moving to elmwood park (home, families, bought)

[promis1]

Italianqueen, hoping to hear a response from you with more questions about Elmwood park. I would love to help you in any way I can to answer all of your questions. It is truly a great town with a citylike feel.

[promis1]

Originally Posted by italianqueen

I am considering moving to this suburb, I like what I see on the surface but could really use some hard realistic views from folks who live there or know the area. Is crime an issue? How are the schools.

Where else on the northwest side is worth moving too?

Just wondering if you ever decided to make the move to E.P.?

[italianqueen]

Thanks for responding! Yes I am. thank you so much for your ringing endorsement. I have visited most of the schools and have found them to be on par with where my children are now. I am curious to know that if you think the schools are decent, why do you send yours to catholic? Is it for the religion, or is there something I should know about the public schools?

would appreciate your input on that. in the meantime, have a nice day! quote=promis1;7513564]With your name on this post, I am assuming that you are Italian. If so, Elmwood park would be a fine choice as it is the #1 population for Italian Americans in Illinois. Crime is still low by state averages and the schools are decent. I have lived here for 31 years, my entire life. My wife and I are raising our 2 young boys here and are using the Catholic schools. The area, also bordered by the Northwest side of Chicago, which you were correct in reference to, has some of the best Italian delis, restaraunts, and stores in the city. Harlem Ave.-from North Ave. to Foster Ave. includes Elmwood Park, Norrridge, and the Northwest side of Chicago. Would love to have you as a future resident- we need more people like you. In regards to that dumba** from Houston, ignore his arrogant rants as he has nothing better to do but post on our threads- while offering no real aid to your question. Hope this helps- ask more questions and I will answer them if you feel the need to. Good luck on your findings![/quote]

[Lookout Kid]

Check out the Illinois School Report Cards for Elmwood Park.

Interactive Illinois Report Card

The schools will stay decent as long as "white flight" doesn't take hold. That's probably the biggest threat to them at this point.

I'm still hoping for an Elmwood Park resurgence centered around the convenient Metra stops... The housing stock is good, and the houses are well-maintained. It's convenient to the city and airports. It's still too early to bet against Elmwood Park and River Grove (I tend to group these places together).

[promis1]

Originally Posted by italianqueen

Thanks for responding! Yes I am. thank you so much for your ringing endorsement. I have visited most of the schools and have found them to be on par with where my children are now. I am curious to know that if you think the schools are decent, why do you send yours to catholic? Is it for the religion, or is there something I should know about the public schools?

would appreciate your input on that. in the meantime, have a nice day! quote=promis1;7513564]With your name on this post, I am assuming that you are Italian. If so, Elmwood park would be a fine choice as it is the #1 population for Italian Americans in Illinois. Crime is still low by state averages and the schools are decent. I have lived here for 31 years, my entire life. My wife and I are raising our 2 young boys here and are using the Catholic schools. The area, also bordered by the Northwest side of Chicago, which you were correct in reference to, has some of the best Italian delis, restaraunts, and stores in the city. Harlem Ave.-from North Ave. to Foster Ave. includes Elmwood Park, Norrridge, and the Northwest side of Chicago. Would love to have you as a future resident- we need more people like you. In regards to that dumba** from Houston, ignore his arrogant rants as he has nothing better to do but post on our threads- while offering no real aid to your question. Hope this helps- ask more questions and I will answer them if you feel the need to. Good luck on your findings!

[/quote]
My wife and I were both raised using the same Catholic school that my kids now attend. We loved the school and that was a big reason that we sent our kids there. But the public schools are still o.k. and I have some good friends who send their children to the public schools and they have no problems with this.

[raniatl]

We are a black two parent family with two little girls considering Elmwood Park...some of the threads I've read leave me wondering, will we be welcome?

