Atlanta's Biggest Troubles (houses, neighborhood, school)

[Merin]

Traffic is a serious issue. I can't say I have experience the corrupt police, I know they have a problem( hence the poor 92 year old women) but they are nothing but wonderful in my neighborhood. As far as racism, as a women in an interracial marriage, honestly the only issue I have had has been with other African Americans. Sad huh.

[ATLienGirl]

Originally Posted by Merin

Traffic is a serious issue. I can't say I have experience the corrupt police, I know they have a problem( hence the poor 92 year old women) but they are nothing but wonderful in my neighborhood. As far as racism, as a women in an interracial marriage, honestly the only issue I have had has been with other African Americans. Sad huh.

Depending on the area, that could go either way (African Americans or Caucasians) of people having a problem with an interracial marriage and the police. Not sad, just a reality of the south, that's all...

[JPD]

I think the biggest trouble with Atlanta is the increasing rate of violent crime.

Traffic...whatever. People choose to live far from work knowing that they'd have hellish commutes. I have no sympathy at all for people who put themselves in that situation (and it's usualy people who can easily afford to live pretty much wherever they want). Believe it or not, there are neighborhoods that are safe, affordable and reasonably close to the various job centers.

[jxu66]

For intown, the biggest issue is definitely crime. It is not surprising the whole city of Atlanta revitalize at the same time city of Atlanta reduced violent crime to historic low. Unfortunately, the crime rate in Atlanta has increased two years in a row. If that trend continue, many people likely will flee the city again.

For suburbs, the biggest isue is traffic and public transportation. I-85, GA400 and I-75 and I-285 are nightmare for commuter.

[atlantagreg30127]

I ditto the crime thing. Or "perseived crime" based on media attention or visuals - either one will cause folks to move out and then it WILL be worse than you think. I mean, I work for a construction-related company that is going into Atlanta on a daily basis fixing stores that are broken into. People driving into walls, through doors and windows, tearing out walls, crawling into ceilings from rooftops, etc etc etc. Even just based on what WE fix, there's a huge crime element in Atlanta - and that's just burglaries, not even factoring in the carjackings, muggings, home invasions (which happen in the burbs too), etc. Walk downtown and play "step over the sleeping sidewalk bums" at anytime as well, or watch the groups of teens have a contest to see how many F words they can fit into one sentence.

So real crime, perceived crime, bums, and too many gangs of teens are what I could consider inner-Atlanta's major problems. And yes, things like what happened to that 92 year old woman, as well as having a police chief who's a transplant from New Orleans (worse crime in the U.S. just about) doesn't exactly help, either.

As far as the burbs, as everyone else is saying, traffic. Lack of proper road planning. Lack of more extensive public transit. Traffic lights that are TIMED FROM HELL to decrease effective flow during peak times. It all adds up. Too many small local governments that have an old south rebel type of attitude who aren't willing to cooperate with other local governements to fix the issues, etc.

[ATLienGirl]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

I ditto the crime thing. Or "perseived crime" based on media attention or visuals - either one will cause folks to move out and then it WILL be worse than you think. I mean, I work for a construction-related company that is going into Atlanta on a daily basis fixing stores that are broken into. People driving into walls, through doors and windows, tearing out walls, crawling into ceilings from rooftops, etc etc etc. Even just based on what WE fix, there's a huge crime element in Atlanta - and that's just burglaries, not even factoring in the carjackings, muggings, home invasions (which happen in the burbs too), etc. Walk downtown and play "step over the sleeping sidewalk bums" at anytime as well, or watch the groups of teens have a contest to see how many F words they can fit into one sentence.

So real crime, perceived crime, bums, and too many gangs of teens are what I could consider inner-Atlanta's major problems. And yes, things like what happened to that 92 year old woman, as well as having a police chief who's a transplant from New Orleans (worse crime in the U.S. just about) doesn't exactly help, either.

As far as the burbs, as everyone else is saying, traffic. Lack of proper road planning. Lack of more extensive public transit. Traffic lights that are TIMED FROM HELL to decrease effective flow during peak times. It all adds up. Too many small local governments that have an old south rebel type of attitude who aren't willing to cooperate with other local governements to fix the issues, etc.

Yes, and too many "small areas" not taking the initiative to come to terms with growth...I was traveling up Hwy 92 through Fairburn to Douglasville...that entire area is growing very rapidly...do you know they have the nerve to STILL have a four-way stop sign at the intersections of Cascade-Palmetto Hwy (SR 154) and Campbellton Fairburn Road (SR 92)? Traffic is always backed up FOREVER because the stupid local government won't put freakin' traffic lights back there instead of a dumb fourway stop...

