Best place to live near Detroit (Livonia, Westland: crime, mobile home, neighborhood)

[lesgru]

Forget about public transportation in Detroit and the surrounding area. The "D" is the motor city you absolutely have to use your car. So called public transportation is a joke I wouldn't even factor it in, it is almost nonexistent.
In most of the suburban areas good thing is if you work there you almost never have to leave your immediate area for anything shopping, entertainment, dining, most of the suburban areas have this within the city limits it is possible to live within walking distance of everything if you look. For instance Troy, Birmingham/Beverly Hills, Novi, Northville, Livonia, West Bloomfield, Farmington Hills all have everything you need within city limits. I am talking about major well known places, as well as local restaurants and businesses all very good quality. All have major malls with major anchor stores either within city limits or neighboring community. Tons of shopping!!! One stop 24 hr shopping Meijers mega stores have everything you can imagine.
I am an African American female who raised 3 children in the so called pretentious Birmingham school district (Beverly Hills) although it is a common belief these areas are pretentious because of the wealth of most of the population, I found the area to be the complete opposite. It was the friendliest and most down to earth community I have ever lived in, and I have lived in a few, Detroit, Southfield, Beverly Hills, Troy, Novi and now West Bloomfield. I Like moving around experiencing different areas. Next stop New Orleans LA. You will be working and going to school in what I would call the South end of the city Ann Arbor southwest Wayne state is mid town Detroit. I prefer the North side but that is just my preference. I am more familiar with it.
If safety is a concern I wouldn't do Detroit, like a lot of major cities VERY high crime rate very high incidence of Car Jacking and crime at gas stations and party/liquor stores within Detroit city. I don't stop at gas stations in Detroit. Police response much better with new police chief he is wonderful in my opinion. Emergency response in suburbs not an issue arrival within a couple of minutes.
All of the communities mentioned in earlier posts nice and safe. All of the freeways connect at some point so if you don't mind freeways you can live almost anywhere. We do have bad rush hour in the evening leaving the city going in either direction between 5:30-6:30 via 696 (turns into a parking lot) and Northwestern HWY 15 min commute becomes 45 min. Also Northbound I75. Southfield Rd also avoid during rush hour, nightmare, but plenty of alternatives to Southfield Rd. If you work outside of standard 9-5 no problem on any freeway.
The worst thing about MI in my opinion is no public transportation and because I absolutely HATE cold weather I do not like the winters they are to long and to me the spring is just an extension of winter. I just stopped wearing boots and leather jacket about 2 weeks ago. I love everything else about it if you don't mind the COLD you will love it here! So many nice places to live it is hard to choose. My pick for areas you will be working and school Royal Oak or Northville hands down!!!! Good Luck!!!!

[jessxwrites89]

Originally Posted by lesgru

Forget about public transportation in Detroit and the surrounding area. The "D" is the motor city you absolutely have to use your car. So called public transportation is a joke I wouldn't even factor it in, it is almost nonexistent.
In most of the suburban areas good thing is if you work there you almost never have to leave your immediate area for anything shopping, entertainment, dining, most of the suburban areas have this within the city limits it is possible to live within walking distance of everything if you look. For instance Troy, Birmingham/Beverly Hills, Novi, Northville, Livonia, West Bloomfield, Farmington Hills all have everything you need within city limits. I am talking about major well known places, as well as local restaurants and businesses all very good quality. All have major malls with major anchor stores either within city limits or neighboring community. Tons of shopping!!! One stop 24 hr shopping Meijers mega stores have everything you can imagine.
I am an African American female who raised 3 children in the so called pretentious Birmingham school district (Beverly Hills) although it is a common belief these areas are pretentious because of the wealth of most of the population, I found the area to be the complete opposite. It was the friendliest and most down to earth community I have ever lived in, and I have lived in a few, Detroit, Southfield, Beverly Hills, Troy, Novi and now West Bloomfield. I Like moving around experiencing different areas. Next stop New Orleans LA. You will be working and going to school in what I would call the South end of the city Ann Arbor southwest Wayne state is mid town Detroit. I prefer the North side but that is just my preference. I am more familiar with it.
If safety is a concern I wouldn't do Detroit, like a lot of major cities VERY high crime rate very high incidence of Car Jacking and crime at gas stations and party/liquor stores within Detroit city. I don't stop at gas stations in Detroit. Police response much better with new police chief he is wonderful in my opinion. Emergency response in suburbs not an issue arrival within a couple of minutes.
All of the communities mentioned in earlier posts nice and safe. All of the freeways connect at some point so if you don't mind freeways you can live almost anywhere. We do have bad rush hour in the evening leaving the city going in either direction between 5:30-6:30 via 696 (turns into a parking lot) and Northwestern HWY 15 min commute becomes 45 min. Also Northbound I75. Southfield Rd also avoid during rush hour, nightmare, but plenty of alternatives to Southfield Rd. If you work outside of standard 9-5 no problem on any freeway.
The worst thing about MI in my opinion is no public transportation and because I absolutely HATE cold weather I do not like the winters they are to long and to me the spring is just an extension of winter. I just stopped wearing boots and leather jacket about 2 weeks ago. I love everything else about it if you don't mind the COLD you will love it here! So many nice places to live it is hard to choose. My pick for areas you will be working and school Royal Oak or Northville hands down!!!! Good Luck!!!!

