Why Not Move To Detroit? The Hype Isn't True. (Flint: apartments, violent crime)

[corruption]

Yeah, but for those that don't have a car, like me...I've seen and they look normal and unafraid.

[detshen]

Originally Posted by corruption

Yeah, but for those that don't have a car, like me...I've seen and they look normal and unafraid.

They would look ridiculous walking around afraid when there is nothing scary. I can imagine some of these posters walking around downtown scaring themselves to death and people only noticing them because they look like nut jobs.

[downthathighway]

Originally Posted by Acupunk

They would look ridiculous walking around afraid when there is nothing scary. I can imagine some of these posters walking around downtown scaring themselves to death and people only noticing them because they look like nut jobs.

It would be like that scene from the original "Hairspray", Mrs. Pingleton looking for her daughter Penny in that inner city neighborhood. Hilarious how she reacted to the attention she attracted by being so fearful.

[Sunvixen]

Okay. if you can honestly say that you would want your mom or aunt in her 50s or 60s to walk for even one minute, alone, anywhere on Gratiot, say between Greektown and 8 Mile Rd after 9 pm. Then you win.


There was one other thing I needed to check on, and if you think I am exaggerating, you can go to Zillow.com and check for yourself. (You can search neighborhoods on Zillow, and you can see the specs on the houses, the last sale date and price and the yearly tax information.) My friend's son purchased a 2180 sq ft home 3 years ago in the New Center Area of Detroit for $128,000.

He is trying to get rid of it now because he has had one break-in, two attempted break-ins (before he bought a big dog), two car windows smashed in and had a cement planter stolen from his front porch. The last time he called the police, they showed up...the next day.

He pays $8000.00/year in property taxes! But at least he has a fireplace!

If you picture ME as somebody who acts frightened, you're mistaken. I was born in Detroit and lived there for many years. I work there and go downtown to restaurants, sporting events...ALL the time. I didn't say DOWNTOWN was bad. I said it was nice. But, the neighborhoods, with few exceptions, are NOT.

Detroit started looking promising a few years ago, but it seems to be slipping back to where it was. Part of the REASON SOME people claimed it "looked" better is that some of the thousands of abandoned houses were finally torn down. But, unlike most cities, these houses had stood, many burnt-out, for years, even decades!!! Sure, if you go and level 20% of them, it "looks better." If that's supposed to impress me, then, shame on me I guess, because it doesn't.

My friends came in from Chicago last fall and saw Detroit for the first time. They have been to every major city. They called Detroit a "waste land."

I think it's sad, but with all the corruption, what can we expect? Are we supposed to attract new business here when the City Council members represent themselves in an "other than businesslike manner" in talk, in actions, in dress...???

Monica Conyers, John Conyers Wife, is the President Pro Tem of the city council. Last year she got into a fist fight with a woman at a bar. Just last WEEK, she supposedly threatened to have her brothers KILL somebody and said she would "shoot them with her own gun." This was while AT WORK!!! The guy filed a restraining order against her. (Feel free to go check these facts.)

This is the kind of officials people get in a city where they pay $8K in property taxes? Please tell me if I got any of that wrong. Maybe $8K in taxes is not much to somebody in Omaha, but I think it's a lot for a $128K house!!

[Sunvixen]

There was a very long post a couple pages back that stated:

"Black women do not believe in abortion the way white women do."

That is interesting...even more interesting is that on E. 8 Mile Road there is a huge BILLBOARD that says:

"ABORTION IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY"

So, I guess at least SOME Black women believe in it, eh?

[corruption]

Originally Posted by Sunvixen

Okay. if you can honestly say that you would want your mom or aunt in her 50s or 60s to walk for even one minute, alone, anywhere on Gratiot, say between Greektown and 8 Mile Rd after 9 pm. Then you win.


There was one other thing I needed to check on, and if you think I am exaggerating, you can go to Zillow.com and check for yourself. (You can search neighborhoods on Zillow, and you can see the specs on the houses, the last sale date and price and the yearly tax information.) My friend's son purchased a 2180 sq ft home 3 years ago in the New Center Area of Detroit for $128,000.

He is trying to get rid of it now because he has had one break-in, two attempted break-ins (before he bought a big dog), two car windows smashed in and had a cement planter stolen from his front porch. The last time he called the police, they showed up...the next day.

He pays $8000.00/year in property taxes! But at least he has a fireplace!

If you picture ME as somebody who acts frightened, you're mistaken. I was born in Detroit and lived there for many years. I work there and go downtown to restaurants, sporting events...ALL the time. I didn't say DOWNTOWN was bad. I said it was nice. But, the neighborhoods, with few exceptions, are NOT.

