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Where should we live? My husband, Jimmy, and I were losing our home in a foreclosure and needed to find a place to rent.

“I’m done with the idea of white-picket fences and the exact-right
school district,” I said while scrolling through ads on Craigslist. “We
should live somewhere for the experience of it.”

Jimmy agreed.

An old dream wiggled, jiggled and then forced its way into my
conscious: What about the Tower District? In theory it captured the
diverse, creative and cultural experiences we wanted our children to
value. The neighborhood was at the heart of town and each house had
individual character and charm. There was also the wonderful mix of
restaurants, art galleries, book stores and coffee shops within walking
distance.

So what was the drawback?

“What about the crime rate?” Jimmy asked. “And schools?”

He had a point. Typically you lived in the Tower District as a
college student, moved when you had a family, and, perhaps, moved back
when the kids were grown. Who moved into the area with school-aged
children?

Still, I couldn’t shake the idea. Jimmy researched crime stats and I
conversed with people who lived there. We were surprised. The district
had less crime than our current area, and the residents loved it. The
one thing we couldn’t overlook was the school ratings, but there were
options. We could look at magnet and charter schools, or request an
inter-district transfer.

With that input we decided to make the move.

We found a gorgeous 1924 Tower Bungalow that was re-vamped with all
modern amenities, like central air and an updated kitchen and bathroom.
Yet, I was nervous when it came time to sign the rental agreement.
South of McKinley, were we crazy?

On moving day, our new neighbors came over. One offered a dolly to
help move furniture, another brought over homegrown and 100% organic
summer squash, zucchini and tomatoes. On evening walks, everyone waves
or says hello. That and there are many families with young children, as
well as, residents of all generations. Last week we attended the grand
opening of City Arts Gallery, Photography & Art Studio with the
kids and were greeted by friends who now feel like family.

Sure there are downsides, like the Ghetto Bird and more frequent
police sirens, but the upsides are so positive and good we can’t
imagine wanting to live anywhere else. It’s crazy that it took us so
long to realize the Tower District can be a great place to raise a
family.

You know what the best part is? For the first time in my native-Fresno life, I feel at home.