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On the border of Mountain View and Los Altos, Saint Francis Acres exudes an all-American feel that could make anyone feel at home with its friendly neighbors.

Located between El Camino Real, Permanente Creek and El Monte Avenue, the neighborhood is walking distance from downtown Mountain View yet still maintains a calm atmosphere.

"It's definitely a very cohesive neighborhood where everybody feels like an extended family," Janis Zinn said.

When Zinn bought her home in 1986, the previous owners told her she could have their home, but not their neighbors.

According to Zinn the first homes in Saint Francis Acres were originally California ranch-style homes, but over the years new owners have renovated or rebuilt some of the homes. Each house is different form the next and varies between one- and two-stories.

She said it is a stable neighborhood that is circulating through its fourth generation.

Zinn said she knows the names of everybody on her street and several of the streets around her.

"When you go for a walk on a Saturday morning, it's hard to get much exercise because you are stopping and talking to people along the way," she said.

She also said the neighborhood is great for children and is located in a good school district.

Her two children, now in their 20s, grew up playing on the wide streets where they developed close ties with their neighbors. They grew up with their neighbors as a family foundation, according to Zinn.

Children were always outside playing in the various cul-de-sacs intertwined in the neighborhood.

"I always told my kids, 'You can't get away with anything because you have many moms watching you all the time and they will report on you,'" she said.
As a working parent it was good to know her neighbors were always supportive and helped her out when needed, she added.

Each year, there is a Halloween party for the whole neighborhood with snacks and activities for the children to be involved with and for Memorial Day one of the streets closes for a block party, according to Zinn.

She said it is easy to get involved with the neighborhood because it is organized and people do a lot with each other.

Mountain View City Councilmember Laura Macias has lived in Saint Francis Acres since 1998 and didn't know how great of a neighborhood it was until after she moved in.

She said the quiet streets are what first appealed to her and that the neighborhood fit her perfectly.

The streets are lined with vibrant trees that provide cover and shade for the attractive homes that fill the neighborhood.

Macias, who is also a chair for the Saint Francis Acres Neighborhood Group, said it is in a wonderful location with fantastic neighbors.

"All of the good things that you hear about neighborhoods -- I think we got it here at Saint Francis Acres," she said.

Neighbors care about one another, according to Macias and, much like Zinn, she knows most of her neighbors' names.

Macias said she feels there is a wonderful combination of new and older residents.
Saint Francis Acres is a terrific and cozy place to live, according to Macias.

-- Ashley Finden

FACTS
CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS: Mountain View KinderCare, 2065 W. El Camino Real; St. Paul Lutheran CDC, 1075 El Monte Ave.
FIRE STATION: No. 1, 251 S. Shoreline Blvd.
LOCATION: bordered by El Camino Real, Permanente Creek and El Monte Avenue
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Emily Jee, emily.jee@gmail.com
PARKS: McKelvey Park, Park Drive and Miramonte Ave.; Eagle Park, Shoreline Blvd. and High School Way.
POST OFFICE: Mountain View, 211 Hope St.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS (nearby): Canterbury Christian School, 101 N. El Monte, St. Joseph Catholic School, 1120 Miramonte Ave., St. Francis High School, 1885 Miramonte Ave.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Los Altos School District -- Springer Elementary School, Egan Junior High School; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District -- Los Altos High School
SHOPPING: Downtown Mountain View, El Monte Shopping Center (El Monte Avenue near Marich Way), Clarkwood Center (El Camino Real)
MEDIAN 2012 HOME PRICE: $1,247,500 ($879,000-$2,650,000)
HOMES SOLD: 16

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