Hello, moving to Portland and need help :) (Gresham, Hillsboro: crime, how much)

[MirrorSaw1]

Ok OK I don't want to beat a dead horse but I need some answers to a few questions...

First of all I know portland is nearly all White. Not a problem for me at all but it may or may not be a problem for the locals as I am a Hispanic male. A city thats not use to diversity might get the wrong idea about other cultures.I don't want to repeat a "racism in Portland" thread but what do people think of Hispanics? I am clean cut and not the stereotype of a hoodlum.

2nd question is I know there is a sea of homeless people in the city. Are they a serious or minor problem? Crime is low but how aggressive are they in bothering people? I like to ride my bike at night and don't want to be bothered by detours because of them and any kind of trouble.

3rd How much does it snow and how frequent?

4th I guess the east side isn't a good place to live am I correct?

Anyways thanks to all that reply in honesty.

[sayulita]

Did you even bother to read through this forum before asking these questions? All of it is right there. That's my honest reply.

[hamellr]

Question #1 and #2 are going to depend on where in Portland or it's suburbs you're going to be.

Hillsboro and Gresham are both heavily populated with Hispanics, but Tigard and Lake Oswego aren't so much. Either way you're probably not going to experience much racism at all. Can't say that it won't happen at all, but it's not like you're going to be called names and have bottles thrown at you just walking down the street. More likely you'll get a sneer from some idiot. BTW - the racism happens on both sides, I've had to deal with Hispanics who insist they "No Hablo!" when I heard them speaking English just a few minutes earlier with no trace of an accent.

There is not a sea of homeless people though. Estimates range from 3000 to 6000 depending on who's counting and who's fudging the numbers. Numbers are higher in the last couple of years due to the economy though. Most the homeless you'll encounter will be in the downtown and Oldtown areas close to services that cater to them.

Other places you'll see them is on highway on and off ramps looking for hand outs, but don't give them any money as they're most likely part of a crime ring. Just give your money directly to homeless services.

Snow happens once, maybe twice a year and melts off within hours or a day at the most. Rarely over half and in ch. Usually the big things to worry about are ice storms that lay a thin layer of black ice over roads. This is more likely to cause Portland to shut down then snow as black ice is slicker then normal ice due to the fact that it hovers right at freezing temperature.

But based on weather patterns so far this year, all indications are that we'll have another fairly big storm like we had in 2008. There was snow on the ground for about two weeks, and about four or five days where it was hard to get out.

East side is a huge area. There are not so great neighborhoods, OK neighborhoods, and great neighborhoods. If you have a job lined up, or a budget we can help you narrow it down.

[Minervah]

I live in a very nice SE (South East) neighborhood. There are many there and in the NE side of town. As in most places, the better the neighborhood, the more expensive it is to live in.

You will find homeless people in most areas. They are few and far between. In the various neighborhoods, they are mostly visible in the early morning hours and sometimes during the day. But they are no problem to anyone. The neighbors often give them cans or bottles to redeem or odd jobs to earn some money.

Actually, this is not so prevalent as in the past. And you can live in a neighborhood for years without seeing any of them depending up your schedule. Nothing to be concerned about as far as safety goes.

Downtown they will ask for money. Some are truly people who are down and out and some are kids playing at being street people. In my thirty three years of living in Portland and working downtown, I have had only two druggies threaten me if I didn't give them money. A cop was right there to collar one of them, the other I yelled at and scared him off.

I doubt if anyone will be concerned with your ethnic background in the city.

As suggested, you will probably find all you need to know by checking other threads. Also, you may find some other more practical questions to ask that will be helpful to your situation.

Are you moving to Portland for a job? Will you be taking public transportation or driving? These will more than likely determine where it would be best for you to live.

[SETabor]

Originally Posted by hamellr

Snow happens once, maybe twice a year and melts off within hours or a day at the most. Rarely over half and in ch. Usually the big things to worry about are ice storms that lay a thin layer of black ice over roads. This is more likely to cause Portland to shut down then snow as black ice is slicker then normal ice due to the fact that it hovers right at freezing temperature.

But based on weather patterns so far this year, all indications are that we'll have another fairly big storm like we had in 2008. There was snow on the ground for about two weeks, and about four or five days where it was hard to get out.

Based on the 8 - 16 day forecast, http://wxmaps.org/pix/pdxgfsb.png, it looks like there may be snow for the new year. (That map will update so by the time you read this, it may be past.)

