5.1 out of 10

Atchison Village

37.933208669118 -122.372712792161
Great for
  • Cost of Living
  • Medical Facilities
  • Neighborly Spirit
  • Parks & Recreation
  • Public Transport
Not great for
  • Resale or Rental Value
  • Gym & Fitness
  • Internet Access
  • Lack of Traffic
  • Nightlife
Who lives here?
  • No ratings yet
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

Reviews

3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Internet Access 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 5/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 1/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
2yrs+

"Controlled Community"

I stumbled across this place when we were researching Richmond as a possible place to live. Atchison Village is actually a pretty historic spot. During WWII, the Port of Richmond was one of the major ship builders for the war effort. So the population of Richmond swelled to 100,000. Atchison Village is what remains of the housing for those workers (much of it was torn down after the war as the population dropped by almost a third.)

The Village is actually still controlled by some kind of a board that parcels out properties to new members, but which can also revoke ownership.

Because home prices are controlled, home prices are about as low as they get in the Bay Area, with homes going for between $30 and $70 K. There is not a lot of turnover and new owners must be approved by the board. Also, because you don’t fully own the home that you buy (only the use of the home), I understand that it is difficult to get a loan to buy a house here.

Richmond is known as a high crime area on a par with the worst sections of Oakland. (It was actually voted the #3 most dangerous city in California a couple of years ago, I think.) Atchison Village, however, doesn’t have a lot of crime compared to some areas in Richmond. This is because there is a community policing program that does night patrols and because there is a choke point that leads into the Village making it harder for those looking to make mischief to do their thing comfortably.

Overall a pretty interesting area, though I don’t know if I would want to live here.
Pros
  • Very Affordable
  • Relatively Safe
  • Historically Interesting
Cons
  • Surrounded by Crime Hotspots
  • Very Worn Down
  • Community Controlled
MadelineM
MadelineM Things have changed in Atchison Village. Also, you obviously did not fully understand how things work in AV when you wrote this. The board does not parcel out properties. A buyer makes a deal with the seller and the only thing the board does is approve the buyer, check that they have a decent credit rating, are employed, etc. This is to insure they can afford the monthly dues, which include taxes, garbage, water, sewage, and outside maintenance. At this time they average around 3 to 4 hundred a month.

Crime is way down in Richmond, we have the best weather in the bay area, traffic no where near as challenging as in the rest a of the bay. We have free high speed internet, great community spirit, and home values have increased by around 40% in the 18 months I have lived here.

When I bought in March of 2012, 2 bedrooms were going for around 50 to 60 thousand. Now they are averaging 100,000.

Your statement about being worn down I presume was about the surrounding neighborhood as the village itself is well maintained.

Values are sure to increase even more in the future as UC Berkeley is building a campus in Richmond bringing in thousands of jobs and with that housing demands.

You missed out on a great opportunity here by not buying a few years back. It's still a good deal but it was a great deal.
2yrs+
Add a comment...

Unanswered Questions in Richmond

Best Neighborhoods to Live In

Best Cities to Live In

Tell everyone what you love about your neighborhood!

Leave a Review

Have a question?

How are schools? Is the area safe? What about public transit options?" Why not ask our community of locals!

Ask Now

Selling or Renting Your Home?

Maximize the selling price of your home by sharing what you love about your suburb to increase its appeal...

Leave a Review

Corporate Relocation Manager?

Enable your employees to share local knowledge in a private, trusted environment with those relocating... while building community.

Learn More