditto, ditto, ditto.

2) More original research and another hypothetical scenario: "Even after a slowing of the national real estate market in the US, the city's median home price remains well above the $600,000 mark."

  • What or which slowing of the real estate market?
  • Who says so?

3) And here's the ending: "This particular home had two bedrooms and was located in the city's most dangerous police beat."

  • The claim "located in the city's most dangerous police beat" is completely unreferenced and out of place.
  • Also, now that the link it references is broken, the overall statement about that property represents original research as well.

The section badly needs work. Simply finding a source that says what it's stumbling around trying to say would help A LOT! For example, use article from the above money.cnn.com link and build this section around that.

I know home prices are out of whack in Salinas. They are out of whack in a lot of California places. But what is "overpriced" to one person is just right and advantageous to another. From the perspective of this section, it would seem only the “overpriced” POV is valid.

Please keep these points in mind when addressing other's comment about this section of the article. The Original Research marker belongs. It will give wiki users the opporutnity to improve the article. This doesn't take away from what's there. It simply flags that more is needed. Fcsuper 01:14, 6 December 2006 (UTC)

Okay in response:
  1. True, I'll re-write that part sometime this or next week
  2. Those can easily be references; $608k, median home price in '06, overall slowing of the housing market- you can find a gazillion sources on google; the city's median household income is $43,000
  3. The listing for the house I was refering to experied, the crime map that proves the house on Garner Avenue to be in a dengerous police beat can be found on the Salinas PD crime stats page.
Overpriced refers to the huge disparity between household income and prices. I simply interpreted some statistics for our reader. And paying to much is never "just right." Overpriced, in addition to describing the disparity between income and prices, also states that you are getting to little bang for your buck. Paying $1 million for a home that you could have had for $600,000 three years earlier is never a good deal, even if you can easily afford it. I know that the housing market in CA over the past few years has benifited some individuals, inluding myself, but that's doesn't close the disparity between income and housing prices. The average Salinian will have a hard, hard time affording the average home. That said, I already agreed to re-write the section.. Regards, SignaturebrendelHAPPY HOLIDAYS 02:01, 6 December 2006 (UTC)
Was any of this addressed yet? Still haven't explained why the marker isn't necessary, especially since there is considerable dispute on that section of the article. This is bordering on inappropriate protectionism. Fcsuper 03:32, 29 December 2006 (UTC)
I was busy writing other articles such as Personal income in the United States, etc... I have re-written the section. Regards, SignaturebrendelHAPPY HOLIDAYS 04:36, 29 December 2006 (UTC)

Brendel, my complaint wasn't that the article was delayed in its re-write. It's that the appropriate tag was removed during the period before its re-write. Having something tagged isn't a criticism. It's simply an announcement regarding the current state of the article. I know you are an experienced Wiki contributor, so I will only request that you consider this in the future. As for the article, I consider the comments resolved. Thank you for the time and effort you have put into this article. Fcsuper 00:58, 7 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Areas of Salinas

Not sure if it's relevant but Salinas is divided into several areas, some of which go by names that are often substituted for Salinas when people state where they live, but which remain in Salinas, or in the Salinas area. Examples would be San Benancio, Las Palmas, Spreckles, Corral Di Tierra, maybe also note the distinct differences between East, North, and South Salinas. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 214.3.118.1 (talk) 16:12, 26 September 2007 (UTC)

In truth, Salinas comprises of a group of towns that eventually became one huge municipality known as "Salinas." This includes Alisal, Boronda, Bolsa Knolls, Santa Rita, etc.

Kogejoe (talk) 05:18, 22 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] new hotel

Hello i'm a Salinas resident, is it true that the city is planning on building a new high rise hotel? If so, its about time don't you think so?

Yes the city is indeed looking into a number of proposals to built a high-rise hotel/condominium complex. It is about time, the current Steinbeck parking lot has been vacant since the '89 earthquake which destroyed the last big hotel in town. A city the size of Salinas should defenitely have a large hotel but as of now we must abstain from adding information relating to these developments as such information is still of speculative nature until there is defenite consensus from the city council and the bull-dozers start moving in. Regards, Signaturebrendel 03:01, 6 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Me & Bobby McGee

Is it worth mentioning that Salinas is referenced in the popular song "Me and Bobby McGee"? "Then somewhere near Salinas, Lord I let her slip her away Looking for that home I hope she'll find"

Not really. Regards, Signaturebrendel 03:43, 29 August 2006 (UTC)
It was also mentioned in the TV series Greatest American Hero as well. I'm sure these are not note worthy. Fcsuper 01:35, 2 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] WASP

The WASP comment is a weasal comment that needs rewording and either needs a source or it needs to be removed.Fcsuper 01:37, 2 December 2006 (UTC)

Well WASP, is a vaguely defined sociological concept. The term may refer to a lot of things-I guess the author who put that word in meant, non-Italian Whites (who settled mostly in Moneterey). Furthermore I think Salinas was not founded because Teutonic Europeans did want to live next to Italians but because a town was needed to tend to the needs to farmers in the Salinas Valley. Regards, SignaturebrendelHAPPY HOLIDAYS 01:41, 2 December 2006 (UTC)
I removed redundant and unsourced statements from the intro.

