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Northwest District

After the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, 10,000 Russians and Eastern Europeans settled in San Francisco in the area of the Northwest District. Today, this primarily middle-class district is home to a diverse ethnic population, and the residential area is larger than in any other district in San Francisco. Homes here range from turn-of-the-century Edwardians to smaller stucco houses to ultra-modern apartment complexes.There are also a large number of inexpensive shops and restaurants. The Northwest District gets some of the foggiest weather in San Francisco, but it also has Golden Gate Park in its backyard. Neighborhoods in this district include:

• Inner Richmond
• Laurel Heights
• Outer Richmond
• Sea Cliff

View healthcare facilities in this district

Inner Richmond
The Inner Richmond neighborhood is often underrated because it's not as flashy as some of San Francisco's more upscale areas, but the residents will tell you it's a quiet, comfortable neighborhood with a wide variety of ethic influences. The main business area (Clement Street and Geary Boulevard) reflects the neighborhood's ethnic diversity. It's where you'll find Russian groceries, Irish pubs, Greek delis, and Chinese restaurants. In fact, there are so many Chinese markets and restaurants here, it's become known as the city's "New Chinatown."

The Inner Richmond is bordered by California Street to the north, Arguello Boulevard to the east, Fulton Street and Golden Gate Park to the south, and 33rd Street to the west. The homes here are predominantly single-family dwellings, but there also are a few spacious Edwardian homes, as well as flats and condominiums, most of which were built between 1900 and 1940. The University of San Francisco is located nearby on Fulton Street, so the population is a mix of college students, families, and older residents.

Laurel Heights
Laurel Heights is perhaps best known for Laurel Village, a shopping area that caters to the elite clientele from neighboring Pacific Heights and Presidio Heights, as well as being a favorite shopping spot for local residents. Laurel Village offers a variety of shops, including clothing and kitchenware stores, a bakery, a fresh-fish market, small groceries, antique shops, and boutiques.

The neighborhood is bordered by California and Fell Streets to the north and south, Masonic and Presidio Avenues to the east, and Arguello Boulevard to the west. This neighborhood is mainly apartment buildings, although the area near the Presidio has a number of expensive single-family homes.

Outer Richmond
At the turn of the 20th century, Outer Richmond was little more than sand dunes and potato fields—until street cars made the area more accessible to the public. The neighborhood began to attract Russian and Chinese immigrants, and a mixed ethnicity still flourishes today. If you walk along Geary Boulevard you'll find Mexican, Russian, French, Chinese, and Italian restaurants, as well as ethnic groceries and bakeries. Outer Richmond is a distinctly old-fashioned neighborhood. The residents have a strong sense of community, and the neighborhood itself has such relics as bait-and-tackle shops, barbershops, and a 50-year-old Japanese ice cream parlor.

Bordered by Lincoln Park, 33rd Street, Golden Gate Park, and the Pacific Ocean, Outer Richmond offers mostly middle-class housing. You'll find predominantly single-family homes from the early and mid-1900s, although there are some newer apartment complexes. Living in Outer Richmond means it's a short walk to the beach, but the neighborhood is often blanketed with fog.

Sea Cliff
Set along the coast, the Sea Cliff neighborhood has winding, landscaped streets, and yards with formal gardens. The residents here are mainly upper-class professionals with families, and the homes—large and expansive—favor a Spanish architectural style. The neighborhood's boundaries are Presidio National Park and the Pacific Ocean to the north, Park Presidio Boulevard to the east, Clement Street to the south, and Lincoln Park to the west. The California Palace of the Legion of Honor and a nine-hole golf course are in neighboring Lincoln Park, but you may have to work your way through the fog to get there—this neighborhood (as with much of the Northwest District) is part of the "fog belt."

Healthcare facilities in the Northwest District::

• Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, French Campus
• St. Mary's Medical Center
• Veterans Affairs Medical Center