Hesperia, Adelanto and Victorville, YOUR THOUGHTS? (Pomona, Lancaster: equity, foreclosures, smog)

[MCS]

When you say "down the hill" what do you mean?

[Zephyrah]

I'm so sorry you are having to move to Adelanto I have lived in the high desert for 26 years. I have lived mostly in the Apple Valley area for that time, but did recently live in Adelanto for 3 years between 2003 and 2006. The history of Adelanto has always been the run down of the desert. Crack heads and parolee's are what make up that place. During the housing boom, nice, new houses were being built farther south of where the "bad part of town" was so we thought we would give it a try. It was a good investment for us, but what broke the camel's back was the drive by shooting that happened right in front of my house that - had my large pick-up truck not been parked where it was - the bullets could have come into my son's room where I was changing his diaper at the time it happened. My truck suffered all the wounds with bullet holes in the door and windows. That night, I picked up my kids and our belongings and got the heck out of Dodge. I was not going to have my family be another statistic. So now we are back in Apple Valley. Adelanto is riddled with gangs. The cops all know them by their first names. If there is any chance you could live somewhere else, do. Victorville has good parts and bad parts. Hesperia is better on the list and Apple Valley is okay too, but also has its problem areas (like mentioned before "felony flats") Here's an example... a brand new super Target was built basiclly in Felony Flats. I needed to get school supplies so I went there to try it out. I park my car while another car is parking. We both exit our cars at about the same time. I have my two kids with me. The other person exits their car and starts talking out loud, "Anyone got a cigerette I could have? I have to get a job so I can buy cigarettes". OMG I thought to myself. I told my son, this is why you get an education and a good job so you don't grow up to be a looser like that. Anyway, as far as Barstow goes.... there are places to live on the north east side of Apple Valley that would be close to the freeway that are decent areas to live. There are always adds in the paper for room mates if that is what you are looking for. Don't see many for furnished places. What ever you do, get out of Adelanto as soon as you can.

[Zephyrah]

Originally Posted by MCS

When you say "down the hill" what do you mean?

Down the hill is anything south of Cajon Pass. The Inland Empire, Riverside, Orange County, LA, etc. are all down the hill.

[sheri257]

Originally Posted by MCS

When you say "down the hill" what do you mean?

The 15 is main interstate ... when you go south you hit other interstates like the 215, the 210, etc. "down the hill" from the "high" desert. It's basically the main traffic pipeline into all other areas of Southern California.

[kristalou]

I agree with Powersurge's post. Although the photos are a bit misleading, as they make the high desert actually look pretty.

I lived in Hesperia and Victorville for 10 years (I left in 1996). Moved there from NY when I was 16 (culture shock - big time!). The high desert is everything these posters are warning you about. There is a big drug problem - lots of meth addicts roaming around there. The scenery isn't very nice, unless brown is your favorite color. Personally, I would never move back there and would advise anyone thinking about it to run quickly in the other direction. But since you are going let's try to keep you in a good frame of mind. I would have chose Hesperia to live in, by the way.

I will try to find the silver lining in this dark gray cloud for you. Here are a few I can think of:

- Dry heat - make sure you stay hydrated.
- Cold temps in the winter and sometimes a light dusting of snow on the ground (very light - doesn't hang around long). Looks kinda cool against the joshua trees.
- My dearest friend lives there with her family and they are nice normal people. So there are some civilized sorts there.
- Not too far from Vegas....or Big Bear....or Wrightwood if you like to ski.
- Nice view of the snow topped mountains in the winter.

I hope this helps you and that you like the high desert. I don't know how street smart you are, but I am sure if you are aware of your surroundings you will be ok. Good luck to you.

[bighef]

I am visiting one of the best tattoo shop in the world. it's locate in Hesperia off of bear valley ave. and staying at the hilton garden inn in victorville next summer. Is this gonna be a good trip or should i be worry about anything?

thanks for your comments.

b

[sheri257]

Originally Posted by kristalou

The high desert is everything these posters are warning you about. There is a big drug problem - lots of meth addicts roaming around there.

