A Walk on the Wild Side (Pittsburgh, Braddock: home, crime, investment)

[Hopes]

Yeah, the UNPAID tax bill of $2.81 per year. Amazing!

11k now worth $600! That's how bad Homewood is.

Anyone would be a fool to buy property there. It's value will just continue to dive at warp speed.

[Drover]

I honestly don't know if it can dive any lower. I mean, a vacant flippin' lot for $600??? In this city, vacant lots deep in the 'hood command at least 50 grand, more often 100 grand or more....

[razzy]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Hey, you deleted the property that you said looked well kept!

That was because it was on Tioga St, but I realized that it wasn't in the Homewood neighborhood, but probably in a nicer neighborhood in another area.

[razzy]

Originally Posted by Drover

It's astonishing someone paid 11 grand for that... thing... "Full Market Value: $600"

I love the annual tax bill: $2.81 At some point you'd figure the city (or Jordan Tax Service) would just write it off as costing more to administer the collection of the tax than you'll get from actually collecting it.

Is Pennsylvania a tax sale state? In my state and city, we have a tax sale every year where there is an auction of properties that didnt have taxes paid on them. You could go to the tax sale and buy that place for a few bucks if the owner decided to not pay the $2.81. Might be a good way for the owner to get rid of the property. Just quit paying taxes on it.

[PApisces]

Once, while I was in College I went to pick up a friend of mine who was drunk in oakland. Somehow, through a series of very bad wrong turns, we ended up in the Hill District. It was "scary" enough on it's own. It got worse when my moronic friend started screaming the "n" word out the window!

Trust me, there is nothing at all "quaint" about those neighborhoods at night even if you don't have some racist idiot in your passenger seat.

[razzy]

Best time to check out a bad neighborhood is early in the morning in the daylight, like at 9 or 10 in the morning. The criminals are still in bed at that time, and nothing much bad is happening yet.

I've been through East St Louis Illinois, and the north part of the city of St Louis. Both are horrible places, and ones to avoid. But if you go through them during the morning hours, its probably okay. But stay on the main thoroughfares and lock your doors anyway.

[angellewis]

I used to walk on the wild side growing up in Pgh for 29 yrs.

I grew up in South Side on Josphine Street, I used to walk on Carson Street late at nights, Used to walk on streets of Hazelwood at nights or any day, Greenfield, The hill, Used to walk around town alot at nights.

I was never afraid then, I used to be a rebellious kid and I would not let people mess with me then.

My dad was a cop in the North Side, my mom and I both were picking him up at midnight from work and we were caught in a drive by near us and I saw a drug deal gone bad behind the station too as well, that is scary. Try the Mexican War Streets at night that is bad as well.

The main drag in North Side where the Allegheny Center Alliance Church is every day there is at least one person shot near there and at least 3 were killed.

Now I am a country gal.

[the206]

Originally Posted by Drover

Seriously, why shouldn't someone be thankful to not have to live among human misery every day?

No reason you shouldn't. Look, I'm am FAR from being PC, but saying that one is "thankful" to not have to deal with, as you put it, "human misery" every day, but would like to just get a peek at it is not equivalent to just stating one is glad to not have to live there. Let's imagine asking someone, "Hey, I'm glad I don't live in your neighborhood but could I maybe do a sleepover, because I'm just curious what it might be like?" Does that possibly sound like it may come off just a tad insensitive?

[PApisces]

Originally Posted by the206

No reason you shouldn't. Look, I'm am FAR from being PC, but saying that one is "thankful" to not have to deal with, as you put it, "human misery" every day, but would like to just get a peek at it is not equivalent to just stating one is glad to not have to live there. Let's imagine asking someone, "Hey, I'm glad I don't live in your neighborhood but could I maybe do a sleepover, because I'm just curious what it might be like?" Does that possibly sound like it may come off just a tad insensitive?

The question I have is this: How much longer are we supposed to feel sympathy/empathy for these neighborhoods? The truth is, whether it's PC or not, these neighborhoods just bleed into neighboring communities and ruin them too! That's a statistically proven FACT.

Addison, TX, where I currently live is the perfect example. Between Wal-Mart and the Katrina "victims", this neighborhood has gone straight to heck! I say "victims" in quotations because all that has really happened is they moved from th LA welfare rolls over onto TX's. Period. There were widely publicised stories here in TX about "victims" taking their $2500 Debit cards(BAD idea to begin with! What was the Govt THINKING???) and spending them on electronics and strip clubs! For some strange reason, some people seem to thrive in "human misery" conditions.

I, for one, am tired of the continual need to provide handOUTS to folks who aren't looking for a hand UP. As the current laws stand, I, personally, am not entitled to any of the benefits, should I ever need them, that my hard-earned tax dollars pay for!

Lost causes are lost causes. I am tired of throwing good money after bad. When do we reach the point that we expect people to take responsibility for their own actions or inactions?

[zip95]

Originally Posted by PApisces

Between Wal-Mart and the Katrina "victims", this neighborhood has gone straight to heck! I say "victims" in quotations because all that has really happened is they moved from th LA welfare rolls over onto TX's. Period. There were widely publicised stories here in TX about "victims" taking their $2500 Debit cards(BAD idea to begin with! What was the Govt THINKING???) and spending them on electronics and strip clubs! For some strange reason, some people seem to thrive in "human misery" conditions.

I can understand your anger. Its severity is at times "troubling", but nevertheless, I can understand where it comes from...It truly must be a burden to feel so helpless. I don't know your personal situation, but in generally, a person usually has to feel pretty powerless and stuck in order to blame naturaly disaster victims.

These are the times in your life where you have to dig deep, and I encourage you to do so. You have to stop blaming the Gov't and take control of your own poor situation. The Gov't is not going to send all the immigrants back to Mexico, nor will they send the natural disaster victims back to Orleans. Get a handle on your own life and your own affairs...get out there and be somebody...change your own circumstances!!!

PS

I forgive you for saying my wife and children would be better off if I got hit by a bus.