Ogden High area, is it safe? (Salt Lake City, West Valley City: renting, crime, houses)

[LPTP]

Looking at renting a property just east of Ogden High, the closest intersection is Darling St and Polk Ave. I hear if you're going to live in Ogden the East Bench is a good bet, so I'm hoping this is a good, safe area. Any input would be greatly appreciated. We are out of state and hoping to get some local input!

[elcee499]

It's an older neighborhood, but safe. It's close to the college and you've got great access to the trail system via Mt. Ogden Park.

Here's a link to a neighborhood crime map: Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

[Geo-Aggie]

Ogden is really only "bad" in the areas over by Harrison from about Riverdale Road, north (especially 24th St. near the train tracks). East Ogden is super nice, I'd live there.

[manyroads]

Originally Posted by Geo-Aggie

Ogden is really only "bad" in the areas over by Harrison from about Riverdale Road, north (especially 24th St. near the train tracks). East Ogden is super nice, I'd live there.

Is this the area where the "gang activity" in Ogden that I've read about elsewhere on this board would be located? I haven't had to deal with gangs in any of the areas I've lived in so far, so the fact that there are gangs in Ogden concerns me somewhat. You hear about people trying to get into gangs shooting random people as part of their initiation rites, and that's not something I'd like to have to worry about in a place I might move to.

[Coffeequeen]

RAIDS Online: Regional Analysis and Information Sharing

[Geo-Aggie]

Originally Posted by manyroads

Is this the area where the "gang activity" in Ogden that I've read about elsewhere on this board...

In general anything you read about on this board concerning the towns that don't have an elite status will be greatly exaggerated. Ogden's typical "gang activity" is like, some kid who beat up some other kid because he made out with his girl and then the victim's buddies went and got even with the dude. When I say that area is bad, I really just mean it's ugly. Poorly kept older houses, swap meets, stuff like that. Some people on this board just tend to exhibit snobbish attitudes toward less expensive parts of town and want to pretend that their more expensive areas are worth spending double the amount of money on by inventing this make-believe world where more affordable areas are full of gangs and drugs (they aren't.)

The reality is that if you add up all 2012 (most recent year available for crime stats) homicides committed in Ogden(3), South Salt Lake(2) and West Valley City(1) you would be equal to the number committed in Draper(2), Sandy(2) and West Jordan(2) and also equal to the number committed in Salt Lake City(6) alone and literally only ONE, in the ENTIRE STATE was gang related.
Source

I'm not saying gangs don't exist, but most kids and young adults are not in gangs, no matter where you are. We just don't have any neighborhoods in the state where you need to be in a gang. It's not an attractive thing for most kids and our gangs only have issues with rival gangs not really giving a second thought to the common bystander.

[elcee499]

The specific neighborhood mentioned by the OP is east of Harrison Blvd in an an area that does not see gang activity.

There are definitely gangs in Ogden, located more toward the central part of the city. I am aware of several drive-by shootings and at least one gang-related homicide in Ogden during the past year. A significant amount of drug trafficking, most recently Mexican black-tar and brown powdered heroin, has been tied to Ogden gangs. Ogden Trece (O-13) has an estimated 300-500 members.

[elcee499]

The point is that if your kids go to Ogden High or Ogden Middle School, they will have an opportunity to associate with known gang members. And no matter where you live along the Wasatch front, you probably know someone whose kid is using the illegal and dangerous drugs that these gangs are selling. That should alarm you as much as it does me.

[manyroads]

Thank you Geo-Aggie and elcee499 for your replies. I'm still surprised to find that there is any sort of gang activity in Utah. Normally when I think of places that have problems with gangs, I think of places like Los Angeles and its surrounding areas, as well as Phoenix and Albuquerque. Normally, crime tends to be higher in places with lots of warm weather year-round (not a cold and snowy place like Utah). I guess no place is immune to that sort of thing these days, though.

[CCSLC]

Originally Posted by elcee499

There are definitely gangs in Ogden, located more toward the central part of the city. I am aware of several drive-by shootings and at least one gang-related homicide in Ogden during the past year. A significant amount of drug trafficking, most recently Mexican black-tar and brown powdered heroin, has been tied to Ogden gangs. Ogden Trece (O-13) has an estimated 300-500 members.

Even if this is true (I have my doubts), most Ogden residents and frequent visitors (me included) would never know this or notice anything gang-related in the community. It's just not part of daily life for the average Ogden (or Utah!) resident. It really is a non-issue, and the fear-mongering on this board is tiresome.