moving to asheville, don't move here? (apartment complex, homes, income)

[nanannie]

I also loved Asheville and was "THIS CLOSE" to moving there.I was very much reminded of Portland( a smaller version)strolling uphill in the downtown and certainly driving in the hills overlooking the city,,it was just like my old 'hood in P'land.Yes,Asheville has beggers,,but dont ALL cities have beggers?

[dmecchi2]

how is the public transportation for those of us without cars. is there a car sharing program or anything for when i leave the city and want to go mt biking or climbing. also, if beggars are the biggest problem, well that is not a problem. i'm moving from baltimore and want to leave a crime and pollution ridden city for some fresh air and friendly people.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by dmecchi2

how is the public transportation for those of us without cars. is there a car sharing program or anything for when i leave the city and want to go mt biking or climbing. also, if beggars are the biggest problem, well that is not a problem. i'm moving from baltimore and want to leave a crime and pollution ridden city for some fresh air and friendly people.

You know, a lot has been made about the "beggars" in Asheville on these forums, but honestly, there are very few, IMO. I have lived in cities where they are EVERYWHERE and you constantly get accosted. In all my times in downtown Asheville, I think I have only been asked for money 2 or 3 times. You will find "beggars" in any resort town or large city, so Asheville is not unique in that regard. It certainly is not a problem for us, in any case.

As far as the transportation, there is a fairly decent bus system, but you would want to live in a location near the bus stops. I don't know about the car sharing. From our little house behind the mall, we are close to everything including the bus stop. The buses have a bike rack on the front. I know you can take the bus from Asheville to Black Mountain, but not sure where else out of town you can go.

[EarthWoman]

I hope those 'hateful' people in Asheville are reading this.

Shame on you mean people! Being a liberal myself we are that way because we accept people for whom they are, and accept differences. Do we want people to make fun of us because we dress like hippies, and if they do, that is their bad, and their iggnorance, why be like them?

I am sorry people are being mean to you, I mean sometimes we do have to dress up, some people DO have jobs to go to!

Originally Posted by KG00713

I moved to Asheville last year to start a graduate program. My main problem with Asheville is that downtown is full of beggars hoping they can get money out of tourists. I've also run quite a few people who have been rude (mostly thought my graduate program...but are 25-40 years old and natives of the area) because of the way I look and dress.

I'm from Chicago and I wear high heels and makeup, and I've been stared at, yelled at, and treated poorly by people downtown. The normal dress is tie-dyed shirts, hiking sandals..so if you dress nicer you are either a "tourist" or "one of those rich folks buying up the mountains."

Also, although I'm liberal, there are a lot of crazy far-left liberals in the area. All the businesses near my house get spray-painted with pro-vegan and anti-bush statements. It's really quite scary.

It all depends what you like. The mountains are beautiful. There are a lot of restaurants and shops...but some of the people that live around here are just hateful.

[EarthWoman]

Don't you just love it when it's always the northern's fault because we are not so passive aggressive and more outspoken?

I have notice plenty of rude folks in NC, so leave her alone already.





[quote=Asheville Native;1210595]Again perhaps you should review your demeanor when you meet people, what you beleive to be open etc, and plays well in Chicago, might just be well over the top here. I have spent a good deal of time in the mid-west on business, and I find mid-westerners loud and over bearing to the point of being obnoxious, and it won't play well with southerners.

[SaveMtns]

Originally Posted by EarthWoman

I hope those 'hateful' people in Asheville are reading this.

Shame on you mean people! Being a liberal myself we are that way because we accept people for whom they are, and accept differences. Do we want people to make fun of us because we dress like hippies, and if they do, that is their bad, and their iggnorance, why be like them?

I am sorry people are being mean to you, I mean sometimes we do have to dress up, some people DO have jobs to go to!

Try to remember this, everyone: all the while you are sitting around putting people down for their differences--someone else is putting YOU down for being different from THEM.

Like we always said as kids (and maybe should think of more as "grown-ups"): When you point a finger at someone else, 3 fingers are pointing back at you".

I know people who, on the weekends, appear to be hippies, bikers (the Harley-Davidson devotees), etc. - but during the week they are back in the office in the "uniform".

Bottom line: none of the hippies, beggars, 'trustafarians', etc. are hurting me, so who cares??!

[EarthWoman]

I agree with you certainly, thank you for that. As for Asheville in general, I love to visit that free-spirited town!




[

Originally Posted by SaveMtns

Try to remember this, everyone: all the while you are sitting around putting people down for their differences--someone else is putting YOU down for being different from THEM.

Like we always said as kids (and maybe should think of more as "grown-ups"): When you point a finger at someone else, 3 fingers are pointing back at you".

I know people who, on the weekends, appear to be hippies, bikers (the Harley-Davidson devotees), etc. - but during the week they are back in the office in the "uniform".

Bottom line: none of the hippies, beggars, 'trustafarians', etc. are hurting me, so who cares??!

[SaveMtns]

Originally Posted by EarthWoman

I agree with you certainly, thank you for that. As for Asheville in general, I love to visit that free-spirited town!




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The varied people and persuasions are the reason we love it so much!

[Asheville Native]

Asheville has a lot of beggars, because Asheville caters to the beggars second only to the tourists. The homeless have their own networks, and the word is out that for the homeless, Asheville is the land of milk and honey.
On WLOS news (local TV station) this morning was a story about a new apartment complex for the homeless has just opened, and has 60 apartments for the homeless, free of charge. Why in hell wouldn't they come in droves?

[SaveMtns]

Might help to study up on homelessness in the USA...there are lots of "lands of milk and honey" - read: "places that are trying to do something about a national, growing problem."

People are homeless for a million different reasons: mental illness (almost no services for them), health setbacks, job lay-offs, spouse abandoment, etc. "There but for the grace of God go I"...

Asheville is not the first community to try to solve this sad situation, and hopefully won't be the last. Have you thought about putting your energy into Habitat for Humanity?