Meadowview, Sacramento, California
Meadowview is a neighborhood of Sacramento, California located in the southernmost of the city.
Description
The Meadowview area is bordered by Florin road to the north, the Watt/I-80–Downtown–Meadowview Light Rail Line to the east, John Still Junior High School and an open field to the south, and State Route 160 on the west. Meadowview is located near Interstate Highway 5 (I-5).
The neighborhood started out with middle and working class Mexican-American African-American families migrating from the Bay Area, Deep South, and Midwest. It was a tight-knit community with many families attending the same church congregations or sharing the bond of migration. Some residents were working professionals with college degrees including Doctors, Teachers and many veterans. During the late 1970s to early 1980s more families migrated from the Bay Area.
In the late 1960s Meadowview was a new and growing suburb south of Sacramento. Many young families moved into the area and there were many businesses as well. Racial diversity was perhaps 90% white, 2% Asian, 2% Hispanic, and maybe 2% black.
In the early 1970s the area was approved for low income loans and many of the area's new residents were afraid that Meadowview would change and become a high crime area. Many families sold their homes and moved to other areas. Within a few years the racial makeup of Meadowview went from about 90% white to about 80% black.
In the late 1970s and 1980s crime began to accelerate as the children grew older. Two of the three gas stations at 24th and Meadowview had already closed, most of the small businesses had already gone out of business. The Farmers Market at 24th and Meadowview closed because people were afraid to go there. Crime spiked. Automatic weapons fire could be heard once a week. Cars in the area blared loud music. Police chases in the area were commonplace as well as the Police helicopter circling overhead with its spotlight.
Meadowview eventually became a place where families could be raised safely. New additions such as the Samuel C. Pannell Community Center (named after the late African-American city official), Walgreens. The Community Center, offers events such as Teen Unity (The Basement)and has a gym, computer lab and other facilities. Housing is increasing on the neighborhood's south side.
Schools
The Meadowview area is part of the Sacramento City Unified School District which operates Mark Hopkins Elementary School, John Bidwell Elementary School, John D. Sloat Elementary School, Freeport Elementary School, Susan B. Anthony Elementary School, Edward Kemble Elementary School, Cesar Chavez Intermediate School, Rosa Parks Middle School (formerly C. M. Goethe), John H. Still K-8 and the Luther Burbank High School.
Crime
This part of Sacramento is known for drug and gang violence, mainly affecting the Mexican-American and African-American community. During the 1970s and 1980s the apartment complex known as Danger Island/The Rock was a hotspot for narcotics in Sacramento. Streets such as 69th Avenue,22nd,65th, Armington Avenue, Janrick Avenue, Detroit Blvd, and 29th Street were known in the 1980s for heavy criminal activity. Since 2000-2014, Meadowview still has drugs, gangs, violence, shooting, and killing .
Notable residents
- LeVar Burton, Actor
- Mahisha Dellinger, Business Owner/Beauty Mogul & Author
- Greg Vaughn, Major League Baseball player
- Cornel West, Academic
- Anthony Newson, Artist (Be Gee)
- X-Raided, convicted murderer, member of the Garden Blocc Crips, and rapper
- Brotha Lynch Hung member of the Garden Blocc Crips, Rapper
- C-Bo member of the Garden Blocc Crips, Rapper
