[Sharon2226]

My sister, who lives in Jupiter Beach--used to live in Boca, near Loggers Run, for those of you who might be familiar. She said while there are parts of the area that are still nice, she said Palmetto Pines, is becoming a ghetto. It surprised me because I remember that area some 20 years ago, when we first moved to Florida...I was a teen.

So...how does a place in Boca, turn from people keeping their houses up, to it becoming an unsafe dumpy neighborhood? Can the foreclosure crisis be causing all of this?

[rich67]

It's simple. Several reasons, actually: Older people in the neighborhood pass away, and their greedy relatives all vie for a piece of the pie- most of them move into the homes and could care less about it- they are getting a free home and are usually scumbags escaping something they were into "up north".
The other reason is economic. People can't afford to sell, so they rent out their homes. They don't care who they rent to sometimes, and then they end up becoming absentee landlords while the renters destroy the appearance of the home.
Sure, foreclosures are huge these days, but for the most part, it's the renters and deadbeat relatives destroying the neighborhoods.

[stpeteguy]

Bad parenting, uncontrolled immigration, increased number of rental properties, and a state economy that has not kept pace with living costs.

Primarily though, i'd say it's just bad parenting mostly. People raising kids with no value system at all.

[surfer boy]

I think it's because a lot of trash moves down here. It happens all over FL, not just S FL or Boca Raton. It seems that FL has become a haven for people trying to escape the law and whatnot. Sadly.

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by surfer boy

I think it's because a lot of trash moves down here. It happens all over FL, not just S FL or Boca Raton. It seems that FL has become a haven for people trying to escape the law and whatnot. Sadly.

I think allot of it is the whatnot. Per citydata page...2000 through 2006, the population increase was 2,107,510.

If my math is correct,

86% of the deaths were replaced with internal migration. Ok fine, 14% above attrition came here.

But there were:
1,338,458 births.
642,188 international migration.
1,980,646 Total.

That's over 93% of whatnot. And that's only what's documented. Undocumented is a blankload of whatnot.


Estimated 2006 population: 18,089,888

Change from 2000: +2,107,510

Births 2000-2006: 1,338,458

Deaths 2000-2006: 1,056,111

Internal migration 2000-2006: +1,221,540

International migration 2000-2006: +642,188

I'm happy to see that retirees cannot be responsible for all the whatnot that's going on in Florida. These new births do not bring in any revenue to the state.

Hey people, if you can't get jobs will you please stop having kids? LOLOL

[FringedNFab]

I had to move just outside the city where I'm at now in SW Ohio just above Cincinnati because it seemed more and more, too many parts of town were being opened up to Section 8 and with that, doesnt bring in the best of neighbors and after awhile, it turns a once nice looking neighborhood into a total dump! Also was just in the local paper the other day about too many people abusing that program and they wanted to get things under control. Basically city officials are seeing how it deteriorates a city if left uncontrolled.

[riveree]

This is in Jacksonville, but it could be anywhere...

I know of 2 neighborhoods that are directly across the street from each other. The neighborhoods were developed simultaneously by 2 different builders.

From all outward appearances, the builders were building a similar product - the houses were very much alike in appearance, home size, lot size, available upgrades, price, etc.

But there were subtle differences...

Builder A had regular mailboxes at the ends of the driveway while Builder B put community mailboxes on the street.

Builder A saved as many trees as possible while Builder B clearcut the entire center of the neighborhood so all the houses are out in the barren sun.

Builder A put one shade tree in the front yard of every single house while Builder B put none.

Builder A put nice, sweeping curving roads while Builder B went for the easier straight line roads.


Somehow, these 2 very similar neighborhoods attracted 2 very different types of people. Driving through them today, Builder A's neighborhood has some shade, the lawns are nicely landscaped and well-kept and the original neighborhood intention seems to be holding up well.

Meanwhile, Builder B's neighborhood looks shabby, no shade/desert-looking, half of the lawns are not kept up and the other half have bizzare landscaping design (like old tires used as planters...I kid you not ) and just general decline. There's an HOA, but it sure doesn't look like there is one.

I've seen this in quite a few neighborhoods - some age gracefully, others look awful at just a few years of age.

I think there's often something in the initial design phase - the layout of roads, the preservation of natural assets, etc.- that if the builder "skimps" or just uses poor judgement in design, it can come back to bite in future years. Meanwhile, a well thought-out plan can age beautifully and hold its' value.

That's my thought anyway .