[bluestack]

looking to move to the Sanford area.

The posts I've read are pretty intimidating, but date back quite some ways.

Really nice downtown area, some fabulous houses. Has the regeneration done anything to improve things here or as one poster suggested, is it always going to attract a certain demographic due to the government services located here ?

I like the look of the historic downtown area, but does it change dramatically at night ? Is it safe to walk around this area at night ?

[BECLAZONE]

Don’t let the responses get you down.

[bluestack]

can you elaborate a bit more ?

[BECLAZONE]

Far too often, these threads such as yours, asking for honest help, just become a place for other posters to insult the place that you want to move to, and ultimately mock you for wanting to go there, and to question your intentions.

Good luck.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by bluestack

looking to move to the Sanford area.

The posts I've read are pretty intimidating, but date back quite some ways.

Really nice downtown area, some fabulous houses. Has the regeneration done anything to improve things here or as one poster suggested, is it always going to attract a certain demographic due to the government services located here ?

I like the look of the historic downtown area, but does it change dramatically at night ? Is it safe to walk around this area at night ?

I now live in Sanford due to a family health crisis. I had originally planned to live near Clearwater...but oh well, stuff happens!

I used to have a real issue with Sanford as it seemed to work against itself to further progress in the downtown area, due mainly to "good ol' boy" local politicians who liked things just as they were. Meanwhile neighboring Lake Mary which had little going for it (unlike downtown Sanford's potential) became the little darling of Seminole County. Fortunately however the good ol' boys have retired or passed on allowing new leadership to work for improvement, which has started seemingly the past few years. The suggestion that Sanford attracts a particular demographic due to social services is at best ridiculous. Social Services are county run and not exclusive to Sanford, nor are such facilities. The fact that those who might be interested have been run off by many such negative posts has more to do with it than anything, coupled with the weird affliction that most in the state have when it comes to fixing up anything old. If the Sanford historic district were almost anywhere else in the country, the demand to live in and restore those homes would be huge.

[bluestack]

that's what I hear about regeneration attempts.

Whether it succeeds is a matter of time, I suppose.

Have there been any improvements now that the good old boy network are moving on.

Does it look like there's progress being made, and I don't just mean in the re-gentrification of the downtown, but the overall crime statistics. Numbers can't lie and it is way above the national average.

Some people talk of a small homey, midwest feel and other talk of crime creep and proximity of the ghetto.

Are the two intertwined or is there a seperation of location/demographic getting the brunt of these abnormally high crime rates ?

[kyle19125]

Sanford is (like much of Florida) quite segregated and crime stats aren't typically relevant within a particular zip code. For instance I live in zip code 32771, which according to crime stats has 2.5 times the rate of burglary and property crime than the national average yet my neighborhood hasn't had an incident in years. In fact the immediate area mirrors the same. The downtown historic area has similar crime stats but is closer to neighborhoods where crime is an issue, yet seemingly remains segregated. Outside of burglary and property crime/vandalism one has to remember that all other crimes are overwhelmingly personal, as in the criminal and victim know one another. I would listen less to the hysteria and focus on the facts. Good luck!

[bluestack]

Thanks Kyle19125,

a rational response rather than some of the hysteria posted on here.

In checking the seminole county sheriffs website of part 1 crimes, it seems confined 'for the most part' to the areas that are already highlighted as a problem areas.

Although some of the crime mapping websites paint a different picture.

The general trend is like you say.

Thanks very much for the info.

I agree with you on the reluctance to see the potential in these old homes here, hopefully that's turning round with a recent wave of investment.