Areas of Salem to Avoid (Portland, Eugene: fit in, apartments, rental)

[kirstiemarie]

Keizer is good....South Salem or West Salem is where to live if you have money....Northeast Salem (Lancaster) is the least desirable section of town. I lived in the north part of northeast Salem for 10 years. When I first moved there, it was mostly a nice, working class family area...but by the time I left in 2004, gangs and crime were much more visible. Of course, you'll find nice people wherever you go, but if you have a choice, stay with the west or south side of town.

[Larry Caldwell]

SE Salem east of 13th St, south of Center St. and north of Mission St. is broadly termed "felony flats." That's where the families of all the State Pen inmates cluster. It's famous for burglaries, shootings, and gang activity.

[RuralSeeker]

Whatever you do, DON'T move to Lancaster Commons, or anywhere on Lancaster Street!

[Rosa canina]

I'd avoid Lancaster too...

Is the area near Williamette U cool?

In that part of town, you can turn a corner and feel you're in an entirely different neighborhood---one block can have a couple of drug houses and the next block you can find lovely old homes with well tended gardens. I lived near Willamette and loved it pretty much most of the time. It was great to be able to walk to the symphony and other cultural events that the college hosted.

A lot of the problems in that area stemmed and probably still do stem from absentee landlords who really don't care who they rent to as long as they get their money, and sometimes will rent to people who otherwise might have a problem finding a place and charge them overinflated rent for that reason.

I'd encourage anyone having problems in that neighborhood to be proactive. We got rid of three drug houses by talking among ourselves, and calling landlords and the police.

[musicaldogs]

Originally Posted by RuralSeeker

Whatever you do, DON'T move to Lancaster Commons, or anywhere on Lancaster Street!

Hey! Do you live there too? I was fool enough to move here and now I having been counting the days, no the minutes, until my lease ends. This place really caters to illegals and all their noisy friends and relatives.

[Eradik]

I agree with everyone, Lancaster is horrible. Theres a place called Londonaire Apts, just off Lancaster, I heard women getting beat, gunshots, and after living there less than a month I knew 3 people in the complex who delt drugs out of it. Lancaster is no good!

I live in South Salem now, its very nice. West Salem is also very nice as well. Keizer is growing, might be a good choice as well.

[superbiker]

If you can AVOID DRIVING THROUGH TURNER!
THe police will pull you over for no reason other than harassment!
We live near Turner and a couple of years ago my wife got a ticket for 35mph in a 35mph zone! The judge upheld it!
Last year we got tickets for not wearing seat belts when we had them on, the young officer saw them but cited us anyway, $188!
Last night we got pulled over and rudely harrassed by a young cop that didn't look old enough to graduate highschool fo a loose tail light lense!
Talking to other residents of the area this type of harassment is common. If this is how they treat the locals, who pay their salary, god help anyone from out of the area that finds themselves in Turner!

[LADY_DI]

i agree with all the comments about LANCASTER APTS i cant wait till i move out too
they charge you up the butt for eveything just this week i got a notice saying that my son make too much noise ( HE HAS AUTISM) told if they get anymore complaints we will get kick out. they care more about the mexicans there and there are double stantards

[bluejacket]

A critical factor to consider when considering moving to Salem, Woodburn, etc. is that the illegals from south of the U.S. border are continuing to infest the Willamette Valley.
I have lived East of the center of town for more than 30 years and can assure anyone who really cares that the city and quality of life have declined markedly in that time. Salem-Keizer schools, this year, registered some 800+ new hispanics and lost 500+ others.

[PNWhike]

Sorry to break the news you but the majority (not all of) Salem has been taken over by illegal aliens. Much of it is drug and gang infested and violent. I would avoid most of Salem all together. There are a lot of nice small towns outside of it like Dallas and Monmouth.