Single mom from WI thinking of move to S. Cali w/young child (Santa Monica: lease, employment)

[FROMCATOGA]

Originally Posted by directsci

$1000 per month is rent from 20 years ago. California is overpopulated, and full of criminals and drugs. The school system is deplorable. I know a school teacher who teaches 5th grade math in a "nice" community in OC. The math she teaches to these students very simplistic that should be for 2nd grade. I recently spoke with some Malibu high school students that had never heard of Switzerland. Your children will learn nothing in CA public schools, and they could be victims of assault.

If you're very wealthy, you can have an ok life here. You still have to deal with the crowded freeways, crime, overpopulation, and pollution, but there are some nice neighborhoods. You could live in a million dollar+ home in a gated community with a nice view. You could send your children to a nice private school. They will receive a good education and not have to worry about being assaulted every day. If you're not very wealthy, you cannot have a nice life here. You will live in an apartment building with pyscho neighbors who deal drugs and play loud music. There is no middle class anymore. California is hell, please visit before you make such a move.

And that's why I WANT out... It's too EXPENSIVE, too CROWDED, too BROWN, and to top it off, it's TRUE -- if you're not making the BIG $$$, your quality of life will SUFFER!

I am considering the northern suburbs of Atlanta, check out this link to see what I can pay $200K for.

Moderator cut: builder/developer ad link

I'm telling you, do not BUY into the HYPE of what you see on television, and in the magazines.

[directsci]

Originally Posted by Keithns

I've lived in 9 locations around L.A. for 58 years and I've never heard a gunshot fired here and I've never been approached by a drug dealer.

I used to commute riduculous distances but now I do what is necessary to keep my jobs very close to home.
The freeways are jammed much of the time, many streets too. But many people work around that and are happy here.
Its easy to stay upwind from the air pollution towards the beaches. Can't beat the weather here.
I've drank bottled water for about 20 years.
I'm not wealthy by any measure and I stay real close to the beach. I'm about as middle class as one can get.
"If you're not very wealthy, you cannot have a nice life here."????
I don't know what you're smoking, but please don't pass it around.

A house in Laguna beach starts at 2 million. A house in the crime infested cities of Santa Ana or Van Nuys (or similiar) cost $600K+. How can a middle class person afford that? When you came here 58 years ago, a middle class person could afford to live anywhere in CA, but that is not so anymore. I used to live in West LA and Venice beach. My first night on the westside, Beverly Hills adjacent, my house was robbed. That night, I heard a helicopter circle our street. Over the loudspeaker I could hear "lay down your weapons". This was my first night in Beverly Hills. When I lived in Venice, the place will chock full of criminals. I saw drug deals every day...in normal places such as coffee shops and children's playgrounds. I used to often see the bomb squad and the swat team drive by. I heard gunshots every week. My neighbor was shot and killed in a drive-by because he reported some drug dealers to the police.

I now live in "safe" Laguna Beach. This month, there have already been two shootings. The first one was a gang member shooting a homeless guy at the bus station. The second one was a married couple at the expensive hotel Montage. Every time I walk to the beach, there are homeless people, bikers, and litter everywhere. The air is thick with their cigarette and marijuana smoke...so much for the clean air at the beach. The water is brown from the sewage pipes that run into it. After a rainstorm, our beaches are often closed because of the high bacteria levels. What good is a beach if it is too dirty to swim in?

I only make 150K per year, so I can only afford to rent. I rent a small one-bedroom apartment in Laguna overlooking a parking lot that cost $1275 per month. It's clean and modern, and much cheaper than what most people are paying. For six months, there was a drug dealer living down the hall. He was fat, ugly, and covered with tatoos. He played loud music at all hours of the night and had an extremely loud car. The management finally evicted him after many complaints from the neighbors. I am lucky to live here. In other buildings, he would have never been evicted. No one would care.

Can't you see the obvious? Cant you see that young people here are almost illiterate? You are looking through the world with rose colored glasses. The California you came to 58 years ago no longer exists. Please open your eyes. Don't paint a picture of the California of yester year. Your deceiving this woman by giving outdated advice. Your misleading information could potentially hurt this woman and her child.

[artichoke63]

Originally Posted by directsci

When I lived in Venice, the place will chock full of criminals. I saw drug deals every day...in normal places such as coffee shops and children's playgrounds. I used to often see the bomb squad and the swat team drive by. I heard gunshots every week. My neighbor was shot and killed in a drive-by because he reported some drug dealers to the police.

Yes, that was my experience of Venice Beach too. I lived by a park, and each morning I'd seen druggies and homeless asleep in the park. I'd see men urinating openly in front of me on the street. Venice was a tough area to live in, but I sort of miss it! I live in Beverly Hills now in an area that is very safe, but I pay $1650 a month to live here. I've lived in other areas of Los Angeles, where you just don't walk around alone at night, and yes, people got shot, cars got stolen. My car was stolen.

