Should I come to Detroit (Flint, Dearborn: condos, safe neighborhoods, private schools)

[Daniel_T]

I found this great video of CNBC about the automakers and some other companies pulling out of Detroit. I thought it was great. Can anyone watch it and give me their feedback. Thanks.

http://video.msn.com/v/us/Money.htm?...op%20ten &fg=

Daniel True

[dianne19]

for all of you that have never been here, you need to find a Detroit News channel to watch for about 30 days straight, you will never hear such depressing, sad news in all of your life! I have lived her my whole life, and it just keeps getting worst. You can bet that the first 10 minutes or more of every news cast is a shooting, rape, or murder. Every single day! In 2005 from Jan-June there were more people shot in Detroit than in the Iraq war, and this is a fact, I'm not making it up!

It is a horrible city, and the city-data web site will prove it. We are leaving Michigan soon, and I can wait to get out.

Racism in Michigan is because of the news, and the people involved in the news! They stay in their war zone, and we keep them out!!!!!!!! As much as possible. We don't want their war zone in our backyards! Drugs, violence and the city does nothing about it, except take more cops off the streets.
Read the city-data and any normal law abbiding citizen wouldn't want it!

[Guardian]

Originally Posted by dianne19

Drugs, violence and the city does nothing about it, except take more cops off the streets.

Actually, the mayor said in his recent State of the City address that he plans to increase the number of cops on the streets and I think he has already started doing that.

[Frank the Tank]

Originally Posted by Daniel_T

You also mentioned in your post about Chicago and Cleveland. I have never felt like I would like Chicago. Something about it turns me off. don't know what it is.

I have thought about cleveland, but it seems like it is going through the same problems as Detroit, but to a lesser extent. I really don't want to live in a city with the types of problems facing Detroit, but I feel connected to the city. One of my neighbors who is from Toledo, was telling me that the entire region of Southeast Michigan, and the major cities of Ohio were nasty. I asked here about Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, and Toledo. Heard all bad things.

Daniel True

Daniel,

What type of town did you grow up in (urban, rural, suburban)? I'm just fascinated by this discussion since I've honestly never heard anyone that (1) doesn't have some type of personal connection to Detroit (i.e. grew up there or family lives there) feel some type of longing to move there and (2) by the same token, is somehow turned off by Chicago and would rather look at places like Cleveland and Toledo as alternatives. I'm someone in my late-20s that lives in the Chicago area and has spent a good amount of time in the Detroit area for business. I don't want to come off as a troll for Chicago, but if you visit downtown Chicago and then compare it to your experience in Detroit, I just have a hard time understanding how a college age person like yourself (or a person of any age) would pick Detroit in the end if a vibrant city atmosphere is truly the main factor. Of course Detroit is less expensive, but if cost is a major concern, you could go to plenty of cities in the Sun Belt that are just as cheap, offer a whole lot more educational and professional opportunities, and have better weather (I'm a Midwesterner so winters don't bother me, but most people seem to prefer warmer winters even if that means the summers are stifling).

If you simply don't like big cities, it's understandable that you wouldn't want to live in Chicago, but Detroit has all of the urban problems with few of the perks. Honestly, out of all of the large cities in the Midwest, the only two that could be considered on the ascent would be Chicago and Minneapolis with Indianapolis at least holding steady. The rest are unfortunately dying because they depended too much on heavy industry and didn't adapt to the new knowledge economy - that's an economic infrastructure problem that is going to take a long time to fix assuming that it's even possible to fix. If you want a smaller city in the Midwest that is growing and isn't rural in nature, I'd suggest Madison, Wisconsin (assuming that you could get into the University of Wisconsin).

I just want to get an idea as to what you're really looking for. You've said that you've had a "good feeling for Detroit" and a "bad feeling for Chicago", but don't have any specifics. I just hope you take this decision extremely seriously. Picking a place to go to college, which can be a large determinent in terms of where you end up living, entails weighing a lot of factors. I'm sure you'll end up going with your gut instinct, but like I said, I'm just fascinated that someone has some type of urge to go to Detroit without having personal connection already in place. When I walk around Chicago and can't walk more than a block without bumping into several people who went to Michigan or Michigan State and fled their home state because there just wan't anything there, it makes a deep impression.

[Michigan614]

don't go unless you are going to the art institutes.

