Knox street, Lewiston (Rumford: low income, rent, high crime)

[biggspc]

I keep hearing about people from the L/A area talk about knox street and how terrible it is. How bad is it really? what makes it so bad? what area of a different town would you compare it to? anyone have any pictures? thanks in advance

[flycessna]

All it is is low income housing. Drive through any low income housing and you will see what knox st is like. I've seen streets that are just as bad in some of Maine's run down towns....ie. Rumford??

personaly as far as "bad".. I think Bartlett is just as bad or worse. As maine goes Lewiston doesn't really have violent crime issues like othere cities outside of Maine but it can be depressing.. I spent about several hrs down there the other day and I saw many thug wannabee's and low lifes walking around but no one said anything and I saw nothing happen..

I am not happy about our recent somali immigration but they do not cause many problems when it comes to crime and they do have decent family values...when compared to other demographics.... I will leave it at that..

If you have to see it that bad just google street view it!

[biggspc]

Originally Posted by flycessna

All it is is low income housing. Drive through any low income housing and you will see what knox st is like. I've seen streets that are just as bad in some of Maine's run down towns....ie. Rumford??

personaly as far as "bad".. I think Bartlett is just as bad or worse. As maine goes Lewiston doesn't really have violent crime issues like othere cities outside of Maine but it can be depressing.. I spent about several hrs down there the other day and I saw many thug wannabee's and low lifes walking around but no one said anything and I saw nothing happen..

I am not happy about our recent somali immigration but they do not cause many problems when it comes to crime and they do have decent family values...when compared to other demographics.... I will leave it at that..

If you have to see it that bad just google street view it!

i actually did google view it it it just looks like any other urban residential street to me which is why i asked the question. Thanks for the input. I dont want to start a debate about it or anything, im just looking to get the perspective of locals. thanks again

If i may ask, why are you unhappy about the somali immigration. if you dont feel comfortable posting here, shoot me a pm. Im not going to

[flycessna]

Originally Posted by biggspc

I actually did google view it it it just looks like any other urban residential street to me which is why i asked the question. Thanks for the input. I dont want to start a debate about it or anything, im just looking to get the perspective of locals. thanks again

If i may ask, why are you unhappy about the somali immigration. if you dont feel comfortable posting here, shoot me a pm. Im not going to

Basically they are a drain on our already overly taxed welfare network. Yes some work and there are some really highly educated and intellegent Somali's who are living and working here. But the reality is most are NOT working and are not completly self suffecient.. And I think its worng for the state to take the postition that anyone can come here from anywhere and be eligible for assistance. That Money is for residence who have fallen on hard times and not for people who just want a free meal ticket. I work and I can't just pack up and move where ever I want and expect other people to pay for me.

A depressed city in a depressed state should not have to bare the responsibility for them.

As an investor (realestate) I think the City will not be better off when this all said and done. regardless of what people say publicly... privately most people would not feel comfortable sending their child to a school that looks like it is in a 3rd world country. Recent deomographics have already shown and increase in non-white population of about 5k and a decrease in white population of about 3k.. the demographics changed from 99.6% white to 82% white in 5 years. And I am pretty sure we are not talking about Engineers and Scientist from asia and india to work in our high tech corridor immigrating here.. they are coming here and collecting welfare.. having children and the cycle will perpetuate?? (iam afraid)

So as a realist I have to deal the reality of the situation and I now have to question how I invest in area?

Also, some culture's are so different then our own there will never be full assimilation and IMO theirs is one.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by flycessna

Basically they are a drain on our already overly taxed welfare network. Yes some work and there are some really highly educated and intellegent Somali's who are living and working here. But the reality is most are NOT working and are not completly self suffecient.. And I think its worng for the state to take the postition that anyone can come here from anywhere and be eligible for assistance. That Money is for residence who have fallen on hard times and not for people who just want a free meal ticket. I work and I can't just pack up and move where ever I want and expect other people to pay for me.

A depressed city in a depressed state should not have to bare the responsibility for them.

