Moving to Chicago in few months

[Master Jay]

Kmashouse, I didn't mean to make you almost choke!!!! But I know someone like YOU would have gotten my joke (that's why I then added the "....this week.").

I came down on Wednesday to bike. I did the trail that starts by the Yellow Line in Skokie and ends in Bryn Mawr, in the Forest Glen neighborhood... Our colleague, Hiruko, mentioned that area in his last post. It's a very beautiful area in the city. My Croatian friend from the Norwood Park area met me at East of Eden. We sat outside, and it was gorgeous outside.

The day PRIOR, on Tuesday, I had brought my kids down to the Croatian Fest in the south side Armour Square neighborhood. Then we went to the National Mexican Art Museum in Pilsen.

And on Saturday, I came down to the Edison Park Fest,

So yes, as a non-Chicagoan, I go to parts of the city besides tourist areas. And I can say 100% to anyone, that despite certain tragedies that take place, there are plenty of clean and safe areas (and yes I acknowledge that they have had incidents, but not on any ongoing basis like in other areas)... And also I can say 100% that some areas that have had a bad reputation, are NOT always bad.

[ebitdadada]

Originally Posted by Kmanshouse

As a Chicago lover, I wouldn't say it's 100% political. There is some truth to it.

There are a few comfortable northside neighborhoods where I suppose life is 99% wonderful still. I've noticed that everyone who denies Chicago's problems live in or around Lakeview, Lincoln Park, North Center, and even Lincoln Square to a lesser extent. It's a bubble.

We moved to East Ukrainian Village/West Town. The robberies on the street have exploded this year. In fact, they've exploded this last 5-6 weeks. I just attended a community meeting that was VERY eye opening. Residents standing up and saying how they've lived here 30 years and it's never been like this. How their teenaged kids got held up the other day and their phones taken. Etc.

In that meeting it was very clear that since Covid, we have a huge cop shortage in Chicago, and criminals know it. And they are taking advantage.

Don't be an ostrich.

This is why the rest of the city thinks northsiders are douchbags and a-holes. The bubble is shrinking too.

And I'm a huge Chicago homer - I said all the same things until a couple months ago. I still love it here and Chicago is still where I want to live, for now. But I'm seeing cracks, and these aren't quick issues to solve.

Lol as a former West Town resident, I thought we thought hated northsiders for entirely different reasons ? I hope do hope living Uptown keeps me at least slightly out of the northside bubble. My neighbor is a Citizenapp bro if it helps ?

My apologies if my post came off as too positive. Its pretty obvious that Chicago has problems and I find it tedious to have to recite them every time someone asks about Chicago. I may also just be having too good of a Chicago summer to think straight.

Your second post is spot on when it comes to Chicago and agreed some of Chicago's bad press is absolutely earned.

Anyway, keep up the good fight in West Town. I may be an optimist but I do think things will get better (I read an article this week saying even that ahole in charge of the FOP said police morale was getting better). If it helps, when we first moved to West Town back in 2015, Chicago avenue was basically abandoned and folks would tell stories about the days when things were much worse. No doubt crime gotten worse in West Town but the scars from covid won't last forever and the neighborhood has recovered before. Overall, I think Chicago is doing much better (especially compared to other cities) than we give it credit for.

[Kmanshouse]

Originally Posted by ebitdadada

Lol as a former West Town resident, I thought we thought hated northsiders for entirely different reasons ? I hope do hope living Uptown keeps me at least slightly out of the northside bubble. My neighbor is a Citizenapp bro if it helps ?

My apologies if my post came off as too positive. Its pretty obvious that Chicago has problems and I find it tedious to have to recite them every time someone asks about Chicago. I may also just be having too good of a Chicago summer to think straight.

Your second post is spot on when it comes to Chicago and agreed some of Chicago's bad press is absolutely earned.

Anyway, keep up the good fight in West Town. I may be an optimist but I do think things will get better (I read an article this week saying even that ahole in charge of the FOP said police morale was getting better). If it helps, when we first moved to West Town back in 2015, Chicago avenue was basically abandoned and folks would tell stories about the days when things were much worse. No doubt crime gotten worse in West Town but the scars from covid won't last forever and the neighborhood has recovered before. Overall, I think Chicago is doing much better (especially compared to other cities) than we give it credit for.

I am a Sox fan...if that's it