A sense of community? - Hillsboro, Beaverton, Sherwood, or??? (Portland: fit in, real estate market)

[Nature Girl]

Originally Posted by PNWhike

Obviously do not get out of your part of HIllsboro very often. Go to the WAshington County Sheriffs Office Gang Enforcement webpage. Seeing is believing. The gang problem from California has gotten progressively worse every year. No, the gangbangers melee in Downtown Hillsboro last weekend was not normal in the sense that the level of violence escalated to where innocent people near the gangfight got assaulted, had rocks and bottles thrown at their cars, and it spilled inside. But go walk around some of the areas surrounding downtown and you are guaranteed to see some gang tagging. There are some rally nice areas of Hillsboro, I'm a former resident myself. So i understand defensiveness of Hillsboro residents who choose to put their blinderrs on. There are some violent Street Gangs from California in parts of Hillsboro. Much of Hillsboro is still really nice to live. I have friends who live there.

Just out of curiosity, how do you know they are from California? Are we just assuming to have some other place to blame?

[PNWhike]

Originally Posted by Nature Girl

Just out of curiosity, how do you know they are from California? Are we just assuming to have some other place to blame?

Thank you for proving me right Nature Girl.

Seeing is believing. Do a google search Washington County Sheriffs Gang Enforcement Team website. Read the history for yourself. Look at all of the photos of tagging with references to S13, and S18. Tagging in blue means you are from Southern Cal. Tagging in Red means you are affiliated with Northern Ca. Specific gangs in Hilllsboro are Sureno (Southern Califormia) 13th Street, and the opposing Norteno sets (Northern California) 18th Street Vs. 12th street, and too many to name. on and on it goes.

Unfortunately, the street gangs are not just in Hillsboro. They are also in parts of Cornelius, Aloha, Beaverton, Gresham (big time), Salem, Woodburn, Mt. Angel, North Portland, Outer Northeast and Southeast Portland, Gresham, Even nice areas like Canby, Newberg, McMinville have gang issues.
Do you have any more questions?

[taketime]

Actually I live just a mile from the downtown area. We go for walks in the evenings as do many neighbors and we feel pretty safe. I did acknowledge the crime factor which I still believe is a typical level for a city of our size. No, I dont have blinders on. Most residents would know not to be near that particular bar at night, its not safe. Its not like the average Smith family of 4 was at the wrong place at the wrong time. I think to scare off prospective newcomers on such a narrow viewpoint is a diservice to them. Anyone who would make the effort to research on this forum would seemingly be a welcome addition to the community.

For perspective in regards to the OP, to compare us to Colorado Springs. The Hillsboro crime index for 2006 is 231.7 and CS is 414. So about half. The US average is 323. Salem is 402 and Gresham is 407. Hillsboro's has gone down from 2005 when it was 283.7 and then 2004 was 317.6. I would say the law is doing their job pretty well.

But what do I know? I just live here.

[esya]

As to Sheriff department data and gangs: when you have a hammer everything is a nail. They would not have jobs and funding if all of us felt safe from newcomers or people we don't know or who look and socialize differently. I know, I work with local law enforcement as part of my work.

[MtnSurfer]

Taketime,

Those numbers are good to see as a comparator. I think I understand what is being said here as I read between the lines. I used to work as a real estate appraiser and understand 'sub neighborhoods' within any given city.

Colorado Springs is a good example. Some may naively say there is no real crime here. But that is obviously not the case. And there are areas which would be good to avoid when looking for a new home. On the other hand the newer north eastern neighborhood we live in is very tame. We have never had even a hint of a problem here. So for families it is popular place to live.

It sounds like Hillsboro definately has its sub neighborhoods. And as a RE appraiser my first job would be to discover where those boundaries are. Usually recent sales are a good indicator those factors. Also talking with residents and other locals is a good source of information.

While I am sure it is not as bad as South Central LA, it does sound like there is real crime which is worse in some parts of the city. Law Enforcements job is to identify it and crack down on it. But that doesn't mean it will go away. So it is always good to go into a new place with eyes wide open.

Thanks for the input everyone.

- Derek

[rainsmith]

I think Sherwood and Hillsboro are your best bets on the Westside for what you are looking for. They both have that Mayberry quality and are good for families. Plus they have the wonderful pastoral settings with vineyards and farms and they are on the way to the coast. They are different from each other in the size of course, but like you mentioned, you would be looking at just certain areas of Hillsboro. There are probably neighborhoods in Hillsboro that are bigger than all of Sherwood. You can tell by the prices of homes if its a good area or not. The TV highway section towards the mid-town, along with Walnut and Oak Streets would be the seedier areas. The areas around Cornell or Evergreen Rds are the more popular.