[mommabear2]

I live in L.A. County (pop. 12 million) and my husband and I are contemplating a move to N. GA (his company is offering a promotion). We are happy where we are, granted the housing market is brutal (median price of an average home is over 500 K) and we have all the crap related to big city problems (pollution, NASTY traffic, etc.). There are some cities in L.A. County that saw the writing on the wall (I'm not talking about tagging). They realized that in order to maximize quality of life they would have to protect the open, natural spaces. The building of new roads is only a band aid to traffic - carpool, establish effective public transportation, carpool lane, etc.

I think people have the right to move where they want in the U.S - even if the locals don't like the "new comers." New comers put money into your state government and economy thru taxes and purchases. They are the oil to the machine. If employers are treated well by the state/city officials - they won't go anywhere... I don't think they care about traffic unless it holds up products. Believe it or not - growth is not always bad.

[jjbradleynyc]

I lived in Acworth (north of Marietta) for 6 mos, downtown Atlanta for a year, and Alpharetta for a year and a half--all from late 1998 until early 2001. My stay was fun--and I was able to get my feet wet in the corporate world (Verizon). But the Atlanta area has 3 main issues, as I saw them then, and as I read about them now: Traffic, Sprawl, and Racial Tension.
The traffic was awful. People did not use MARTA. MARTA was thought of as a subway for the poor and for the minorities to use. People thought the subway was a crime-ridden festival of thugs. The only time MARTA was used by the "locals" was for a ride to the airport, or a trip to a Braves game. Roads, highways, roads, and more highways was the idea for a "brighter Atlanta future."
Sprawl was, and looks to continue to be, Atlanta's nemesis. I just don't understand why "leapfrog" development gets the "OK" in this area, over inner city development. Atlanta's city population has just started to grow over the past 5 years or so, thank god. Maybe, just maybe, the idea of infill in the city of Atlanta is starting to take off.
Racial tension would always come up in various states of communication--tv comments, radio, conversation, and the "locals" knowledge of the area. The Atlanta southside was always known as the "bad part of the city" and mostly was African American. The suburbs south of the city (at the time) were also considered an African American enclave. "Freaknick"--an African American themed festival held every year was shunned mostly by any "white people" and they shuddered at the fact it was even allowed to be held.
Anyway, those were my observations at the time of Atlanta's most pressing issues. Hopefully, the area can improve by taking on these issues head-on. I loved my time in Atlanta, and continue to know people there and visit today. I want to see the area improve and develop and grow wisely.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by jjbradleynyc

Maybe, just maybe, the idea of infill in the city of Atlanta is starting to take off.

It definitely is. I see numerous new developments/construction sites each day, from Scott Blvd. in Decatur all the way to the inner city.

When I visit friends in Cabbagetown or other intown neighborhoods I see infill on every available lot.

Derelict buildings are being torn down left and right and are being replaced with condos/lofts/shops.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by jjbradleynyc

The suburbs south of the city (at the time) were also considered an African American enclave. "Freaknick"--an African American themed festival held every year was shunned mostly by any "white people" and they shuddered at the fact it was even allowed to be held.

I will have to disagree with the perception of racism in that comment about Freaknik. The fact is that more than 100,000 college kids came to the city uninvited and cruised the streets, turning them into virtual partying parking lots. There were numerous shootings, stabbings, vandalism complaints, and even one or two literal rapes during these "festivals" - not to mention looting and the general trashing of areas where they went. Some of the problems were the people coming here, some were locals who took advantage of the event in order to do wrong, but either way, the event itself sparked all kinds of REAL trouble each year.

White residents, middle-class black residents, Asian residents and even city leaders were not thrilled with this. It wasn't just a "white and black" thing. Finally when the criminal activity peaked so high no one could brush it under the rug as racism anymore, the Mayor (who is black, by the way) put every officer out on the streets during the event to enforce the laws - and the kids, not wanting to be anywhere that actual laws are enforced, moved on to another location.

But let's not confuse Freaknik with a "festival". It was no such thing.

Links about Freaknik:

Freaknik - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Urban Dictionary: freaknik
And a video that pretty much sums up what Freaknik was about... (multiply by 100,000 of course):
YouTube - freaknik pt4

Sorry - it wasn't a "festival", and it wasn't in any way a benefit to the city.