We presently live in Oak Park; but we're out of room in our condo and need more space...moving down the street to Elmwood Park leaves us in our comfort zone and our girls can keep their friends and activities...but I don't want to unnecessarily cause discomfort for them at the same time if we would be considered part of the "influx"--particularly as it pertains to the kids going to school comfortably, playing with other kids on the block, or participating in activities at the park/library/etc.

I don't particularly care if my fiance and I aren't welcome, I'm from Georgia so I've dealt with blatant racism my whole life, but I really don't want to thrust my kids into a bad situation---dealing with racism is almost as bad as moving into the city and dealing with the crime.

Thoughts? Be honest please...I can take it....

[ajolotl]

You sound so sincere -- if it doesn't work out for you in EP you'd feel very welcome in my neck of the woods (East Beverly) -- crime is pretty low and race isn't much of an issue (my block has been about 50/50 for thirty years).

Originally Posted by raniatl

We are a black two parent family with two little girls considering Elmwood Park...some of the threads I've read leave me wondering, will we be welcome?

We presently live in Oak Park; but we're out of room in our condo and need more space...moving down the street to Elmwood Park leaves us in our comfort zone and our girls can keep their friends and activities...but I don't want to unnecessarily cause discomfort for them at the same time if we would be considered part of the "influx"--particularly as it pertains to the kids going to school comfortably, playing with other kids on the block, or participating in activities at the park/library/etc.

I don't particularly care if my fiance and I aren't welcome, I'm from Georgia so I've dealt with blatant racism my whole life, but I really don't want to thrust my kids into a bad situation---dealing with racism is almost as bad as moving into the city and dealing with the crime.

Thoughts? Be honest please...I can take it....

[Humboldt1]

I will be brutally honest with you.

I live in Oak Park now and am considering buying a house in Oak Park in a few years. Oak Park is very expensive. I can see why you would seek larger housing in Elmwood Park. I favor Oak Park and am willing to wait a few years and spend a few more dollars, but I am single guy 32 years old with no children. By the time I have children, my wife and I will be able to afford a home in the nicer parts of Oak Park, where we currently reside in an apartment (condo didn't make sense in this market).

As long as you are professional I believe you will not encounter problems. You will be seen as another professional/middle class family that happens to be blacks, kinda like you are in Oak Park.

As long as you are respectful of others and do not make too much noise or have rowdy friends you will be fine.

Many people from west side such as Humboldt Park have moving into parts of Elmwood Park. It is not right but when you dress nicely people will assume you are professional working person. When you do not dress up and go to say Caput0's for groceries people may assume you are section 8 because of your race. A lot of section 8 has been moving into Elmwood Park, most of which are hispanic and black. Unfortunately, you may be perceived as part of this Section 8 problem, even if you have never taken a public voucher in your life.

If I were a black professional, I would stay in Oak Park and just go further east where it is more affordable to buy a house. More accepting and better neighborhood overall, though be careful not to buy too close to Austin neighborhood.

Elmwood Park is not bad at all. I just prefer Oak Park for your situation as well as mine (white guy looking to marry mexican girl and have 2-3 kids, both work as professionals). Good luck, whatever your decision.

[raniatl]

Thank you for your honesty! We are going to go ahead and sign the lease; the place is too nice and roomy for us to pass up...its so funny to think about the dynamics of all this, the reason we stay in these West Suburbs instead of the city and other less desirable West Suburbs is because, black or not, I don't want to be surrounded by Section 8 holders either, nor people with loud music, rowdy friends, etc. The rowdiest thing we would do is hold a sleepover for our 9 year old. *shrug* This is a temporary solution to needing more space and newer construction for my daughter's health problem, with the plan to move in 1-2 years and buy a house---still probably not in Oak Park, we just simply can't afford it. But while we figure that piece out, we'll just pray for the best in EP. The immediate neighbors seem nice, so hopefully that's a good sign. *crossing fingers*

[linicx]

For your children's sake I sincerely hope you talke to the new neighbors and check the neighborhood on the weekend before you sign a lease. Nice weekday neighborhoods are not always pleasant on weekends.