Possible move to Detroit, please help/berate me.

[Zacha341]

^^^ I read exactly what you wrote... I was agreeing with you. Sorry I did not convey my thoughts more clearly.

[TexasT]

Detroit has multiple realities, and all of them are valid. It all depends where in Detroit you live, as to what reality you perceive. Mid-Town is growing. Gilbert, Ilitch, and assorted yupsters are turning it into a first-class playland. Yippee, hip-hip, hoorah, and good for them. Some of us "other" tax-paying Detroiters are living in a different kind of reality, and it might not be so nice. The frustration occurs when posts are made stating things like "I've NEVER heard any gunshots", "Detroit's crime is exagerated, just move in anywhere, there's plenty of hugs to go around", "THAT neighborhood sucks, they should just bulldoze it over". For some of us, our neighborhood struggle has been going on for years, and with every forward step, there seems to be two taken back. One group doesn't seem to understand what's going on with the other. So there's my opinion on Detroit EXPOSED!.

100% agree.

[Zacha341]

I agree, the area makes a difference and one best take care just to be sensible. Greatly. And like I said my comments are based on a woman living alone, initially getting to know Detroit, not couples.

If you live in one of the several neighborhoods that peoplee suggested, like Midtown or Woodbridge, you are covered by WSUPD. If I call the cops, they will be here in two minutes. Same with the neighborhoods that hire private security. Combine that with a dog a good alarm, you're ok.

And yes, I have lived outside of the city and state, Zacha, in places much nicer than Northville - almost my entire life. Y'all are blowing this way out of proportion. No, the OP shouldnt live in most of Detroit alone but there are several neigborhoods that are fine [[SW Detroit is not one of them).

[SWMAP]

I note that on another thread that TexasT mentions that she does, indeed live in Woodbridge - but she lives there with her husband.

From her earlier posts one might infer that she, too, is a woman alone and so can pro-offer personal wisdom for women living alone in Detroit. Turns out, though, that she has limited personal knowledge of how hard it might be. She talks about her dog and parking in her garage to come home at night - she doesn't mention that she is not coming into the empty house that Zacha341 warns of.

[TexasT]

I note that on another thread that TexasT mentions that she does, indeed live in Woodbridge - but she lives there with her husband.

From her earlier posts one might infer that she, too, is a woman alone and so can pro-offer personal wisdom for women living alone in Detroit. Turns out, though, that she has limited personal knowledge of how hard it might be. She talks about her dog and parking in her garage to come home at night - she doesn't mention that she is not coming into the empty house that Zacha341 warns of.

True but my dog is often out at my mother-in-law's for extended periods of time to keep her company and I always get home before the hubby since he works in the burbs and I work two miles down the street downtown. So for this past week, for example, I've come home alone to an empty, dark house, no dog. At that point, I just rely on the alarm. If it's not tripped and still on when I walk through the door, I feel comfortable. The wires can't be cut, since it uses cell towers and not a landline, and it came with motion sensing, in case someone comes through a window or something or somehow doesn't set off the alarm coming through the door.

In Chicago, I don't know, maybe I'm paranoid, but I checked every room of our 700 sq ft apartment when I'd get home alone [[took all of 45 seconds), but I feel way more comfortable with this particular house alarm for the many times I come home alone with no dog to greet me.

Everyone in Detroit should have a dog though! Best security system you can get.

EDIT: I didn't mean to imply that one must have absolute perfect knowledge to have a valid opinion. Otherwise, with mostly male posters, almost nobody would be qualified to talk on this topic and there's been good advice here, both for and against moving to the city. I think Zacha provides valuable insight and sorry if I came off as brusque.

[villagejack]

In case it hasn't been mentioned, Boston Edison & Indian Village have community private security participation. They hire an unarmed private security company to patrol & the company rents out alarm systems in houses. Not everyone in the neighborhood chooses in, but the overall effect benefits the neighborhoods. Also, some neighborhoods like BE have strong community organizations. Volunteer residents walk and patrol the neighborhood in small groups. Best wishes on your move.

[Zacha341]

I got your overall meaning TT. Thank for your thoughtful comments. For sure it is a complex choice with infinite variables for making the best choice for ones safety and quality of life.

EDIT: I didn't mean to imply that one must have absolute perfect knowledge to have a valid opinion. Otherwise, with mostly male posters, almost nobody would be qualified to talk on this topic and there's been good advice here, both for and against moving to the city. I think Zacha provides valuable insight and sorry if I came off as brusque.

[RickBeall]

The woman has not posted in a while. I think you guys have scared her enough that she decided to move to Sweden.

[steve from virginia]

Interesting conversation ...


- I'm thinking of moving to Detroit, too.


- Why Detroit? - It's a real city not a small town or 'burb.


- Detroit is in a depression, it's ahead of the rest of the country/world by about 10 years. It really cannot get worse in Detroit than it is now.


- The city government has disintegrated so there is little in the way of petty interference found in almost every other city and town. To start a business in my current place requires as many as 30 permits. I live in a small apartment, I cannot make a mess. Property taxes on a small, ordinary house can be $25k per YEAR.


- Without a big, trajectory altering change in Detroit the technocrat will mark the end of government business as usual with the next step being collapse. This is the trend, being seen in Europe and will be seen in Detroit ... and elsewhere. It's the product of non-functioning economy. The technocrat [[to be unnamed) is simply a thief.


- Detroit is cheap. You need a car [[I hate cars like Jesus hates sin) but houses are so cheap that a car is a bagatelle. Move to Detroit so you can get the 'free' car.


- There is crime in Detroit but he most crime ridden places I have been in were Rome, Milan and Quito, Ecuador. Mexico is far more violent than Detroit and folks think nothing of vacationing in Mexico.


