Is Gary safe enough? (Indianapolis, Schererville: apartment complex, houses, neighborhood)
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[quote=Lake County IN;19504341]How would you know?
IF you truly lived in Gary, which I have my doubts at this point, then you'd see that a good half of the cars driving around Gary have ILLINOIS license plates.
Half of my neighbors are from Chicago and I've lived here most of my life. Most of the people I grew up with who are from Gary moved out a LONG time ago.
A lot of people come across the State line from Illinois for lower sales tax, and cheaper cigarette prices.
IF you truly lived in Gary, which I have my doubts at this point, then you'd see that a good half of the cars driving around Gary have ILLINOIS license plates.
Half of my neighbors are from Chicago and I've lived here most of my life. Most of the people I grew up with who are from Gary moved out a LONG time ago.
Do you live in Gary TODAY?
When is the last time you lived in Gary?
I'm typing this as we speak IN Gary.
In a few minutes I'm going to Walgreens IN Gary.
I'm gonna ride around the beach later on IN Gary.
I'm not pulling stuff out of my ass based on what Gary was like 30 years ago or what I've heard from people I know. I live here, work here, and play here and have for most of my life.
How would I know? Well for one, common sense: although Gary is not as populous as it used to be, it still has 80,000+ in population...hard to believe that given the high crime rate, that the MAJORITY of crimes are committed by Illinois folks...Sure, there may be fools that move from Chicago to Gary and commit crimes (and don't change plates)...There are also tons of people in Munster and Saint John with Illinois plates but does that mean most of the crime is caused by them? Or is it because most of those with the out of state plates are professionals that recently moved here?...Regardless, I am confident that what you propose is NOT the norm.......also, you can check public records...if 50% or more of the crimes are committed by Illinois folks, then you are right...but I know you are wrong because if 50% or more of the crimes were committed by people from Illinois, then this statistic would definitely have been national news by now...and it's not...I get you love your city...but let's be realistic here...
I've said it several times since being on this forum and I'll say it again. Gary isn't Indianapolis or Cincy or any other city where people try to make a name for themselves. In Gary it's very simple, you don't bother them, they won't bother you. You stay out of their business and they will stay out of yours. Problem, too many nosy people. Other than that, there are plenty of neighborhoods in Gary where you don't see crime, people keep their yards up and parents are parents. Like any other place, those neighborhoods never get talked about because it's bad for ratings. I originally grew up in 2 minute walk from Wirt, never a victim of a crime. I've also lived in Morningside in Glen Park and never a victim of a crime. My grandmother used to live in Small farms. The apartment complex was quiet. The surrounding neighborhood was quiet, houses are still well kept, right around banneker (one of the best elementary schools in the state btw). My mother and sisters still live off of 11th avenue on the west side and they don't get crime in their neighborhood.
Gary is just like any other midsize to large city, it has crime. It has good neighborhoods and bad ones. You are not going to get shot at on every corner or mugged. If you stay out of the drug trade in Gary, you can lead a very quiet life believe it or not.
I've said it several times since being on this forum and I'll say it again. Gary isn't Indianapolis or Cincy or any other city where people try to make a name for themselves. In Gary it's very simple, you don't bother them, they won't bother you. You stay out of their business and they will stay out of yours. Problem, too many nosy people. Other than that, there are plenty of neighborhoods in Gary where you don't see crime, people keep their yards up and parents are parents. Like any other place, those neighborhoods never get talked about because it's bad for ratings. I originally grew up in 2 minute walk from Wirt, never a victim of a crime. I've also lived in Morningside in Glen Park and never a victim of a crime. My grandmother used to live in Small farms. The apartment complex was quiet. The surrounding neighborhood was quiet, houses are still well kept, right around banneker (one of the best elementary schools in the state btw). My mother and sisters still live off of 11th avenue on the west side and they don't get crime in their neighborhood.
Gary is just like any other midsize to large city, it has crime. It has good neighborhoods and bad ones. You are not going to get shot at on every corner or mugged. If you stay out of the drug trade in Gary, you can lead a very quiet life believe it or not.
You can confine yourself to your safe nook in Gary then. I am just glad there isn't a fence of crime that keeps me locked in Munster. I am able to travel freely throughout Munster, Highland, Schererville, Dyer, Saint John, Griffith, MOST of Merrillville, and Crown Point without feeling in danger...and guess what? All of those towns combined have a much higher population than Gary!
and by the way, regarding Banneker...when 99% of the cities gifted children attend one school, then you are going to have good scores. There is a reason why HALF of the school if used for the Academically Able Program (AAP), and the other HALF is used as a regular neighborhood school. Yet, more than HALF of the students are in the AAP. This situation is not comparable to any other high performing regular school with regular attendance situations.
I drive through Gary a lot, and while I do not feel that unsafe, I am not naive enough to assume that the area AS AS WHOLE is safe. And not only do I drive through, I also patronize businesses there too (Barber Shops) as well as the beach.
It is fairly obvious that the younger generation now living in Gary has a completely different definition of the word "safe" than us old farts who remember Gary as it was. But thats cool. I'm glad you enjoy it. Just remember that there is a reason, mostly crime and unemployment, that I can sell my 3 bedroom 2 bath home here in west Tennessee for $239,000 and you can sell the equivalent home in Glen Park for $40,000. If your lucky! Oh well. At least you dont live in Detroit!
It is fairly obvious that the younger generation now living in Gary has a completely different definition of the word "safe" than us old farts who remember Gary as it was. But thats cool. I'm glad you enjoy it. Just remember that there is a reason, mostly crime and unemployment, that I can sell my 3 bedroom 2 bath home here in west Tennessee for $239,000 and you can sell the equivalent home in Glen Park for $40,000. If your lucky! Oh well. At least you dont live in Detroit!
