tacoma neighborhoods (Seattle: good schools, shop, commute to)

[lilahgael]

Originally Posted by azcallin

NE Tacoma is a nice / safer area. Other than that, I would never move to Tacoma (and I was born there) LOL I do not even like to drive there anymore.

Stay away from hillside area - lettered streets - Portland Ave areas esp. Other areas I am not too familiar with but know of no where I would want to call home there EXCEPT NE Tacoma where I lived and loved it - except for the Tacoma schools my kids had to go to - but you would not have to worry about that with small kids.

I am not sure how long you have been away from Tacoma, but...

The correct name of the community is Hilltop, not hillside. I own a house in the neighborhood, and while it still has a horrible reputation due to the activity in the '80s and '90s, this neighborhood has changed significantly over the last 15-20 years. Although there are still some issues the community is working on, Hilltop now has the LOWEST crime rate in all of Tacoma, including the North End. The reason for this change is folks like me - community advocates that are driven by a sense of responsibility to our families, neighbors, and community, and are very politically active as a result - don't tolerate any nonsense from clowns that try to move into the neighborhood and behave in a way that jeopardizes the safety, security, and quality of life of those that chose to invest in this community. This is also one of the most diverse neighborhoods in ALL of Puget Sound - racially, ethnically, educationally, and socioeconomically. Many find that an asset, but some folks are "uncomfortable" living in neighborhoods as diverse as Hilltop.

[mollyb817]

It's been interesting reading this thread. I first moved to Tacoma for college in '87, and then there were definitely parts of the city you tried to stay away from. But now...I'll go just about anywhere. We've now lived just outside of downtown for 2 years...before then we had a year in University Place, before then way too many years (4?) in Federal Way (bleah), before then we lived in the same basic area we're in now (at the end of Stadium district heading into downtown), and in just the years we were gone from the area, it's changed drastically for the better.

We have a 5 year old, and he and I walk everywhere. We walk to the toy store downtown, banks, occasionally he'll get me to the kid's museum (which I'm not a fan of), there's a Downtown Farmer's Market that's *wonderful*, museums, UW Tacoma, restaurants, coffee shops and so on and so forth. We're actually considering moving up the hill into Hilltop, and I've actually lived just down the hill by one block from where we're thinking of... When I lived there before, totally by myself, I felt the SAFEST I've ever felt. Why? How could I feel safe across from the (old) jail? Because along with the criminals, *that's where they keep the police officers*. What criminal is going to act nefariously *right there*?

Anyway, Tacoma is great. It's always changing, which I think is b/c it's called the City of Destiny...it's never going to be static, it's always going to change. We keep thinking about leaving Tacoma, but where else can we get all that Tacoma gives us? The list is short, and when you take into consideration the low cost of living compared to the others on that list, you end up right back in Tacoma.

[Luke9686]

I spoke to the Tacoma PD when first moved here. They said Hilltop is actually the safest neighborhood in Tacoma now. I live off 26th and Alder, around beautifull half million $ homes. Nice area. I also have to partially disagree with the comment about lettered streets. Some of the nicest parts of Tacoma are on lettered streets.

[VelcroQueen]

Well, since I wrote, crime has had a dramatic upturn in my neighborhood. I readily admit that when we bought our house, I was wearing blinders caused from being poor most of my life and thus retaining the mindset, being tired of looking at houses, and from the pain of being rearended twice at red lights. I was just bone-tired of the house-hunt and we bought. We have been sorry.

The Tacoma police, for whom I cannot give enough praise, have been very helpful. They turned our neighborhood around, got the ladies of the evening and their pimps out, and got the drugs out. But once again, four or so years later, we have a drug house just down the block. Whether or not it was involved in the shooting I don't know, but my area got shot up on Sunday morning the 1st. Saturday morning, after midnight and before 2:30, I heard more shooting down toward South Tacoma Way -- twice. I wonder if we have turned into some wild west show.

I fought this before and won. I am ready to do it again. We have some "irons in the fire."