[Frankawitz]

Dan,
Hey if you feel you can handel it then move, One thing tho I hope you have a job lined up cause it could be ruff finding something right now. I don't know what type of work you do or if your going to attend a college here. The other thing is housing, well you could get yourself a real good deal since there are so many houses being foreclosed on and people are lossing everything, In Detroit there are a network of neighborhoods some better then others, But all are liveable. the thing is you could find yourself a real nice house that will need some work, but it will have a nice pay back in a few years. plus the tax breaks you'll get. Good Luck to you if you do come.

[deb68]

I personally do not like Detroit and do not find it appealing in any way. Although the old buildings are beautiful and I wish I could have seen Detroit in it's day I do not feel it's a place a 17 year old would want to go unless you like the thrill of dodging bullets, if your looking to get a rep forget it.

If you love to see trash all over the roads then it's for you I guess. I live in the suburbs of Detroit and it's getting full of trash out here too and it's horrible. The only time it was cleaned up is when we had Superbowl here-boy what a difference when it's clean!!!!

Anyways you really should do some research before you make a decision- I'm sure your mother wants you to live somewhere safe and not have to worry every second.

[Detroit4Life]

Originally Posted by superstition

If you want to go, go. You will find it to be a great city, if you are looking for that. There is an abundance of decay and abandoned buildings, which a lot of people think make it look trashy. Personally, I think it's beautiful and full of all kinds of character that its suburbs lack.

The worst thing about Detroit wasn't on your list, and that is the racism. A lot of anger, a lot of ignorance.

oh so True the Racism is something else. I never really went to the suburbs much because i felt uncomfortable. Most of the people i know in my old neighborhood don't go to to many places in the suburbs either they claim we have KKK. Therefore i never went. Shoot I was more scared walking in the suburbs than i was walkin in the city. I lived in a neighborhood known as Delray. South st & Green st area. Detroit was nice. I felt completely safe despite all the crime. Just don't get intimdated by these young boys out there on them corners. It was like 2am one time and i heard a noise. I got up got my shotgun and walked outside. These little 22 year olds were stealing my car tires. They didn't notice me till i was point blank behind them. The boy turned around saw i had the shotgun in my hand he turned ghostly white. That cracked me up. I started laugh told him to put my tires back on and go home. You know the boy did that too. I still laugh at that today. It's not like I had the gun pointed at him i just had it in my hand. They stand on the corner and talk smack but they won't do nothin to a man like me in his 40's. It's really funny. Hey i hope you like it here.

[Detroit4Life]

Originally Posted by Blue Grass Fever

I lived in southwest Detroit and i understand Detroit has pockets worthy of visiting as far as Detroit entertainment/nightlife goes but i tell you what,even the blacks who spent most of their lives in Detroit are moving out. What does that tell you.

"The Blacks damn i hate it when people say that. But i am black and i moved out. TO Washington D.C.

[nickbii]

Originally Posted by dianne19

for all of you that have never been here, you need to find a Detroit News channel to watch for about 30 days straight, you will never hear such depressing, sad news in all of your life! I have lived her my whole life, and it just keeps getting worst. You can bet that the first 10 minutes or more of every news cast is a shooting, rape, or murder. Every single day! In 2005 from Jan-June there were more people shot in Detroit than in the Iraq war, and this is a fact, I'm not making it up!

There is no city that does not have a murder, rape, or shooting every single day. Philly, Chi-town, LA, and NYC all have at least one a day. Our rate beats theirs (by a lot), but it is nowhere near as bad as our media makes it out to be.

Philly, Phoenix, Columbus, Cleveland, Memphis, Houston, Dalla, Indianapolis, LA, Vegas, Tucson, and San Antonio all have at least one rape a day. In a lot of cases their rates are worse than ours. By a lot. A couple of those cities had nearly three rapes a day.

That's the thing about Detroit. We've got crime, but our suburbs seem to think our crime makes them look good. They are not as bad as Detroit, after all. So they broadcast every damn crime all over the place.

Obviously, the suburbs only look good to people who know they exist. Thus Philadelphians read about our terrible crime problem, but they have no idea that the crimes are happening in Detroit proper. They never realize that Philadelphia's crime problem is worse than West Bloomfield's. And Philadelphians are much more likely to be raped than anyone in Detroit-proper.

Originally Posted by dianne19

Racism in Michigan is because of the news, and the people involved in the news! They stay in their war zone, and we keep them out!!!!!!!! As much as possible. We don't want their war zone in our backyards! Drugs, violence and the city does nothing about it, except take more cops off the streets.

It's not our fault that state revenue sharing is drying up. It's not our fault that all the folks with money (aka: you) left the city. It's not our fault that the Ford family (of Dearborn) has no business sense.

If there's no money, there's no money for cops.

Nick