There are several areas in Oceanside that bear watching; the Crown Heights area over by I-5/Mission; the older neighborhoods north/west of Mission/El Camino Real; and this area. I wouldn’t choose to move into any of these neighborhoods. If I am working in these areas I usually try to get in and out before noon. That’s when the members of the local social clubs get up and start downing their 40s.
The older neighborhood on either side of North River Road between College and Douglas is pretty active. The 3 hotspots are the little retail center at N. River Rd/Redondo, Melba Bishop Park and Libby Lake Park. The Oceanside PD Officer who just got killed a few months ago got shot in this area. He was backing up another officer on a car stop and a 17-year old Samoan gangsta kid shot him with a rifle from inside a house that is a block or so away from the car stop.
Let me put it this way; if you decide to buy over in this area you probably won’t want to be stopping off at the fast food joints after 9:00 PM.
There’s lots of other areas in Oceanside that are a better bet. I’d rather buy a 10-year old home in Rancho Del Oro (for $200k less) than buy one of the new homes in the backgate area.