New York to Yakima HELP

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by 509

I heard that some Yakima residents that winter in Palm Springs put up a billboard outside of Palm Springs that said "Welcome to Palm Springs, the Yakima of California".

I would buy them beers for that.

[Hbud]

The truth is:

When you move to the area you will realize that you could choose to live anywhere in the area,and after about 1 year you will be going to Seattle
for a dinner and a show or ball-game more easy and less stress than it would be going into manhatan form S. Jersey.

You will love the Mexicans&natives...they really are hard working people...the bigotry you learned from living in fear in the NY/NJ area will melt away,and you will feel free as a bird.

Its the Meth-heads that cause property crime that you will hear about,but probably never encounter...not gangs.

good luck
Canarsie

[Rickers]

Meth tweekers are only part of the problem right now, heroin is makeing a resurgence all over the northwest.

[avocet69]

My family lived in Yakima on and off for over fifty years. None of us live there currently but my husband and I have considered retiring there.

BUT let me tell you about growing up there......yes, crime and drugs have ALWAYS been a big problem downtown and it definitely found it's way to the suburban high schools. In the '60's it wasn't the migrant workers, but it was what we heard was the "Mafia" that supplied the drugs. I had several classmates become addicted to heroin and other drugs, which were readily available even back then. At the time, I personally knew very few Latino kids; at the time, most farm workers would just come up for the harvests and then go back down south afterwards. (The lower vally was a different story, where Hispanic families have lived for generations.) Apparently now, the farm workers are staying all year. Who could blame them? Many of my friend's families (white) came to the valley as migrant workers from Oklahoma and Arkansas and did all right. But, very few of the kids I went to school with stayed in Yakima. Just the great American saga! Oh, and as long as we're mentioning cultural differences, people might be surprised at the rich history of the African American families that have lived in Yakima forever!

So, heroin has been a big part of the economy of Yakima as long as I can remember. I have to be honest and say I would never consider raising kids there, as there are too many temptations.......but it could be a great place for a childless professional couple or a place to retire.

[70Ford]

Originally Posted by kz2

My husband is being considered for a job in Yakima WA. I have read much about the area but there appears to be vast discrepancies in the opinions expressed. On one hand there appear to be many with issues related to crime, gangs etc…while others have wonderful things to say.
So some about us, we are a professional couple. My husband is a physician and I work in mental health. We live in NYC, so it is hard for me to gauge what are real concerns about crime etc. and what are really issues about ethnic /racial things etc… I am looking for some honest and educated advice…
I have also lived in other parts of the country including Atlanta, Boston, CT and Los Angeles if that helps you understand my experiences
Additionally if one decides to move there despite all…where is the best place to live…it appears that outside of twon is what most folks answer to that....what does that mean from a comuting point of view?
please any help you can give this city girl in translating the truth about Yakima would be helpful!
thanks
KZ

Yakima sucks.

[M3 Mitch]

Well, parts of it suck, but parts of it don't. If one guy comes into Yakima downtown from around 40th ave, through the medical center part of town, and another comes up 1st Ave from the south, if they compare notes they'll wonder if they are really in the same place.

I don't think the toughest parts of Yakima are much compared to the Bowry.

[judiepc]

I can't help but wonder what Utopia this person lives in. Having lived in Seattle, Portland, San Franciso and Yakima. My kids were raised here, went to college, are successful and we are all still alive, never owned a gun and being a genealogist I did the 2000 census "in the area below first on the East side of town". Never had a problem, people were of mixed races, lower income and very pleasant and answered the questions. Not one problem.
My kids, on the other hand, are glad to be living elsewhere for job opportunities, social life and the advantages a larger city has. There is good and bad everywhere.