Give me a break, One, I am nowhere near a kid. Two, Morningside home prices are low because it has Gary tagged to it, nothing more nothing less. Neighborhoods like Morningside which is a historic district in southern glen park and sunnyside which is down by Methodist, are old style colonials for the most part, very nice areas tree lined streets. Actually, travel 6 blocks south and the home prices jump tremendously as you enter Merrilville and the houses aren't as nice as the ones in Morningside.
As far as 239k, what do you think Gary doesn't have moderate/high priced houses sitting in it? Now, not even the biggest homer can say there isn't a lot of dilapidation in Gary, yes there is a lot of it and probably a higher percentage than a lot of cities which forces the nice neigborhoods to be affected but Gary has condos worth more than 239k and that 239 is about 400 in Porter County or deep south Lake County. 240k houses on the west side would be double that anywhere else and maybe triple in Schererville, St. John, Munster or Valpo.
Banneker, I will be 39 this year and Bannaker was a top rated elementary school back when I was at Marquette. This failed attempt by the School Board isn't the reason Bannaker is one of the top rated elementary schools in the state, it's always been and at one point was considered the TOP elementary school in the state and that was but a few years ago but still is a top rated elementary school. As far as being safe in Gary, why wouldn't I feel safe. To be honest Gary was actually worse when I was growing up than it is now and I've never felt nothing but safe in Gary. I used to walk from 47th down to 25th at least once a week, and had to pass Delaney on a daily basis as I went to Lew Wallace and not Roosevelt and never once did I not feel safe. At the end of the day, if you don't bother anyone, no one is going to bother you. I used to argue with a guy in college all the time and I would always tell him, he was safer walking the worst neighborhood in Gary at night than I am walking the wealthiest neighorhood in Crown Point at night. He always scoffed at that, and it still rings true. A white guy in the worst part of Gary is a customer because that's the only reason they will be there, no bones about it. A white person getting killed in Gary is getting killed because they bought and tried to screw over the dealer period. A black guy walking in the wealthiest part of Crown Point is a criminal looking to rob or worse in the eyes of the people of Crown Point and cops out there are not brotha friendly by any means.
Funny...I am Black and I have NEVER had any serious problem walking around at night in Munster, Highland, Schererville AKA "The White Areas"...Maybe because I wasn't walking in the middle of the street and I was not being creepy looking into cars and such? Have cops slowed down to see who was walking? Yes, but it was 3:00 a.m.! They do that for Whites too! But if I am walking in Gary, I am more likely to be approached by some crackheads who may or may not present a danger or some gang members who are looking for an easy target to mug.
And also, you do realize that Crown Point (even without the Lake County Jail population) has the largest Black population south of Rt. 30 BY FAR and a larger Black population than Munster and Highland? So maybe Crown Point isn't the best example. There are obviously Black families who live there and are comfortable just as most towns in NWI now. It's really no longer about race like it indeed used to be...it is more about class if anything.
Funny...I am Black and I have NEVER had any serious problem walking around at night in Munster, Highland, Schererville AKA "The White Areas"...Maybe because I wasn't walking in the middle of the street and I was not being creepy looking into cars and such? Have cops slowed down to see who was walking? Yes, but it was 3:00 a.m.! They do that for Whites too! But if I am walking in Gary, I am more likely to be approached by some crackheads who may or may not present a danger or some gang members who are looking for an easy target to mug.
And also, you do realize that Crown Point (even without the Lake County Jail population) has the largest Black population south of Rt. 30 BY FAR and a larger Black population than Munster and Highland? So maybe Crown Point isn't the best example. There are obviously Black families who live there and are comfortable just as most towns in NWI now. It's really no longer about race like it indeed used to be...it is more about class if anything.
I'm sure the 1600 black people in Crown Point feel the exact same way, I already know they don't but I digress. Highland has 922 or so people, Munster has approx 850 black people, not exactly booming there for NWI, If it were Indy, would be nice numbers, great numbers actually but it's NWI so no. Oh and yes there's a reason I brought up Crown Point but again, I digress.
While class ism is growing in NWI, by no means has it caught up with the racial feelings of the area.
I'm sure the 1600 black people in Crown Point feel the exact same way, I already know they don't but I digress. Highland has 922 or so people, Munster has approx 850 black people, not exactly booming there for NWI, If it were Indy, would be nice numbers, great numbers actually but it's NWI so no. Oh and yes there's a reason I brought up Crown Point but again, I digress.
While class ism is growing in NWI, by no means has it caught up with the racial feelings of the area.
1) How do you know they don't? Why would someone invest in Crown Point if they were not comfortable? They only reason would be to move to a better school district but really, Crown Point is mostly a move up town AKA not a place people have to "resort to"
2) I believe that it has caught up with racism in the area. It is just not as pronounced as some other nearby areas. The majority of minorities in this area are lower middle class whereas the majority of Whites are middle class and beyond...thus, creating the image of racial segregation where in reality, it is more-so class segregation with race being an intersection. There are middle class and upper middle class minorities in all towns in NWI that are welcomed (our family and others being some examples) and have had no problems....so how do you explain that? Or are we just "Uncle Toms" for movin' on up?
Oh and Highland has 997 (4.2%) Blacks...Munster has 821 (3.5%)...Crown Point (6.3%) 1,711...and the Black population is likely to grow the fastest in Crown Point as the town is still rapidly growing and is in close proximity to Merrillville...
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