Relocating to Shreveport from Las Vegas (Bossier City: low crime, homes, safest area)

[mzdruhet]

Hi. My husband is in the Air Force and we are move to Shreveport next year. We need to know where the safest neighborhood & school is to buy a house. We have 2 small children so this is very important to us. Thanks.

[Patti LeBlanc]

Hi. Our Daughter & Son-in-law currently live in Bossier City. Our Son-in-law is stationed at Barksdale. They have a lovely home in the Savannah Place neighborhood. They are about 4 miles from the base. The neighborhood is very clean, and quiet, with schools nearby. Good luck with your move, we love Bossier, and hope you do too.

[Nikki Shinn]

HI

I was born and raised in Shreveport, know it inside and out...here's my take:

Probably the safest areas for those with kids - and convenient to the base - would be the south Shreveport area down by LSUS - particularly the University subdivision. University Elem is a truly good school, there is relatively low crime in that specific area, however they have had their share of theft and vandalism, but it's mostly due to bored teenagers than some sinister crime ring. University and River Oaks areas are just on the outskirts of Shreveport (south) out of the way by about 10 minutes...and on up Youree Dr it becomes pretty congested with all the new business growth - but on the upside there is zero shortage of just about any sort of shopping product you have in mind. Restaurants galore. It's still by far one of the nicer middle class neighborhoods and still safe and great for kids - very kid friendly.

Also up Youree to the Southfield subdivision - it's a bit older but still relatively safe and as close to "town" as University area. I grew up in Broadmore, Southfield and University so am partial, and while it's grown, it's still pretty much as safe and kid friendly as it always was when I was a kid - I'm 45. It's also close enough to the base taking 70th st over the bridge (Jimmy Davis) to Barksdale Blvd on up to the base, probably a 15 minute drive, barring heavy morning or off work traffic.

Any further north or west and you'll go though the unsavory parts of town, impoverished, projects, high crime (Note: don't drive the Highland/Stoner area alone at night at all if you can help it - lots of random carjacking which is sad because that is the older part of Shreveport with gorgeous multi story homes that have gone to hell due to the substandard residents, homes that could've been refurbished and upgraded are deteriorating, high crime, heavy, heavy drug area...waste).

If you have a higher dollar pocketbook for upper class to doctor wage, Ellerby estates is rich, lovely, safe, many gated communities and to the west/southwest of University area. They LOVE Halloween back in that subdivision, so you can enjoy lots of decorated homes and lots of TOTers milling the many streets safe and sound.

Areas to steer clear of for high crime, random violence, and drugs are the Highlands, north Shreveport north of downtown, north west Shreveport, the Queensborough area, Cedar Grove area.

If you'll be connected with Barksdale, Shady Grove is also a pretty good area in Bossier but it's iffy on safe - depends on what little segment streets you check. Nice brick single family homes, definitely "shady" with large oak and magnolias and all, quiet hoods and close to pretty much everything by way of the bridge. Shreveport/Bossier are basically two rectangles connected at the south by Jimmy Davis bridge, south of the base, Shreveport/Barksdale bridge right square off in front of the base, and I-20 north of the base. So your "square route" would be S/B bridge to Shreve City for great shopping that's sort of died out due to the growth by University area, down to Kings Hwy or Youree, south down to 70th or Bert Kouns and back to Jimmy Davis to Bossier and up to the base. You can live there for ages and never have to go anywhere else!

Anderson Island is a good area also - it's back east of University but before the bridge to Bossier. Once you're there driving, this will become quickly intuitive - so don't sweat it. One big rectangle with 3 bridges and they all go in a loop.

Being on the base, these neighborhoods are the closest, most convenient to where you would be, and safest...great for kids. Lots of great parks - University, Kings Hwy duck pond, Hamel's area, Mike Woods park back in Shady Grove subdivision.

To me, Bossier has always had such a seedy, drug infested sort of look to it while Shreveport is cleaner and open and accessible - it would be the "sunny" city to Bossier's seedy dark nuance, though north Bossier up to Brownlee estates, Greenacres and around Airline High are much nicer and well kept areas.

Weatherwise, it's still connected to tornadic activity so there will be many months you'll probably be pretty tense. Keep an eye on severe weather, they aren't joking.

All in all, if you favor Bossier, I'd strongly suggest Brownlee Estates in north Bossier, or if you favor Shreveport, University Terrace is unbeatable.

Central Shreveport areas are usually bad neighborhoods, as are the areas surrounding downtown, and especially in downtown, just north of it.

Good luck and be sure to grab some mudbugs...spectacular! Say hi to them for me...my butt's relocating to Arizona!