Any Info on the Poconos area? (Scranton, Wilkes-Barre: homes, neighborhood, buying)

[NYCBK]

Osomd1 I totally agree with you, these people are scared of everything. Grow up

[WayneMeyers]

Grow up? To what, acceptance of crime, gangs, and drugs where 5 years ago little existed?

It is a shame that people feel this is the normal way of life, and not the other way around.

[osomd1]

I think that people that have lived here longer should be more appreciative
of the newcomers, who bring money, education and culture to this area,
where for the most part people live in slummy houses in the woods, not kept,
frequently with abandoned cars in the yard, regarding crime most of it is committed by the local youngsters that have been trapped in a cycle of the local lifestyle, kids from NY, and NJ tend to get better education, a large part
of the local population work in the construction of the "McMansions" of the newcomers, without this I guarantee that this area would be "deep Appalachia"

[WayneMeyers]

Should they appreciate the huge tax increases the newcomers have brought with them, before which they had a normal life with a short commute to a job with wages in line with the cost of living of the area? Now they cannot afford to live here anymore, and have to leave. Shall I mention the traffic congestion and over burdened public services?

Whatever "money" is being brought here is not being passed along to the locals, only the ever increasing cost of living.

I guess the gang tag graffitti is the culture you are talking about. Driving to one of the many cultural attractions of the region must be considered a bore when we can observe this new exciting artwork instead right in our own back yard. Cultural attractions existed in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and the Lehigh Valley long before we all moved out here, and plenty of locals enjoyed these venues. Yeah, there was crime here before, maybe someone got out of hand. You know what happened? They took that person behind the barn, and after that the problem was solved. No police, no court costs. People knew who every one was in those days.

Some people live in crappy shacks with junked cars in the yard here, and some people live in slummy apartments with junked cars on their street back east. Stereotypes serve no useful purpose in debating a point. The majority of the many locals I have met are well educated, respectful people, many with families, and holding good - local or regional - jobs or businesses. They have all their teeth, and when I visited their homes, there were no junked cars sitting in the yard.

These same people were doing just fine without all the development taking place these past 5 years or so.

These types of migrations are taking place all over the country, and cannot be stopped - nor do I believe they should be. However, the people who lived here for generations at least deserve the courtesy and respect that we at the very least acknowledge the devastation we are bringing to their way of life along with us. I make no apologies for moving here, but I try to be a good neighbor and leave behind the city attitude that I am special and deserve special consideration because I happened to be born and raised in Brooklyn.

There is nothing I can offer these people but my friendship and support if they need help. And you know what? They don't mind having me for a neighbor, no matter where I happened to move here from.

[engsmom]

I find this topic very interesting....I am from Long Island, my husband and I are looking to relocate our family and are taking our first (of many) trips to the Pocono Region this April to meet with builders and realtors to see the area, drive around, look at schools, etc. Then in May we are returning to look in the Lehigh valley area as well.

Growing up on Long Island, NYCis just an hour drive away from where we are. Crime, drugs, gangs have migrated from the city to LI and I guess we all just deal with it. I think it is how you choose to live in these neighborhoods and raise your family is what makes all the difference. In all towns you will find the "bad apples". I think even the tiny towns of America have their own "issues" whether it be crime, gangs, drugs, etc....there is no perfect place. All we can do is try to make where we live as best as it could be and raise our children so they won't fall into the gangs,drugs and crime scenes.

And as for those people you speak of "migrating" from urban areas, etc...we are not all bad. It is a shame that my husband and I who are both college educated with degree's who work in great jobs in NYC can't afford a home on LI due to rising taxes and costs - especially if you have children and/or have to commute via the LIRR/MTA. There is no affordable housing left here anymore unless you are recieving government aid of some kind, and many on LI don't qualify for that either.

I am disappointed that some people imply on these boards (not just the PA board but other states as well) that people migrating from other states brings in unwanted issues or a different feel. I am sure many people in many states are not "natives" of that state and relocated for many years and now call it home. Our relatives all came from other countries, states, etc...it is a shame that it was okay for our ancestors to come to the US for a better life and opportunities, to settle down, but because we choose to reloacte to another state we are not welcomed to try to start our life and make a better future for our children....

[I LOVE PA!]

I have lived in Pa for 13 years, coming from Long Island. I was truly shocked by the way I was judged, just because I came from N.Y. I had no idea that this would be the situation and encountered negative comments at work as well as from school teachers. It doesn't matter where you come from in N.Y., upstate N.Y. is no different than the Poconos, L.I. is very different than Manhattan, but we are all lumped together in that group that some locals like to call 'transplants'. I have already gotten into a heated discussion with someone on this board about this topic, several of her posts are very negative towards NYers. I find it so ignorant, especailly since this individual is from another country!
Where I live, whenever there are problems, it is always the N.Y.ers who get blamed, and unfortunately, after so many years, some N.Y.ers are only so glad to remind the locals when it is THEM or THEIR kids causing the problem of the week. It is a shame that everyone just doesn't accept people for who they are, and not judge them because of where they are from.
From what I understand, unfortunately, NYers are not welcomed very well in many states.
Don't let it stop you! I love Pa., and the people in it. If only I could find a polite comeback to the locals who try to tell me that I'm like one of them, they don't consider me a NYer. (Is that a compliment or an insult?)

[WayneMeyers]

Stereotyping hurts everyone. If you live your life in a positive way, then it doesn't matter what others think of you. At the end of the day, we are all in the same boat.

[INPASINCE68]

Vegas Girl, as you can see people are very proud of where they live. It doesn't matter where you live as long as you are providing your family a safer and better environment to raise your family. I've lived here since 1968, orginally a transplant from Atlanta. Yes, the area has changed for the better in a number of aspects. No matter were you in the U.S. you will find some form of crime. It seems that ScrantonWilkesBarre has some "issues" with Monroe. I do not want to get in a "shouting match" over which area is better because it all comes down to your choice. Scranton and the Wilkes Barre area also have their share of gangs, low income households, a one plus hour drive to the PA/NJ bourder, not to mention an additional hour and half the the GWB and also a large drug problem. You can verify any of this information at the local tv channel web sites. Monroe County does have certian neighborhoods or developments that my family would not live in. You will be able to know this by the price of homes in the developments,$75,000 to $100,000, fixer uppers - that affordable living that ScratonWilkesBarre boast about. Do yourself a favor, spend the day, the weekend or a week driving around Monroe and Pike Counties and see for yourself!

[i'malreadyhere]

I've lived her all my life! Make a great living in the Pocono's. I have just one question for you. Where are you people getting your information from? Drive-by shootings, gangs roaming the streets etc.... These are things that are blown up by the local newspapers and you people read it and blow it up more! Get off your computers and get ot to enjoy what the Poconos's has to offer! You read one thing then assume it must be more than it is. Yes, there is crime here but as far a Scranton, Wilkes Barre and Allentown there is much more crime and gangs in those areas! Get outside and see for yourself!

[poconoproud]

I have lived in the Poconos for 36 years ~ which constitutes my entire existence. I love it here. I know there is crime, but there is crime in every town, every city, every country on this planet. If you want change ~ be a catalist. Start a neighborhood watch program, start a program for youth that would otherwise be roaming the streets, bored because their parents work 3 hours from home. Why be pissed off, when you can take all that energy to become proactive? What you call minorities, I call friends (or transplants). I have met some very, very nice people who have moved here from NYC (and NJ) who are better citizens in the Poconos than some of the natives.


That's my take, anyway~