Don't move to Hemet!!! (San Diego, Riverside: section 8, crime, hotels)

[lizaj419]

We currently reside in Hemet - Willowalk Community. We just had our house burglarized this past weekend and there was a shooting down the street from us last night.

Hemet is not safe and not a place to raise a family!!!

[Twinkle Toes]

Wait - !!! Are you telling me Hemet ISN'T Heaven???

[Ponypenny]

From the Press Enterprise in December 2011...The Hemet police force has been slashed almost in half since 2008 — from almost 100 sworn officers to 53 — because of city budget cuts and layoffs. There are nearly twice as many police volunteers as sworn officers now..

This is probably a good reason why crime is up in Hemet.

[SportyandMisty]

I thought the only people who voluntarily lived in Hemet were in the Federal Witness Relocation Program.

[bouncethelight]

I currently live in Hemet too, in one of the nicer areas, and every single time I leave the house I see at least one police car, patrolling the streets. There may be fewer police officers on the payroll, but the ones that are left are VERY visible!

As for crime, we've been here over a year-and-a-half, and nothing has happened on our street, or in our neighborhood. And I have relatives that have lived in this valley for over 100 years, and none of them have been victims either - in all that time. Of course there's crime, but it hasn't touched me or anyone I know.

Bad things can happen anywhere, even in really nice neighborhoods. But based on my personal experience, Hemet is fine. It's not heaven, but it's fine.

[lizaj419]

bouncethelight.....I used to say Hemet was fine. I have lived in my house for 1 1/2 years and thought we were fine. There is even security patroling the area at night but Im sorry...Hemet is not safe nor fine!!!! There are prostitutes walking Florida at night. The streets are filled with juvenilles causing trouble. Kids (10-12 yrs old) out riding bikes or walking the streets at 11pm at night on school nights. That is ridiculous. I don't know where you live in Hemet but all I can say is get an alarm system and/or gun. Even the policeman who came to our house after the breakin said he has lived here for years and he can't stand it anymore. It is getting worse by the day and he said it's no place to raise a family. He wants to get his kids out immediately. Sure...things happen anywhere but you're taking your chances living in a city that has more Section 8 housing that any other city I've been in and crime reported everyday near our community. Good luck!

[bouncethelight]

It's funny, but most people would say that kids out riding their bikes at night is a sign of a safe neighborhood. When did that turn into something bad?

As for the prostitutes, I saw more on El Cajon Boulevard, when I lived in San Diego. It's all relative!

[lizaj419]

Look at it this way...these kids riding their bikes at 11 at night don't care whether they are in a good neighborhood or not and their parents don't care either. These aren't sweet little kids just playing. We walk outside in the morning to go to work and there is spray paint on our sidewalks and trash in our yards...this is what these kids are doing at night.

I don't care how many prostitutes there are...the fact is...there are prostitutes!!!

[loveblossom]

Sorry that you had to go through that experience and thanks for the heads up.

[wccd2006]

I was born and raised in Riverside all of my life and NEVER was the victim of a crime. I knew very little about Hemet before meoving here other than you can get a huge house for decent price.

My family and I made the move to Hemet in early 2009 in an upscale community (2,800 sq ft/built in 2006) near the auto center. Since living here, I have experienced more crime in 3 years than I have in my entire life. In my community we had 4 homes burglarized about 6 months apart. My car was stolen right out of my driveway and found wrecked in Ontario 3 weeks later.

I went to get my hair cut at great clips near Walmart and walked into an armed robbery. I was at the liquor store buying a lottery ticket and saw someone get bike jacked outside. And what the other poster said is very true. There are teenagers (12-17 year olds) roaming around the city in packs at late hours causing all kinds of trouble and harrassing people.

Cruise down Florida Ave. at night and you'll see an abundance of hookers lingering around cheap hotels. We thought Hemet was a good place to raise a family, now I find my self with 3 guns in the house and 2 big dogs in the backyard. I don't trust anyone--especially door-todoor solicitors. This city is not the Gem it once was. Stay away. Do yourself a favor and move to Temecula. Lower crime, better schools, higher class people. We have a lot of garbage criminals here.