race relations in Jacksonville and other issues (relocating, landscaping)

[searchingforsun]

So, how are relations between whites and minorities? How are people treated? Is panhandling or begging a problem in downtown or other areas of Jacksonville?

[riveree]

Like anywhere in the US, the closer in to a city center the higher the tolerance level . This holds true in Jacksonville and you can add "beach" alongside city center (the beach areas in Jax are diverse).

Downtown has some issues. There is a small homeless population that the city doesn't quite seem to know what to do with. I've never had any problems downtown. I've been approached, and maybe it was for panhandling? I've never let the conversation go far enough to find out .

[David in JAX]

For such a small downtown, the homeless problem is very severe in Jacksonville. Panhandling is illegal in Jacksonville so you don't see a lot of it, but it is still out there. What you do see is a lot of public urination/defecation, sex, violence and general nudity downtown. My office is located downtown and it is a nightmare at times. We have to clean up mounds of food, trash, beer cans and drug paraphernalia every morning after we ask four or five people to stop sleeping under our awnings. Our landscaping is used as a public restroom which I won't describe. On the weekends there is even a little village of people camping out across the street under the trees. In the village during broad daylight you will see public urination/defecation, people using water hoses as showers, people smoking crack, people having sex etc. It is terrible. But, the city turns a blind eye to this problem and claims to have "solved the homeless issue downtown."

As I write this I now see fifteen homeless people from my office window (not an exageration).

[rtt]

Jax Beach also has a homeless problem that no one seems to know what to do about.

[searchingforsun]

Thank you for your honest replys. I am moving to Jacksonville and wanted to know what to look forward to.

[lazy_d]

Be forewarned that the bigotry is pretty bad here. I was very surprised and disappointed with the level of it here.

[tikvah4u2]

I lived in Jacksonville for three years and I never really had a problem with racism etc... my experiences were considerably worse living in Michigan.

[beachykeener]

Is there a latino population in Jax and the surrounding areas? I started a thread about us possibly relocating there. My DH and I have 11 month old twins that we adopted from Guatemala and we'd like for them to not be the only latinos in their classes.

[HIF]

Yes, but it is vry low... you could check out the demographics of the local schools in deciding where to live. There are a number of A-rated schools that have a visible latino presence- not like in other areas, but they would not be alone.

[travelingfood]

I see plenty of people holding signs by the freeway on/off ramps, not just isolated to downtown but they're strategically placed all over JAX. Some even does late night shifts on the busy blanding blvd (the danger of not noticing them). It's usally fine when they don't come knockin your window...

being a minority...haven't had much true racism out here (knocks wood) It's plenty diverse around both sides of the river, beaches, and mall areas. I mean racism can happen anywhere...JAX is just not really known for such issue, I think. But can't always assume everyone's all friendly here.