North County? (Florissant, Jennings, Dellwood: foreclosure, credit, homes)

[TGS]

Originally Posted by jojojohnson76

One of the worst things you can do is take seriously the misguided opinions of white suburbanites who consider a "bad" neighborhood a neighborhood with minorities.

I made that mistake for a while, and was worried sick when looking for a new home after asking. I then started asking the occasional minority from work and found that the areas I was looking in was not the burning war zone that the white suburbanites depicted it as. I finally started acting pro-city, urban people; white or black, either one.

Thankfully, within the next 30 days, I should be a happy resident of Maplewood, MO. More of a city neighborhood than a city, but that's okay. Beats the suburb I'm in now.

Whoever told you that Maplewood was a "burning war zone" has serious issues. It isn't even all that heavy minority: it is 75% white. It is surrounded on all sides by very nice areas: Richmond Heights, Brentwood, Shrewsbury, Dogtown, the Hill.

The only problem with Maplewood is that it has historically always been more of a working class neighborhood compared to Clayton, Kirkwood, and Webster Groves, which are nearby. It is on a serious upswing right now, though. Yuppies moving in, the schools are improving dramatically, and lots of new businesses are opening. It is a five minute drive from Forest Park, the Central West End, the Hill, Clayton, etc. The new pool and recreation center are fabulous. Crime is low.

There are only two places to avoid in Maplewood: the Wal-Mart and the large apartment buildings at Manchester and Bellevue/Yale. I have always felt safe walking around Maplewood, even very late at night.

[TGS]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

By what/whos standards?

Recently there was an issue of St. Louis Magazine had statistics for most of the St. Louis Metro High Schools. It had just raw data, such as attendance trends, student spending, etc. Francis Howell schools didn't look that good when you compared their average ACT scores to other schools. FH ACT scores were comparable to Affton, Fox, and Pattonville, which are not considered academic powerhouses like Ladue or Clayton. I was a little surprised, based on their good reputation.

My husband attended FH schools and has always maintained that they were grossly overrated. He said that the only thing FH schools could outrank the other schools in is teenage pregnancies.

Personally, I have relatives and friends with kids in the FH district, and they like it. I wouldn't mind sending my kid there, but I wouldn't move to specifically get into that district.

[jojojohnson76]

Avoid the Wal Mart in Maplewood? Someone else told me that, but I was there at night and didn't see anything wrong with it.

The other person referenced a shooting, but I read up on it and it wasn't a random occurrence.

What is the problem with the Wal Mart?

The same problems don't exist at Target in Brentwood or anything does it?

[aragx6]

Teenage pregnancies at Francis Howell?? Not when I graduated from North. One girl walked at graduation pregnant, but that's it.

[la_missourienne]

Even though the thread has gotten a bit off track, I will comment here once again.
Now it has been nearly a whole year that I have been teaching at Hazelwood West and I still love it. And FYI, some of my best student efforts and achievements come from my "minority" students (and not just black, either!) There are many "minority" students here and the diversity is soooo refreshing! They do not get the credit they deserve and it frustrates me. Just to give an example: it is now lunchtime, I am in my classroom, and I have 3 black female students who have asked to stay in here and STUDY during lunch!!!! For my class, which is an ELECTIVE! I never had this where I was before (white-small-town-so-called "safe" place). Yep, sounds awful, doesn't it?
I came to this district knowing very little about it and I'm glad; if I had listened to the media, I would have thought it was gang-ridden and scary, might have avoided applying here. What a loss that would have been, both for me and my students. The district just got a great, positive progress report back from the state--something very important for any district to achieve.
No, the district is not perfect, nor is any for that matter. We had plenty of 'bomb threats' and even rumored 'gang activity' in the school I left behind. And as for those comments about teen pregnancies, they are in EVERY high school. It's just that in affluent high schools, those kids usually leave the school campus and their parents get them help from the district or otherwise before they even start to show--sometimes because the PARENTS don't want the embarrassment factor. Same thing with the drugs issues--the reputed "best" high school in Springfield (MO) has the highest drug using population among all of them (including the least affluent). But no one really reports much about it. Why? Because kids in that area have parents who can afford lawyers (or are lawyers, for that matter) and get it swept under the rug. Happens in other places, too, but hopefully my point has been made.
Crime is everywhere, even in "safe" places like O'Fallon. It is out in that area where just recently there was a woman snatching purses at Target from elderly women! And let's not even get in to the whole Lori Drew/my space/Megan case--those are some sick, sick people (and they live in O'Fallon! *gasp*!) I wouldn't want to live in that neighborhood; then again, those sorts of people can be anywhere, so what can you do?
If all the affluent, good elements keep running away from places at the first sign of "trouble", those places will become bad and undesirable eventually because all the good elements move away. I'm not saying move into a ghetto and try to change it, I'm just saying don't help create another one by trashing/badmouthing a place on this forum--the media is already on top of that job.

