NEED ADVICE, please help: Moving to Oahu in August 2015

[Irish Eyes_Mrs. Z]

Originally Posted by blau808

Originally Posted by snakebite030

"Lots of Gang Activity.
If your buying a house, Heres a tip. Go to that area at night. You may see a huge difference in how the enviroment is. Gangs in Hawaii are the same gangs as they are in LA. They consist of Asian Boyz, Crips, Bloods, and MS-13. Those are the main ones and ones you should worry about. The others are just small little gangs that wont bother you. Most of them won't bother you unless you start talking trash about the gang or admit you are from another gang/rival gang. Dont be scared to talk to them or befriend them. Most are very friendly.

SMOG EVERYWHERE.
The smog can cause allergies but nothing big"

What in the hell? hahahaha

While Oahu is the last island in Hawaii I'd ever want to live on, I get the idea that you think the person's description is inaccurate. Perhaps it would be more HELPFUL to the OP if you could describe what parts of the other person's description are incorrect, and fill people in on what a more reliable and accurate description would look like?

[ScottStielow]

Originally Posted by snakebite030

Couple things you may want to note and all.
Hawaii is a very expensive place to live in for families. Do not plan on raising a huge family there. 2-4 bedrooms max.
Hawaii is a very relaxed place unlike many mainland cities( I used to live there but live in New Jersey now ). Avoid honking your horn in traffic and such.
Everyone is pretty friendly there except for some areas.
Lots of smog. The city is very similar to Los Angeles.

Important things to note:

Dangerous areas and Ghettos/etc.
Include Waipahu and Kalihi. I dont know about other areas or much about Waipahu but I do have a say in Kalihi. It is very ghetto but Hawaii's ghettos are very different than mainland Ghettos as people tend to be very friendly and less defensive than the mainland. Poverty consists of Asian/White population unlike the African American Population in cities in California, New York, etc. I used to live in Kalihi.

Enviroments around these areas.
The enviroment may scare you, but don't worry. You'll get used to it. The thing most people get scared of is Graffiti and the creepy enviroment. Even though they are pretty okay areas.

Lots of Gang Activity.
If your buying a house, Heres a tip. Go to that area at night. You may see a huge difference in how the enviroment is. Gangs in Hawaii are the same gangs as they are in LA. They consist of Asian Boyz, Crips, Bloods, and MS-13. Those are the main ones and ones you should worry about. The others are just small little gangs that wont bother you. Most of them won't bother you unless you start talking trash about the gang or admit you are from another gang/rival gang. Dont be scared to talk to them or befriend them. Most are very friendly.

SMOG EVERYWHERE.
The smog can cause allergies but nothing big
Aloha

First off there are no Gangs like the Asian Boyz, Crips, Bloods and MS-13. They have tried but have not made it! Local Gangs are around just be aware.
Smog is VOG, only when the Trade winds are blocked off by the southerly winds coming off the Big Island and the Kilauea Volcano. Otherwise Trade winds are the Automatic Air Conditioner for the Islands. No Smog.
Just be aware of your Surroundings and use Common since, you will be fine.
Look in the areas of Aiea and Pearl City are nice towns to live in. To name a couple.

[Tuck's Dad]

Originally Posted by Irish Eyes_Mrs. Z

While Oahu is the last island in Hawaii I'd ever want to live on, I get the idea that you think the person's description is inaccurate. Perhaps it would be more HELPFUL to the OP if you could describe what parts of the other person's description are incorrect, and fill people in on what a more reliable and accurate description would look like?

Well, let's start with Smog - there isn't any because the inversions that lock smog in get blown out by the trades all but a week or two twice a year. Vog is a problem in certain areas when the big island volcano is particularly active, and the wind direction is right. We have had a bad year or two of vog issues, but that is very different than smog IMO.

Gangs exist I am sure, but I have never seen them, but since I live in the uber expensive, exclusively white area of Waianae, I am protected from those sorts of issue (yes, complete sarcasm and a load of crap). Waianae is generally considered one of the rougher more crime ridden areas on the island, and there are some neighborhoods I steer clear of at night, but it's not like it's hard to figure those areas out. As a white guy in an almost exclusively local population, in a lower income area, I have never had anybody be anything but nice to me in the 9 years we have owned the house, and the last 6 years we've been permanent residents.

I have never seen them filming anything - lost, Hawaii 5-0, etc, because I work during the day. Might just be a cause effect relationship there.

While there are some public housing areas - there's a transition housing project about a mile from my house - it' not omnipresent and everywhere, and nothing even remotely resembling the major projects of NY, LA or Chicago. Basically it looks like lower middle class housing, and is generally limited to a small apartment building or grouping of quad housing in an otherwise normal neighborhood. We have one slummy run down project of apartment building out of maybe 8 in Nanakuli, Maili, Waianae, and Makaha (that's a pretty wide net).

Most of the landmarks will be a major disappointment IMO, but hit the nail on the head about the beauty of the island and the beaches. I think that was about the only thing that was really acurate in the post.

[0967]

I haven't lived here a year yet so I may not be the best to respond but first off smog is not everywhere and definately not a problem. Hawaii is constantly on the top 25 list for cleanest air. Oahu is expensive and isn't for everyone but it's definately a beautiful and wonderful place to live. Nothing better than having a bad work day and being able to leave it behind and head to the beach to have a walk or sit and have beer and listen to the waves. Love taking a Sunday drive around the island or take the boat out to snorkel ...dive or see the whales. It's pretty awesome!!! We have always loved the ocean and tropical places though so it's a good fit for us. I find enjoyment in driving along the ocean from Kailua to Hawaii Kai to Costco it's such a beautiful drive.

[hotzcatz]

Well, before you rent anything, look at it in person. Also, rent as close to work as possible. You really don't want to commute very far or at all on Oahu. Traffic is horrendous. If you were able to rent within walking distance to work, that would be perfect.

Check prices on Craig's List, but you'll need to look at them in person.

[hawaiian by heart]

Aloha, Try to find a apartment unit facing "mauka" or "makai(mountian or ocean)" for tradewinds. This will help with cutting the electric bills used on air conditioning.

Further, I would of setup temp to temp longterm housing on oahu before my move so that i could find which neighborhood and housing i wantted to live at. There are places setup for this in Honolulu that do shortterm leases to professionals. Thou kinda expensive, its kinda unavoidable if you don't have ohana or friends who can set you up with an available apartment, further you don't want to get conned for not being on island to agree to a longterm lease.

How much stuff are you moving with you? Depending on how much will determine the best answer. Other members covered some good options.

The best advice anyone can give is just be open for new experiences. Be a dreamer but be responsible too. This attitude works best on the islands. Good luck.