[Jake840]

Originally Posted by VelcroQueen

I fought this before and won. I am ready to do it again. We have some "irons in the fire."

I think that is the best attitude to have. Crime is rising everywhere. I think Tacoma gives its citizens some pretty good tools to do their own community policing. If everyone in the city had the same attitude and had knowledge of what the city offers a lot of neighborhoods would be cleaned up fast.

[VelcroQueen]

I agree. My son would like to see us move, because we are older and he hates to see me get into it again. I admit that his home is in a nice area where peace reigns, but somebody has to stand up and say, "That's enough!" to the other areas.

We love our little house -- it's a petty little thing -- and I am willing to fight for it.

[lilahgael]

Originally Posted by VelcroQueen

Well, since I wrote, crime has had a dramatic upturn in my neighborhood. I readily admit that when we bought our house, I was wearing blinders caused from being poor most of my life and thus retaining the mindset, being tired of looking at houses, and from the pain of being rearended twice at red lights. I was just bone-tired of the house-hunt and we bought. We have been sorry.

The Tacoma police, for whom I cannot give enough praise, have been very helpful. They turned our neighborhood around, got the ladies of the evening and their pimps out, and got the drugs out. But once again, four or so years later, we have a drug house just down the block. Whether or not it was involved in the shooting I don't know, but my area got shot up on Sunday morning the 1st. Saturday morning, after midnight and before 2:30, I heard more shooting down toward South Tacoma Way -- twice. I wonder if we have turned into some wild west show.

I fought this before and won. I am ready to do it again. We have some "irons in the fire."

Crime is up everywhere across the nation. Everyone needs to step up and work together.

Have you contacted Hilltop Action Coalition, and your Sector 1 Community Liaison Officer? Lot's of folks are getting active in the community again, and they can help you get organized and nip it in the bud.

[cafeaulait1]

Most people who live in the Pacific Northwest don't know what a ghetto is. Until you've visited the northeastern US, ie: Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD, Philadelphia, PA and the boroughs of the Bronx, Booklyn and Queens, NY then you can not call Tacoma a ghetto. Live in any of those cities for at least a year and you'll return to Tacoma feeling like you are glad to have survived and are glad to be back in the Pacific Northwest. Talking about murders ... how about 200+ or 300+ murders a year in some of those areas. Tacoma has no where near the amount of murders and has no where near the amount of crime given its overall population.

Tacoma is a nice place to live. That's why so many people in Tacoma work in Seattle and commute to work every day. If it were that bad, then we'd all pack up and leave - but, we haven't. We come home to Tacoma everyday.

[VelcroQueen]

Originally Posted by lilahgael

Crime is up everywhere across the nation. Everyone needs to step up and work together.

Have you contacted Hilltop Action Coalition, and your Sector 1 Community Liaison Officer? Lot's of folks are getting active in the community again, and they can help you get organized and nip it in the bud.

I am in close contact with a neighborhood group, and some in my neighborhood have stepped up to the plate. We will have our second meeting very soon. We aren't in Hilltop, so we won't be contacting them.

[VelcroQueen]

Originally Posted by cafeaulait1

Most people who live in the Pacific Northwest don't know what a ghetto is. Until you've visited the northeastern US, ie: Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD, Philadelphia, PA and the boroughs of the Bronx, Booklyn and Queens, NY then you can not call Tacoma a ghetto. Live in any of those cities for at least a year and you'll return to Tacoma feeling like you are glad to have survived and are glad to be back in the Pacific Northwest. Talking about murders ... how about 200+ or 300+ murders a year in some of those areas. Tacoma has no where near the amount of murders and has no where near the amount of crime given its overall population.

I didn't realize anyone had called Tacoma a ghetto area. I have lived in St. Louis and have been/lived near East St. Louis; WA, D.C.; Baltimore, and Philly. Accidentally drove into a real bad area of St. Louis, where I turned around in the middle of an empty @ 8-lane street and high-tailed it out of there with my little children in the back seat once . . . .