Why is Houston so ghetto? (Dallas, Kirby: rental, tenant, landlords)

[trevorphilips]

Originally Posted by LisaMesa

Hello, so I recently got the chance to visit Houston and must say I was impressed with much of city in terms of entertainment, restaurants and coast of living. People are also really nice and approachable. I might have a job offer here, so moving to Houston may be in my future.

However the bad points of city, which make hesitant to move here is how trashy/ghetto many parts of the city are. There seems to be a large swarths of individuals in the city who don't seem to care about their surroundings or the maintance of the city. I saw tons of people throwing trash out their cars, many supposedly middle class neighborhoods look really ghetto/unkempt. Overall the city at times felt like one huge Walmart, with strip malls galore and suburban sprawl(I prefer more walkable neighborhoods).

I am not try to troll and be deliberately provactive, just giving my honest opinion. Of course there were many beautiful/decent areas in Houston but they do seem to be a minority. I am just curious as to why so many people choose treat this city and their neighborhoods like a dumping grounds? Houston has a lot potential as the fourth largest city in America, so many areas of the city be better if there were just fixes to their aesthetics.

I've grown up low-middle class, and trust me, the low class have the "I'm entitled, I can do whatever I want, YOU OWE ME" attitude.

People that don't accept that they have to WORK HARD for a better life are trash, just like the trash they throw in the street.

I have NO RESPECT for them.

[LisaMesa]

Originally Posted by Jack Lance

Compared to those cities Houston is going to look ghetto, there is just no way around that. Charleston is very small but is a tourist town as is San Diego as well, these are two of the most aesthetically pleasing cities in the US. You probably missed some of the better parts of Houston but Houston has a industrial base, and has a much larger blue collar population than those cities as well. So if you are looking for comparable aesthetics to those cities, for the most part, you are out of luck with Houston and Texas in general. Good luck

Thanks! I still enjoyed parts of a Houston especially the food and just chatting with different people. I realize that Houston is a young city so it's still trying to find its identity, I've heard Houston was really rough in the 80s so it may take time for the city to completely reinvent itself.

[coolieandre]

Originally Posted by LisaMesa

Hello, so I recently got the chance to visit Houston and must say I was impressed with much of city in terms of entertainment, restaurants and coast of living. People are also really nice and approachable. I might have a job offer here, so moving to Houston may be in my future.

However the bad points of city, which make hesitant to move here is how trashy/ghetto many parts of the city are. There seems to be a large swarths of individuals in the city who don't seem to care about their surroundings or the maintance of the city. I saw tons of people throwing trash out their cars, many supposedly middle class neighborhoods look really ghetto/unkempt. Overall the city at times felt like one huge Walmart, with strip malls galore and suburban sprawl(I prefer more walkable neighborhoods).

I am not try to troll and be deliberately provactive, just giving my honest opinion. Of course there were many beautiful/decent areas in Houston but they do seem to be a minority. I am just curious as to why so many people choose treat this city and their neighborhoods like a dumping grounds? Houston has a lot potential as the fourth largest city in America, so many areas of the city be better if there were just fixes to their aesthetics.

Funny you say that. I went to H-town in October and again 2.5 weeks ago! I saw the complete opposite. I think inside the 610 loop competes with any other major city with affordability and quality of life. I also find there are more "city centers" of live/work/play that are clean and well landscaped. What areas did you visit? I recommend inside 610, Galleria, UK area, Memorial City area and this new outdoor shopping district and a few other places.....Those are the area I'm considering a move to as I found them diverse, good shopping, and very clean... I'm even forgetting about Medical center, which is like an entire other skyline....Like I said, I like Houston and am also considering a move after my MBA program next month... Now, I did go to Houston's international strip (Lots of Asian shops). The area seemed more congested and cluttered, but I didn't mind that as I expected that being in that part of town..... No city is perfect, fyi.

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by LisaMesa

Thanks! I still enjoyed parts of a Houston especially the food and just chatting with different people. I realize that Houston is a young city so it's still trying to find its identity, I've heard Houston was really rough in the 80s so it may take time for the city to completely tribe reinvent itself.

I disagree that Houston is still trying to find an identity. This city is named after the most important political figure in the states history and was a city he adored and promoted. Modern international Houston does collide with the history of Houston in many ways, but Houston has a very strong and well grounded identity.

I think if your career brings you to our metropolis you will grow to appreciate it in many ways you never thought you would.

