TAMPA ghetto? (Orlando, Brandon, Pinellas Park: apartment, sex offender, crimes)

[jessiesma]

that's not St. Pete

Originally Posted by scorp200

Frankly I was always nervous in Pinellas Park, and that's about as white as you can get.

The creepy redneck drunken scary guy factor runs high there. Some kid tailgated and harassed me in the wal mart parking lot (there's a place to be on the weekend...yeesh)

[scorp200]

Originally Posted by jessiesma

that's not St. Pete

Heh - I know but we were talking about crime/race/perception of "bad areas" throughout the Tampa Bay region so I tossed that in there

[Obamanation]

Sulphur Springs, University, Drew Park, and Ybor city outside the main drags are to be avoided. Other areas are not so bad, which is not to say the rest of the city will look glamorous. West Tampa, for example, is not as bad as it looks. By the way, many of Tampa's best neighborhoods have noticeable minority populations. Tampa Palms is about 15% non-white. My sub-division in Wesley Chapel is nearly "majority minority" and has no crime issues at all. Character, not color people. I repeat CHARACTER, NOT COLOR.

[Obamanation]

Originally Posted by Trabbz

Thousands of other people? Seems like all I hear when I watch the news most of the time are domestic crimes or crimes against people who know each other like drug related crimes and even this doesn't happen as much as people act like they do in these areas. When is the last time you heard of a random act of violence or your car getting shot up just for driving through. Sure hasn't happened to me in the many times either passing through, or checking out the scenery in all these areas.

I sadly think people are just scared of black people and have nothing to say about all the other crimes that happen all over the Tampa Bay area every day. But when something happens in these neighborhoods it reinforces their stereotypes that these areas are warzones that you should be very afraid of.

I know I sound extreme. I am more trying to play the devil's advocate here, but for good cause in my opinion. These areas are not as bad as anyone here make them out to be.

You're exactly right. A black man's mugshot is on TV, the racists will say "SEE I'M RIGHT, ALL BLACKS ARE BAD!" People seek out affirming evidence to reinforce their prejudices. That same person would not see a white sex offender on tv and go "aha, I knew all white folks are bad!" This needs to stop.

[ferret111]

Personally, I really don't feel unsafe in most of Tampa. I mean, I won't get out and go to a gas station if there's a crowd of suspicious-looking people outside or I certainly won't park and walk around the projects, but overall, you're certainly not going to get shot in the Tampa ghettos. Heckled and stared at, maybe, but that's it.

[SomoasBelly]

Y am I not suprised this went there?

[Charlie_surfer]

Originally Posted by Occifer

And stop with all of this "black/white" garbage. The areas posted are the worst areas in the City of Tampa. That's a fact. Look at the crime statistics and you will see for yourself. You can blame it on whatever you wish, but that doesn't change the fact that there is more crime in East Tampa, Sulphur Springs, and around Ybor than there is anywhere else in the city.

OK I have to ask this question simply because of Geography. What about Old Seminole Heights and Live Oaks Square. They are right in the middle of East Tampa and Sulphur Springs. Is the crime there not bad? The reason I'm asking is I am moving to Tampa on Oct 1st and I want to find a fixer-upper house and there are a couple in those areas. Of course I'm renting for a year before I actually buy a house. But if I can pick up one for a song and have a year to fix it up I will be in a very good position.

Thanks for you help.

[TampaKaren]

Originally Posted by Charlie_surfer

OK I have to ask this question simply because of Geography. What about Old Seminole Heights and Live Oaks Square. They are right in the middle of East Tampa and Sulphur Springs. Is the crime there not bad? The reason I'm asking is I am moving to Tampa on Oct 1st and I want to find a fixer-upper house and there are a couple in those areas. Of course I'm renting for a year before I actually buy a house. But if I can pick up one for a song and have a year to fix it up I will be in a very good position.

Thanks for you help.

Charlie, beware of the boundaries. One street can make a huge difference. If you don't know the area, someone will take advantage of you. Following is a boundary map to the historic district in Seminole Heights --> http://www.tampagov.net/dept_Historic_Preservation/information_resources/District_Maps/index.asp.

In the past 60 days, the average retail sales price around Live Oaks Square is $40.59psf.

[tampaguy03]

Originally Posted by Charlie_surfer

OK I have to ask this question simply because of Geography. What about Old Seminole Heights and Live Oaks Square. They are right in the middle of East Tampa and Sulphur Springs. Is the crime there not bad? The reason I'm asking is I am moving to Tampa on Oct 1st and I want to find a fixer-upper house and there are a couple in those areas. Of course I'm renting for a year before I actually buy a house. But if I can pick up one for a song and have a year to fix it up I will be in a very good position.

Thanks for you help.

Old Seminole Heights is quite nice WEST of I-275, or even better WEST of Florida Avenue. I have a friend and his wife that live East of I-275 and north of Sligh Ave, and that is a nice area of young couples and older folks.

Here is the neighborhood map for Old Seminole Heights>http://www.tampagov.net/appl_neighbo...ult.aspx?id=68

[OH10_to_SUNSHINE]

I work in Tampa the majority of my time (live here as well) and I deal with forclosed homes. AKA i am in the bad parts of town a lot. and honestly, like every city, there are bad areas...but the whole pointing out black neighborhoods? I can honestly say i feel fine and safe in those neighborhoods. if your just passing through and dont act like a dumb *****, everyone goes about their business. that goes for any neighborhood in tampa. You keep to yourself, they keep to theres. simple as that. youll be fine traveling through. I can say however, dont stumble into south side st. petes. thats a whole different storie. and i can say that because i got jacked while working on 6th street.

Just stick to high ways and main roads. if you wonder off, keep to yourself and youll be fine.