Ghettos in Minnesota (St. Cloud: neighborhood, place to live, good to)

[uptown_urbanist]

Obviously there is no one set definition for an urban ghetto, but one common definition found in writings on urban poverty uses 40% poverty level to be one of the definitions; Phillips has about 32% poverty rate, which is admittedly higher than many places in Minnesota, and Phillips is obviously an overall poorer neighborhood, but that still means more than two-thirds of its residents are living above the poverty line. There's also a lot going on in Phillips; have you spent time on Franklin lately? There have been a bunch of new buildings with mixed-income housing and commercial space that has been built there relatively recently, and the neighborhood has taken on some pretty innovative housing and other initiatives. And the Midtown Exchange technically falls within Phillips' boundaries, and I really can't envision that area as a "ghetto". There's just too much positive stuff going on; I think of modern American ghettos as being far more segregated than anywhere in Phillips, but people from all over the metro area go by choice to the shops and restaurants and cultural activities of Phillips, and middle class people still choose to live there, and businesses choose to locate there. So yeah, I agree that it's one of the overall poorest, highest crime neighborhoods that you'll find in Minnesota, and it has definite problems (which a group of very active neighborhood residents have been addressing), but I still don't think it qualifies as an all-out ghetto by larger American standards. Maybe by Minnesotan standards.

[audadvnc]

I've never heard the "ghetto gas" appellation, or those other terms, but I'm not familiar with that neighborhood either. I remember, years ago, that big apartment building along 94 near Lexington in St Paul was referred to as the "slum in the sky".

And the Riverside Plaza apartments, as noted elsewhere, is called Somaliville by some - I'd not heard that before the other day, but it fits - it's like a halfway house for African immigrants just off the boat. They come to Minneapolis and have an African community all ready to accept them while they get the hang of living in the USA. Some stay, others move on with their lives after a year or so. We native Minnesotans have been spoiled by nice living all our lives, and wouldn't want to live there - but Cedar Riverside beats the heck out of Mogadishu; there aren't armed militias having shootouts below your apartment window here.

As for the shifting definitions of "ghetto", it's a slippery slope. I suppose somebody in Orono could say that Minnetonka was shady by comparison...

[Sdurkin46]

Originally Posted by demtion35

There are no ghettos in Minnesota now, but the only one I know of used to be in the downtown of Minneapolis Minnesota a huge one at that.

This is untrue. Come to the southside neighborhood in St. Cloud. Along with the all the drunks walking around at night near the university, St. Cloud has one of the densest Somali populations in the country. Believe it or not I have seen things such as a girl getting kidnapped in front of Perkins, armed robbery, and other crimes. They send watches out because many females have been robbed at night. My friend was also walking back from a party one night and got jumped by some somalians for his money.

[Radical_Car]

Originally Posted by Sdurkin46

This is untrue. Come to the southside neighborhood in St. Cloud. Along with the all the drunks walking around at night near the university, St. Cloud has one of the densest Somali populations in the country. Believe it or not I have seen things such as a girl getting kidnapped in front of Perkins, armed robbery, and other crimes. They send watches out because many females have been robbed at night. My friend was also walking back from a party one night and got jumped by some somalians for his money.

The Southside area also isn't anywhere close to being an urban ghetto, not even close. It's very laughable someone thinks that. The southside neighborhood is full of very old houses and buildings, and Tech High School has the oldest school building in the state(Central High School in St. Paul is the oldest high school in the state, Tech has the oldest building. I assume my teacher meant oldest school building in the state as in all schools, not just high schools). Tech's building was built in 1917, and of course there has been expansions built on since then. But just because all the houses and buildings are old doesn't make it an urban ghetto either.


And just because theres a dense Somali population doesn't mean the place is a ghetto, and St. Cloud wasn't some crime free Utopia before they came here. I know someone who got jumped behind Kmart in Waite Park by Somalians as well. I have also walked around downtown and a few other places after midnight and have been fine, use common sense and go with a group of people and mind to yourself. This applies to everywhere at anytime.

If you have witnessed a girl getting kidnapped, armed robberies, and other crimes, then hopefully you immediately called the police. It doesn't make much sense to complain if you witnessed the crime and did nothing about it.

I currently go to Tech High School, which is right by the Southside neighborhood, and any college neighborhood like that is going to have drunk people and occasional serious crimes, not just St. Cloud.

