One year of living in Atlantic City: A Resident Perspective (Newark: 2014, high crime)
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Hello city data users, this is my first post on this website. I am a 25 year old male. I moved to Atlantic City, NJ from Richmond, VA in July 2014. Just wanted to share my experience with you guys.
A hot summer day a few days before 4th of July 2014 i was standing on Atlantic Avenue. "so this is my new home" I thought to myself. The sheer amount of people on the streets, the fast pace of everything, the taxi cabs, it was eerily similar to New York City. There was a gritty urban feel to the city, it feels alot like Newark or Philly. Crackheads, prostitutes, and beggers were everywhere. Guys were posted up at corner stores asked if i needed drugs and pretty much typically what you would see in a gritty city. I thought , this cant be too bad, and that was the worst of it. Boy was i wrong. Im used to crime and the like, but the crime here is vicious. Ive witnessed a guy getting his head sliced off at the corner store on my street by a dude high on pcp. 4 people have been shot and killed in 1 year on my street. 2 women were raped 3 doors down from me by two crackheads about a month ago, ive witnessed robberies and vicious street beat downs. But that isn't the crazy part. The crazy part is i live LITERALLY 3 blocks from the beach and boardwalk, and 2 blocks to the casinos. People younger then me egg tourists cars, and shout "get out the hood" to people not from their neighborhoods. There are 6 different housing projects in a few blocks of each other! You can literally get off the Atlantic City expressway and go 1 block either direction and be in a complete ghetto. Ive never seen a city that has the hood and attractions mixed together! This past summer i have seen two block party's with loud offensive hood music blasted till the speakers almost cracked being shot up by gang members. This was on a major highway too ! (u.s route 30) . It has gotten so bad that ive seen people drive into Atlantic City, look around and hop back on the expressway. Kids throwing bricks at cars i mean this city is awful. I love the charm this city has , but this is a little too out of control for me. I come from a high crime area of Richmond, but it is no where near this extent. Atlantic City needs help. I would advise any one looking to move here to please RECONSIDER. THIS IS NOT A GOOD PLACE TO LIVE.
Sounds about right. Years ago me and a group of friends were walking just a block from the casinos and got solicited by a prostitute. The city is a dump. Yet if you talk to people from South Jersey they are always going to AC every weekend like it's the best place ever. I guess they just have no other choice and it's all they know.
AC has never been a good place to live- before and after the casinos - why would you move there?
i thought it would be just like vegas and my life would be perfect. Man i wish i could leave. One question, why doesn't the city seperate the ghettos from the attractions?
i thought it would be just like vegas and my life would be perfect. Man i wish i could leave. One question, why doesn't the city seperate the ghettos from the attractions?
Simply because the entire city, save for the casinos, is ghetto. The hope was the casino industry would spur some urban re-gentrification, and sadly that never happened. And with the current state of the gaming industry and economic climate in the AC area, it looks like it never will, unless something dramatic changes.
Simply because the entire city, save for the casinos, is ghetto. The hope was the casino industry would spur some urban re-gentrification, and sadly that never happened. And with the current state of the gaming industry and economic climate in the AC area, it looks like it never will, unless something dramatic changes.
Rumor is Atlantic City's gentrification is in the works. They are focusing on Newark and Asbury Park first.
Remember, the key to gentrification is to get rid of the people already there first. Detroit did / is doing it with bankruptcy and water shut-offs. Chicago will complete their round once the pension situation reaches a head. Atlantic City will probably be in just a couple of decades.
Sounds about right. Years ago me and a group of friends were walking just a block from the casinos and got solicited by a prostitute. The city is a dump. Yet if you talk to people from South Jersey they are always going to AC every weekend like it's the best place ever. I guess they just have no other choice and it's all they know.
Oh, step off. People from NJ, NY go to gamble, eat, go to the pool for the weekend and leave...twice a year.
Who is they? You people? I have never known anyone who went to AC weekly.
Ansky, I've liked you, I've repped you. Don't hurt the people of Southern NJ. We've been to Paris...and other places.
Oh, step off. People from NJ, NY go to gamble, eat, go to the pool for the weekend and leave...twice a year.
Who is they? You people? I have never known anyone who went to AC weekly.
Ansky, I've liked you, I've repped you. Don't hurt the people of Southern NJ. We've been to Paris...and other places.
My post was not meant to be a dig. I have many friends in deep South Jersey (Cumberland/Atlantic Counties), and I kid you not, they are going to AC almost every weekend. Ages 30's through 60's. My point is, there really isn't any other year round entertainment destination in South Jersey, especially the further south you go. Casinos are everywhere now. As more and more get built, people from the north have no reason to drive 2-3 hours all the way down to AC, especially when it doesn't have much else to offer.
OK. I thought you were being facetious...with a bite. They go to the casino every weekend? That's pretty sad. I know things are slow down there, but there's always something else to do. I guess you have to want to do those things, though.
Today, I'd be out in the swamp with my binoculars.
I think they should move the projects out of the island as well. You need safety and security for the tourists to keep the money flowing. THey need to focus more on entertainment as well. Gambling will only take you so far.
Have more conventions like comic con or EDC down there. There's a freaking beach there.
I still think nj tranist should connect bayhead directly to AC. This way you bypass philly when coming from NYC. Saves time.
For gentrification, you need to invite the gay people in. Then the hipsters and artists will come for the cheap rent. Then the rents will sky rocket.
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