What is so wrong with Clayton County

[afonega1]

Originally Posted by btrfly414

Yes, I have a family member that recently moved because of the above stated Clayton county problems. Not a good area

Rex is pretty quite and safe.Especially the area near Fairview

[Wren17]

Gwinnett has crime also, don't give me that. LOL! There was just a shooting at the mall bus stop. The mall bus stop? Brian Nichols was caught in Gwinnett. Even though he was a selective mercinary. Gwinnett also has projects! Hello, criminals like to hang around areas where people are more stressed out and don't care what someone else is doing. Just because they aren't standing on the corner, doesn't mean deals don't go on in Gwinnett. When they do, too many innocents stand the chance of being caught in the cross because the players are on a different level hierarchy. Packing people into Gwinnett will probably be effective in lowering the crime if you're looking at statistics. Because of the amount of people there! Gwinnett is no where near crime free. Keep in mind, just like ad valorem, crime is big business for municipalities. The money has to be made to preserve the jail numbers. Gwinnett is prepared for that. My ex is a high ranking officer. Believe me, there are measures taken at higher levels to make sure the business remains lucrative for all.

Believe me, what's going on in Clayton wasn't unforseen, the same thing happened in Fulton and Dekalb years ago. If you research Clayton's Schools, go back to the 70's. I even have an attorney friend that grew up in College Park where Bill Curry and his wife went to high school. They remember them having problems during the 60's. Then it was almost like Sparta was when Tibbs came to town. If you know Real Estate Fundamentals, then you know that every neighborhood goes through stages. Especially when kids grow up and move away. Couples get older and need to move, etc. Gwinnett will have that time just like any other. Metro Atlanta is good for that. They go where the money goes. However, with the changes of this country's landscape overall, how long is that going to last? 15 years ago, everything was in Marietta, then Perimeter, now Gwinnett. They've completely redesigned the Cumberland mall to remain competitive. People crack me up running based on statistical info:-)! Every month municipalities have to turn in crime statistics to the FBI. Guess what? If they were always the same, they wouldn't have to do it every month. Clayton's problem is simple. 3 things that keep their door revolving. 1. The community has been very open to business opportunity instead of being more selective. 2. They love to see their grads return and become part of the family business. That may 3. The cost of living is lower, therefore any derogatory changes in the climate of business normally affect them first. Companies lay-off thousands of people, report higher earnings to their shareholders and the media reports they're the best company to work for. Hapeville is where Ford was, thousands of people lost jobs that live in Clayton. That plant was walking distance from Clayton line. Now they're opening plants in Mexico at 2.26 an hour.

[thedudewiththeplan]

Yeah, but Fulton and Dekalb were not about to loose their accreditation back in the 60's though. And though Gwinnett might have its share of crime, Clayton has the highest murder rate of any county in Georgia and one of the highest crime rates as well. That and you see apartment after apartment in Clayton with "100 dollars moves you in" on the signs (Section 8).

[martarider]

Just because Gwinnett is a dump doesn't mean Clayton isn't a disgrace

[ATL30303]

I have been lurking here a long time. I briefly had a login for this forum, but I do not remember it now. I know this thread is old, but it is still relevant. Here is a very informative write-up about the current woes in Clayton County, GA by the Creative Loafing magazine.

Creative Loafing Atlanta | News & Views | Cover Story | Clayton County's tribulations


You can pick it up for free at newsstands in and around downtown Atlanta. On the cover of the current issue is a Thomas the Engine lookalike train wreck representing Clayton County. Indeed what a mess. The school accreditation loss by this Sept 1st. is most likely as recently reported by the AJC.

[Wren17]

I am a resident of Fulton that owns property in Clayton. Fortunately for me, within a 1 mile radius, there have not been so many foreclosures that I've lost a tremendous amount of value.

However, I just want to point out a couple of things. Fulton has had its share of problems with school systems and so has Dekalb. LOL! I can remember during the 80's when Dekalb had the best music programs, but terrible test scores and administrative corruption like you wouldn't believe. If you remember the Sidney Dorsey case, and know Atlanta, you'll remember that before Sidney was in Dekalb, he was in Fulton. If you remember Fulton during that time you would know of the corrupted councils. School and otherwise. Fulton used to have Saturday School for the arts & sciences that was open to all the schools in the county. But the budget was ripped by corruption. If you've had children in the school systems for the past 22 years like I have, then you've seen and know moreso about the history of Georgia schools. My youngest just graduated in May. Georgia has not been among the highest rankings period. The Georgia approach to learning has been much better at creating students that retain rather than memorize. Therefore, creating a more well-rounded adult than the perfect employee. My daughter's high school was a theme school with several different aspects of learning. Her particular theme school was business and entrepreneurship. I thought that was a refreshing change. I supported them 100%. Rather they were in the top 10 schools nationwide or not.

That is where Clayton has a problem. Rather than read one story, some times you have to go where history is. Drive through Clayton and you'll see the same homes that you see in Gwinnett. You'll see people who maintain their lawns and still have yard of the month. Both new and old homes.

