Gary -- are things getting better? (Camden: taxes, cities, buildings)

[Mimidae]

I hope that's true. I had to drive through Gary in 2012 on my way to Indianapolis - the interstate was undergoing construction , I think, and you had to detour through Gary. I remember thinking that it was the most impoverished place I'd ever seen in the US. So many boarded up houses right next to the downtown. There was one with a gigantic hole in the roof - about the size of a hot tub, and I thought "Welp, clearly nobody lives THERE". Then we got closer and I realized there were little kids in diapers playing in the yard, and adults sitting on the porch. It really affected me, and I've never forgotten it. I wish people who talk about "welfare queens" could have seen it.

So I hope things are a little better. I hope that family is living in a habitable place now.

[msamhunter]

Originally Posted by ColdAilment

Really...and just where are you getting your figures from? It's kind of hard to spin the truth on the dollar amount a mayor gets paid, either it's this amount or it isn't.

Gary mayor salary is in the city budget which is public record. 88k for mayor, 54k for gsd. The star is just wrong. I get you know nothing of Gary but there are those of us who know plenty. You are just wrong.

[Northwest Indiana]

Gary has made improvements as far as demolishing abandoned buildings in the downtown area and redeveloping lots. As for the whole "I'm scared to drive through Gary"...Yeah, I used to be that way when I was younger living a bubble-wrapped suburban life...then I grew up and realized that THOUSANDS of professionals and ordinary people (not from Gary) have to drive through, around, and within Gary, and "gasp" even work in Gary (and no, not at the mill)...and they are fine...Driving through Gary is not a death sentence.

With that being said, I would not live in Gary for several reasons. Number 1, when you factor in driving miles away to get groceries, high property taxes, lack of city services, poor performing and wild schools, living in Gary would cost me way more (if I wanted to live in a similar home) as it would living in Crown Point or another suburban area. Number 2, until they seriously start going after delinquent property owners and slum lords, it won't get better. Also, when Marshalls opened a few years ago, people though this would bring so much change but of course, it closed not too long after due to crime...a dang Marshalls! That is not good.

[msamhunter]

Originally Posted by Northwest Indiana

Gary has made improvements as far as demolishing abandoned buildings in the downtown area and redeveloping lots. As for the whole "I'm scared to drive through Gary"...Yeah, I used to be that way when I was younger living a bubble-wrapped suburban life...then I grew up and realized that THOUSANDS of professionals and ordinary people (not from Gary) have to drive through, around, and within Gary, and "gasp" even work in Gary (and no, not at the mill)...and they are fine...Driving through Gary is not a death sentence.

With that being said, I would not live in Gary for several reasons. Number 1, when you factor in driving miles away to get groceries, high property taxes, lack of city services, poor performing and wild schools, living in Gary would cost me way more (if I wanted to live in a similar home) as it would living in Crown Point or another suburban area. Number 2, until they seriously start going after delinquent property owners and slum lords, it won't get better. Also, when Marshalls opened a few years ago, people though this would bring so much change but of course, it closed not too long after due to crime...a dang Marshalls! That is not good.

Can see the logic in that w/schools esp at the high school level but my niece and nephew are both at wirt wait, I mean Emerson and they win every trophy possible, even against their suburban counterparts. I would venture to guess parental involvement plays a large factor. After all the best scores in the state at the elem level is an IPS school.

Grocery shopping living on the west side, east midtown and north glen park can be very difficult as they have to goto Hammond, Hobart or merrillville as the closet option. Miller has what two grocery stores now so miller/Aetna served, the store on 9th & Broadway probably older than me. Only other one is the one right at 25th & grant (if it's still open) serves west midtown, part of small farms and tolleston. Miller minus aetna and tolleston fine to live in. Everywhere else, not so much. Tolleston closer to 25th will get you crown point/schererville type suburban tract all look alike houses in and around 21st and ellsworth. Miller housing very diverse and miller upper income homes trumps mcmansionville cookie cutters IMO.

City can't get rid of the houses they already took years and years ago for lack of paying property taxes cause the county won't forgive the back taxes and no one is going to pay more in back taxes than they are for the house so thank your county govt as well. County forgives taxes they won't collect anyway, some of those properties could move.

Services do suck but apparently better under kfw.

The city would do better if it revamped its licensing requirements to do business. They are freaking impossible and a lot of business that WOULD do business in the city won't due to its damn near grease the palms political bs the city makes them go through.

[BurnInTheMil]

Hey how about we quit argueing about stupid stuff? Gary sucks, it's not a nice place and probably never will be. That's the simple and ugly truth. End of story

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by Greg10556

Hey how about we quit argueing about stupid stuff? Gary sucks, it's not a nice place and probably never will be. That's the simple and ugly truth. End of story

Hey how about we find arguments that ended a month ago and tell everyone to stop.

[qweezy219]

Gary is still the most ghetto run down city in the u.s. and some wanna keep it that way...30 police officers quit so far this year.theres still lots of homeless ppl and still lots of abandoned homes and schools..and GI is still 89% black...80,000 people and declining....on the plus side they are tearing down some buildings,,gary still has some of the best food and choices of food and the u.s..people still live here and is thriving..miller beach neighborhood is still one of the best unique neighborhoods in the midwest,and u can buy a 3bdrm house in gary in ok condition for about 15,000

[Nikko12]

Originally Posted by qweezy219

Gary is still the most ghetto run down city in the u.s. and some wanna keep it that way...30 police officers quit so far this year.theres still lots of homeless ppl and still lots of abandoned homes and schools..and GI is still 89% black...80,000 people and declining....on the plus side they are tearing down some buildings,,gary still has some of the best food and choices of food and the u.s..people still live here and is thriving..miller beach neighborhood is still one of the best unique neighborhoods in the midwest,and u can buy a 3bdrm house in gary in ok condition for about 15,000

I'm not sure what you are implying, "Gary is still 89% black" what does that have to do with the state of the city? It's actually 84% African American, so are you saying that is the reason that Gary is in the shape it is in? It has nothing to do with race, put poverty in general. Just because a majority of the population isn't white does not mean anything.

Anyway, I think that Gary is slowly improving, but it's not going to be a success story anytime soon. They need taxes to fund the government and they have very little, so there is not much they can do. Tearing down abandoned buildings is a start though.

[ColdAilment]

Originally Posted by Nikko12

I'm not sure what you are implying, "Gary is still 89% black" what does that have to do with the state of the city? It's actually 84% African American, so are you saying that is the reason that Gary is in the shape it is in? It has nothing to do with race, put poverty in general. Just because a majority of the population isn't white does not mean anything.

Anyway, I think that Gary is slowly improving, but it's not going to be a success story anytime soon. They need taxes to fund the government and they have very little, so there is not much they can do. Tearing down abandoned buildings is a start though.

Usually the cities with abnormally high black populations are in worse shape. Detroit, Gary, Camden, East St. Louis.