Detroit started looking promising a few years ago, but it seems to be slipping back to where it was. Part of the REASON SOME people claimed it "looked" better is that some of the thousands of abandoned houses were finally torn down. But, unlike most cities, these houses had stood, many burnt-out, for years, even decades!!! Sure, if you go and level 20% of them, it "looks better." If that's supposed to impress me, then, shame on me I guess, because it doesn't.

My friends came in from Chicago last fall and saw Detroit for the first time. They have been to every major city. They called Detroit a "waste land."

I think it's sad, but with all the corruption, what can we expect? Are we supposed to attract new business here when the City Council members represent themselves in an "other than businesslike manner" in talk, in actions, in dress...???

Monica Conyers, John Conyers Wife, is the President Pro Tem of the city council. Last year she got into a fist fight with a woman at a bar. Just last WEEK, she supposedly threatened to have her brothers KILL somebody and said she would "shoot them with her own gun." This was while AT WORK!!! The guy filed a restraining order against her. (Feel free to go check these facts.)

This is the kind of officials people get in a city where they pay $8K in property taxes? Please tell me if I got any of that wrong. Maybe $8K in taxes is not much to somebody in Omaha, but I think it's a lot for a $128K house!!

No, I would not want my mother walking ANYWHERE by herself at night. In anybody's neighborhood...suburb or inner city. But i've seen older women on gratiot by themselves as well. Like I said, people do what they have to do. If you don't have a car, or someone with a car to readily take you wherever you want to go, then the bus, or walking is your only option. I still feel like if you don't look like you're expecting to get mugged, shot, stabbed, or beat then most likely you won't. Can it happen? Sure it can, just like it can happen in Novi, Belleville, Chesterfield, Ann Arbor, Plymouth, Grand Rapids, or any other city that's supposed to be better than Detroit.

And sorry, I don't know anything about property taxes.

[appalachiangirl]

Just reading through the posts. While I am not very familiar with Detroit personally the person who commented on the low crime in appalachia hasn't been there recently. I live in a small town near Morgantown,WV and I can say there are HUGE drug problems in the area. My aunt and uncle live in what used to be a fairly nice part of town--now there are 2 crack houses on thier street (raided by police). Really a shame what crack and meth are doing to the country and the people here (and all over the US for that matter)

[detshen]

The discussion had turned to downtown being safe for suburbanites to visit or for people to live and it is. There are many horrible neighborhoods in Detroit, like any city(yes, Detroit has more)but there are safe areas too. Anyone who lives in any large city has to learn some street smarts and know where to stay away from. A blanket statement that "Detroit is horrible everyone and everything within the city limits should be avoided at all times" is absurd. I have never experienced crime in Detroit, but my friend was attacked outside her house in pristine San Diego and for my friends in NYC getting mugged is practically a right of passage. Everyone has a choice to either stay locked in a fearful suburban bubble or go out, travel and experience the world outside their comfort zone.

I do agree that taxes are high. I live in the Warrendale area and I feel safe but the tax vs services has me wanting to move to a suburb with better services, but I will always chose downtown, midtown, eastern market,greektown,mexicantown and other areas of Detroit to go out for a great meal and fun events. The only suburbs that evenly remotely compare are Ferndale and Royal Oak and their option are quite limited. People are missing out if they avoid Detroit.

[and the]

I don't know, but in my large circle of white friends and family who all spend most of their entertainment time at places and events downtown the number is ZERO! Not one single mugging or even a threat. I can't say the same for other cities I have spent time in. No city is completely safe, but downtown Detroit is quite safe if you use simple common sense.

So people shouldn't worry about being a crime victim late at night downtown because none of your friends have been?

Why should I have to use "common sense" to be safe downtown? In a "safe" area, you should be able to walk around with your head in the clouds and not be robbed shouldn't you? Sounds like "common sense" means "being aware of your surroundings and not doing anything to make yourself an easy target."

Isn't that what the people you were talking about were doing? Or could you read their minds and smell their terror?

And, I guess when can also infer from this:

downtown Detroit is quite safe if you use simple common sense.

....that downtown Detroit is DANGEROUS if you don't use simple common sense. Well, my wife does things contrary to what makes sense every day. I guess I shouldn't let her go downtown......

[and the]

I live in a small town near Morgantown,WV and I can say there are HUGE drug problems in the area.

Maybe some of the dope down there comes from Detroit....I believe they recently broke up a crack cocaine ring and solved multiple homicides in some Eastern KY town......All the players were from Detroit....