Portland and its very very bad rap. (Louisville, Seneca Gardens: lofts, high crime)

[blisstone]

So I realize that Portland is a neighborhood with high crime, and is a financially depressed area with many boarded up houses. That said:

When I look at housing there I see, from the street view Google images, some streets that look bad and others that look like the tenants take care of their homes and seem to walk around. Yes there are issues there, and it may not be an area one would walk alone at night but...

This is what someone, who I only know through a mutual friend and who I've never met, wrote to me about the area (and mind you he lives in Seneca Gardens)

"... I must say that is an area where most people here never venture to go. Typically, any area west of 9th Street (i.e., 15th, 20th and up) is in an area of town where windows are boarded up, very likely crack-houses and such from my understanding. If you are determined to venture into that area, Sunday morning might be the safest time to do so--but my understanding is that it would be a dangerous area."

So I ask you: Is Portland accurately perceived like a "ghetto", or is this the perception of people who:

1. Tend to have sheltered themselves in the suburbs and are not used to the challenges urban mix.
2. Never ventured to an area that may not have much to offer, culture and entertainment wise, and therefore reinforces the preexisting perception that... you just don't go there. It must be because it is soooooooo dangerous (rather than somewhat dangerous and boring).

And

3. Are crack-houses prolific there?

The way I see it there are very large amounts of people who live in Portland, and Russel (20 000 by some counts). Are they all living in fear of where they live?

I have grown up in big cosmopolitan cities, I lived in NY in the 80's in the East Village (if you know what I mean). I've lived in areas in Denver that were very close to dangerous streets and where, to this day, there can be gang activity (though much reduced from the past). I've lived in lower-middle class hoods with boarded up houses from meth activities and yet lived on a very peaceful block one street down. I like urban, I don't mind challenges and neighborhoods that require some street cred , and I like the idea of being at the forefront of positive change (if it is possible in Portland). I don't mind getting my hands dirty.

Sometimes I feel that those who prefer the suburbs have a very black and white idea of things outside of the norm and a somewhat exaggerated idea of the lesser elements of a city. And don't get me started on class perceptions.

What say ye?

[Informer]

Greetings,

This link may answer some of your questions:

Crime Maps - LouisvilleKy.gov

I encourage you to draw your own conclusions from this data.

Cheers...

[blisstone]

Informer,

Thanks for that link. I see that Portland ranks high in crime but:

-consistently other neighborhoods rank higher and yet I don't hear a tons of negatives about those.
-Unfortunately I don't see anything about the drug crimes which could change the Portland crime map landscape.
-When I compare Portland's last three months with my current neighborhood's (Capital Hill Denver which is super trendy, full of hipster and walkable areas, and right next to the capitol and downtown) the crime is almost double (409 from 2/25 to 5/5), and we walk around at night here all the time, though I certainly would avoid certain streets at certain times.

Crime Map | Denver Police Department

Now Portland has a lot of aggravated assaults compared to my current hood (25 to 10). But I also see that for Denver we count all drugs and alcohol crimes, and sexual assaults (which I don't see at all in the L. site. Could they be lumping it in with aggravated assault?) so I am not sure how to narrow down the comparisons to get a better read.

Hard to conclude. There are certainly no boarded up houses here. I mean this is Molly Brown's (the unsinkable) territory and mansions abound including the governor's.

[Informer]

As Detective Columbo use to say: "One more thing".

The Louisville crime map only contains reported crimes.

Many other activities such as pan handling, petty theft, prostitution, public

drunkenness, money scams (such as gas can) and many sexual assaults

go unreported as well as other nefarious unreported activities.

Therefore the crime map has its limitations, although it does a fair job portraying

where the crime hot-spots are...a guide - so to speak.

Concur with your statement that "it does not look like a crime ridden area".

Hence the Louisville police crime map, as well as other metropolitan crime

maps.

Cheers...

[blisstone]

What is the "gas can" money scam?

[kytoaz]

I worked in Portland for three years. In all my experiences in Louisville, it is absolutely the LAST neighborhood in the entire metro that I would choose to live in.

[notoriouskelly]

Originally Posted by blisstone

What is the "gas can" money scam?

Someone with a gas can pretending to need money because they ran out of gas.

Agreed that crime maps don't say it all; you have to add a % to them and spend time in the area to see if bums bugging you every time you walk down the street decrease the Quality of Life.

[Informer]

Originally Posted by blisstone

What is the "gas can" money scam?

Gas can is a confidence game, carried off by confidence men ( or women). It is also considered fraud.

Someone approaches the victim looking distressed, even tearful asking for a few dollars because they have run out of gas and are stranded.

They (confidence man or woman) also have no way to get home and if only you (the victim) can give me a few dollars and help me out.

The scammer (con-man or con-woman) often goes through great lengths to gain the confidence of the victim.

Sometimes by flashing some form of ID (a drivers license - which is usually bogus or even a credit or debit card) to insure that the victim is truly helping a person in distress.

This is play on victims emotions. The victim usually hands over some money walking away thinking they were being genuinely helpful to a person in need.

There are many variations of this particular confidence game.

Unfortunately most variations of this game are successful.

Cheers...

[blisstone]

Yes, I've had other versions of this kind of scam. One guy tried to use an Australian accent to seem like the stranded traveler. Just never with the gas can.

Kytoaz, I ask you, if you look at the crime map and realize that other neighborhood actually get more crime (downtown for example), what is the reason that Portland is the last neighborhood you would choose? I am sincerely trying to get the read with and beyond the numbers.

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by blisstone

Yes, I've had other versions of this kind of scam. One guy tried to use an Australian accent to seem like the stranded traveler. Just never with the gas can.

Kytoaz, I ask you, if you look at the crime map and realize that other neighborhood actually get more crime (downtown for example), what is the reason that Portland is the last neighborhood you would choose? I am sincerely trying to get the read with and beyond the numbers.

Ky to Az lives in downtown Phoenix...not exactly the nicest place in America. And he left Louisville, so those comments are with a grain of salt.

Fact is, Portland is not THAT bad and not unsalvageable as an urban neighborhood. Search my posts and you will find the truths on portland. A new coffee shop, ice cream shop, and urban farming and community center is opening. there are a couple art galleries open now.

Gil hollands group is buying and rehabbing 100 shotguns and restoring warehouses off 15th to lofts.

Most Louisville residents have never been physically to west Louisville. Many have never been downtown even (or maybe once a year for concerts)

if you are a true urban pioneer and street savvy, i think certain sections of portland, especially north and west of portland ave, are ok. I actually lived in dt Louisville and have traveled many times to explore portand. there are some great, very pretty and well preserved homes near northwestern parkway. you really need to contact Gil Holland and his group. They can help you more than anyone here. Tell him you are interested in buying a shotgun (prices are cheaper than a car!)