I didn't have problem with public transit. But, once I move, save money and get settled I'll probably learn how to drive.

[lesgru]

@jessxwrites89 what method of transportation do you use? I have always found public transportation to be awful here. I think all major cities should have public transportation like San Francisco so maybe I have very high standards. I used to use it as a teenager in the 70's hated waiting in the cold for 45 min to an hour if you are not going downtown on major line, Gr. River, Woodward. From what I know has only gotten worse. I've had to drive everywhere all my adult life and w/children in the suburbs an absolute must. Consider yourself lucky if you don't have issue with it! :-)

[jessxwrites89]

Originally Posted by lesgru

@jessxwrites89 what method of transportation do you use? I have always found public transportation to be awful here. I think all major cities should have public transportation like San Francisco so maybe I have very high standards. I used to use it as a teenager in the 70's hated waiting in the cold for 45 min to an hour if you are not going downtown on major line, Gr. River, Woodward. From what I know has only gotten worse. I've had to drive everywhere all my adult life and w/children in the suburbs an absolute must. Consider yourself lucky if you don't have issue with it! :-)

I used SMART and DDOT. I will be moving from the suburbs of Philly and surprisingly Detroit and Metro Detroit have a better public transit system than here. Of course, it wasn't like Baltimore or even Milwaukee... but it wasn't awful compared to where I live now (buses come here every hour and a half to two hours and some don't even show up here!).

[MS313]

Public transportation in Detroit is just a tad bit over exaggerated here on CD. As mentioned above, do not compare it to NYC or SF because it's not. I know plenty of people who have to rely on PT in Detroit on a daily basis so "nonexistent" is a stretch by any imagination.

[jessxwrites89]

Originally Posted by MarvinStrong313

Public transportation in Detroit is just a tad bit over exaggerated here on CD. As mentioned above, do not compare it to NYC or SF because it's not. I know plenty of people who have to rely on PT in Detroit on a daily basis so "nonexistent" is a stretch by any imagination.

Well said!

[xfactor85]

Originally Posted by jessxwrites89

I used SMART and DDOT. I will be moving from the suburbs of Philly and surprisingly Detroit and Metro Detroit have a better public transit system than here. Of course, it wasn't like Baltimore or even Milwaukee... but it wasn't awful compared to where I live now (buses come here every hour and a half to two hours and some don't even show up here!).

How is that possible?

You are saying Metro Philly has worse public transportation than metro Detroit?

[jessxwrites89]

Originally Posted by xfactor85

How is that possible?

You are saying Metro Philly has worse public transportation than metro Detroit?

Yes. When I was going to West Chester from King of Prussia, it came every 2 hours and a lot of time the bus never showed. Other suburban destinations are the same way. City transit is somewhat better... late and sometimes never shows up, but it comes more frequently. I really dislike SEPTA.

[lkpotr]

As a long time occupant of the City of Livonia, I would recommend you do not move there. The city is kept rated as a low-crime city by a management system that overlooks crime and discourages citizens from making actual reports. I have on multiple occasions at this point had cops tell me a crime was a "learning experience" as opposed to doing anything about it. They care more about distinguishing themselves from the rest of western Wayne County than they do about the actual safety of their citizens. I have had enough and am out. Though if you plan on wrongdoings have at it lol

That said, I have also had cops help in the city too. Once a cop helped me push my car which had stalled into a parking lot out of the center turn lane and drive me home... I even got to sit in the front instead of behind in the cage lol. But as far as needing anything real goes, forget it.

Livonia Stevenson was a quality school however. Not the best, not the worst, but had some very good programs.

[Sconesforme]

Originally Posted by lesgru

If safety is a concern I wouldn't do Detroit, like a lot of major cities VERY high crime rate very

Detroit crime statistics is worse than any other city in United States among cities with over 250,000 people. Detroit has the highest rate of violent Crime, the highest rate of murder & manslaughter and the highest rate of aggravated assault. Detroit has the second highest rate of Grand Theft Auto, the fourth highest Burglary rate, the fourth highest robbery rate, the ninth highest property crime and the eleventh highest rape rate in the US. Because of the inefficiency of the Detroit police department the crime rate is likely much higher – not to talk about the corruption in the city. We can analysis the statistics in all kind of ways and Detroit would still be the highest or second highest crime stricken city over 250,000 in United States. Among cities with a population over 500K it’s just insanely dangerous. I would feel safer walking in the slums of Mogadishu by night than in Detroit. The risk of getting killed is higher in Detroit than in Afghanistan - it says a lot of what Detroit is and set aside the end of industrial America - Detroit was a the US answer to present day Johannesburg even in the 60s - that is why all the whites left and than the black middle class.