Can anyone tell me about Gresham? (Portland, Troutdale: apartment, lease, crime)

[jkgyuro]

I just moved to Portland and have heard so many negatives about Gresham, I went there to check it out (to the Ruby Junction MAX station) it seems fine to me, or am I wrong?

[EnricoV]

I know several people who live in Gresham, and like it just fine. It's got it's crime problems (but where doesn't), and it usually gets the brunt of the winter weather, with the winds blowing out of the Gorge. A lot probably has to do with your circumstances, and neighborhood. I know someone who moved to an apartment near Mount Hood Community College while attending school there ... and high-tailed it out as soon as the lease was up.

[LJC1965]

Gresham, Fairview and Troutdale are great if you like to fish or go hiking in the Gorge. The crime is minimal and it is usually from gang related issues. The police force is good in all three cities. There are some great restaurants here like Mcmenamins and plenty of sport bars.

[thequeen1]

i live in gresham around 162nd and glisan; but am tucked away off of hoyt street. i love my neighborhood, we're borderline pdx, and thank God we don't have to pay portland sewer and water, saved a bunch of dough that way. i'd be careful living by the max stations as it is sort of gangland and there are shootings, but if you find a nice little neighborhood off the beaten path of halsey, glisan and burnside or stark, you should be ok.

[AndyAMG]

I Second thequeen. That area where the house will be is okay but the MAX stations are the least safe areas of the city, but they still are pretty much safe. Daytime you will be fine, but when the sun hides away the dirt merchants come out to play. You are 20 blocks from the 2nd worse area of Portland. I have had the unfortunate displeasure of riding a MAX from Gresham to Downtown Portland roundtrip. Lots of crazy characters and weirdos. A guy was adamant that I buy a pair of used effed up Nikes for 7 dollars. A trashy couple that sat across from us and played cruel mind games with toddlers and swore at small children like she lamented them being born. On the way back some street youths got into a brawl at 16th street station and then at the 102nd transit station two guys got into it and had to be escorted off the MAX. Then Some idiot got hit on his bike crossing 181st and Burnside. Then when we got off at 223rd someone pandered us to buy some church youth group thing, (it was a obvious scam, the dude was alone and in his 20s smoking a cigarette.) We have a MAX line going in a quarter mile from us and I'm not super excited about it.

[Steve Pickering]

Even the worst parts of any city have some good. Live where you can afford and within your means.

I used to have a house on 181st and Burnside right where the MAX Station went in. It was a great neighborhood then.