Tacoma??? (Lakewood, Puyallup, University Place: places to live, shop, area)

[bigjim1786]

I was born in raised in Los angeles and lived all over LA, i came up to Tacoma in 1994, my wife is from LA also from south central and washington HS.
We bought are first house on the east side of tacoma, and we love it, and we know it is considered the worst area lately, Hilltop for years, and the East side an old poor area with in are opinion not much crime, even around shilashan housing projects near our house, one of the largest projects on the west coast.

My wifes family has mostly moved away from so cal, with an aunt living in a home in compton that her neighber sold the same house for 415,000, a niece in chino, where her rent went from 700 $ monthly to 1350 within a few years, my first apt i got was 450, now rents for 750, so thats from 1994 to today 2008. Our hose payment is 805 a month, if we sell, we would probably make a 130,000 in equity, but compared to LA, we could not even afford to live on our standards, here, we could not afford the worst N-Hoods in LA or Compton or Inglewood, long beach, hawthorne or the citys in the valley like pacoima, vannuys, norht hollywood, panarama city, north hill, sun valley etc.

As some posters pointed out, there are a lot of bad things that happen seattle but never make the news, while everything from tacoma is front page.

I work in downtown seattle for years, but now in kent, there was this area called the jungle, which was filled with homeless, drugs,prostitutes etc, over 5 people were killed in less than a 2 week period, and there was this little tiny article in the local section that most people do not read, not the front page, thats when i really realized the biased opinions, but it makes sense, make tacoma look bad, and there property prices go up, while tacoma stay much lower.

Downtown seattle is the best night life, downtown tacoma is no where near that but is a whole lot better, way more night clubs, fancy resteraunts, theatre plays, museums, close to the waterfront with great resteraunts, a major casino near downtown in Emerald queen casino.

THere is plenty of info where to live in tacoma or near like the updistrict or lakewood or fife, even the worst areas out here are much safer than citys in LA or other major citys considered nice, My wife from south central was scared of Panarama city and Pacoima, but each city is different, and we all have our comfort zone, my brother was scared of Downtown LA, while living in pacoima, a city just as poor, same gang problem, and all the other bad things like high crime, murder, drugs etc, but as i said, its his comfort zone.

Im glad to see tacoma getting some good press, my wife working with a co worker had to laugh when one co worker said, seattle is like Orange County, and Tacoma is like LA, while that co worker never even lived in tacoma, while my wife new seattle had many bad areas also like the Cd District or raineer valley or parts of renton, sea tac, white center, south seattle etc.

Glad to see the person from SD enjoying the northwest and tacoma.

[Got2BMe74]

I just had to revive this thread, because it's been almost a year and I'm still loving TAC! I actually work closer to home, getting paid about the same that I did in San Diego. I love walking around the neighborhoods and getting out in the very fresh air. I have had a brush with the "bad" element in that drug dealers moved very closely by, but after an elderly neighbor that stays home kept calling the police within a week period they've moved out and all is peaceful/quiet again. I am moving, because I live on a main road and in a duplex and am ready for a single family house. While it was comforting to hear a little noise when I first moved here, now I'm ready for something a little quieter. I'm moving only three blocks away so the kids will still be familier with their surroundings. Tacoma really does have a bad reputation in print, but the people who live here generally like it. The thing about PNW is that it's easy to pick up and go somewhere else if you don't like where you're at. Not every city in the US has that element of convenience and it's quite a priviledge. Good luck to all of those that are moving here, but as far as this Cali native.....this was the best thing I could have ever done. My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner! LOL

[v11832]

I've read alot about South Tacoma...where exactly is that. I will be staying at a hotel on South Hosmer....is that in south Tacoma? Would I be wise to find another place?

[fy10fyr]

Originally Posted by v11832

I've read alot about South Tacoma...where exactly is that. I will be staying at a hotel on South Hosmer....is that in south Tacoma? Would I be wise to find another place?

Yes.

[cobolt]

Stay away from Hosmer. I hope it isn't the Hotel Oscar. Anyway...sketchy sketchy area. Go North, young man.

[v11832]

It is not the Hotel Oscar. Hampton. Brand new. Any recommendations for other hotels?

[mthomson]

It's not a terrible area. If you've got $, SilverCloud in on Ruston Way is great. There are some in downtown Tacoma by the Convention Center that are nice too, but I don't know the cost. Depends on why you're here and where you'll be while you're here. Hampton is fine, though.

[lilpink]

I don't understand why people beat down Tacoma! Just like any city there are bad areas.
I personally live in north tacoma I've lived in washington my whole life, there's lots to do here.
Ruston way has lots of restaurant's on it. You can walk along the water, ride your bike, people are always walking there dogs.. old town has a nice park, go to pt. defiance zoo, Glass & History Museum or just go to a coffee shop. There is a marina here, not like Seattle's but there is one if you have a boat.
In the summer we have the Taste of Tacoma. Wrights park is really nice now. We have lots of little shops to explore.
And if you want a night life 6th ave has a verity of bars, resturants, there's always a live band on 6th ave, weather you go to Jazzbones, Hells Kitchen, or just want pizza from Farrelli's.
Oh and I also read someone think's that everyone here is depressed or not friendly.
Also not true, it doesn't rain here all the time, people here just mind their business.
This is a great place to live.

[Got2BMe74]

I don't know much about where South Hossmer is. I live a few blocks in between downtown and Restaurant Row...which is where the 6th Ave night life is at. However, I did happen to pass by the Silver Cloud just last night it looked like a really nice place to stay right off of the water. That whole strip seems like a really cool place to get a bite to eat and hang out near the water for a little bit. I LOVE Wright's park. So much that I have pics of it on myspace. LOL Downtown is pretty cool too. The hotels there are nice as well. We've had consultants at my job stay at that new hotel up Pacific Ave and I've heard no complaints. They say that is not fancy, but that it is VERY decent, not a slum hole and that they would stay there again. The "sketchiness" that's being spoken of is mainly people down on their luck that aren't wearing decent clothing and a few of those look like they've not had a bath in a week. I believe that population of people don't walk around smiling, because they're missing alot of their teeth, hence they don't look so friendly. However, they also are not messing with anyone. Tacoma is pretty safe and compared to where I'm from, it's like Mayberry. LOL I've never seen a fist fight or much less a crime committed and I've taken walks around the Hilltop area as late as 9pm. I'm black, but I look like a lady and usually wear capris, a button down top, and flip flops on the weekend with my hair very cute plus accessories. No one messes with me or my kids. I hate that people's charaters are judged according to their income. "sketchy" ?? LOL

[MaikeerinWA]

On a sunny day like today, the Ruston Way waterfront is a really nice place to be. I've been quite impressed, the few times I've been there.

Originally Posted by lilpink

Ruston way has lots of restaurant's on it. You can walk along the water, ride your bike, people are always walking there dogs