You have to look at the bigger picture of industry in Metropolitan areas to understand the underlying problem in Clayton. It's like a roulette wheel. Where ever the ball drops, that is where the gold is so to speak. If a mother in Clayton, has to go to Gwinnett everyday to find suitable employment, then she is more than likely in for a 3-4 hour daily commute. Traffic is also an added stress to many people. If there are PTSA meetings, more than likely she'll will miss them. Employers don't really care that your child has a game that you don't want to be stuck in traffic to miss. Been there too.

As far as crime, I will repeat myself. Gwinnett has crime also. Their sheriff's department data is available online. They make arrests everyday. There was just a kidnapper shooting on the 4th of August. However, if you compare the data, compare it openly. Gwinnett has approximately 600,000 residents. Clayton county has only approximately 300,000. Every one crime in gwinnett would equate to 2 in clayton. Gwinnett has section 8, believe me. I have an agent friend that has only investment property there and all of it is section 8. I imagine she's not the only one. Remember Section 8 is a federally funded HUD program! Just as Las Vegas has section 8, so does any major city in the US. If a person is approved for Section 8, they can use the portability option and take it anywhere in the U.S. Through the same program, a person that has maintained all of their stability can also go through the Home Ownership program with HUD. I've done several deals with people who were formerly Section 8 tenants, went through the program and as a result HUD paid their downpayment. Those programs are there to help people, I never knock those. One could be living right next to a Section 8 resident and not even know. As far as the For Rent signs, as an investor, I never put up a sign. Section 8 allows the homeowner to list their property on their site and they provide that when the tenant is approved to give them some options. Gwinnett has properties listed on there. Some section 8 residents know that people will thinkof them that way. So they choose areas that may not have as many Section 8 residents. That's nothing new. So a property owner may not have a Section 8 accepted sign. Many investors that I know love section 8 properties. HUD has their requirements almost like FHA. The property has to be suitable. Section 8 won't do any old thing. Another reason investors like them is because they are less likely to have late payments which will less likely affect the owner's credit score.
As far as the apartment thing goes, Gwinnett has those specials too. They may put them in For Rent instead, but they have them. Some people think more like consumers, but many owners of large companies do demographic studies before putting a location somewhere. Many of them don't like renters period. Renters don't pay taxes. That's where the whole pride of ownership theory takes hold. Stores in any area where there are lots of apartment dwellers are less maintained. That's not me, that's just what I have gotten from meetings with different companies. I've talked to many immigrants that say they pay taxes because they pay sales taxes on things that they purchase here. However, it's not the same taxes that a homeowner or business owner is responsible for. They still utilize public services that are paid for moreso by the owners in the area. Some prejudices are just that. I've talked to many people in Gwinnett that are from NY, NJ, PA, that Clayton is having it's problems right now, but I don't blame them on Clayton. Gwinnett is too congested for me. I consider myself a Georgian. I could care less if Georgia ever looks like the Burroughs of Queens.

[Georgia to Northeast PA]

I love Clayton County and I know it will bounce back. We have wonderful people living there. I have a house in Clayton myself that is for sale. My neighbors are the greatest in the world. You could not find a better neighborhood we have 100 homes and we have no home owners but we have a group of people who meet each month to keep our neighborhood a place people would be happy to live. I loved living there and I know the family that will come to live in that house will love it too. I just hope that the feeling in my communitty will continue to spread and people will want to have pride in where they live, where they go to school and want to make it an even better place to live.

[dogwood757]

Originally Posted by Tab1975

I just wanted to ask the question above . I have a friend that lives in the small city of Lovejoy in Clayton. She has not been a victim of crime or has she had bad experiences with the schools. She memtioned some issues when she first got there almost 2 years ago with the schools. But nothing to which she was stressed over.

I was buying a house there, but the loan I had did not go thorugh because I coould not find employment. But the homes there are in my price range. I mean I am leaving NYC making 45k and I know that I am going to take a drastic pay cut so I have to think about the salary I will be making there. I was thinking about Gwinette County, but alot of those homes are resales and I was more looking for a new home so that all the ammenties that I want are there.

But if you can tell me what is really wrong with Clayton County. Not what the media says, or the folks on here that do not want anyone moving to GA. But the true people that will give me better perspective. Also pls so not emphasise on the crime. I am coing form BROOKLYN, NY. Pls your crime is nothing compared to ours!

Thanks

If U can live in Brooklyn, which scared me when I worked in the Newark Schoool System, another story, U will lover Clayton County. Come down here, buy a foreclosed house from a reputable real estate agent, you really have to hunt for a good one, in Jonesboro, Ellenwood, Rex, or Morrow, Lake City, in other words, South east Clayton County. Quiet, close to ATL but not too close. Being from Brooklyn, you can go and live in Riverdale and the 'hood, too, without any problems whatsoever.
The Marta system works pretty gopod as far as transportation goes. The towns I mentioned before are not far enough in to ATL, about 10-12 miles away, so U will have to have your own transportation if U lived there. Schools? Hm. We are helicopter parents, so we have no problems. Good luck. When U see coomplaints about a town, it's usually a smoke screen for-- stay away from the black peoiple and the Mexicans. Well, U have really rich and well-off black people here, including rappers, but they like quiet and friendly neighbors, too. I find that the Mexicans like peace and quiet , too, just as the blue collar workers in my neighborhood who are mostly black. So, do yr homework.