Moving to Lithonia... What can I expect? (Atlanta, Evans: rentals, crime)

[Shadb]

Lithonia is not a bad area at all. If you are a good parent who stays involved in your children's schooling and social life, everything will be fine. The schools won't raise your kids for you.

I swear some of you are from Beverly Hills or Malibu.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by Shadb

Lithonia is not a bad area at all. If you are a good parent who stays involved in your children's schooling and social life, everything will be fine. The schools won't raise your kids for you.

I swear some of you are from Beverly Hills or Malibu.

How can you possibly say that an area is "not bad" if the Mayor is making a complete fool of herself on TV, the City Council seems unable to do their job, and the Police chief was fired for misusing city funds (and rehired)? Last year their entire police force was taken off the streets because they couldn't pay the insurance bills for the cars. Their City Hall utilities have been shut off in the past due to nonpayment of bills. They've been making not local but national headlines for the latest media show for over two weeks.

Sure, every parent should be involved in their child's schools and know what going on in their personal lives - far too many do not. But that has nothing to do with the quality of life in a city. You have to have good, solid leaders to make a city strong. Lithonia currently has a circus running their town, and it certainly does not make for a good quality of life for the residents.

So, if someone isn't happy with their leaders acting like something from a third-world country, they're stuck up and from "Malibu"? You're laughable, and no doubt not even old enough to vote.

[willrusso]

Like i said earlier.. Lithonia is a hot mess.

[lady t]

I will say that Lithonia's current issues are laughable, if not embarassing. But I would say that it is just on par with what I have seen living in Georgia the past two years. Cobb, Clayton and Fayette counties have all had their own "I can't believe they did that" moments. For example, Cobb county making it near impossible for certain members of the hispanic population to work, Fayette county stated that they would not "allow" Clayton county students to attend their schools and the whole Clayton county school board mess. The "third world" comment I believe is inappropriate.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by lady t

The "third world" comment I believe is inappropriate.

I wouldn't. Watching the report videos of the Lithonia mess and also of events in the past that you mentioned, all that those involved need to do is wave a few machettes around and toss some voodoo animal bones at each other and poof - third world. They're acting only barely above that level right now. It's embarrassing for the entire metro area.

[Grizelda2008]

I am moving from Charleston, SC to Lithonia soon. The area I have chosen is right off Snapfinger near Panola rd. Since I will now be on my own with 2 older sons, I was wondering will I be safe there? its a gated community. I am sad to hear about the Walmart, that is what drew me to this location was the closeness of everything. I am leaving a rather upscale neighborhood here to move there! anyway, any advice would be appreciated. I do love Atlanta though! very different from here.

[lastminutemom]

school age children?

[Big L]

1. As with some other areas in Metro Atlanta, the city limits of Lithonia and what people tend to call "Lithonia" are not always one in the same. A good chunk of the southern portion of DeKalb County is unincorporated, yet most folks still end up with Decatur, Stone Mountain, or Lithonia addresses for better or worse. The situation with the Mayor of Lithonia is horrible, but naturally she has no authority over the folks outside of the limits. However, since most people do not distinguish between the city and the unincorporated area, I could see where Lithonia as a whole could get a bad rep.

2. There are some decent parts of South DeKalb, but I personally wouldn't move there because it is not convenient to most jobs. Unless you work Downtown, your commute to work will be horrendous. Most of the DeKalb residents at my job take vanpools, but I would suspect that would get old after a while.

[Desmoove]

and neighborhoods? I'm looking at houses in that area (online) and cannot find anything specifically regarding that area. On the maps, It LOOKS like a nice area and the houses look pretty good considering the prices listed. One of the houses I"m looking at in this area is listed as being in Lithonia and I just want to know what the place is like from anyone that's actually been there. If you look at the area on a google map, I'm looking north of the traintracks (MARTA?)

I don't have any children but am wondering about personal safety (i.e. do I have to arm myself to walk my dog around the neighborhood?)

Any help and info would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

D

["wow this site is racist"]

Originally Posted by willrusso

LOL. Lithonia is a hot mess. The Mayor and City Council members got in a physical scuffle the other day and the Mayor ended up having to wear a neck brace. City hall has been closed for no apparent reason for the past couple of days. The Police Chief was fired by the Mayor and then re-hired by the City Council out of retaliation. The City Hall is plagued with mold and the state won't give them money for repairs because they failed an audit. Apparently someone was using city funds for inappropriate personal uses. Also the police chief allegedly purchased a $22,000 Crown Vic with city funds without authorization.

I am Black American and I'm about to have a Bill Cosby moment. This is why black people can't have anything. They don't know how to act. Just look at the whole Clayton County school board fiasco. How on earth does an entire county lose accreditation? That is ridiculous. Look at all the scandals Atlanta's former Mayor was involved in. Look at Baltimore City. The city has a 70% black population and averages almost 300 murders a year. We must stop the madness.

There is absolutely no reason for this to go on. Don't give me that crap about segregation and social conditions. I'm not denying those things are a contributor, but one doesn't necessarily have to become a product of their surroundings. I grew up dirt poor in the ghetto with no mother or father. I bounced around from abusive foster home to foster home. Yet, I made the decision to do something better with my life and become a college educated, productive member of society. Anyways, I'm off my soap box now.

Back to the subject... Lithonia does have some very nice areas. I was down there a few weeks ago and was blown away at some of the subdivisions. While I personally would rather live in the city than the suburbs, some of those areas in Lithonia would be a great place to raise a family. However, I'm not sure how the schools there are. I would be worth more research if you have children.

im pretty sure the schools suck since lithonia is mostly black (research). im sure the schools get b-s funding. and pleeeze do not compare lithonia to ghetto a$$ baltimore