[queenbeeof4]

But do you think there are any neighborhoods there which are 'not' like the one I just described? In other words where kids actually play together outside. Families get to know each other. People come out of hiding and aren't afraid to be friendly even if a little scary, etc...


Yes there are some great neighborhoods! My family and I live in a great neighborhood in central Beaverton, Hyland Hills, and love it. We live in a great cul de sac where my 4 kids ride their scooters and bikes with the 6 other children that live on our street. Every 4th of July we have a neighborhood BBQ with fireworks. All of the neighbors get together and catch up with each other. We watch each others homes when we vacation, exchange cookies for Christmas and share tools. I genuinely like all of cul de sac neighbors.
My big kids are in walking distance to a great elementary and middle school and it is safe enough for them to walk without me! There are bike trails connecting the entire neighborhood and several great parks.
Plus every grocery store or shopping I need to do is within 2.5 miles from my house.
It all sounds too perfect, but it is just a really great neighborhood.
Good luck!

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by queenbeeof4

But do you think there are any neighborhoods there which are 'not' like the one I just described? In other words where kids actually play together outside. Families get to know each other. People come out of hiding and aren't afraid to be friendly even if a little scary, etc...

Well, we hope so. This spirit of independance, fear and general apathy toward building community is getting really old here in CS. I think it effects my wife kids more than me. But it is really rediculous, especially since most apartments we rented and lived in in CA had more community than here.

Yes there are some great neighborhoods! My family and I live in a great neighborhood in central Beaverton, Hyland Hills, and love it. We live in a great cul de sac where my 4 kids ride their scooters and bikes with the 6 other children that live on our street. Every 4th of July we have a neighborhood BBQ with fireworks. All of the neighbors get together and catch up with each other. We watch each others homes when we vacation, exchange cookies for Christmas and share tools. I genuinely like all of cul de sac neighbors.
My big kids are in walking distance to a great elementary and middle school and it is safe enough for them to walk without me! There are bike trails connecting the entire neighborhood and several great parks.
Plus every grocery store or shopping I need to do is within 2.5 miles from my house.
It all sounds too perfect, but it is just a really great neighborhood.
Good luck!

I am encouraged to hear about Beaverton. It seems to have received some bad press here on the forums. So I had been looking more at Sherwood and Hillsboro. Would you say that Beaverton is like Hillsboro in that there are good and not so good areas in terms of crime, gangs, family friendly areas, etc... Our trip out there is less than a week away. You have given me pause for thought in terms of places to consider/reconsider.

We have friends who moved to King City recently and they seem to like their neighborhood. So we may check out the Tigard and King City areas as well.

[bliss60]

All along Hwys 8 and 10 West are thousands of apartment buildings.

Most are owned by corporations who buy on spec, perform cosmetic changes and resell for huge profit...not unlike other American forms of commerce. With the next new owner, the rents go up, people move out, larger families and groups move in to be able to pay rent.

If you get stuck living in one of these buildings..especially the ones on S.W. 170th Street between TV Highway (8) and Baseline, you are likely to find the following:

6-10 (mostly illegal) Mexicans living in one and two bedroom apartments. Kids running and jumping from early morning to late at night. Empty beer cans, plastic toys and cigarrette butts on your patio or yard. Overstuffed trash bins with discards of every imaginable and obscene nature. Loud music booms from apartments and parking lots. Laundry rooms and hallways are trashy and stay that way for up to a week. The smell of smoking and years of smoking inside apartments can make some people feel sick.

Drains don't clear, water pressure is slow. If I go on, you will think I am living on another planet but no, I am living in the upscale community of Beaverton, Oregon.

Whatever you do, don't sign a six month or one year lease. Thank God I am one of the lucky ones who can give notice and leave without having my bank account attached.

My neighbors, on the other hand, a darling couple from Flagstaff, with two small children cannot afford to move. I grieve more for them than for myself. They were so excited to get here...a new life in the beautiful, green city of Portland.

This is the kind of situation that, if the new buyers raise the rents in this building, could become homeless. Maybe this is how some of the homeless problem was created?

This is the reality of making a move, based on lies and hype.

And the new owners said to me today, "too bad you're leaving, you're about ready to get new kitchen cabinets."

[Cheeto]

Originally Posted by PNWhike

The north and east part of Hillsboro is pretty good. You might want to consider it. The other part of Hillsboro has an exploding Hispanic population; most are illegal aliens. .

What? that has got to be one of the dumbest things I've ever heard!! Have you canvassed these neighborhoods asking for green cards or something? Just because people are less-than-affluent, have close families, and actually, physically work for a living, one should not assume they are illegals. Talk about stereotyping someone, gain some cultural insight before you assume the worst of people different from you!!