Artie

[directsci]

Originally Posted by artichoke63

Yes, that was my experience of Venice Beach too. I lived by a park, and each morning I'd seen druggies and homeless asleep in the park. I'd see men urinating openly in front of me on the street. Venice was a tough area to live in, but I sort of miss it! I live in Beverly Hills now in an area that is very safe, but I pay $1650 a month to live here. I've lived in other areas of Los Angeles, where you just don't walk around alone at night, and yes, people got shot, cars got stolen. My car was stolen.

Artie

I had some fun there also, and I liked some of the people I met. For a 20 something male, it was exciting, albiet dangerous. It would be an awful place for a young mother and child though.

I used to live in an apartment building in Venice. The homeless used to wash their clothes, bathe and have sex in our jacuzzi. I usually saw the homeless urinate while walking down "trendy" Abbot Kinney. I would have to step over the pools of urine as I walked by the multi million dollar real estate.

You're lucky you only saw urinating. San Francisco residents often witness the homeless deficating on the sidewalks.

[artichoke63]

the homeless used to have sex in your jacuzzi? Oh, wow, that's really gross. I would not want to be goin in your jacuzzi, that's for sure. It's true, there are a lot of homeless in Venice and Santa Monica. As I say, I am so sheltered here in Beverly Hills. I live on a fantastic tree lined street. I can walk around at midnight without having to worry. I know all my neighbors. I can walk to all kinds of upscale little shops everwhere. It's a nice safe little enclave, but I miss Venice beach sometimes. Venice was a bit more interesting. I lived near a cool coffee shop that I'd walk to every day. And I also lived near this really cool taco stand on Lincoln Blvd. Oh, yum. My mouth is watering just thinking about those tacos. People complain about the illegal immigrant, but when I'm away from California, man, you really miss the Mexican food.

A.

[tired of being inside]

Originally Posted by artichoke63

the homeless used to have sex in your jacuzzi? Oh, wow, that's really gross. I would not want to be goin in your jacuzzi, that's for sure. It's true, there are a lot of homeless in Venice and Santa Monica. As I say, I am so sheltered here in Beverly Hills. I live on a fantastic tree lined street. I can walk around at midnight without having to worry. I know all my neighbors. I can walk to all kinds of upscale little shops everwhere. It's a nice safe little enclave, but I miss Venice beach sometimes. Venice was a bit more interesting. I lived near a cool coffee shop that I'd walk to every day. And I also lived near this really cool taco stand on Lincoln Blvd. Oh, yum. My mouth is watering just thinking about those tacos. People complain about the illegal immigrant, but when I'm away from California, man, you really miss the Mexican food.

A.

Artie - you are a confusing poster to follow. You're obviously well informed and wise. But you have a thread where you are trying to get out of LA and this post makes it sound like you have it great now and even miss a part of LA that others are saying is so dangerous you'd be safer in Kabul. What's the story?

[directsci]

Originally Posted by artichoke63

the homeless used to have sex in your jacuzzi? Oh, wow, that's really gross. I would not want to be goin in your jacuzzi, that's for sure. It's true, there are a lot of homeless in Venice and Santa Monica. As I say, I am so sheltered here in Beverly Hills. I live on a fantastic tree lined street. I can walk around at midnight without having to worry. I know all my neighbors. I can walk to all kinds of upscale little shops everwhere. It's a nice safe little enclave, but I miss Venice beach sometimes. Venice was a bit more interesting. I lived near a cool coffee shop that I'd walk to every day. And I also lived near this really cool taco stand on Lincoln Blvd. Oh, yum. My mouth is watering just thinking about those tacos. People complain about the illegal immigrant, but when I'm away from California, man, you really miss the Mexican food.

A.

I was lucky and never had a problem walking around Venice/Santa Monica. It was simply gross and disgusting. The most shocking event was the gang shooting on Santa Monica pier. My friend was shot in the leg that day. I missed it, thank God.

There were some cool restaurants and coffee shops. I knew several illegal aliens. They were nice, hard-working people. I felt badly for them and their families. I didn't think all that much of the homeless and gangs though. Ironically I was only robbed in Beverly Hills. I had great neighbors in BH, but it was easy to get robbed there.

There was definetly some good in LA, but it was mostly bad. Kabul sounds safer.

[directsci]

One of the posters accused me of having an agenda. I'm not really sure what he means by that. I'm just reporting my experiences.

[artichoke63]

Originally Posted by tired of being inside

Artie - you are a confusing poster to follow. You're obviously well informed and wise. But you have a thread where you are trying to get out of LA and this post makes it sound like you have it great now and even miss a part of LA that others are saying is so dangerous you'd be safer in Kabul. What's the story?

Some things about my apartment in Beverly Hills are great, but overall the apartment and lifestyle are not worth $1650 a month. I'm leaving in a few weeks.

[directsci]

$1650 doesn't sound bad for BH. Most westside apartments I've seen were $1800+. It must be fun for now, I like BH also. Even if I had the two million for a condo there, I don't think I would want to spend it on that.