Moving from eastern Iowa to Aurora (crime rate, neighborhoods, public school)

[usagisan]

The comment about Detroit is in regard to the corruption in the city. No one ever asked for a campaign contribution in Detroit before my occupancy permit was issued like in Aurora.

[usagisan]

<i>If people dislike the place so much, I have noticed there is a privileged community, where most people are born 10 feet from the finish line in life and feel they accomplished something in life, just a bit east called Naperville. </i>

So you are saying life long residents, who lived in the community when it was a decent palce to live should move away because of the riff-raff that is being imported? Do I have the logic correct? Instead of stating the truth as they experienced it people should shut up and move?

<i>The immigrants in Aurora are good immigrants, we have a sizable hispanic community here too and would trade a lot of the current citizenry for the genuine, less judgmental hispanic friends anyday. I'm glad they are here, we couldn't ask for better immigrants. With or without health issues which are unfortunate.</i>

That is hilarious. It really is. You can tie the decline to two factors, that Daley regentrified Chicago's low cost housing and Aurora accepted the riff-raff and the large presence of second and third world illegal aliens.

Take a look at the decline of East High for example. And now West high is on the decline. Lincoln use to be a good school now it has been closed, and that was due to demographic shifts. The used the maintenance issue as cover to bail out of it.

I don't mind you defending the city, but you should at least be honest when you do it. The city has strongly declined and the reasons are well known and obvious. If you want just do a demographic comparison using this site with the surrounding communities.

In the 70s you could walk from the Country Club area to downtown and stroll to the Tivoli or Arcadia theater accosted. Now you are running a potential gauntlet going anywhere around Woodlawn and Prairie. The decline haas crossed the river and pushed west strongly over the past 30 years. Decent neighborhood after neighborhood has been undermined.

The entire area North of Illinois bordered on the east by lake street and to the west by highland use to be a area that peopel aspired to. Know the police patrol it 24x7. The adjacent area to the south of Illinois and north of galena bordered by lake and highland use to be lower working class families and a decent area. Seen it now? the police don't just patrol there they park their cars and stay.

Foxcroft use to be a destination also...now LOL. the whole area from higland to edgelawn between Galena and Indian trail has simply declined with pockets of incredible crime. I could go on and name neighborhood after neighborhood. Hey remember pigeon hill? Care to hang out there now? My limo drivers 8 year old nephew had his head blown off there while he lay in bed sleeping a few years back.

Simply put, I do not think there is anyone who was in Aurora 30-40 years ago who would share your sentiments. On the other hand Naperville use to be a hick town where people dated their sister, Batavia was a lower class Blue collar town considered a distinct step below Aurora. Geneva has always been Geneva. Oswego was the burnout city in the area, an Montgomery was a sleepy hollow. Take a look at them now.....hmmmm...now go back and study the demographics. What do you notice?

Anyways we obviously differ and we can politely disagree but r I am a fourth generation resident of Aurora and have seen the changes and they are not for the better. And yet the surrounding communities have all elevated themselves over the past 30-40 years.

[yenic]

I appreciate you posting your experiences, but it was flagged as a extreme as it left out any positive element (other than the finest low end Mexican food), which is what cast it into doubt. I mean, unless you want a really great 50 cent taco, stay out of Aurora? I've been there and that's not exactly true. What is true is that I spend most of my time on the western side which is pretty nice by any standard, which you stated even the good areas are not good. I've seen Ferraris drive through the area so it's hard to believe that the drive-bys and stabbings are that frequent or old money would stay out of the area completely. I think the demographic changes in most cities are poverty based, it's difficult for 1st gen immigrants.

What I will do as a result of your comments on corruption, is take a harder look at Oswego and Plainfield before I ever buy a home. I have some friends that have a home in Wheaton, and ideally I would like to be there but home values are significantly higher. Being as I'm still a single income earner. In fact, when I first make the move I won't have any job at all and taking anything I can find to support myself, using this forum is one part of how I'm trying to plan ahead.

[usagisan]

A few comments:

other than the finest low end Mexican food

My comment:

I really mean that too. My business is pretty much 100% out of State travel, so I typically leave early Sunday and come back on Thur or Friday night. Because of that, and having grown up here and acquiring a taste for Hispanic food, and to some extent culture (you see while I am quick t identify the reason for the decline it doe snot mean I do not enjoy the contact - I am just a realist - that is what I get paid for) I tend to eat more Hispanic related food than anything. And Aurora really has stellar stuff. I have been to Mexico and I know the common foods there and we stack up very, very well on the lower end. I have yet to see a higher end Mexican restaurant in the U.S. that stacks up to even plebeian mid priced in Mexico.

