subdivision map? (Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake: low income, section 8, apartment complexes)

[hammer head]

This is silly but I need help with subdivisions. I'm from MA and will most likely be moving to HR soon. I hear talk about saught after places to live and ones to avoid on this forum but I'm totally confused. Is there a map of subdivisions someone can direct me to please? And when people mention places like 'knells ridge' for example, is that a subdivision or a housing development or does that mean the same thing? Ah! help please. I'm lost.

[Erma]

Virginia Beach, Virginia VA Community Profile: City Data, Resources, Maps

[Hokie]

I know Massachusetts well. This place is nothing like it. Masschusettts has town squares with streets branching out and making the comunity. Here we have these awful subdivisions. There are some nice homes, but basically subdiviions usually are off by themselves. It isn't like Massachusetts where the kids can walk up to the square and go to the library or the little theater or candy shop, etc. Outside the subdivions are usually very busy roads and commercial strips. There is not much in the way of community here like there is in much of Massachusetts. Some ares have some feeling of a community, but many don't. What city are you looking to move to? I can recommend some subdivisions to you.

[Hokie]

One other thing, up there a housing project is a place for low-income people. Down here there are many apartments full of low-income people, but they don't call them all projects. There are some projects in Norfolk, but down here there are so many apartment and townhouse complexes that in Massachusetts would be called projects. Also, some people down here call new housing developments 'projects.' It confused me. Knells Ridge I think is a subdivsion in Chesapeake. By housing development, do you mean a housing project like in Massachusetts?

[Erma]

My spouse being from Massachusetts enjoys this area much more than the run down sections of MA. As many times as I've been to the small areas of MA, like Dracut (SP), Lowell, Topsfield, I have not been impressed. Low income people in general are not scum. They deserve to have a chance to experience some type of comfort in living though they can not afford the luxuries that the rest of us take for granted. The housing projects in general are going away. Many have been torn down and new complexes built. Section 8 or "subsidized housing" is funded so that those that are lower income, not necessarily welfare cases and many being retired on Social Security, have help with paying rent.
Community is what you make it.

[darzz1]

Originally Posted by Hokie

I know Massachusetts well. This place is nothing like it. Masschusettts has town squares with streets branching out and making the comunity. Here we have these awful subdivisions. There are some nice homes, but basically subdiviions usually are off by themselves. It isn't like Massachusetts where the kids can walk up to the square and go to the library or the little theater or candy shop, etc. Outside the subdivions are usually very busy roads and commercial strips. There is not much in the way of community here like there is in much of Massachusetts. Some ares have some feeling of a community, but many don't. What city are you looking to move to? I can recommend some subdivisions to you.

I have to say I totally agree with you!

I'm from Natick MA. and couldn't agree with you more. There is NOT much sense of community in this area. It could be that there is a large population here and it's almost city like in the suburbs. It's all pretty generic (mostly),,
same stripe malls.., 7 11's on every corner, gas stations and food lions and more stipe malls.

There is always the beach - which is packed and nice boardwalk.

I do like the weather much better here than MA. cold winters.

[hammer head]

Originally Posted by Hokie

I know Massachusetts well. This place is nothing like it. Masschusettts has town squares with streets branching out and making the comunity. Here we have these awful subdivisions. There are some nice homes, but basically subdiviions usually are off by themselves. It isn't like Massachusetts where the kids can walk up to the square and go to the library or the little theater or candy shop, etc. Outside the subdivions are usually very busy roads and commercial strips. There is not much in the way of community here like there is in much of Massachusetts. Some ares have some feeling of a community, but many don't. What city are you looking to move to? I can recommend some subdivisions to you.

Hey thanks. Chesapeake and Virginia Beach

[Erma]

Originally Posted by hammer head

Hey thanks. Chesapeake and Virginia Beach

Try Windsor Woods or Winsor Oaks for VB.

[hammer head]

Originally Posted by Hokie

One other thing, up there a housing project is a place for low-income people. Down here there are many apartments full of low-income people, but they don't call them all projects. There are some projects in Norfolk, but down here there are so many apartment and townhouse complexes that in Massachusetts would be called projects. Also, some people down here call new housing developments 'projects.' It confused me. Knells Ridge I think is a subdivsion in Chesapeake. By housing development, do you mean a housing project like in Massachusetts?

No. sorry. I didn't mean 'housing project' but now that you mention it, that would confuse things even more wouldn't it. I could be wrong b/c we don't say 'subdivision' in MA, but I think subs and our term - housing development - might mean the same thing. Although if you want to confuse things further - some housing developments in MA are specifically all section 8, government subsidized housing. Those developments are mulitiple apartment complexes with a name like Apple Village for example.

We are starting to see builders buy up land, give it a name like Deer Run on a sign at the entrance and build a bunch of pricey single family homes. (This hasn't been the norm in the past.) I think this is kinda what you guys are calling subdivisions right? However around here you don't leave the sub and hit a busy road with strip malls. You just drive out onto a residential road with more individual houses.

The other thing that confuses me is 'associations'. They require fees right? So are your subs also associations? I don't think ours are b/c our housing developments don't have playgrounds, pool, clubhouse etc. Ah! It's all so confusing!

[Erma]

Not all sub-divisions have associations. Many have civic leagues that include the people who live in the sub-divisions, monthly meetings etc. etc. Home Owners Associations (HOA's) charge a monthly fee, tell you what you can do and not do with your property.