I am sure if you are aware of your surroundings you will be ok

Where do people get this stuff? Yes, certain parts of the desert have a crime problem but ... not as much you may think. Look at the crime stats on this site, keeping in mind that the nationwide average is 325.

Yes, Victorville definitely has a problem at 444.

But so does San Francisco at 489 and LA at 408. Do people say that meth addicts are over running those cities? Have tourists stopped visting LA and SF because their crime rates are so high? No.

Hesperia, by contrast ... has about the same crime rate as Costa Mesa, a very ritzy area of Orange County where houses cost $650K on average.

Costa Mesa's crime rate: 261.
Hesperia: 259.

Meanwhile Apple Valley and, even Adelanto ... comes in lower than SF, LA and San Diego.

San Diego's crime rate: 350

Apple Valley? 312
Adelanto: 303

So perception doesn't always match reality here. The reality is the crime rates either match or are actually lower than the national average in most cases.

[Rhino450]

Originally Posted by MCS

I have viewed previous posts but was still a bit confused so I thought I would post my own question.

It seems for Adelanto and Victorville most posters on this website state to avoid these cities at all cost. Are there any nice parts? Are there gangs basically roaming the streets all the time? Do the criminals live among decent people in most communities? Also it seems most would advise to live in Hesperia over Adelanto and Victorville. Is Hesperia a better city?

Please tell me the places I should be looking at to live (room to rent) close to Barstow as that is where I will be working.

OHH YEA, BTW Snow... I saw in one of the post I viewed earlier that it shows in Victorville... I've never lived in a area that shows so please advise me of anything that may be new to someone from the San Diego Area. (Car problems because of extreme heat, snow, etc) Hows the drive traffic wise to Barstow from Hesperia, Adelanto and Victorville?

Thanks

Well I have lived in the Hesperia area since 1971...it was a nice place then. Retired people,horse people,and off road people. Now it has totally turned into the ghetto! Gangs ,punks, drive bys...my son was almost hit by stray bullets...and this was seven years ago. People that move up hear from the city think they leave all of that behind.Nope they bring it with them. You should all try working at Silverwood Lake for the summer and youll get a real good taste of the low life rats that have moved up. My suggestion to anyone that wants to move hear...is think real hard about how safe you want to be. How much traffic can you handle. And can you handle living around some of the rudest people in the country. I know I am moving out as soon as things turn around...out of this State! You can all have this little paridise!!

[sheri257]

Originally Posted by Rhino450

Well I have lived in the Hesperia area since 1971...it was a nice place then. Retired people,horse people,and off road people. Now it has totally turned into the ghetto!

I know I am moving out as soon as things turn around...out of this State! You can all have this little paridise!!

People who've lived in the desert towns for years always say this ... "it was a nice place then." Well ... since it was a rural area, hardly anybody lived there either.

Again, let's look at the data posted on this site ... because everything else is subjective and, often, inaccurate. Yeah ... crime does increase with population BUT ...

If you moved to Texas for example, like so many Californians did ... the crime rate would actually be MUCH worse.

Keep in mind that the average crime rate nationwide is 325. All three major Texas cities are WAY ABOVE this average:

Austin: 435
Dallas: 753
Houston: 659

How do Victor Valley high desert cities compare? Three out of the four towns are BELOW average.

Hesperia: 259
Apple Valley: 312
Victorville: 444
Adelanto: 303

What's interesting is that people always think Adelanto is worse and Apple Valley is a nicer area but, Apple Valley's crime rate is actually slightly higher.

Once again, perception is far from reality. The high desert cities are actually getting a bum rap on crime.

[bighef]

i pretty much will be inside at all time, or in the car,. everything should be fine for a couple days visit in victorville?