Community Chat

[Harvard99]

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@proudlyfromNJ wrote:

I am not in a city but in the suburbs in a town of about 16,000. Our town is thriving. Shops, stores, restaurants etc. Everything seems to be kept up and clean. 

We are about 20 miles north of Manhattan.

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That's why.  You're in a prosperous metro area.  No judgement, just fact.

[Ketra]

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@patbz wrote:

I travel frequently, especially in CA, NV, AZ and NM.  Most cities and towns look like they are in good to great shape.  I think OP may live in an area that could be in economic decline (maybe Mid West where some areas depend on dying industries?).

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@patbz I have friends in San Francisco and they sent me pictures of human feces on the sidewalks and syringes in the gutters. The homeless tent cities have taken over their parks. They are paying a fortune in taxes and the city that was once one of the most beautiful on the west coast is going to hell. 

[GCR18]

It's not often that I go downtown in the town I work in.  Yesterday I had to go that way and thought holy cow.  There were new buildings and many store fronts had make overs.  I have to go back to check it out.

[Cakers3]

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@Ketra wrote:

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@patbz wrote:

I travel frequently, especially in CA, NV, AZ and NM.  Most cities and towns look like they are in good to great shape.  I think OP may live in an area that could be in economic decline (maybe Mid West where some areas depend on dying industries?).

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@patbz I have friends in San Francisco and they sent me pictures of human feces on the sidewalks and syringes in the gutters. The homeless tent cities have taken over their parks. They are paying a fortune in taxes and the city that was once one of the most beautiful on the west coast is going to hell. 

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@Ketra  DH and I visited SF a long time ago and loved the city. 

Many cities, including the one I live in, are dealing with the tragedy of homelessness and all the health issues, both personal and environemental, that it causes.

I saw in LA that there was an outbreak of typhus among homeless camps, and how rodents were infesting buildings of business.

The more people crowding into our major cities, the more trash, disease, and lack of basic human needs will increase.

It's sad.

[jeanlake]

Interesting topic. There's a university in my city that offers an URBAN PLANNING degree. Always thought that would be interesting to study. A neighbor speaks about living in Detroit during its heyday and he's crossing his fingers for the city to rally. Visited Greenville, SC this year. What a positive difference now than when I visited relatives as a child. The same with Asheville, NC, which is a great place now. My childhood town, expanded by WW2 & Korean War vets because of VA Housing  benefits, is a sad place now. I understand what the poster is feeling.

[chrystaltree]

That's your city and it sounds like it might be in a depressed part of your state.  That's certainly not is what happening in many major cities and towns.   

[ROMARY]

RETRN:

Ditto!

[JasoninBoston]

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@CherryHugs wrote:

It is sad to see our town and others the way they are now.

This town used to be so nice and the downtown had some historic buildings. Everywhere was neat and clean.

Over the past few years things are dirty, trash along the streets and yards. Houses are dirty and even falling apart. Old cars and furntiure in yards, driveways, porches. No one takes pride in their place.

Businesses that failed sitting empty, factories sitting empty. Drugs have taken over the town too.

I am not saying all areas are bad or dirty or overrun with drug dealers but some of it are.

They took tore down the historic buildings,its  just so different than when we moved here.

I am sure alot of cities and towns are this way now but it kinda sad to see.

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I am sorry to hear this @CherryHugs 

At some point if you ever have the urge to travel to Boston, I think you will find the opposite.  And if you do want to go--tag me and I can list off the super nice places to be sure to include on any trip!!

I live in the downtown area and it just keeps getting nicer and nicer!  And even the Boston Harbor is super lovely and swimable---which from like 30 years ago is a huge improvement.

[hckynut]

@CherryHugs 

Guess this might depend on what part of the country one lives. Our city has changed immensely over the decades, but it does not resemble in any way what you have described.

I can speculate from things I see on national news, but I  ain't  touching that one!

hckynut

[Carmie]

@JasoninBoston   Are the tunnels still leaking from the Big Dig project?  How about the collapsing ceilings.? What a project and what a mess at a huge expense.

I haven't been to Boston for a while, though I do love it. hate the traffic and scared of the substandard tunnels and bridges.