[edit] City Map

I like the city map's look and information. However, it doesn't show the entire city. Does someone have a map that includes the entire extent of the city limits? Fcsuper 04:58, 4 December 2006 (UTC)

Yes, I can provide a map including all of Santa Rita, I get them from the Census Bureau and can adjust the zoom. Regards, SignaturebrendelHAPPY HOLIDAYS 06:32, 4 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Inflated Population Figures

"Money Best Places to Live" Magazine (Perhaps the writer meant Money Magazine's "Best Places to Live" article) is not a verifiable source of population figures. Wikipedia uses the U.S. Census Bureau or figures from a verifiable government agency to cite population. I am changing the article to reflect as such. You can view the most current (2005/2006) population figures from Monterey County and the City of Salinas here: [1] Dcmcgov 02:47, 1 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Agriculture

Why is there no mention of the agriculture in the area There is a small mention in the Economy section, But I would think it deserves an entire section? Also whats the deal with that huge gang section? Why isn't there a section about the large Hispanic majority that speaks in a more neutral manner. Gang section but no immigration section.....or agriculture section....this is not very representative of the reality of what the city really is.--Amadscientist 09:39, 28 July 2007 (UTC)

Well, quite a few cities are mainly hispanic in CA, but there should be entire section devoted to agriculture. Signaturebrendel 19:49, 28 July 2007 (UTC)

All of these concepts are intertwined and need to be included. Salinas is a major player in the Ag business, and as such, this is connected with immigration and Hispanic migrant workers. Salinas is home to many farming, harvesting and cooling companies that distribute vegetables to various reaches of the US. Salinas is famous for, but not limited to, lettuce, brocolli, brockoflower, onions, etc...

Kogejoe (talk) 05:23, 22 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Van Partible and other notables

hey wiki experts - just want you to know I went to school with Van Partible and his name is Efrem Giovanni Van Partible. Google Efrem Partible and you will find his brother's my space page talking about this. The school yearbooks that weren't changed to simply Van, have him as Efrem (SHS yearbook, Volume 85). We used to call him Efrem for fun, but he always went by Van.

Also, you are missing people like Alan Shipnuck, senior writer for Sports Illustrated and author of Bud, Sweat & Tees, and NFL athlete Brian Thure, who both went to Salinas High and NFL athletes Chris Dalman and Elliot Vallejo who went to Palma.

70.134.73.125 00:18, 26 August 2007 (UTC)salinas resident

[edit] Gallery

Why in the world is half the gallery nothing more than pictures of houses? If the houses themselves were significant then I can see it being included in this article. Maybe they are included to illustrate the housing situation in Salinas perhaps? Nevertheless it's overkill and seems like it was placed by a realtor. To me a gallery for a city should be more diverse, a picture of city hall, a famous landmark etc. Even if it was used to illustrate the housing situation in Salinas, keep in mind that there are many cities in California where houses are overpriced. ----Ðysepsion † Speak your mind 07:04, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Much of Salinas is mainly a bedroom community. Pictures of residential communities are a good way to illustrate life in a bedroom community IMHO. Yet, I have cut the pics of houses in half. Signaturebrendel 07:11, 8 September 2007 (UTC)
I agree to many pictures of houses, someone needs to take pictures of the train station, murals, city court, parks, golf course, fields/agriculture. But hey I guess houses are more important or something. And yes houses are very overpriced most housed are pretty close to a million dollars. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.188.210.246 (talk) 09:58, 23 November 2007 (UTC)

I noticed this too. I hate to say it, but the picture gallery views like a real estate brochure. I was born and raised there, and NO, Salinas is NOT mostly bedroom community, though recently there has been a lot of land developing into gated communities. This gallery is NOT representative of Salinas, which is NOT mostly bedroom community. No, it's NOT this beautiful wonderful town where people need to come and live because it's just so wonderful.

There needs to be pictures of agricultural fields. There needs to be pictures of Mexican migrant, or should I (dare I) say immigrant workers. There needs to be pictures of Salinas' ghettos and Mexico Towns. (Go to East Salinas, Del Monte Ave., Sanborn Rd., Rider Ave., if you dare. Don't forget to bring your bullet proof vest and helmet... Your car may need a paintjob afterward too...) What about all the crappy pill-box housing to the east? Run down apt. complexes? Is there a picture of the John Steinbeck house? Historic Amtrak Salinas Station? Pictures of the cooling facilities? Historic Main street? There's just so much more to Salinas than real estate, and I hope people are reading this and contribute.Kogejoe (talk) 05:42, 22 February 2008 (UTC)

I noticed the Steinbeck house. My bad. STILL, it's another HOUSE. Also noticed talk about the Rodeo, and I just remembered, it's one of Salinas' biggest events of the year. There's an opening parade, and there is a huge mural at the multi-purpose stadium on Main St. in dedication to the Rodeo. It would be nice if someone could take a picture of it and put it in that section...Kogejoe (talk) 05:50, 22 February 2008 (UTC)