Need Advice on St Petersburg Neighborhoods Walkability

[Beach Sportsfan]

I will be retiring in a few years and we have also decided that Pinellas and the Pasadena- Gulfport area is our best fit area so far.

[pmcavoy]

Thanks for all of the advice! My wife loves the Gulfport area as well, she raves about Little Tommie's food. So it's nice to hear such good things about the area.

We'll have to start looking more in that section of town!

[Leenme]

It's been said that Gulfport is where the sewer meets the sea. 10 Investigates St. Petersburg dumping raw sewage

Yes they have bars and food outlets on a very small patch of ground near the water, not what most would call a beach. Beyond that small area, where the neighborhoods are, the roads are collapsing the sewer system is failing, the crime in the area is very high. The city is just an extension of So. St Peterburg's highest crime area and the City's budget reflects the crime problem, as do the statistics and court records. Don't be fooled and don't accept someone describing factual evidence as racial comments. Gulfport is located next door to where the riots occurred in 1996 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Pe..._Riots_of_1996
Gulfport was once a Sundown City that had signs posted that kept black people out. Those tensions still exist today as you can see in the poster's comments Once a

There are many resources online that could inform you about the conditions of that City. Aside from being a very low lying area and very susceptible to storms, most of the area has high insurance rates. The cost of insurance has driven many residents away from low lying coastal waters, so bare that in mind when considering relocating to areas along the coast.

If you think you would like to live within walking distance of noisy bars -many complaints-, on a stinky coast -sewer dumps=closed beach area, with high crime, Gulfport is your kind of place. Most folks prefer living in the northern part of the county, up here, the elevation is higher, the crime is lower, and the air doesn't have that sewer smell.

[dothetwist]

Yes, in August, St. Petersburg did release partially treated sewage into Clam Bayou after weeks of record-breaking heavy rainfall. They also pumped it into Tampa Bay near Albert Whitted Field and into Frenchman's Creek near Eckerd College. While Gulfport has been putting money into its infrastructure for several years (and has committed even more monies in the proposed budget for next year). St. Petersburg is the one with the poor infrastructure and poor planning (closed the Albert Whitted treatment plant BEFORE opening the new one scheduled to go online next year). Time and tides wash out this sort of environmental pollution, but what St. Petersburg did was reprehensible.

As far as crime, I'm 60 years old and often home alone as my DH is busy with family issues in DC-Metro. I continue to walk nightly and ate dinner at Little Tommie's last night solo. Nice group of people to chat with, it's easy to make friends in Gulfport.

Oh, the 1996 riots in St. Petersburg (not in Gulfport)...oh yes, they weigh mightily on my mind. Get real.

Most of Gulfport is not in a flood zone...that's a fact. I live one block from Boca Ciega Bay and am designated as Zone X which means I'm not required to carry flood insurance. Though we do because being in a non-risk area such as ours, it's a bargain.

There are many wonderful areas in Pinellas, North and South. There are also great places in Sarasota, Manatee and Hillsborough. Enough places so that everyone can find their piece of paradise. I am an unabashed fan of Gulfport, but I don't feel the need to throw stones at other places.

I feel sorry for posters who feel the only way to boost their own place of residence is to denigrate where others live.

[mrviking]

Originally Posted by dothetwist

There are many wonderful areas in Pinellas, North and South. There are also great places in Sarasota, Manatee and Hillsborough. Enough places so that everyone can find their piece of paradise. I am an unabashed fan of Gulfport, but I don't feel the need to throw stones at other places.

Agree, I love stopping in Gulfport when I'm in the area. Is it for everyone? Of course not. Tell me a place that is. People are looking to move to florida everyday, they ask for information on areas to consider.
Its much better reading about areas from the people that live there and can offer first hand advice. IF you don't like an area great, keep it to yourself.