Is Lake Worth a Ghetto? (Miami, Jupiter: apartment, leasing, condo)

[KoZmiC NinJa]

No..... Im smart enuff to know they have to sensationalize stuff to
make it TV'able entertainment. But, there can be now denying that
crime in general is extremely high in SE-Fl. I did think their description
of each side of the bridge was realistic. These Tv stations love crime in
S.FL. COPS shows our area alot, and now they even have that
show devoted strictly to Broward, "The Women of BC Sheriffs Office".
People knock Rivera Beach too, but I rode my bicycle, yes, bicycle to
and from my job every day for almost 2 years, and there were two
Rivieras that I saw daily. The 'morning' version of Riviera had older
people walking, getting ready for work, waving at me when I went by, etc...
A very laid back atmosphere. When I went home, it was a whole different
feeling.....just like you might see on TV. What was sad was, you can see some
of the homes in that area that are very nice, the homeowners are very house proud.
Toward Lake Park, there is almost a Flamingo Park vibe around Foresteria and 2nd Ave.
Its a shame all this is taken down by the 'afternoon' version of Riviera.
I did get attacked on my afternoon run home once, but I still rode.... just more vigilant.
I dont go into Lake Worth much at all, but I imagine its the same way.

[bocamom]

cool. thanks. was just curious.

been having so much fun playing bass that i haven't been near the tv and didn't want to bother tivoing it

[aspensouth]

Well for example, the water department in lantana charged me a DIS-connect fee. Funny, aren't they city paid employees ? F P L pre-charging with option to refund later.(wonder if that will go with my employer) Not sure if this next one is rumor,are less moving in to florida for the first time in decades ? Think perhaps PBSO might be a little less attentive now that the fire dept.got thier raises.99% of life is showing up. WE the people have no one really to blame but ourselves. What will it take to quit complaining to the wrong people, a new Flag flying over the Capital? A president might just be a figurehead,but he represents us a people.Looks like easy pickins' to some.Freedom, at what price?

[lovinlocks]

How do you define "ghetto"?

[Manny561]

Originally Posted by aspensouth

Well for example, the water department in lantana charged me a DIS-connect fee.

Lantana will charge you with any and everything they possibly can. They will fine you for having your garbage cans in eye sight of the street. They will charge you for having your grass over 10" tall, even if its only a small patch of your whole lawn. They're freakin rediculous man.

[Manny561]

Originally Posted by lovinlocks

How do you define "ghetto"?

Lake Worth(the incorporated city and some unincorporated county areas) is ghetto. High crime, unsightly houses and apartments, high minority population, etc. It seems to be getting better but I have been spending less time in the city so that could just be me. I used to spend everyday in Lake Worth and youll hear everything from gunshots, police sirens, helicopters, tons of stray cats and rats. It is just a rediculous city all together.

[NancyC29]

When I moved here in the mid-70s, Lake Worth was a beautiful little beach town with some extending neighborhoods and an outlying stretch "all the way" to the turnpike down Lake Worth Road. There were farms out there. There were a few larger homes from the early part of this century, lots of art deco, and many lovely cottages and cottage style homes. Downtown was thriving, full of cute and reasonably priced antiques and collectible shops as well as having the best parades around for every occassion. We had a large European population and a funny combination of retirees and new families, who complimented each other. The Bryant Park bandshell had concerts and events every week. There were family activities all the time.

The area was expanded, people and times change. Some move up and on, others move in. For a while in the 90's things were on a terrible downhill slide, just as in most of the nation. Hurricanes came through and destroyed beaches and neighborhoods. People abandoned homes. Transients from "up north" and "the islands" came here thinking this was the land of opportunity - which it is not. No work, no affordable housing, and no ability to go anywhere, so they just stopped here. Landlords would rent their empty units for almost anything just to get some money in. Ethnic groups cluster together. Kids grow up searching for identity, or whatever, gangs form and expand. Crime is up.

Yes there are some terrible areas now in Lake Worth, just as there are in every town in Florida or any other state for that matter. But there are some lovely areas as well; responsible people who want good neighborhoods are taking back the lovely cottages north of Lucerne, the cute art deco condos and apartments near the bridge, the rentals around the bandshell. Downtown is vibrant with shops and pubs, festivals and still some of the best little parades; especially for kids.

It's not as fancy as CityPlace or Atlantic Ave., the farms are gone out west, replaced with a conglomeration of helter-skelter neighborhoods, trailer parks, strip centers and fast food, thanks to lack of good planning. But there are still some nice neighborhoods if you look past your nose.

The American dream can still be had in Lake Worth, it's just not the same dream as our parents and grand parents had...but then again, our lives don't resemble theirs either, do they?

[Manny561]

There are still farms out west, Mecca Farms and what not you just gotta go a little bit farther west than years ago. And yes i've said there are a nice neighborhoods you just have to stay east of Dixie Hwy and in some parts east of Federal Hwy(on the southside). Anything between 95 and Dixie Hwy(or Federal) is no where anyone on here would ever want to live.

[DaniellaG]

From what I have been reading on here it seems almost every city from Delray,Boynton,Lake Worth etc has bad sections. It is very different from my home state where basically a whole city is good or bad. You don't drive through patches of bad like in FL or are near them. Last winter I rented my mom a place in Lake Worth but it was on the border of Wellington. It was very nice and I felt safe so did she. It just depends I guess.

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by DaniellaG

From what I have been reading on here it seems almost every city from Delray,Boynton,Lake Worth etc has bad sections. It is very different from my home state where basically a whole city is good or bad. You don't drive through patches of bad like in FL or are near them. Last winter I rented my mom a place in Lake Worth but it was on the border of Wellington. It was very nice and I felt safe so did she. It just depends I guess.

Well, as a friend of mine always says, "ghetto people have to live somewhere too."

I also remember getting chastised by a friend's father when I was a bit younger, because I remarked that some nice waterfront property was a trailer park. I remember saying, "That would be such a nice spot for some big estate home."

He replied, "What, only rich people are entitled to water views?" It has colored my perception from then on.

In South FLorida, the railroads mean that a lot of poor people (who usually don't mind living next to railroads) will often live mere blocks away from intracoastal block neighborhoods, near the water. Most of these poorer neighborhoods are just that -- poor (like Poinciana Park, in WPB). Other times you get violent neighborhoods, like North Tamarind, etc. in WPB. It really is just a matter of doing diligence to ensure that you live far from the violent crime ridden areas, and not just "poor" areas that are fine but for the fact that they are poor.