[Camden Northsider]

Originally Posted by Sdurkin46

This is untrue. Come to the southside neighborhood in St. Cloud. Along with the all the drunks walking around at night near the university, St. Cloud has one of the densest Somali populations in the country. Believe it or not I have seen things such as a girl getting kidnapped in front of Perkins, armed robbery, and other crimes. They send watches out because many females have been robbed at night. My friend was also walking back from a party one night and got jumped by some somalians for his money.

Yeah, "these streets is rough" in St. Cloud! What, with all of the Somalis that have moved there to TAKE JOBS and GO TO COLLEGE, and....all those....other reasons....someone would chose to move there...

Then again, I'm sure only the toughest survive if the above post is any bit indicative of some of the locals' ignorance.

P.S.- I work in the neighborhood with the densest Somali population in the country (and outside of Mogadishu, the world), at all hours of the day, and I've never been afraid for my safety and/or considered the area a "ghetto".

[audadvnc]

Originally Posted by Camden Northsider

I work in the neighborhood with the densest Somali population in the country (and outside of Mogadishu, the world), at all hours of the day, and I've never been afraid for my safety and/or considered the area a "ghetto".

I work in a hotel where about half the staff is African. The main issue I have is getting them to hold a conversation - only after about a year and a half will the setup guys even make eye contact with me. Maybe in Somalia it's considered rude to look directly at a stranger, I don't know.

As for personal crime in Minnesota? I've lived here for over 30 years and never seen a kidnapping, shooting, or armed robbery. I've seen plenty of bad car accidents - maybe we should outlaw cars instead of guns...

[ozzie679]

Originally Posted by Sdurkin46

This is untrue. Come to the southside neighborhood in St. Cloud. Along with the all the drunks walking around at night near the university, St. Cloud has one of the densest Somali populations in the country. Believe it or not I have seen things such as a girl getting kidnapped in front of Perkins, armed robbery, and other crimes. They send watches out because many females have been robbed at night. My friend was also walking back from a party one night and got jumped by some somalians for his money.

South St Cloud is not a ghetto. If you think so, you obviously have never been to an urban ghetto. I do not believe you witnessed a girl getting kidnapped at Perkins (which is downtown...not on the South side) I also do not believe your friend was jumped by Somalis. However, that story is much more believable than than allegedly witnessing a kidnapping. The only point that I will concede to you is there are some drunk college kids on the South side, but usually within a few blocks of campus.

http://activerain.com/blogsview/1734...in-st-cloud-mn

[Sdurkin46]

Originally Posted by ozzie679

South St Cloud is not a ghetto. If you think so, you obviously have never been to an urban ghetto. I do not believe you witnessed a girl getting kidnapped at Perkins (which is downtown...not on the South side) I also do not believe your friend was jumped by Somalis. However, that story is much more believable than than allegedly witnessing a kidnapping. The only point that I will concede to you is there are some drunk college kids on the South side, but usually within a few blocks of campus.

The Southside Historic Neighborhood District in St Cloud MN

I have obviously not grown up in an urban ghetto? Im from East LA and then South Minneapolis before ST cloud if I don't think thats a bad part of town you tell me what is. Perkins is about 5 blocks from southside if you don't believe me I could care less cause I know what I Saw. I also know that my friend DID get jumped by somalians considering I was with him the same night.

[ozzie679]

Originally Posted by Sdurkin46

I have obviously not grown up in an urban ghetto? Im from East LA and then South Minneapolis before ST cloud if I don't think thats a bad part of town you tell me what is. Perkins is about 5 blocks from southside if you don't believe me I could care less cause I know what I Saw. I also know that my friend DID get jumped by somalians considering I was with him the same night.

Wait a minute...I questioned if you even knew what a ghetto was and now you just happen to be from East L.A....that's rich!

[Radical_Car]

Originally Posted by Sdurkin46

I have obviously not grown up in an urban ghetto? Im from East LA and then South Minneapolis before ST cloud if I don't think thats a bad part of town you tell me what is. Perkins is about 5 blocks from southside if you don't believe me I could care less cause I know what I Saw. I also know that my friend DID get jumped by somalians considering I was with him the same night.

...The southside neighborhood isn't anything like the urban ghettos in Los Angeles...