Questions about Port Angeles - crime, drugs, Serenity House? (Seattle: sex offenders, crime rates)

[dillyhill]

I'm wondering if anyone has any information about Serenity House Clallam County (in the west end), they have a homeless shelter there that allows anybody, drug users, sex offenders, etc and I was wondering if anyone has any experience with it or has heard anything about it? What it's like, if it effects the surrounding neighborhoods etc? Crime?

[Hemlock140]

Actually, much most of the crime in PA is in the area from 8th to the water centered around the ferry dock. The best areas are above 101 toward the mountains, and before downtown, Deer Park area to about Chambers. I have a friend that works for the sheriffs department, and lives in the Laurel/Forest area where it's very peaceful. Most of the drug problems are coming from outside town in the Elwha and Joyce areas.

[iteachsurfing]

Actually, the whole of Port Angeles & Even most of Sequim have become infested with Addicts & Criminals being shipped in from all over WA ... paid for with Tax Dollars! Once here in Port Angels DSHS & Serenity House Caters to and funds these Users, Dealers, Paroles & Criminals Etc. They Enable these individuals & thus have ruined this once beautiful place!!! We are moving because we no longer wish to raise our child in this environment! There are much better places to Live!!!

[PrincessoftheCape]

I've always felt like PA was a city that could have easily been a big deal (and might yet be). It's location and local geography are stunning, it has a nice urban core of interesting (if largely rundown) buildings, it possesses a large, sheltered harbor, and -- most importantly -- its location inside the Olympic Rain Shadow gives it far more ideal weather than most of the cities in the western portion of the state.

The sticking point has always been the lack of a railroad actually bound to the continental network (yes, the peninsula possessed a railroad two decades ago, but it required a clumsy ferry connection to link up with the main system). Though it would be virtually impossible to construct such a link today (and the necessity for it has faded with much of the heavy industry in PA vanishing), the city might yet still see a boom if more retirees recognized it as a cheap, scenic, less rainy alternative to Seattle. Like Redding, CA, I think it's a place that is waiting for 'the word to get out' about it. At some point, people are going to stop flooding the desert southwest, either out of necessity or because it simply falls out of vogue. PA could benefit when that shift happens.

[Pretzelogik]

Originally Posted by PrincessoftheCape

I've always felt like PA was a city that could have easily been a big deal (and might yet be). It's location and local geography are stunning, it has a nice urban core of interesting (if largely rundown) buildings, it possesses a large, sheltered harbor, and -- most importantly -- its location inside the Olympic Rain Shadow gives it far more ideal weather than most of the cities in the western portion of the state.

The sticking point has always been the lack of a railroad actually bound to the continental network (yes, the peninsula possessed a railroad two decades ago, but it required a clumsy ferry connection to link up with the main system). Though it would be virtually impossible to construct such a link today (and the necessity for it has faded with much of the heavy industry in PA vanishing), the city might yet still see a boom if more retirees recognized it as a cheap, scenic, less rainy alternative to Seattle. Like Redding, CA, I think it's a place that is waiting for 'the word to get out' about it. At some point, people are going to stop flooding the desert southwest, either out of necessity or because it simply falls out of vogue. PA could benefit when that shift happens.

Or the H20 runs out. The Ten Biggest American Cities That Are Running Out Of Water - 24/7 Wall St.

[Hemlock140]

My parents are in PA, and I have a brother in Redding. Redding is hot and dry, like a small desert in between great forests. The lakes there, like Shasta are below 50% of capacity and I saw a lot of dead pine trees. Both have lousy crime rates, but Redding is worse and has a lot more guns. PA has the quaint old downtown, water front, ferry to Victoria and is the gateway to the Olympic National Forest and Hurricane Ridge. My brother had 22 guns stolen from his storage unit in Redding, it was in the local paper. My parents have never experienced any problems in PA, after 15 years there. in fact, younger local neighbors have been great about looking after them.

[PrincessoftheCape]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

My parents are in PA, and I have a brother in Redding. Redding is hot and dry, like a small desert in between great forests. The lakes there, like Shasta are below 50% of capacity and I saw a lot of dead pine trees. Both have lousy crime rates, but Redding is worse and has a lot more guns. PA has the quaint old downtown, water front, ferry to Victoria and is the gateway to the Olympic National Forest and Hurricane Ridge. My brother had 22 guns stolen from his storage unit in Redding, it was in the local paper. My parents have never experienced any problems in PA, after 15 years there. in fact, younger local neighbors have been great about looking after them.

I wasn't attempting to compare the two, though they do share some appealing similarities. I feel like both represent underutilized regional centers, each relatively isolated (Redding, obviously, moreso than PA), both with good weather (Redding is hot, but so is Phoenix; for some reason people move there in droves. PA isn't hot, but it is a lot drier than most of the rest of the Sound).

In a nutshell, PA could be favorably referred to as 'Seattle light,' in that is features much of the same scenery, but less crime, congestion, and big urban problems. Redding, similarly, could be said to be 'California light' (pick any given large metro area), with wide open spaces, sunny skies, but less congestion, etc. Both have low costs of living, lots of attractive housing, and a lot of the traits retirees look for in a final landing spot.

[MarciaMarshaMarcia]

Hhmmmm...well...I read Clallam Co. does have the highest suicide rate of Baby Boomers of all the counties in WA state...

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by thisplacesucks

Hhmmmm...well...I read Clallam Co. does have the highest suicide rate of Baby Boomers of all the counties in WA state...

It's probably the highest population of baby boomers, so that makes sense. Sequim and Port Angeles are very popular with retirees, especially from CA (like my parents). The county residents are 23% over 65, and 13.4% Age 65 living alone. That's more than double the percentages in King County.

[MarciaMarshaMarcia]

That doesn't mean that ppl kill themselves.