My dilema...Clayton or Gwinett Cty (Lawrenceville, Duluth: apartment, condos, rental)

[Tab1975]

Ok people,

My move to Ga is rapidly approaching. But figuring out where I want to live at this point in time is becoming challenging.

I have a girlfriend that lives in the LoveJoy section of Clayton County. She has been living there for about 3 years. Her son attends Rivers Edge elementary(do not quote me on the name). She is trying to sell me on the county. I like the area of Lovejoy. Nice homes, good ammenities(walmart, new home depot. ruby tuesdays), and the people seem nice. But all I hear about Clayton is the crime, bad schools, too many black folk.

Gwinett County is another place that I was looking into. I was looking at the Lawrenceville and Duluth sections. I have a cousin that lives in Lawrenceville in Ridgewood on the Fairway apt complex/. I was talking to his wife and she tod me that the loves the complex, the schools are great, the area is nice. I contacted PROMOVE and the person that I am working with suggested Duluth. She said that the schools were great(Duluth High and Chattahoochee Elem). Told me to stay away from the Norcross Area...ect.

My dilema comes in when I have to pick from these two places. I am coming from NYC and I do not want to leave bad and come to worse or just as bad. I am interested in a step up, not lateral or down. I need to be in a place where the jobs are or that I can get to easily where I can make a decent amount of money. Where my son can get a good education. He is in special Ed and my main concern is his schooling. My daughter is going to 2nd grade and is very smart so I know she will do great.

I want to know both the positves and the negatives...other than crime. I am form Brooklyn NYC. You many think that crime is way down in NYC, but they do not tell you the real deal because they are trying to sell these 500k apts and condos that overlook the projects...yes! So crime is a factor, but I know that it is everywhere.

Whatever outlook that you can give me on this will be great. I am looking forward to what you have to say.

Thanks

[TakeAhike]

There is more growth in the northern part of the metro area.

In numerous posts the better schools have been mentioned as well as suggestions of places to live--you can search the forum for these threads.

I would visit areas of interest to me several times before making a decision.

sls

[jxu66]

I have to agree with "I contacted PROMOVE and the person that I am working with suggested Duluth."

Stay on the west side of I-85. They tend to have better schools. Basically, in Duluth/Lawrenceville area all the way to 316, the west side of I-85 are either in Duluth or in Peachtree Ridge school district. On the east side of I-85, it is BerkMar school district. BerkMar is one of worst rate schools in Gwinnett.

Stick with Chattohoochee elementary or better yet pick an apartment that goes to Mason elementary. There is an apartment called Satellite at Merritt. If you live in that apartment, your kids can go to Mason elementary, that's the elementary for Sugarloaf CC folks. If you check Mason elementary web site, many teachers over there have their own kids go to Mason. By the way, if you don't know already, Sugarloaf CC is the place where many professional athletes live (including Michael Vicks).

Mason elementary

Chattahoochee Elementary

[lastminutemom]

Mason elementary has good special ed -- I would avoid Clayton County -- at all costs -- the school system is in turmoil and if will impact even the good schools.

[xxman777]

I would say Gwinnett County hands down. Better schools, more opportunities for employment and even more amenities. There is nothing that Clayton offers that Gwinnett doesn't (except possibly cheaper housing prices).

[wxjay]

Gwinnett County by a mile.

[ATLienGirl]

I just bought a house in the River's Edge subdivision and I love it. I moved here because I have several colleagues that bought houses in this same subdivision and have lived here for YEARS and love it. I am sick of hearing people say avoid certain places. In the end, it's what you prefer. I would never tell anyone to avoid an area. I have colleagues that teach in Clayton County, and at River's Edge, who love it. I teach in Clayton County, and LOVE it. As someone said on another post, although this site is a great resource, a lot of suggestions are full of bias based on what people heard, or what they hear on the news. I live in a diverse neighborhood. There is crime and horrible schools EVERYWHERE. I live in Fayetteville, Clayton County and wouldn't go anywhere else.

[sammykjo]

Don't move to Clayton County unless you want to catch a bullet!

[Tab1975]

Ok guys, I have posted on her a few times and they always say the same things about Clayton Cty....Crime, bad school, too many black people, ect. Is that all you can say about Clayton Cty? You mean there are more cons that pros in Clayton? Is this because it is a place that Black people live that makes so bad? I ask these questions because it only seems like the northerners have comments. Are their any current Clayton Cty residents that really like where they live.

See I am from Brooklyn, NY. I love Brooklyn to my heart...would not live anywhere else in NY because I love it so. But I know that they have crime and bad schools. But I do not tell anybody that if you want to get shot, live there. As I said before, my best friend lives in LoveJoy and she has no problems. No one ever broke in to her home, her car, nothing. Her son does well in school and she is employed.

I came down there and I love it. They area is beautiful. The people are nice. I love it. But because I hear so much about the bad it makes me not want to ever try it out. The schools are bad. I love in NYC...they can be no worse than they are here. I had to do alot of footwork to get my son the education that he needs. Although I do not want my son to go to a school where he is not nurtured and educated. I am not expecting the school system to do it 100%. Could that be the problem. That people complain more than they try to be the solution.

I plan to be an active member of my community. Something I could not do in NYC because of the hustle and bustle. I am not a bystander. If I see an issue, I try to solve it. I plan to have the school my children attend know me personally and not be afraid to call me when my child is out of hand, or there is a problem. Could that be why the schools are bad...not parental involvement,, or when they try, you become standoffish.

Are the neighborhoods run down because you allow it and do not speak out at your town meetings? Even if it is passed...you still voiced an opinion that they did hear. Do you set the precedent for how your communities are to be. Lead by example. OK...gettting off of my soapbox.

I hope that I did not offend. But allowed you to think about your neighboring communities and what you hear as opposed to what you KNOW!

Be Blessed

[ATLienGirl]

Hey, there, like I said, come on out to River's Edge Plantation, right down the street from River's Edge Elementary. Yes, there are blacks and whites in my community, but, we are not making our neighborhood go down. I am right around the corner from Love Joy and Hampton. WE take pride in our community and schools, and, as I said before, you have first hand POSITIVE experience; YOUR FRIEND.

I was born and raised on the southside and would not go anywhere north of I-20. Personal preference, though.