But boy if you like organ or goat meat in your Mexican entrees, Aurora really has excellent stuff. And also so darn good supermarkets for south American cuisine.

is take a harder look at Oswego and Plainfield before I ever buy a home.

There is an area south of By-Pass 30 on Orchard road that is simply way, way over built. I would suspect you could pick up a house for a song there. Just don't stay too long. As I know of the builders and how those communities were planned. Basically they are your future trouble areas 20 years out, like Foxcroft is becoming. But right now it is new construction. You might want to look into buying a house on contract.

Here is what I do not recall you asking: where should I consider living.

North Aurora is superior to Aurora and on the east side of the river the house prices are comparable. The bad areas of North Aurora are defined in houses on a block not neighborhoods.

I should mention if money is tight there is an excellent Government coop in St Charles off of Kirk road. Essentially you are buying a townhouse/condo and get a Government subsidy based on your income level. It is very nice.

Montgomery has only a little section of rough area and you can find some very inexpensive small homes that are clean and safe off the industrial district east of route 31. There is a nice little subdivison with economical well built smaller homes near the river on the southWest corner of river st and ashland. Many butt up to the cemetery so you have quiet neighbors.

BTW, all the communities surrounding Aurora are better - period. And I would not hesitate to live in any in contrast.

I've seen Ferraris drive through the area so it's hard to believe that the drive-bys and stabbings are that frequent or old money would stay out of the area completely.

The drug dealer that moved in 4 doors down from me (I live near the Aurora Country Club, what is considered a good neighborhood) had a full Hummer, 2 BMWs and a Corvette. When they busted him he threatened to have the Alderman killed and had all sorts of weapons in the house.

The militia guy who sidelined trafficking firearms to gangs had inherited wealth and lived in a mansion style house on Downer. He had all sorts of cool cars.

And the child pornography guy 1 block up from the Country Club has a built in pool and so many exotic cars you could not imagine including of all things a Shelby Cobra.

So I fail to see what the connection between criminal behavior and autos is suppose to prove.

And the old money in Aurora is married to the area. This really was a wonderful city in the 40s and quite the place to be. There use to be a great deal of pride in living here. And it was a very religiously tolerant town. One of the few in the area where Catholics were welcome and droves of people immigrated here from Indiana and places because it was Catholic friendly (that is also why the older Catholic churches here are so clannish).

Good luck.

[supportyourschools]

If Aurora is really as awful as you claim, then why are you still living there?

[usagisan]

Simply taking care of our elders. I buried my mother last year after a protracted decline that effectively stopped us form moving back in 2004. And now the mother-in-law is in decline. When that resolves we hope to be gone.

[jamaicabound60565]

Originally Posted by yenic

Ironically, all this negativity and talk about TB reminds me of what was said about Irish and Italians bringing disease and crime. The majority population of Chicago. Nothing ever changes.

This comparison is not accurate at all. It's a proven fact that diseases, sicknesses, illnesses etc that have been gone from the US for 50 plus years are comming back because people are flooding across the borders with no health screenings whatsoever adn bringing diseases that are common in other countries but that have been gone here for decades.

[yenic]

This sort of discussion infuriates me... and we can politely disagree, but I didn't expect my Aurora thread to really go in this direction. Frankly, I don't care what you people think of Mexican NAFTA refugees crossing our border after we destroyed their economy, ok? We're going to help them since apparently all hispanics have TB. And we're going to help them with your tax dollars just to twist the knife more- and that's going to be the end of it.

[usagisan]

This sort of discussion infuriates me... and we can politely disagree, but I didn't expect my Aurora thread to really go in this direction. Frankly, I don't care what you people think of Mexican NAFTA refugees crossing our border after we destroyed their economy, ok? We're going to help them since apparently all hispanics have TB. And we're going to help them with your tax dollars just to twist the knife more- and that's going to be the end of it.

Gee maybe Aurora is going to be perfect for you after-all. You might want to volunteer at Hesed House. Good luck and maybe you should take a look at housing around Avon Street. But my guess is you really won't want to live around the actual people for whom you take up the cause. But I'll listen on the police scanner for the updates in case you do.

[yenic]

Yes, because they're all at the Hesed House when they're not busy nursing their TB. That's who they all are, the lowest of the low.. everyone is stabbing liquor store clerks. No, they are just stabbing you (and for good reason). The negativity and blanket judgment placed upon all people in this large city is absurd. You know damn well the majority of people in Aurora are not part time or career criminals, and are just trying to live a better life. You should be ashamed of yourself for adopting the perspective of a clueless, privileged big baby, in the meantime it must be divine intervention that these immigrants are irritating people like you, running you out of your own city.

I have all the 'information' that I need.
This thread is closed.