asheville nc living (section 8, apartment complexes, crimes)

[the Parkies]

Originally Posted by LoisMae

After reading all of the four pages of posts, I am still curious as to whether this is truly a walking city, as New York, and San Fran etc. are. Can one rent an apartment in the so called downtown area and walk to most everything and/or take public transportation? It sounds very diversified and liberal, which I like. I am looking into retiring there, but still need more info and also need to visit. Any information would be most helpful.

LoisMae, you will find downtown Asheville far more walkable (and safe) than New York or San Francisco. Asheville is a community of only about 72,000 people, and only a fraction of those live right downtown. You can rent an apartment or condo downtown and walk from any point "A" to any point "B" in the downtown area within ten or fifteen minutes! Your feet are all you need!

[Zooropa]

Originally Posted by LoisMae

After reading all of the four pages of posts, I am still curious as to whether this is truly a walking city, as New York, and San Fran etc. are. Can one rent an apartment in the so called downtown area and walk to most everything and/or take public transportation? It sounds very diversified and liberal, which I like. I am looking into retiring there, but still need more info and also need to visit. Any information would be most helpful.

Asheville has plenty of very liberal and very conservative people. Once you get outside the city you'll find it gets much more conservative.

[miokie]

Originally Posted by LoisMae

After reading all of the four pages of posts, I am still curious as to whether this is truly a walking city, as New York, and San Fran etc. are. Can one rent an apartment in the so called downtown area and walk to most everything and/or take public transportation?

Downtown Asheville's walkable but you won't be able to buy groceries, toiletries, clothing, etc. Nor will you be able to attend a movie, find a dentist, etc. Downtown is art-crafts tourist oriented retail shops.
For shopping, there are bus lines to the malls, chain stores, and big box stores in the outlying neighborhoods, but the buses are nowhere near as convenient and efficient as NYC and SF mass transit.

The downtown doesn't even remotely compare to NYC or SF. As a renter, you'd quickly burn out on the attractions to which you could walk.
Asheville is a car town.

[the Parkies]

Originally Posted by miokie

Downtown Asheville's walkable but you won't be able to buy groceries, toiletries, clothing, etc. Nor will you be able to attend a movie, find a dentist, etc. Downtown is art-crafts tourist oriented retail shops.
For shopping, there are bus lines to the malls, chain stores, and big box stores in the outlying neighborhoods, but the buses are nowhere near as convenient and efficient as NYC and SF mass transit.

The downtown doesn't even remotely compare to NYC or SF. As a renter, you'd quickly burn out on the attractions to which you could walk.
Asheville is a car town.

You make some really important points, miokie. Thanks for modifying my earlier input. Bill and I drive to Asheville and then walk around downtown to eat, take in a concert, etc.--but living downtown, you'd still need a car to get around to essential services.

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by Asheville Native

Care to describe the State St. / Hanover St. area of West Asheville? There have been many shootings in West Asheville this year. Here are links to articles about the last 3, in West Asheville, since only early April.
Police probe West Asheville shooting | CITIZEN-TIMES.com | Asheville Citizen-Times
Man pinned by car after shooting | CITIZEN-TIMES.com | Asheville Citizen-Times
Shooting leaves woman dead, man injured | CITIZEN-TIMES.com | Asheville Citizen-Times

True there are nice areas in West Asheville, but it is less than forthright to ignore a major crime area in West Asheville.

Originally Posted by Asheville Native

And yet another one in West Asheville
Man shot in leg during robbery | CITIZEN-TIMES.com | Asheville Citizen-Times

Man shot at Pisgah View | CITIZEN-TIMES.com | Asheville Citizen-Times
And yet again a shooting in Pisgah View projects, and Asheville leaders continue to embrace these cesspools that account for the majority of non-domestic shootings in Asheville.

If anyone is considering West Asheville, be careful which part you choose.

[westvillemama]

Okay, so your point is don't move to the Pisgah View Paprtments. Got it.

[histo320]

Every town and city has its bad parts, but it is true, there are real people, with real lives, and real problems. I am from a similar community to Asheville. Just because there are shootings or other crime, doesn't mean it is as a whole unsafe.

W Asheville seemed like the typically lower middle class community. I saw a lot of renovation work being done on houses. I am from Illinois and have seen the "projects" in Chicago, Springfield, Peoria, and E. St. Louis. I would hardly call Pisgah "projects." Try walking by a building. having people offer you crack, and children running around with no shoes, and people passed out in the middle of the sidewalk. That is a project, no just low income housing with some crime.

I am proud of where I come from and I see many similarities with Asheville. If you have ever heard of the North Side of Champaign IL, you will hear a lot of the same jibber jabber about crime and what not, but it is still a fairly safe community if you have ever really seen, visited, or lived in true projects.

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by westvillemama

Okay, so your point is don't move to the Pisgah View Paprtments. Got it.

City council and APD have also chosen the approach of sticking their head in the sand about the problems in these taxpayer supported drug markets.

The only way to fix a problem is to make sure the problem is kept in the spotlight.

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by histo320

I am proud of where I come from and I see many similarities with Asheville. If you have ever heard of the North Side of Champaign IL, you will hear a lot of the same jibber jabber about crime and what not, but it is still a fairly safe community if you have ever really seen, visited, or lived in true projects.

Comparison to "how bad it is where I came from" in no way justifies or negates the problems in Asheville's projects. Yes there are very safe neighborhoods in West Asheville, but the area around PV ain't. People have to police their yard to clean up drug needles before allowing their kids to play in the yard, the sound of gunfire is common, etc.

[westvillemama]

Asheville Native, I just have to ask. How would you know??? I live in a neighborhood near the PV, and have personally not had any of those experiences. The problems are fairly concentrated to the complex itself. I drive down the Hanover/State intersection every. single. day. Sometimes even at night! No problems at all. That is not to say there are no problems, but seriously? It's not anywhere near as lawless and all-encompassing as your above posts make it sound. Is there some crime? Why, yes. My head is not in the sand for crying out loud. Do I have people leaving needles in my yard? Of course not. One apartment complex does not denigrate an entire side of town, of that I assure you. I've lived in areas where that is true. This isn't one of them. Do I want to live next door to the PV? Do I want to live in the PV? Who would? Probably not even most of the people who do have to live there want to, because a few bad apples spoils the whole bunch. Yes crime exists, but this isn't freaking South central for crying out loud.