New Lenox - Why we love it! (Tinley Park, Wood Dale: homes, neighborhood)

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by jwv651

FWIW...I was born in Roseland in Chicago...blacks started moving in and whites moved out...we were the last to move and it was tough. Roseland went from a nice area to a crime ridden area at a flick of a eye. We then moved to Dolton and guess what the same thing happened. We then moved to South holland and guess what it happened again. Crime went through the roof. Mind you every time we moved the cost of living was higher. My parents paid dearly to raise their family in a low crime area. The last 16 years I have lived in New Lenox with my own family and I don't plan to move. Yes our community is made up of mostly white folks and that is why I am here. Diversity has not worked for me. If you look at Roseland, Dolton and Soth Holland now the high crime rates are staggering. Matter of fact if you look at the southwest suburbs of Chicago since blacks took over...you will see crime has risen 3 fold since white folks moved out. Sorry it is what it is.

As some have said, if you want to avoid a demographic trend, you have to move away from it, not along the path of it. I wonder what will be next...

[urza216]

Originally Posted by jwv651

FWIW...I was born in Roseland in Chicago...blacks started moving in and whites moved out...we were the last to move and it was tough. Roseland went from a nice area to a crime ridden area at a flick of a eye. We then moved to Dolton and guess what the same thing happened. We then moved to South holland and guess what it happened again. Crime went through the roof. Mind you every time we moved the cost of living was higher. My parents paid dearly to raise their family in a low crime area. The last 16 years I have lived in New Lenox with my own family and I don't plan to move. Yes our community is made up of mostly white folks and that is why I am here. Diversity has not worked for me. If you look at Roseland, Dolton and Soth Holland now the high crime rates are staggering. Matter of fact if you look at the southwest suburbs of Chicago since blacks took over...you will see crime has risen 3 fold since white folks moved out. Sorry it is what it is.

Crime in South Holland is below the national average. I guess you haven't actually looked at the crime rates.

[Dex]

South Holland's crime rate is TRIPLE that of places such as Frankfort, Mokena, and New Lenox.

Who'd want to live in an area like that?

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Could be a ton of reasons to stay in an area an aging parent that needs supervised is just one example.

[urza216]

Dex,

Crime in Oak Park and many nice north side city neighorhoods is higher than South Holland. So I guess people who live in Oak Park or the north side of Chicago would.

Crime is virtually non-existent in those areas you mentioned. I'd rather not live in a place like that because this way cops aren't harassing people compensatiing for the lack of crime and lack of direlects harassing people. "If you've ever been stopped by the police for no particular reason, you might be from New Lenox". That was from a Facebook group made up of mostly people under the age of 30.

[Dex]

There are many reasons involved when one makes a decision to or not to live in a particular town.

Oak Park and the North Side of Chicago are pleasant in many respects but the spector of crime always looms. The negative event may be a simple nuisance or a homicide but the simple fact that someone is jacking with one's property, family, or overall safety has to be one of the top two or three considerations a man considers as he buys or rents a shelter in which his family can prosper.

We've been in New Lenox for 26 years and not one crime has been committed against me, my wife, or our three children who were all raised and educated here. Bikes have been accidentally left out at night, we've forgotten to lock doors, and my kids played outdoors at all opportunies but never, not ONCE were we victimized.

The closest thing you'll find to a complaint about living here (aside from the usual taxes, etc.) has to do with the police force. There are many fine officers in this town but the chance to get socked with a ticket or be pulled over for little or no reason is very aggravating. As the above poster stated, you know you're from New Lenox if you've been pulled over for practically no reason. All five people who've lived in this home have had that happen. The worst case was when our youngest was tailed from the I-355 exit to our very street, a distance of three miles!

Aside from what was in the last paragraph, this is a fine, fine place to live. If you visit, though, always drive with the thought that it's best to drive 2-4 m.p.h. UNDER the posted limit. May seem ridiculous but that's the best way to keep your hard-earned money in your purse.

[Pamela23]

I'm an African-American woman in my 40's. We built our home in a still beautiful subdivision in Olympia Fields 16 years ago. I have a graduate degree, married to my husband with the same education background, 2 kids in private school, upper-middle class income-wise, white-collar professionals, well traveled, and it frustrates me that the south and southwest suburbs are so segregated and there's still so much fear of others solely based on their skin color. Statistics are hard facts, I understand, but it's important to me that I live around other people who are like me... but that's not based on skin color. It's based on shared values and interests. My closest friends are white, black, Indian, Hispanic and Jewish. Yes, you can choose to live with whomever you want. I just hope more people will be open to get to know others who may not look like them, but who actually may have more in common with you than someone of your own ethnicity. One of my closest friends is moving to a virtually all-white suburb and encouraged us to look "west" as well. Unfortunately, in 2012, although we may earn more, have similar
life experiences and the same or higher education level, I know we would not be welcome no matter how "great" we are
because of the color of our skin. I haven't told my friend this, but unfortunately it's true at least for now. That's just sad.

[urza216]

Pamela,

Is there something wrong with the PUBLIC schools in Olympia Fields? Being from Park Forest, I went to them and I turned out alright.

[chet everett]

I wonder if things will get better for one's kids (and their kids...) if more folks think like the friend and move to an area where fewer folks with the same pigmentation currently reside or if folks stay in areas where they are historically better represented?

What do you mean you would not be welcome no matter how great you are?

Originally Posted by Pamela23

I'm an African-American woman in my 40's. We built our home in a still beautiful subdivision in Olympia Fields 16 years ago. I have a graduate degree, married to my husband with the same education background, 2 kids in private school, upper-middle class income-wise, white-collar professionals, well traveled, and it frustrates me that the south and southwest suburbs are so segregated and there's still so much fear of others solely based on their skin color. Statistics are hard facts, I understand, but it's important to me that I live around other people who are like me... but that's not based on skin color. It's based on shared values and interests. My closest friends are white, black, Indian, Hispanic and Jewish. Yes, you can choose to live with whomever you want. I just hope more people will be open to get to know others who may not look like them, but who actually may have more in common with you than someone of your own ethnicity. One of my closest friends is moving to a virtually all-white suburb and encouraged us to look "west" as well. Unfortunately, in 2012, although we may earn more, have similar
life experiences and the same or higher education level, I know we would not be welcome no matter how "great" we are
because of the color of our skin. I haven't told my friend this, but unfortunately it's true at least for now. That's just sad.

[Pamela23]

@Urza216, I never said there was anything wrong with the public schools. It's a choice we made being raised Catholic and wanting them to have that same foundation.

Chet...my point was that even though someone may think we're a great family, some would still choose not to live next to a family of a different race just because of stereotypes, etc. Just commenting on my experience. I just hope one day people will realize people of the same ethnicity or religion do not have the same experiences/mindsets/values. There's diversity within every culture, too.