Citrus Heights, Ca – Independent City, Outside Sacramento

Citrus Heights is a suburb of Sacramento, and has a population of about 85,000. It is part of the Sacramento metropolitan area with over 2 million people. In 1997 Citrus Heights became a separate incorporated city, after a referendum. Citrus Heights City homes of about 1200 square feet on a small lot can be had for as little as $200,000 to as much as $400,000, on a bit larger lot, which is not bad. Located about fifteen miles northeast of Sacramento, Citrus Heights is easily accessible to all major employment areas in greater Sacramento. Twenty miles out of the city is the Sacramento International Airport.
Residents say that the establishment of Citrus Heights as a separate city has allowed them to maintain an adequate police force, infrastructure, and concentrate on things like improving the local environment. For example at the beginning of April is what is not as “Creek Week”, which consists of creating volunteer teams to clean urban waterways and to remove intrusive weeds and other noxious plants. The creeks of Citrus Heights flow into the Sacramento and American rivers, and the area is not quite as dry as Southern California, having an average precipitation, concentrated in the winter and early spring, of about 23 inches. Other upcoming events are a red, white and blue parade to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the incorporation of Citrus Heights, on July 23rd, 2007, down Sunrise Boulevard to the Sunrise Mall. Other developments have been the creation of neighborhood associations and the forming of a community marching band.
In 1970, ground was broken for the giant Sunrise Mall, spurring a great deal of new growth in the Sunrise Boulevard area. By 1975, 101 shops, anchored by four department stores, employed 2,500 people within Sunrise Mall. Then in 1976, across Sunrise Boulevard from the Mall, there was Birdcage Walk, a collection of shops and businesses laid out along a park-like walkway. The two shopping centers spurred the construction of hundreds of businesses in the surrounding area. Sunrise Village, the third of the city's big three retail centers, began construction around 1976
Many residents of Citrus Heights seem to think that incorporation has improved the city immensely over the last 10 years. Citrus Heights has its own police force that keeps crime down and responds very quickly. The infrastructure has been maintained including roads, retaining walls and beautiful landscaping. Families feel safe, and able to walk outside at night. The parks are good, and there are even dog parks where the dogs have a free run area. There are plenty of little league fields for the kids.
Some residents feel that housing tends to be old and cramped, in relation to rents and ownership prices. It is not much of an artsy city or a place with exotic restaurants, but you can find these things with a short 10 or 15 mile drive to Roseville, Fair Oaks or Sacramento. There are plenty of malls with giant stores. Citrus Heights is part of the San Juan school district, which includes a wider area.

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Howard Giske writes about
Citrus Heights City homes
and nationwide real estate at http://millionsaver.com