As an investor (realestate) I think the City will not be better off when this all said and done. regardless of what people say publicly... privately most people would not feel comfortable sending their child to a school that looks like it is in a 3rd world country. Recent deomographics have already shown and increase in non-white population of about 5k and a decrease in white population of about 3k.. the demographics changed from 99.6% white to 82% white in 5 years. And I am pretty sure we are not talking about Engineers and Scientist from asia and india to work in our high tech corridor immigrating here.. they are coming here and collecting welfare.. having children and the cycle will perpetuate?? (iam afraid)

So as a realist I have to deal the reality of the situation and I now have to question how I invest in area?

Also, some culture's are so different then our own there will never be full assimilation and IMO theirs is one.

Blame Catholic Charities of Maine. They spent the money on bringing the poor Somali's here then bailed on them leaving the towns and state to pick up the tab!! MANY thousands of dollars worth of tab I might add!! Sure these people have had hard times but you can't tell me there wasn't another suitable place for these people between Somalia and Lewiston, Maine??? They don't like it here either but what choice do they have....they can't go back and have no money to settle anywhere else....sometimes.. the best of intentions.......

[flycessna]

Originally Posted by Maineah

Blame Catholic Charities of Maine. They spent the money on bringing the poor Somali's here then bailed on them leaving the towns and state to pick up the tab!! MANY thousands of dollars worth of tab I might add!! Sure these people have had hard times but you can't tell me there wasn't another suitable place for these people between Somalia and Lewiston, Maine??? They don't like it here either but what choice do they have....they can't go back and have no money to settle anywhere else....sometimes.. the best of intentions.......

Lets look at it this way, who benifits from them being here?? The very organizations that helped them relocate here.

And lets not make a mistake.. MOST of them are not recent refugee's coming off the boat. They have been in america for a long time and some for decades.There was initially a large migration was from atlanta where welfare benifits are capped.

I agree that they also did not like the high crime of Atlanta and wanted a more peacfull place to raise their families and I even appreciate that sentiment. But like I said... I dont have the ability to just pack up and move where ever I want and people should not be able to just come here because they like it!!

And as with illegal immigration, it is the Somali's that bare the brunt of this frustration because of their overwhelming representation of the those who are coming here and doing that.. I dont think anyone shuld be able to come here and do that.. not just somali's

We see so many on this forum dreaming of the day they can make their move to Maine looking for work, choosing the right town, saving their money.... they work hard to make their dreams come true.These people just show up expecting to be catered to and get exactly that!

[MemereLadyDi]

One perspective I heard on this was that, yes, some are given rent vouchers, which go to Lewiston landlords. Some are given food vouchers which are spent at Lewiston grocers, etc. So, in that way, it is good for the economy, but I really don't know enough about it to form an opinion about it, and I am not afraid to say so.

[mainerwoman]

Originally Posted by MemereLadyDi

One perspective I heard on this was that, yes, some are given rent vouchers, which go to Lewiston landlords. Some are given food vouchers which are spent at Lewiston grocers, etc. So, in that way, it is good for the economy, but I really don't know enough about it to form an opinion about it, and I am not afraid to say so.

Rent and food vouchers are not good for the economy. It is taxpayer money being spent on people who do not put back into the sysyem. Maine needs to stop offering a helping hand to every person who can crawl across the state line.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by MemereLadyDi

One perspective I heard on this was that, yes, some are given rent vouchers, which go to Lewiston landlords. Some are given food vouchers which are spent at Lewiston grocers, etc. So, in that way, it is good for the economy, but I really don't know enough about it to form an opinion about it, and I am not afraid to say so.

Huh?? What tree do you think the voucher money falls from?? Taxpayers have to foot that bill. Meaning you and me!! Do you want part of your paycheck going toward providing food and shelter for people who will not provide for themselves??? If so for how long??? And for how many?? Maine has to stop trying to be a liberal sanctuary state for the down trodden in life. For one we can't afford it, for two we don't need it, and for three they have no place to go in the winter!! San Francisco WANTS you all ...give them a bus ticket!!