Where to live in Ventura County (Los Angeles, Oxnard: car, parking, money)

[user_id]

Originally Posted by Winston Smith

Should add that there are parts of Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Moorpark and Camarillo that have bad areas. I have no idea where they are, but I know they exist.

This depends what you mean by "bad area". If "bad area" refers to an area that is worse than average for the city then of course, none of those cities are entirely homogeneous. But if you mean areas with serious crime problems...then not really. Simi Valley and Moorpark do have barrios though...but they don't have serious crime issues.

Anyhow, Oxnard is the only city in Ventura County with areas that have serious crime problems.

Originally Posted by Winston Smith

Major U.S. cities smaller than Oxnard...

Umm......those aren't major US cities. Plus, looking at the population just within city-limits makes no sense...you have to look at the metro statistical area.

But why are you mentioning these cities anyways? I really don't understand why its so difficult to acknowledge that there are areas of Oxnard that have serious crime issues....

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by user_id

I really don't understand why its so difficult to acknowledge that there are areas of Oxnard that have serious crime issues....

You're missing the point entirely (not surprised, really). First, it's a misrepresentation to single out Oxnard. It does not provide an apples-to-apples comparison. Second, to take a city the size of Salt Lake City and simply say, "there are bad areas" or "crime exists here" without any detail is not all that useful.

No one on this board that I have read denies that there are rough areas in Oxnard -- and Ventura and other places in Ventura County. In fact, just about everyone but you, user_id, has provided a fair amount of detail about the good and bad. Maybe if you spent less time trying so hard to be a better forum troll you could help out a little instead.

[user_id]

Originally Posted by Winston Smith

First, it's a misrepresentation to single out Oxnard. It does not provide an apples-to-apples comparison.

Its a misrepresentation to single out Oxnard from what exactly? I was only mention Oxnard in relation to Ventura County, which is why its a bit mysterious why you keep mentioning cities in other states.

Oxnard contains the roughest parts of Ventura County.

Originally Posted by Winston Smith

No one on this board that I have read denies that there are rough areas in Oxnard -- and Ventura and other places in Ventura County.

Right...that is why the mere suggestion of crime in Oxnard results in a "debate"...

[makeitagreatday]

Or a Ventura County thread? Exploring the west and NW for relocation and just went through this little back and forth....and back and forth with the Portlanders (definitely not Portlandians ...I made that fatal mistake at the beginning and was quickly corrected by the locals) and this thread has turned into a pro and con Oxnard thread like a Portland one just went way wayward. People are the same and different all the world over and our lifestyles influence our views on many things...sometimes in a good way, sometimes in a bad way.

[LadyKLO]

Originally Posted by makeitagreatday

Or a Ventura County thread? Exploring the west and NW for relocation and just went through this little back and forth....and back and forth with the Portlanders (definitely not Portlandians ...I made that fatal mistake at the beginning and was quickly corrected by the locals) and this thread has turned into a pro and con Oxnard thread like a Portland one just went way wayward. People are the same and different all the world over and our lifestyles influence our views on many things...sometimes in a good way, sometimes in a bad way.

Welcome to the VC section...all of us are passionate about our areas however, I hate to see someone claim they know something about a particular city when in essence, they don't live there, can't speak on anything positive. There are pros and cons to EVERY city in this great county but I hate for people to be misinformed by the "misinformed"...lol

[Crystal is a mess]

Originally Posted by SOON2BNSURPRISE

Must be doing something right because Oxnard has less problems than Santa Barbara, Ventura, and many many other areas. Maybe more cities should have active gang injunctions. Maybe if all places told known gangs that they can get arrested for associating with other known gang members things in those cities would change. Why wouldn't you want to live in a city that says gangs are bad and we are going to do something about them. Over the years that this gang injuction has been in place people are spending time doing things at night in Oxnard. The downtown has been revitalized and people like going there. One of the best clubs in the county is on Oxnard Blvd near the transportation center. The weekends are alive and happening in Oxnard. Maybe other cities will catch on and realize that gang injunctions work and that we the people can take our cities back again. Another thought is why would you ever want to get rid of the gabg injunction? I hope that they keep it in place for ever. I want every gang member or potential gang member to realize that Oxnard means business when it comes to crime and violence. We take it personal and are doing something about it. The numbers show that the gang injunction works. Yes we have a gang injunction. Better question to ask is why doesn't everyone else have one?

Thank you for standing up for Oxnard. I have noticed ever since the Ventura forum was formed, you have promoted the positve about the city/area.

I no longer live in Ventura county, but spent a good bit of time there even when I lived in Ventura and Fillmore. Even before the revitalization there was something about it that I liked and I am happy the city has the gang injunction in place.

Personally I'd go insane living somewhere like cookie cutter Simi Valley or Thousand Oaks.

[makeitagreatday]

...because it's hard to get the 'city vibe' when you are not actually there. Some die hard Portlanders were just downright mean to newcomers but then others refreshingly came on and reminded me that those were only a few and absolutely not indicative of Portland as a whole. My husband used to pass through Oxnard in the 80's and it sounds like they are trying to clean up their image and town from the post-military brat-pack (and gang banging) kids that came out of there. (No offense to anyone as I know there are also respectful kids that came from there too.) But it sounds like the city is really trying to get ahold of the gangs and that always helps the current residents and ones who are considering moving there.

[LadyKLO]

Originally Posted by makeitagreatday

...because it's hard to get the 'city vibe' when you are not actually there. Some die hard Portlanders were just downright mean to newcomers but then others refreshingly came on and reminded me that those were only a few and absolutely not indicative of Portland as a whole. My husband used to pass through Oxnard in the 80's and it sounds like they are trying to clean up their image and town from the post-military brat-pack (and gang banging) kids that came out of there. (No offense to anyone as I know there are also respectful kids that came from there too.) But it sounds like the city is really trying to get ahold of the gangs and that always helps the current residents and ones who are considering moving there.

Awesome post! I moved to this area in 2001 and haven't regretted it one bit.

[user_id]

Originally Posted by Crystal is a mess

Personally I'd go insane living somewhere like cookie cutter Simi Valley or Thousand Oaks.

So you prefer cookie cutter Oxnard?

Ventura Conunty, as a whole, was largely developed after the 1950's..... This isn't New England.....

[user_id]

Originally Posted by makeitagreatday

.My husband used to pass through Oxnard in the 80's and it sounds like they are trying to clean up their image and town from the post-military brat-pack (and gang banging) kids that came out of there.

The military is still very much a part of the Oxnard area and I believe gang activity was actually less in the 1980's than today, though it has declined since the 1990's. But the city has grown a lot since the 1980's so both issues play less of a role in relation to the population as whole.

Cities often try to clean up their image, they believe they can make some cosmetic changes and the city will magically transform...

They appear to be trying to gentrify Oxnard, I'm not sure why city officials always aim for this...as if you can transform the entire country into wealthier regions. But the city lacks the typical engines of gentrification so its likely to end badly. Oxnard today is largely a working-class Hispanic city with a strong manufacturing base, its unfortunate that they don't focus on their key economic strengths rather than trying to create another yuppy-ville.