Monte Vista Reality Check

[chud]

Monte Vista is a very nice area with some shady areas nearby.
It's those not-so-nice streets nearby that your co-workers are probably talking about.
However at the rate the surrounding areas are gentrifying, the sketchy areas may be gone soon.

[jwebtx]

MV is fantastic. Yes, there is higher property crime than Olmos Park and Alamo Heights, but that comes with being in San Antonio proper (SAPD vs their own forces) and close to downtown. That said, it is a very safe area.

Mortified?

[Danbo1957]

Property crime is rampant in San Antonio... Monte Vista is like a "sitting duck", as an affluent area in the central city area.

[cobolt]

I want to thank everyone for their insight.

[Azure110]

Monte Vista area is great. The only negative I hear from time to time is that the number of home break-ins tend to be on the higher side compared to other areas...probably due to all the wealth in the area with easy curb access to many of the homes there.

One such break-in I am personally aware of in that area was performed by "professional" thieves that leave no trace of a break in and know exactly when to break in. Those kind of folks usually target high yield, lower risk areas like Monte Vista.

[cobolt]

Originally Posted by thenewtexan

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Mo...924786!6m1!1e1


Yeah Monte Vista is flat out ghetto.

I never thought MV was ghetto. I was more concerned about the sketchy areas a few blocks surrounding MV and wondering how much that element backed into MV.

[ranchodrive]

Originally Posted by cobolt

I am new to San Antonio, having moved here at the beginning of the year to work at Ft Sam. I found an apartment in Monte Vista that I'm interested in leasing, but when I mentioned this to my coworkers, they were mortified. One guy said he wouldn't move to that area on a dare. I countered that I spent much time talking to people there and driving around. I walked around and didn't feel any weirdness or unsafe. I saw many people out and about walking their dogs and such, and some high end cars pulling out of driveways. Another coworker said "Yes, but at night, that place becomes the knife and gun club."

I just found these statements hard to believe. I guess I just didn't sense any of that. I know the closer to San Antonio college and downtown you go, the seedier it gets, but I didn't think the area was something to disregard altogether. There is such wonderful architecture there with the big, Jewish Temple and all the wonderful big homes and churches and such. I absolutely love walking. It is my entertainment and social activity and living somewhere I could do that and with sidewalks (!) is pretty cool.

Anyway, am I missing something? These co workers are long-time residents and theiy're not people who live outside the 410 Loop. They live in Alamo Heights, Oakwell Farms, Oak Park, etc., so I'm not really sure what to think. They all basically said they wouldn't go west of 281 and south of Hilldebrand.

What am I missing?

My folks moved to the west side when we first came to San Antonio.
Lived most of my growing up years on the south side.
I live in the "09" area and have had to install burglar bars on all doors
and windows after two break-ins.
This never happened on the west or south side.

Any place can be a "knife and gun club".
Depends on what negative experiences they had to deal with.

I have friends in Monte Vista who are very happy living there.