West Pasco is dull, but not dangerous! (Tampa, Clearwater: rent, crimes)

[MAniacTHW]

Originally Posted by Beacher23

What exactly is considered Suitcase City because i'm thinking of moving to the New Tampa area around Tampa Palms and just wanted to be sure?

Look for the threads by HousingCrashSurvivor who has a map with the actual borders of Suitcase City so you don't get some BS answer such as:

Originally Posted by CubsFan20

Basically the area North of Busch to about Bearss and East of 275. The worst part is around 22nd street, but it's all ****ty in there.

[sunigal99]

Moon Lake is such a pretty area. I can't believe that area hasn't turned over yet. Downtown NPR has a lot of potential too, but it's moving so slow. I'm heading back to Pinellas.

[Kenny48]

Originally Posted by rich67

Port Richey has improved over the years, and crime in Pasco County has ventured more out toward what is considered "New Tampa" and Holiday. Here is my issue with Pasco County:
1) There is no attention being paid to the economic growth here. The blight seen around the areas north of Ridge Road is inexcusable. The old Service Merchandise at US 19 and Jasmine has been an eyesore for two decades. The slowly vacant Gulf View Mall and the strip mall where the old Circuit City was is all but empty. The county commissioners and people who run the county feel it is necessary to tax the heck out of businesses, levy impact fees and require people to cut through mounds of red tape. Just ask the people who built the new outlet malls by I75 and SR 56. They were so reamed by the county that they just wanted to complete the project and be done with it. Drive down to Holiday and see the homeless camps and falling-apart strip mall at 19 and Flora that smells like urine. That's the first thing you see when you cross over into Pasco from Pinellas, reminding you that you are not in Kansas anymore, Toto.
2) The traffic is horrendous. The county's solution to any kind of traffic problem is to install a traffic light. This idiocy can best be seen at Leo Kidd and Ridge Rd., where the mis-timed light causes traffic issues at the light not 50 yards away at Ridge and 19. When you drive 19 and get a green light, you can literally watch the next light turn red for you. So you stop/start all the way from 19 and 52 to the Pinellas County line. Then, miraculously, traffic flows so much nicer once you cross the line...why is that? Proper planning and proper light timing/equipment. You also see this sub-moronic planning at SR54 in Land O Lakes where the new Lowe's sits. A light at SR54 and 41, then another light to stop and let two cars out of Lowe's that halts six lanes of major traffic.'

That being said, things are looking up for Pasco south of Jasmine Blvd. I have been here for 21 years, have watched it go to hell and slowly rebound. But unless the county really works on cleaning up the vacant businesses and strip malls or does something to entice companies into our county, you will see it go right to crap again. As for the neighborhoods, to each his own. I like peaceful neighborhoods without Gestapo HOA's. That's why I would never live in Beacon Woods or some of the other "55 and up" communities.
I think once you venture out of the Tampa Bay area, you see some of the nicer areas Florida has to offer that put this region to shame. Sarasota is beautiful, pretty much everything along the east coast (except Miami), and some areas around Ocala. The Tampa Bay area is just overcrowded and poorly laid out.

I agree with some of what you have to say. "Tax the heck out of businesses"? So I guess our Republican bureaucracy here isn't as wonderful as the voters think it is. But I'm sure they blame the Democrats, for everything.

As far a traffic lights everywhere. I'm one of those who requests MORE!. My street Sterling Ln is a speedway between Embassy and Ridge Rd. I and most of my neighbors would love to see either some stop signs, or speed bumps to slow down the idiots who use it as an alternative to Regency Park Blvd !
I agree that the abandoned businesses are an eyesore. However I don't think it's because of taxes. If that were the case, all the little Mom and Pops would have been gone first! No, it's because most of these stores simply didn't make it here. These people would rather shop for bargains at Walmart! I remember going to Macy's and Penney's and seeing hardly any shoppers. If there's no customers, you don't make money. Unfortunately I blame the county, for encouraging growth with no regulation. They keep building homes, but theres no infrastructure. It's simply mismanagement at it's worst. The water department being a perfect example. The sheriffs office under Rick Scott's protege is also a joke. I agree with you, but not for any of the same reasons.

[Irishiis49]

The US 19 area south of Moog Road is an absolute horror show of abandoned strip malls...I lived 35 years in NYC and the only time I experienced crime was in 2006 I walked into a home robbery in my aunt's home off Moog road...it was a $h!t show then and it looks worse now...I would never live anywhere near there...

[LKJ1988]

Originally Posted by Irishiis49

The US 19 area south of Moog Road is an absolute horror show of abandoned strip malls...I lived 35 years in NYC and the only time I experienced crime was in 2006 I walked into a home robbery in my aunt's home off Moog road...it was a $h!t show then and it looks worse now...I would never live anywhere near there...

All of these run down hoods with 2 bedroom homes are almost 100% trashy renters and druggies. Sure there a few home owners and good renters mixed in, but most of the area from Holiday to Hudson is just flat out run down around US19.

Just take drive and see , once you see over grown yards full of broken down cars and junk and the rundown homes you will understand.

[deb18]

Just remember to visit gulf harbors/ gulf landings area for a huge eye sore ( just kidding). Also oyster bayou. Gulf trace. Sand dollar.( I believe the area is called). Gulf harbors housing runs from the 100,000 for the smaller, older or interior ones to over a million. Yes you can see rundown homes in the 19 area but also others. I don't want people to think that is all there is.

[LKJ1988]

Originally Posted by deb18

Just remember to visit gulf harbors/ gulf landings area for a huge eye sore ( just kidding). Also oyster bayou. Gulf trace. Sand dollar.( I believe the area is called). Gulf harbors housing runs from the 100,000 for the smaller, older or interior ones to over a million. Yes you can see rundown homes in the 19 area but also others. I don't want people to think that is all there is.

The old rundown hoods make up for 90% of the area since they were all built around 1970 for older people. Ya there are some nice big homes like the ones behind Westport that have been empty for years since no one can afford the Ins. Now with flood Ins going higher and higher all them big homes will be worth nothing unless the buyers go bare like i do.

[Irishiis49]

Even Gulf Harbors has there share of crime...my uncle lived on Floramar and was robbed many times...the worst of which was he and my aunt came home to find a man standing in their kitchen...my uncle was standing between the guy and the door so the guy jumped my uncle!!! They moved soon after!!!

[LKJ1988]

Originally Posted by Irishiis49

Even Gulf Harbors has there share of crime...my uncle lived on Floramar and was robbed many times...the worst of which was he and my aunt came home to find a man standing in their kitchen...my uncle was standing between the guy and the door so the guy jumped my uncle!!! They moved soon after!!!

That area really is drug city. That is why i keep a gun in every room.

[Kenny48]

Originally Posted by LKJ1988

That area really is drug city. That is why i keep a gun in every room.

and that is one big reason I don't like Pasco County!

Sorry, i'm a West Coaster from Seattle. There is really very little of Florida I like, especially those huge monstrosities they are building today. I like my little one bedroom house, it's the neighbors that get on my nerves! The ones who keep guns in their homes because they are scared of everyone else!