How is the City of Carpentersville

[mapia]

In regards to silverstone. I lived there for one year. I had no problems. there townhomes are a bit over priced. I just recently bought a townhome in carpentersville off of randall rd in the Kimball farms sub-division. Beautiful townhomes and under 170 for a 2 bedroom. I love are new area it is carpentersville but very well kept. Newer area no gang problems that I have seen.

[dega266]

I do agree that the townhomes in Silverstone are over priced, the unit we are currently renting is also for sale and the asking price is to much for the size and location. I do like the area so far although we spend most of are time in Algonquin, crystal lake and sometime west dundee. I think when it comes down to buying i can find more want I'm looking for in Algonquin or crystal lake.

[GoCUBS1]

Originally Posted by singlelove

i have lived in carpentersville all my life and have found nothing wrong with it... gangs are in every single town...

I live in a nearby town. The level of gang activity in Carpentersville is not "in every single town" in the area (Algonquin, West Dundee, are better choices). I have too many friends who moved to Carpentersville and are desperately trying to move out of this town.

The real estate is depreciating because:

1.) The District 300 schools are overcrowded and only getting worse. Take a look at GreatSchools.net to see that Dundee-Crown H.S. rated a 3 out of 10 (one of the worst in the state). If you have a college-bound student there are very limited opportunities here as there are few advanced/college-prep courses. Many must choose private school.

Much $ goes toward ESL services for the many children who have NO English skills. One parent told me that the hispanic community encourages parents to speak only Spanish to their children since they will learn English when they get to school. Too bad for the local kids who enter Kindergarten reading as they are held back for years while their classmates learn English (there is no pull-out gifted program - only remedial or ESL in the elementary schools).

2.) There is lots of gang activity in the community and high school (Just drive into the residential areas off of Rt. 25 to see the symbols spraypainted across homes). Check out the town's crime statistics to verify this.

3.) The local government is childish and corrupt. Council meetings are filled with name-calling and immaturity. Money has been mishandled and "lost" from the school district, etc. A recent resolution allowed the town to buy-back guns from the community. While most other towns would destroy the guns - NOT Carpentersville - they chose to re-sell them to a gun dealer for a pittance. That way the guns can eventually make it back to the street gangs. Brilliant...

I could go on. The purpose of this post is to discourage anyone from moving to this town as I believe it would be one of the worst real-estate mistakes you could ever make.

[Sweetbrightness]

It is difficult to express the disadvantages to living and/or moving to Carpentersville in a few words. I have lived here my entire life, and as mentioned by another, my husband and our two children are trying desperately to move.

It is true that the illegal immigration issue is huge to all involved, both native and non-native citizens. It leaves one feeling suffocated and very, very frustrated. Our mayor and president of the village, Mr. Sarto, is a huge advocate for illegal immigrants and their rights, while he tends to ignore the issues of those who are legal citizens, regardless of nationality. I tried to voice my opinion and open a line of communication. What I was told by Mr. Sarto was that I must not be a Christian if I did not like my Spanish speaking neighbors. I thought it a bit presumptuous and childish, as it had nothing to do with like or dislike, it had to do with legal vs. illegal, I directed him to the ten commandments; whether one is Christian or not has not one thing to do with immigration. However, if that argument is to be sustained, shouldn't they (proponents for illegal immigration and the morality/bible argument) refer to the Holy Bible that states Thou shall not steal, Thou shall not lie, etc.? It's a house built on sand. Once the illegal issue became (FINALLY) a national issue we saw many, many for sale signs go up. I was incredibly relieved, as perhaps this meant the tide was turning. Alas, it is too early to tell.

We are on the east side. And, honestly, this east/west side was never, NEVER discussed until the village made it clear which area(s) of the city would receive money, whether it be by way of repaired roads, schools, transportation, whatever it be, the village chose for everyone involved.

Our eldest is in private school. He attended a Carpentersville school, Woodland, that was absolutely excellent. He needed speech therapy and received excellent schooling. And wouldn't you know? They are closing the school. 'They' being the Barrington administration. They want to move the preschool to the heart of Barrington. He was to attend Sunny Hill, but he is a summer baby, which made him the youngest in every class he attended. We were offered a 5 year program at a Barrington Hills school. I jumped at the chance, one because he was not ready for kindergarten and two because I was delaying the inevitable: attending Sunny Hill school. When kindergarten rolled around I had high hopes and prayed that all would be all right. His reading fell to below a 4 year olds reading ability, he stared to flash gang signs, and was constantly ignored day after day. Talk about being able to put on another's shoes, I felt very much the outsider. Sunny Hill is still in district 220, which is the Barrington school district, but that meant nothing. Often time’s parents who send their children to Sunny Hill live on the other side of RT 25, which is district 300. There is proof of this, but the powers that be do not want to see the proof and ignore the information given to them. Should it be raised, like I did ignorantly, I am told that I am a racist. Racism has nothing to do with any of it, but if it makes them feel better about illegal activity, so be it.

After that fiasco, we placed him in private school, and we could not be more pleased. My little boy, the one who sang to himself while making a PB&J prior to Sunny Hill, made reappearance a few months after moving schools. The parents, the administrators, the students are all more aware of their surroundings, more parents are involved, and a few are from different countries, they do speak English, which is the most respectful thing any human being can do when choosing to live in a specific country, choosing to speak the language.