[cheryjohns]

Originally Posted by LisaMesa

Hello, so I recently got the chance to visit Houston and must say I was impressed with much of city in terms of entertainment, restaurants and coast of living. People are also really nice and approachable. I might have a job offer here, so moving to Houston may be in my future.

However the bad points of city, which make hesitant to move here is how trashy/ghetto many parts of the city are. There seems to be a large swarths of individuals in the city who don't seem to care about their surroundings or the maintance of the city. I saw tons of people throwing trash out their cars, many supposedly middle class neighborhoods look really ghetto/unkempt. Overall the city at times felt like one huge Walmart, with strip malls galore and suburban sprawl(I prefer more walkable neighborhoods).

I am not try to troll and be deliberately provactive, just giving my honest opinion. Of course there were many beautiful/decent areas in Houston but they do seem to be a minority. I am just curious as to why so many people choose treat this city and their neighborhoods like a dumping grounds? Houston has a lot potential as the fourth largest city in America, so many areas of the city be better if there were just fixes to their aesthetics.

Originally Posted by coolieandre

Funny you say that. I went to H-town in October and again 2.5 weeks ago! I saw the complete opposite. I think inside the 610 loop competes with any other major city with affordability and quality of life. I also find there are more "city centers" of live/work/play that are clean and well landscaped. What areas did you visit? I recommend inside 610, Galleria, UK area, Memorial City area and this new outdoor shopping district and a few other places.....Those are the area I'm considering a move to as I found them diverse, good shopping, and very clean... I'm even forgetting about Medical center, which is like an entire other skyline....Like I said, I like Houston and am also considering a move after my MBA program next month... Now, I did go to Houston's international strip (Lots of Asian shops). The area seemed more congested and cluttered, but I didn't mind that as I expected that being in that part of town..... No city is perfect, fyi.

Oddly, you are both right. If you live in and tend to stay in the prettier parts - you forget there is a seamy side. Ditto if you live in and tend to stay in the ugly parts - you forget there are very nice areas. Even if just visiting and wandering around, your perception is going to be based on how often you saw the ugly sides.

[Dopo]

First thing I thought when I came to Houston from San Antonio
"Holy crap ... there's walls without graffitti"

[TexasTony]

Nothing new here. Most of the top ten metropolitan cities are pretty much the same.

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by LisaMesa

Never been Los Angeles, have no interest in that city. Yes I was inside the loop and center of the city.

Then I don't buy your story. I think Houston can look dumpy and some areas look older but trashy? A lot of Houston has changed and looks pretty cleaned up. I second what jack lance said in that the greenery is hard to keep well maintained cus it grows out so fast. Sometimes the signs in town are tilted. The areas not yet gentrified can look unkempt such as on the north side but the center of the city is relatively clean and modern. And even then I would never call Houston trashy especially after living in CA. I found San Francisco and LA to be trashier from a literal litter on the streets perspective.

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by cheryjohns

Oddly, you are both right. If you live in and tend to stay in the prettier parts - you forget there is a seamy side. Ditto if you live in and tend to stay in the ugly parts - you forget there are very nice areas. Even if just visiting and wandering around, your perception is going to be based on how often you saw the ugly sides.

Yes but the OP said that they were in the loop which is absurd to me. I used to think that Houston's only gritty parts were in the wards until I visited the north side but even then these parts aren't that big. The city has made strides to clean itself up a lot. The inner loop is relatively very clean for its size, much cleaner than NYC and LA.

I honestly think we just need to stop biting when someone new with little to no posts comes in with perplexing opinions that sound sketchy. Areas of Houston can be older, dumpier but I don't get the trashy part. Piles of litter all along the streets like I see in LA everyday aren't a Houston staple. Especially not in the inner loop.

[txdemo]

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

Yes but the OP said that they were in the loop which is absurd to me. I used to think that Houston's only gritty parts were in the wards until I visited the north side but even then these parts aren't that big. The city has made strides to clean itself up a lot. The inner loop is relatively very clean for its size, much cleaner than NYC and LA.

I honestly think we just need to stop biting when someone new with little to no posts comes in with perplexing opinions that sound sketchy. Areas of Houston can be older, dumpier but I don't get the trashy part. Piles of litter all along the streets like I see in LA everyday aren't a Houston staple. Especially not in the inner loop.

Depends on whether you're within the west (good) or east (bad) side of loop.