[Kung pao]

I think there are lots of people here from diverse background it is so wonderful to have all type of people in a community. In fact there is large hispanic community here. So I think you will be fine here. Of course this is not a cosmopolitan city like LA or New York, but it is slowly changing . Portland is a very liberal city , people seem accepting and friendly. Portland has been a magnet for lots of enviromentally aware types, hippies, spiritual and artistic types of people and it is what makes the city so cool, magical and eclectic. I think prior to that there has always been a very strong enviromental awareness already in place which has really played a significant part in the way Portland has been planned and developed . Just be ready to see homeless people and many mentally ill people on the streets. Sometimes you will see people screaming... at times in a little unnerving. In fact we saw it today when we were downtown going out to lunch,a schizophrenic person screaming at the bus stop. Poor person it is indeed very sad. Portland also has homeless kids, too and when I worked downtown I would go to lunch and always end up with leftovers in carryout box I rarely would make it back to my office, without a kids coming up to me ask me for the carryout box. The kids are harmless... just kids trying to survive. In 2009 Oregon had the highest homeless rate in the nation. Well you be the judge... For bike riding well if you are going to be working downtown. I would pick SW because it has more open spaces and green trees to bike by it seems like might be the easiest route to zip in and zip out of the city. NW / the Pearl District if you are in love with the hustle and bustle of the city. I like the Pearl District just enough movement, but no overwhelming. But again you would have to look at the maps and go to the areas of course and check the vibe out of all areas. I'm not sure how many people ride their bikes into the city during the cooler months, I just think when it so dark, dreary and rainy that it could be dangerous that you might not be visible on a bike. Perhaps that is just my paranoid thinking. I think catching public transportation could be simple enough on snowy or icy days. I think it is nice to have a SUV or. four wheel drives for winter time, unless your taking public transportation into the city. The summers here are magnificent, and sometimes it might be sunny and warm right into fall it is soooooo beautiful. However, once it begins to rain, it will begin to seem like rains nonstop for so long it is surreal! The snow days I'm going to guess ... maybe 10 days. Anyhow, the winters are dark, cold, and dreary, so just build a plan around it . We workout at home during those months to stay active and learn to play an instrument or something to stay busy. If you decide to stay take vitamin D3 for lack of sun. Vitamin C and NAC so you don't get a cold .Vitamin A & E so you don't end up with dry skin from the cold weather. Just know your skin will look younger way longer when you live in cooler climate, than a warmer one

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by MirrorSaw1

I don't want to repeat a "racism in Portland" thread but what do people think of Hispanics? I am clean cut and not the stereotype of a hoodlum.

You shouldn't have any problem. I can't vouch that there aren't any idiots in town ... there is always the chance of isolated incidents ... but other than that, people are accepting.

Originally Posted by MirrorSaw1

2nd question is I know there is a sea of homeless people in the city. Are they a serious or minor problem? Crime is low but how aggressive are they in bothering people? I like to ride my bike at night and don't want to be bothered by detours because of them and any kind of trouble.

Too many of them, but I wouldn't call them aggressive. Again, always the chance of isolated incidents.

Originally Posted by MirrorSaw1

3rd How much does it snow and how frequent?

It might snow once or twice a year. Every 5-10 years we'll get a foot or more. Usually a few inches that usually melts by noon.

Originally Posted by MirrorSaw1

4th I guess the east side isn't a good place to live am I correct?

Incorrect. The east side, say from 82nd eastward, is lower income, and so has more crime associated with that. And depending where you're from, and what you're used to, it might seem tame.

[Larry Caldwell]

I have been accosted by muggers a couple of times in downtown Portland. One guy I had to put down pretty hard, the other took 'NO' for an answer. I don't know if they were homeless.

One guy downtown objected to me taking pictures on "his" street - in front of the Camera World store! He was just a punk kid.

The drunks get a little obnoxious. Well, OK, sometimes the drunks get a lot obnoxious, and a lot of them are homeless.

Drug dealers, pimps and prostitutes are pretty quiet, because they like to fly under the radar.

[Minervah]

In the many years I worked downtown I was accousted by two or three nut jobs. One time, lucky for me, a cop was nearby when a guy obviously high on whatever demanded money from me. The cop arrested him. Another time a guy threatened me because I wouldn't give him money but walked off when I sternly said "No." One man tried to follow me getting on a bus. I had was one incident in my neighborhood too, involving a punk teen demanding money.

If you work downtown, you will be accosted by people asking for money but they usually aren't this aggressive. The same guy will be standing on the same corner day after day asking for money. Street people sometimes will come up to people waiting for the bus and ask for money. This happens quite a bit.

Some people aren't bothered by that; some are. It just depends upon how you look at these things.

[aajn1983]

Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell

I have been accosted by muggers a couple of times in downtown Portland. One guy I had to put down pretty hard, the other took 'NO' for an answer. I don't know if they were homeless.

One guy downtown objected to me taking pictures on "his" street - in front of the Camera World store! He was just a punk kid.

The drunks get a little obnoxious. Well, OK, sometimes the drunks get a lot obnoxious, and a lot of them are homeless.

Drug dealers, pimps and prostitutes are pretty quiet, because they like to fly under the radar.

You've been mugged twice in downtown? I find that really hard to believe. Was this recent?