Not everyone lives in the bubble that is Alameda Ridge. My in laws who live in Kenton are contemplating moving across the river because their car has been stolen twice in a 4 month period. I spent my youth in St John’s. I work in SW Portland. Petty theft, random attacks and tweakers taking what people work hard for has gone through the roof. I went to downtown about a month ago. Holy shiiiit. What a turd hole. Shit, on my ride into work I sometimes stop into the Plaid Pantry on going. Drug users openly doing their business on the side of the store. Passed out in bushes. Come check out the Vancouver waterfront if you want to see a well ran city. That is before the vagrants set sail in their dingy across the Columbia.
Yeah it’s been like this for decades bro. Don’t get caught up in the whole, “NOW it’s bad” thing. You grew up in St.John’s you know this. And if they live in Kenton, it’s NEVER been safe over there…..they knew what they were getting into. None of this is new. My wife and I just were downtown having dinner outside two nights ago, it’s was fantastic. Now if you want to go LOOK for shady shit in a downtown area…..you’ll find that in every city around the country. Fuck my daughter’s best friend plays soccer up at Gonzaga…..the team has barely left campus all season, said it’s not safe once you leave. It’s everywhere homie. Side note, I worked my fucking ass off to get in this “bubble” FAMS. Never stopped grinding to be able to.
I grew up in inner SEP in the '60s and '70s. There were ALWAYS knuckleheads looking for trouble. Glue sniffing was a popular thing in the city parks and we learned to keep our heads on a swivel. My grandparents lived on NE 14th, 2 blocks north of Ainsworth. And I learned very young not to wander far by myself when I was over there. Kenton has actually come up in the world compared to what it was 50 years ago. When I worked in the family heating business as a high school kid, the guys I was donkey labor for always handed me a pipe wrench "for use if needed" when we were working in certain parts of the city and I needed to run out to the truck for something. Welcome to the big city, regardless of its physical location. It's gotten worse pretty much everywhere across the country. I just spent time in podunk Casper Wyoming and they're having their issues too. Yeah, it got out of control in Portland for awhile, but my experience of late is that it's on its way back. They just need to quit electing bleeding heart morons........
It’s the petty theft and lack of police response that bugs me the most. The tweakers can tweak if they want to, but I feel like the drugs tie into the theft. St John’s was always rough and tumble. You didn’t have to keep an eye on your car 24/7 though. The in-laws have lived off Watts street in Kenton for close to 40 years. Never had their car stolen and now it’s happened twice in a close time frame. I wanted to live in the city in my 20’s. I lived over in the Woodlawn neighborhood for 3 years. As I got older I realized I wanted to get the fuck out of dodge. I worked my ass off and bought a home in Brush Prarie recently, it’s got a country vibe to it but isn’t super redneck. The air smells so much more fresh. I hear roosters in the morning. There’s a reason there’s been a mass exodus in Portland lately. The city is a mess. I see it daily. I’m out in it all the time.
They probably thought they were back in Detroit.........like Portland is the only city in America with these types of problems.....
Ive spent at least a week in NYC, Chicago, LA, and obviously here. The big city in all of those, the heart of the city doesnt feel particularly safe. But its also where the most people are going to be so the chances go through the roof. I will say that back in the mid 2000's I felt safer in downtown than I do now. Then again, the crime in the 70s and 80s in NYC sounded worse than it does now, same with drug use and all that. It's going to ebb and flow. I lived just off of 82nd for 3 years, just moved. 82nd never felt safe. I got my car totaled and they attempted to burn it 3 months before I moved and the first week of my new job. Its changed, and it'll change again. Im still trying to figure out the rationale of allowing open drug use from our government (Which sounds like they are walking back). But it'll change again because in the 2000's I felt relatively safe walking at any time downtown. It'll get back to that point, its just a matter of what is our city going to do to change it. Also, with the advent of social media it's never been easier to be tapped into our fears.
Critical shortage of public defenders reaches into all corners of Oregon’s criminal justice system https://www.opb.org/article/2022/12...stice-system-publid-defender-shortage-crisis/
DA Mike Schmidt urges tougher approach to drug crimes while keeping heart of Measure 110 intact Https://www.oregonlive.com/politics...hile-keeping-heart-of-measure-110-intact.html
Totally respect that. I needed my kids to go to the same schools as their Great Grandparents/Grandparents/Parents. Super important to us to keep it in the community. To ride their bikes and play hoops on the same streets as the previous 3 generations. Now both my kids have taken their love of all things inner city to LA/SF. Too each his own FAMS.
