Official Greater Philadelphia Area Crime Thread (Erie, Indiana: loan, Mennonites, price)

[Indiana Tony]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

And to elaborate on this:

You don't have to avoid the entire territory.

And maybe to further underscore this: If you live the life of an ordinary working person, you may not even have to avoid all the rough places in it. If you were to divide the number of murders in my Census block group by its population, you'd have an astonishingly high murder rate per 1,000 inhabitants in some years (2016, e.g.) I've lived here six and a half years now and haven't even suffered a property crime myself (can't say the same for my boyfriend, who does not live with me, though).

The only times I had to go to Germantown were in the '80s through my dad's towing business and when my ex-girlfriend's father lived there around 2000.
Some parts were worse than others, but it wasn't good. People think about their comfort level and well-being first and foremost.
There's no reason for most here to go to Germantown ... I don't care what the odds are, I no longer go to certain neighborhoods unless I have to.

[Indiana Tony]

Center City:
https://6abc.com/video-shows-group-o...-city/5375542/
This is what we have roaming the streets of Center City. But it's no big deal, crime happens in every city ...

[soulsurv]

Originally Posted by Indiana Tony

Center City:
https://6abc.com/video-shows-group-o...-city/5375542/
This is what we have roaming the streets of Center City. But it's no big deal, crime happens in every city ...

Does the city beef up police patrol over summer?

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by Indiana Tony

I don't care what the odds are, I no longer go to certain neighborhoods unless I have to.

And that's the problem, says this reporter.

Unless you do go to those neighborhoods, you will be unaware of what their actual dynamics are.

And you will miss changes that are taking place that may not register on the scales outside until much later. That's why I came down hard on that poster who, reflecting both a similar attitude and a similar lack of knowledge, said that West Philly would never be desirable.

I worked at Penn from 1985 to 2004. I remember when few dared venture west of 45th, and when Penn implemented its forgivable-improvement-loan and mortgage-subsidy programs for faculty and staff who bought in the neighborhood, it only covered purchases east of 47th Street.

One of what I considered the early signs that things were changing to the west was in 2008, when I was ridiing an El shuttle bus down Walnut on a day when then-candidate Barack Obama was scheduled to hold a rally at Malcolm X Park (51st to 52nd, Pine to Hazel). The bus was packed with young white riders - something I never saw on the shuttle buses before and haven't on the El ever yet - and they all got off at 52d. No one would have drawn that many white folks out to "West Philly's Main Street" four years earlier.

And now, abandoned apartment buildings on 48th Street have been reoccupied, the old West Philly High is being turned into apartments (the first phase of the project is complete), and Penn will hand out those loans and mortages to affiliates who buy anywhere from the Schuylkill to Cobbs Creek Parkway.

Doesn't sound like "it will never change" to me.

I've always been an explorer, and I think that quality lets me see things the worrywarts miss. Though there was one city neighborhood I used to refuse to set foot in: Fishtown. And I will grant that my refusal was based on the same sort of thinking I'm criticizing now (in this case, the neighborhood's reputation for outright hostility towards black folk, for which there was also ample evidence).

I now feel totally comfortable walking around Fishtown.

Sure, things never change.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by soulsurv

Does the city beef up police patrol over summer?

Not really, no.

And remember 72 of them are desk bound for who knows how long.

[Nitro2985]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Not really, no.

And remember 72 of them are desk bound for who knows how long.

One can only hope they'll never do another patrol.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

And that's the problem, says this reporter.

Unless you do go to those neighborhoods, you will be unaware of what their actual dynamics are.

And you will miss changes that are taking place that may not register on the scales outside until much later. That's why I came down hard on that poster who, reflecting both a similar attitude and a similar lack of knowledge, said that West Philly would never be desirable.

[parts of your fact-based essay deleted]

Sure, things never change.

We all, obviously, will perceive things differently. His perceptions are baked in. Simple as that. You or I or PhilliesPhan talking about W. Philly won't change anything.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by Pilot1

I didn't mean to insinuate you had to avoid the entire territory, just sketchy places, late at night, and/or engaging in poor judgment.

I tried to rep you on this, but the system said I had to give other folks rep before giving it to you again.

I do walk visiting friends back to the bus stop near me late at night if they came by public transit.

[KoNgFooCj]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Not really, no.

And remember 72 of them are desk bound for who knows how long.

Hopefully they'll be unemployment-bound.

[Indiana Tony]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Not really, no.

And remember 72 of them are desk bound for who knows how long.

We're probably going to lose a lot of good cops. Just because somebody has an opinion, it doesn't mean they can't perform their duties at a high level.