The housing market is tough everywhere, it is particularly tough here in C'ville (the abbreviation most everyone uses), due in part to the illegal immigration issue, but also due to the neighbors. Many are fixing up their homes, re-facing them with bricks, new windows, fences, landscaping, others are damaging their properties - making their neighbors hard work be for naught. It is disheartening. The largest factor that I've witnessed, and I'm a stay-at-home mother, so I do notice these things because I am here: So many want the "American dream" that the children of the new immigrants are raising themselves. They break their own windows to get into their homes. They break down their fences, break their garage doors so they no longer close, leave large amounts of trash lying about - throwing unmentionables into other neighbors’ yards. Jumping on their parents and grandparents automobiles. The children are so bored and have no direction that they do just about anything to keep themselves busy. Calling the police, the village, the non-emergency police and sending emails to the village trustees does nothing to fix any of the above. It leaves one scratching your head wondering where in the world common decency has gone, and common sense.

Bottom line, there are areas of Carpentersville that are all right. However, I would highly advise those with children, or those planning on children, do not move here - unless you'd like to place your children in private school. If I'd known how tough it would be for my babies, I'd have fixed up this home and moved immediately after the birth of my first child. Or, if I'd had that all empowering crystal ball, I'd have never moved here with my husband. But I stupidly felt a loyalty to Carpentersville, while those that run Carpentersville do not feel the same loyalty to their residents. Run do not walk to the nearest Exit with your children. The dissatisfaction, frustration and local politics are enough to make your stomach churn.

In ending, I'd like to reference those that drive through from different areas, be it for an apartment, or whatever brings you here. You need to live here to see the underbelly. You cannot testify and say that painting it a certain way is wrong. You were not here in my hometown on October 3rd in 2006 when surrounding towns, as far out as Rolling Meadows, sent their police officers with German Shepherds, automatic firing weapons and riot gear. You did not have thousands of Hispanic people refusing to allow your vehicle through with your two children in the back seat, walking in front of your vehicle with their own children looking at you with hatred. You did not feel that fear, that isolation. Yet, they say they fear us? Citizens of America? Please. I have extricated myself from the politics of the situation, I have extricated my family from anything to do with Carpentersville, I still live here and we pay their taxes, but I am waiting with baited breathe for the day we are able to put Carpentersville in the nightmare category of our lives. Judge not least you be judged - live here, then tell me you feel safe and welcomed.

Thank you for your time. Good luck in your search.

[Chelito23]

Sweetbrightness,

I read your post and it seems heartfelt, but just by reading it I can tell there is a lot more there than just the ilegal immigration issue. I don't want to turn this personal so I won't address most of the issues you touched on, but I will add that I work in an elementary school now, and a K4 class as a matter of fact...so I am sure you are aware that 4 year olds do NOT read...and if they are being taught to read in a K4 class, you DO need to run away from that school, since the kids need to learn about social play and interactions at that age as opposed to literacy, there will be plenty of time for that once they go on to first grade. If your child is just very advanced, you can foster that gift at home, but it is not standard to teach reading in a K4 class. Traditionally, these classes were known as preschool...but times have changed and now some K4 classes even go the full academic day due to parents schedules...so keep that in mind. So, I highly doubt that this issue is attributed to illegals. The most K5 classes do are sight words in general and basic writing and word recognition....so to hear you say he fell below a 4 year old reading level, when 4 year olds generally don't read struck me as strange.

Now, I made clear my situation and perspective that I wasn't from the area nor do I pretend to be with false knowledge. I gave my perspective of the community based on where I am from, where I have been and how I viewed the community as someone who is unattached. Sometimes we are more harsh or judgemental on issues that affect us directly, and that is the sense I get from some of the posters on here.

C'ville has had a large Hispanic population for over 10 years now, so I am also kind of confused about why you moved there knowing this even way back when? At least I understood you moved there, I may be wrong though.

I also think you are projecting your personal feelings onto others, you mention how people gave you hateful looks. I can understand your fear in that situation, but if you put things in perspective, these people were not marching to intimadte you or scare you and your kids. They want rights, are against discrimination and probably don't appreciate their neighbors assuming they are illegal without knowing that for a fact.

I think that instead of complaining to all sorts of people in government, getting out and talking to your neighbors, trying to organize community activities and events to keep other kids out of trouble would be more productive. And TRUST ME, there are latch key kids in every city in America, not just C'ville, and there are people who have no common sense and are pigs wherever they live, this is not unique to your community. I understand that these are issues for you now with your kids, but it would be naive to pretend these are problems exclusive to this town. Maybe they have become noticeable and even untolerable for you now, but illegal immigrants and legal Hispanics do not have amonoploy on this kind of behavior.

All in all C'ville seems like a place that is changing and many people are uncomfrotable with that. I was just trying to present MY viewpoint, I stated my background and people can take it for what it is. But you also need to respect my opinion as well, it is valid too and much more neutral, and I respect yours too.

I hope you are able to move away and find a community more to your liking. You do not strike me as racist at all, but I hope you can take my post as friendly advice to at least make living there more bearable until you can upgrade.

Good luck.