- Suburbs are far more dangerous than big cities as pedestrian, particularly the suburb I live in now [[Northern Virginia). Everyone talks on the phone while driving and run lights and stop signs, drive up on sidewalks, text; they hate bikers and pedestrians etc. The suburb here is ugly and depressing. Going to the store means duck through a hole in a cyclone fence, down a rutted path, across an interstate highway interchange strewn with car parts cross three ramps. Cars go off the road every in this stretch every day. The odds shorten. Driving in the suburbs is dangerous too. My current is one of the wealthiest areas in the country, btw.


- The only time I've ever experienced outright bigotry from blacks was in San Fransisco. Right now I live in a gigantic concrete apartment building filled with Guatemalans. Getting along isn't hard ...


Informative tale: Once upon a time during the 'Angel Dust' era I used to live downtown in Washington, DC, on the top floor of a three-story building over a store. Back then you could count the people living downtown on your fingers. It was a desolate, downtrodden area fit only for winos, artists and punk rockers. DC was the nation's crime capital and peeps were dying like flies on street corners.


Late one night while I was sleeping there was a loud noise: I think someone was breaking in so they could get into the store downstairs. The noise was the burglar pulling off the skylight.


I turned on the lights and ran into the bathroom where the skylight was and I could see the wooly-headed negro hanging from his feet upside down, like a bat from the skylight opening. He looked at me and said, "HEY! It's a naked white dude!"


I took the shotgun from behind my back and pointed at him and said, "Yea, a naked white dude with a shotgun!" I've never seen anyone move backwards upside down faster in my entire life.


Pissed me off, I had to buy some bars for the skylight which spoiled it. Moral to the story: there is crime ... it's what you do with it that matters.

[old guy]

I sincerely hope you're not a real person.

[marshamusic]

I sincerely hope you're not a real person.

Thanks old guy.

[Honky Tonk]

Interesting conversation ...


- I'm thinking of moving to Detroit, too.


- Why Detroit? - It's a real city not a small town or 'burb.


- Detroit is in a depression, it's ahead of the rest of the country/world by about 10 years. It really cannot get worse in Detroit than it is now.


- The city government has disintegrated so there is little in the way of petty interference found in almost every other city and town. To start a business in my current place requires as many as 30 permits. I live in a small apartment, I cannot make a mess. Property taxes on a small, ordinary house can be $25k per YEAR.


- Without a big, trajectory altering change in Detroit the technocrat will mark the end of government business as usual with the next step being collapse. This is the trend, being seen in Europe and will be seen in Detroit ... and elsewhere. It's the product of non-functioning economy. The technocrat [[to be unnamed) is simply a thief.


- Detroit is cheap. You need a car [[I hate cars like Jesus hates sin) but houses are so cheap that a car is a bagatelle. Move to Detroit so you can get the 'free' car.


- There is crime in Detroit but he most crime ridden places I have been in were Rome, Milan and Quito, Ecuador. Mexico is far more violent than Detroit and folks think nothing of vacationing in Mexico.


- Suburbs are far more dangerous than big cities as pedestrian, particularly the suburb I live in now [[Northern Virginia). Everyone talks on the phone while driving and run lights and stop signs, drive up on sidewalks, text; they hate bikers and pedestrians etc. The suburb here is ugly and depressing. Going to the store means duck through a hole in a cyclone fence, down a rutted path, across an interstate highway interchange strewn with car parts cross three ramps. Cars go off the road every in this stretch every day. The odds shorten. Driving in the suburbs is dangerous too. My current is one of the wealthiest areas in the country, btw.


- The only time I've ever experienced outright bigotry from blacks was in San Fransisco. Right now I live in a gigantic concrete apartment building filled with Guatemalans. Getting along isn't hard ...


Informative tale: Once upon a time during the 'Angel Dust' era I used to live downtown in Washington, DC, on the top floor of a three-story building over a store. Back then you could count the people living downtown on your fingers. It was a desolate, downtrodden area fit only for winos, artists and punk rockers. DC was the nation's crime capital and peeps were dying like flies on street corners.


Late one night while I was sleeping there was a loud noise: I think someone was breaking in so they could get into the store downstairs. The noise was the burglar pulling off the skylight.


I turned on the lights and ran into the bathroom where the skylight was and I could see the wooly-headed negro hanging from his feet upside down, like a bat from the skylight opening. He looked at me and said, "HEY! It's a naked white dude!"


I took the shotgun from behind my back and pointed at him and said, "Yea, a naked white dude with a shotgun!" I've never seen anyone move backwards upside down faster in my entire life.


Pissed me off, I had to buy some bars for the skylight which spoiled it. Moral to the story: there is crime ... it's what you do with it that matters.

Good post. I think you should move to Detroit. You seem to have yourself together enough to know what to expect and how to deal with it.

[Smirnoff]

.....what Angel Dust will do to you......

[rakers]

The move to Detroit is truly dependent on your preferences. There is no shortage of old housing that is very beautiful in the city and some of the inner suburbs. Housing is generally very affordable and you can find what you want. If I were to buy something in the city it would probably be in Lafayette Park which has close proximity to downtown, the river walk and a bike path to Eastern Market [[if you have not looked this up check it out). The nearby suburbs of Royal Oak, Ferndale and Wyandotte are all nice places to live. We bought in Wyandotte a few months ago and have been very happy. Old updated home, same size lots and single family housing you would find in the city and an active downtown and business area. One thing that led us from the city was the high property tax rates and sketchy public services. The city may also face bankruptcy in the next 18-24 months which could have negative consequences on property owners. Good luck in your decision!