Why do Houston residents (born elsewhere) hate on Houston?

[Newbe10]

Originally Posted by iamtall

The things is they do move once they can, and all they do is complain about Houston still. I have never heard anything positive about Houston from people who move to CA from Houston TX. Texans from other areas like DFW, Lubbock, etc, rave about Texas. But people that move from Houston to anywhere else never have anything good to say about it. Is there anything positive about Houston at all. Seriously all I ever hear is trash talk. People from other cities in TX even tell me never to visit Houston. They say it is the armpit of Texas.

I have never visited because I have been warned by so many others not to. Is this a fair assessment of Houston?

I would just ignore the haters. The people hating on Houston either didn't get out enough when they lived there or they just couldn't appreciate all that the city has to offer. IMHO, there are many more positives to the city of Houston than negatives.

If there weren't so many positives to the city, then a young guy like me who lives in Dallas wouldn't make multiple trips down there each month. I could make a list at least a 100 pages long of positive things about Houston.

Also, many of those people that complain are just people who are not happy NO MATTER WHERE THEY LIVE.

[tawfiqmp]

born and raised in Houston for close to 20 years, once I moved out last year and visited some other cities, I figured out that it really isn't fair to compare Houston to places likes NY, Chicago and SF. It's just not that kind of a city. I don't see the need to hate it, I love my home town. But it's a family town and that's why when you compare it to some of the more famous cities, it's just really not going to win.

[Newbe10]

Originally Posted by tawfiqmp

born and raised in Houston for close to 20 years, once I moved out last year and visited some other cities, I figured out that it really isn't fair to compare Houston to places likes NY, Chicago and SF. It's just not that kind of a city. I don't see the need to hate it, I love my home town. But it's a family town and that's why when you compare it to some of the more famous cities, it's just really not going to win.

Actually, I would put Houston up there with Chicago, NYC, LA, and SF. It is the only city in Texas with a true "international" feeling. Houston more than deserves to be compared with the likes of SF or NYC. I think that is why many people in Texas hate on it. As it is more like those cities than any other city in Texas. All I know is H-town is a great city and will always have my support!!

[bloodwings19]

Wasn't born in Houston, but grew up here from infant. One thing I hate is the changing of the landscape, like recently when I drove on FM1960 especially on the west end. It went from comparable Westheimer to MLK, I see more Dollar stores and more fast food than real corporate stores, or waiter-type restaurants. So sad that a once bustling place went to a penny-pinching area. One of the saddest is seeing Kuykendahl/1960 becoming an empty parking lot. I don't hate Houston, I just hate that some parts of it are gone.

[Newbe10]

Originally Posted by bloodwings19

Wasn't born in Houston, but grew up here from infant. One thing I hate is the changing of the landscape, like recently when I drove on FM1960 especially on the west end. It went from comparable Westheimer to MLK, I see more Dollar stores and more fast food than real corporate stores, or waiter-type restaurants. So sad that a once bustling place went to a penny-pinching area. One of the saddest is seeing Kuykendahl/1960 becoming an empty parking lot. I don't hate Houston, I just hate that some parts of it are gone.

Well you should see the NW side of H-town along highway 290. That appears to be the newest side of Houston and full of the trendy shops that you are looking for. H-town covers 580 square miles, and I gaurantee that you will see a LOT of high end stores.

[Rowdy]

Originally Posted by Newbe10

Actually, I would put Houston up there with Chicago, NYC, LA, and SF. It is the only city in Texas with a true "international" feeling. Houston more than deserves to be compared with the likes of SF or NYC. I think that is why many people in Texas hate on it. As it is more like those cities than any other city in Texas. All I know is H-town is a great city and will always have my support!!

I am a Texan born 1953 in Abilene. Lived in Dallas, and Houston as well. Traveled around the world.

Houston is on a wrong path and seems to have little guidance from their leaders. Dallas and Austin are the future.

[tawfiqmp]

Originally Posted by Newbe10

Actually, I would put Houston up there with Chicago, NYC, LA, and SF. It is the only city in Texas with a true "international" feeling. Houston more than deserves to be compared with the likes of SF or NYC. I think that is why many people in Texas hate on it. As it is more like those cities than any other city in Texas. All I know is H-town is a great city and will always have my support!!

I don't think so. It's just not that kind of city. And the direction it's heading in, it's definitely not in towards any of those kinds of cities. I'm not taking anything away from Houston, it's a great city. But right now and for the short-term future, it's definitely not in the class of cities like NY, Chicago and SF. In some ways you can relate it to NYC and SF because of it's diversity but I'm mainly talking about the city itself and not its population. It's not a fair comparison to those cities. It's more on the likes of Philly, Miami, etc.