I am oving from the valley in LA area to alorton/east st louis area. Let me tell you why! (St. Louis: apartment, crime rate)

[blessedandcursed]

Hello all, you're probably reading my title and thinking " what drug is this person on?" But yes, I am about to buy a house in Alorton, IL ( East St louis Area) and relocate from a trendy area and apartment in studio city, CA ( the valley area I northern los Angeles area). it's me and another friend who are sharing this house.

Before I start, I am aware of the sky high crime rate in Alorton and and how East St Louis And Alorton have suffered corruption. I am aware that blight is huge and many lots are abandoned and there are many abandoned buildings ( similar to what Detroit struggles with).

I am choosing this city because I want to help heal the city. I want to be part of the people who make a difference. I am young( single, no kids) have been out of college for only a year ( mid 20's) and am that type of person who likes to move into rough neighborhoods/ghettoes ( whatever you wanna call it) and help heal broken neighborhoods. I understand I am about to live in a neighborhood that is classified as dangerous, I am that kind of person to sacrifice living in a "peaceful" and safe neighborhood just so I can make a difference and benefit other people!

My question is, what else should I expect while living in this area? does anyone have any info they can lend to me? it would be very appreciated! I know my move is very unheard off, but I believe in taking the path that is less followed and being unique and helping others. As I said before, if you have any help you an give me, It would be very appreciated! thank you!

[blessedandcursed]

also, sorry I misspelled the word " moving" instead of "oving", I meant "moving"

[1grin_g0]

I've been thinking about it and thus far I've been unable to come up with anything positive to say about what you are about to do. I know some very good people that were born and raised in E STL, the most loyal people you will ever meet, but they have since moved to more desirable areas. Since you are buying that tells me you are all in, may God keep you.

[Count David]

OP, this has been an off the wall dream of mine as well (one that I will probably never fulfill), but I would suggest you maybe try Belleville or Fairview Heights first before jumping right into Alorton.

You might find things out that would scare you off. If you go to the Detroit forum, there is a thread about a man from Portland who did something similar, and ran off with his tail between his legs less than a month later.

[blessedandcursed]

I am pretty nervous, but I'm willing to go with the decision. I feel called to step in ad make a difference, although when living in Alorton, ill have to keep my eyes peeled 1000% more and be much more on my guard do to the crime and violence.

[1grin_g0]

Originally Posted by blessedandcursed

I am pretty nervous, but I'm willing to go with the decision. I feel called to step in ad make a difference, although when living in Alorton, ill have to keep my eyes peeled 1000% more and be much more on my guard do to the crime and violence.

If you want to be on the doorstep of ground zero, but relatively much safer, then I recommend Cahokia. You'll most likely be going there to do your shopping anyway.

[PerseusVeil]

There's nothing really in Alorton, to be perfectly honest. There's a Flying J gas station near the interchange of I-255 and IL-15, but that's basically it. You'll see commuters trying to get onto the highway, or those who will opt to take 15 into East St. Louis and cross one of the bridges into St. Louis from there.

I honestly don't know what you think you'll be fixing or healing, especially since there are no bright spots. The west end of Belleville, which isn't far from Alorton, is also sliding from a socioeconomic standpoint. East St. Louis' problems also go far beyond corruption. It's a broke city that's one of the most, if not the most, dangerous small city in the United States. You'd be far better off moving somewhere in north St. Louis. St. Louis, for all its problems, will have far more resources than anywhere in the Alorton/Centreville/East St. Louis area ever will. Mind you, north St. Louis won't be any safer. St. Louis has been the most dangerous city in the United States 3 years running, and north St. Louis is the homicide epicenter of it all.

[blessedandcursed]

North st louis had me interested, but I'm still gonna go with Alorton. Anyone know why St louis has strugged with crime that it has? I mean, I understand why some cities have such a bad crime rate, like Detroit, flint, New Orleans etc.
But what makes St louis so bad? what caused or contributed toits crime rate? same question for ESL, and Alorton/centreville area?

[glamatomic]

I would honestly go with North St. Louis over Alorton/ESTL. Yes, both places are badly blighted but I feel like a young, inspiring soul such as yourself could make more of a difference in North STL.

I'm a transplant to St. Louis myself, but ESTL/Alorton I fear will just suck all of the love out of you. There's still a lot of potential left in North St. Louis on the other hand. I believe that in time, it can be healed and rejuvenated.

East St. Louis has long fascinated me and I've attempted to research it when I've had the opportunities (with 3 small children in tow, venturing there isn't something I do now, although I did explore it pre-kids).

While we are given the impression that ESTL used to be lovely, wonderful place that declined, what I've recently been discovering is that it was *never* that nice. Like any town, it had its more affluent pockets, but on the whole it has been rife with hate, racism, fear and crime since the onset.

Even in the prosperous 1950s, I've stumbled across newspaper articles hinting about how less than desirable it is.

As for crime in St. Louis, as you'll find out when you get here, the FBI stats are actually skewed.

Unlike most cities, St. Louis politically separated itself from the county way back in the 1800s. Therefore, crime stats are just looking at the 'inner core' of the city with a population of just over 300,000... not the entire Metro area with a population of 2.8 million. Most cities don't have the separation of city and county, so their suburbs bring their crime stats down. Our suburbs aren't counted when the FBI makes their most dangerous cities lists.

If the entire Metro *was* counted, our crime rate would be about average.

[glamatomic]

P.S. Higher poverty rates = higher crime, to put it very, very simply.

Another contributing factor is that poor areas = low cost housing = low tax base = less money for education = failing schools = poor prospects.

Cities such as those mentioned, including St. Louis, used to be primarily manufacturing hubs where somebody with little education could still get paid a living wage on the production line.

When the factories and good jobs started leaving, poverty started to rise again, and drugs and crime along with it.