[aragx6]

Amen. Thank you, that was so true.

[jojojohnson76]

EXACTLY. This white flight bs really angers me.

I mean, the minorities don't even have to be "bad" kids, they just have to be MINORITIES for these people to move away. Its very worrisome. I live in a mostly black area in a suburb and I had a LOT more problems with break ins and theft of my property when I was in an ALL WHITE rural town (I'm white, btw).

[DC Stein]

I have a house on the market for $149,500. It's 8 miles from SLU. Very centrally located, and on a very quiet dead end street close to shopping and major highways. 6 miles from airport, 3 miles from Clayton, 5 miles from Wash U (other university). Its a brick 3 BR, 1-1/2 bath. It's a great house, and I've lived there 35 years. I grew up there and now I'm moving to Seattle. I just completely rehabbed the house. Tile floors, all new plumbing and fixtures, new light fixtures, all new appliances (DW, W&D, stove, fridge, microwave) Its 1400 sf with a partially finished walk out basement that could add 800 sf. Its the last house on the dead end and has a green belt along side it that adds privacy and nature. It comes with an extra side lot totalling the land to just over 1/3 acre (14,000 sf) It has a fully fenced back yard, 1 car attached garage with additional off street parking, ceiling fans, new tilt-in double hung windows, hardwood floors. The neighborhood has a very low turnover rate, and the houses immediately surrounding mine have all been occupied by the same family for 15-40 years. That makes for a peaceful environment. there are children of various ages in the neighborhood, and the side lot is a perfect place to play. The lot is 60x100, so there's plenty of room for a private playground, swimming pool, garden, garage, or whatever. It's in the University city school district (avg), and the gradeschool is 1-1/2 miles or so from the house. There are 3 public parks within 1-1/2 miles, and a county branch library about 2 miles away. Public transit is a block away, and shopping also right up the road (1-1/2 miles). It's right in the middle of everything (4 miles to the Delmar Loop nightlife), but very quiet and peaceful. Also, Vinita Park has their own public services, so police or city hall are just a phone call away. It has a very small town feel. The neighbors know each other and we all look out for each other because we WANT our neighborhood to be a safe place to raise a family and feel content. If you'd like more info, call 314-276-4028 Dawn. I can send some pictures.

[MickMick]

I live in North County. I have lived in my home for the past 8 years. I am a single, professional, MBA, that makes twice the median income for working families in the St. Louis area. I was young (25-ish) when I built my home. My friends (also black professionals) live in North County. Right now, my home suits my needs. While I do wish for a more racially diverse area, I am more than pleased with where I live and my mortgage.

I have to wonder if the comments about North County becoming slums are from those who don't appreciate diversity. From my trvels and experience, I haven't encountered any other cities like St. Louis. It is definitely "interesting". I think that our attitudes towards diversity will prove detrimental to economic structure.

If you want my advice, don't move to St. Louis!!! Move to a city with more jobs and opportunities. But if you are hell-bent on moving here, I would move BACK to the city and do a total gut-rehab on a house in the vicinity of Lafayette Square, the CWE, or someplace. I would have to live in a diverse(interracial couples, race, sexual preference, marital status, DINKS, SINKS, etc) area with upper middle class professionals.

As for crime, it can happen everywhere. Today I was scared to death at Nordstrom in West County. There was a major snatch and grab in the women's handbag department. I had to leave that store because that was a little too much for me.

[SashaBlue]

Originally Posted by Aisysmom

We currently live in Florissant, and I love it here. Unfortunately we have to move soon, since my husband is in the miltitary.

One thing to know about St. Louis,(I grew up here) is that people are racist here. (I am white BTW) and people who brand North County as "ghetto" really mean that GASP black people have moved in. They see a group of black kids walking around, and they're a "gang". I have friends who live in the South part of St. Louis or in Wentzville who hate coming up here. My husband and I have lived near chicago, and in Virginia, and never have dealt with this kind of racism anywhere else. I actually get more annoyed with the "hoosiers" or the TFF (typical florissant folk) more than anything.

We love it here, we live minutes from community pools, great resteraunts, you can literally pick from several schools within walking or driving distance. One of teh few places where when I walk or drive through the neighborhood, and get waves. I too recommend sticking with the 63031 one area.

If you like a nice, quiet, mix of people I say Florissant is your place. In my daughters class she has all kinds of kids that have opened up a lot of conversations between us about difference and race.

Although we will miss it, I won't miss the close mindedness of some people here. The south is not dead in Missouri.

Tell me more about the problems with the 63033 ZIP Code. Is it a high crime area? Is it older homes? Is it the school district? Is this the area around the Target?