considering moving to highland park MI (Detroit, Flint: apartment, squatters, living)

[michigangirl365]

my dad lived there and it was rated number crime city in the WORLD when he was lil... be carefull!!!!

[sumukru]

Some very good friends of mine bought a home in Highland Park years back. She grew up there, he grew up a few miles away in Detroit. They got a lovely house on a large lot and at a fantastic price. We helped them move in, build privacy fences, an do minor house upgrades. There was a ton of home pride.

But that doesn't change the fact that it was a dangerous n'borhood with a park known for drug deals a the end of the block. It doesn't change the fact that while hanging out on their front porch, a woman tried to sell me her baby's socks from a grocery plastic bag.

It really doesn't matter where the people live who commit crimes. It matters where it happens.

I am a Detroiter. I owned my home in the Boston Edision area. Prior to that I rented in East English Village. I am a Wayne State grad.

There is no way I would recommend to someone to live in Highland Park at this time. Maybe if you were looking to do an investment with a 10+ year timeline in mind...but not otherwise.

[gramma_arlene]

I lived on 99 Sturtevant, Highland Park, MI from 1929 until 1950. When I last visited, our house was still there and actually looked decent, but there were many burned piles that were our neighbors homes. Toilets and bathtubs decorated the piles of trash and as I sat in my car, in front of our old house, I cried a few tears for the beautiful, safe little city of my youth. The demise of Sturtevant began with one single black family moving into a house in 1949...they were called "block-busters" and could have been the nicest people in the world. However, "for sale" signs went up on each side of them, starting an exhodus of whites. The devistation didn't happen over night...it took years, and my Dad decided to cut his losses and finally move. Property values kept going down as whites fled. That is what happened to Highland Park. Sad, but true! I'm not a racist...we are a bi-racial family of white, Chinese and black. But I know this: You CAN go home again, but sometimes you shouldn't!

[matth78]

If anyone lives in Highland Park--or used to live there--and would like to talk about the area for an article I'm writing, please contact me. I'm especially interested about the effects of a recession on an already struggling city.

Worth noting perhaps: I was there for the first time a few days ago, and although it is certainly economically blighted, as a white out-of-towner, I did not feel unsafe.

[Demo6978]

Originally Posted by SamOrtiz

I always felt safer in Highland park than Livonia....but thats just me....Each of us has different expectations and a variety of biases as well as some experienced based conclusions....but to make sweeping generalizations about a given community without the actual experience of being a part of that community while quite common and not always without some merit.....but we have to accept that ones biases as regards racial identities will be a part of how some people will describe living in Detroit. Where we choose to reside is but a part of who we are....Who we choose associate with is far more descripitive of what we are.. Sam Ortiz 48209

omg your such an idiot! safer than livonia??? you must have some kinda of wild imagination? I got robbed 2 times in HP deliver the pizza from Amicci's sits on Jos Campau in Hamtramck. I live only across the street from Livonia, and I pick Livonia over HP. You sure do need to take a good look around in HP just west of Woodward..LMAO!

[Philox123]

You would be much better off living in a number of neighborhoods within the city (Rosedale Park, Palmer Woods, Sherwood Forest, Indian Village, number of condos on riverfront, East English Village, Midtown, Corktown, etc.). Highland Park is a tough area. If you are going that direction, look at Boston Edison area, which is in the city.

[flowerfallforever]

Highland Park is where I grew up. I believe in this city being revived completely one.day before the earth crumbles. The homes in highland park are beautiful. I live in a small 2 bedroom home in Warren,Michigan now. If I had the money and resources I'd move on Moss or Eason anyday,or Massachusetts,or Connecticut,or any other beautiful historical home in Highland Park. Btw, Highland Park Police don't play. I would say that there are a.few more drug dealers left,because.Highland Park Police have cracked down. I just wish that the police would put more.effort arresting the rest instead of giving out tickets to motorist on Woodward Ave. The dope dealers are pretty quiet and reserved now,because of the police. Sadly this are people who doesn't care about this once glorious city,but it's going to come back once the police and citizens take and stand and get the last few dope boys out of Highland Park. I just don't get people bashing Highland Park. I love my city and am proud of where I'm from by all means! :-)

[flowerfallforever]

If Highland Park wasn't making a come back then why on earth would a name.like Tim Norton's build a restaurant there? Why would there be an Aldi market on Woodward Ave? I think folks inside and outside looking in should consider that maybe there's a secret agenda that we don't know about at work here. An agenda that is solely planned on the down low to revive this city. After all, Highland Park rides down into Ferndale and from there Royal Oak and so on. I really hope there's a secret campaign! :-)

[zthatzmanz28]

WAsn't there a major grocery store across the street from Tim Hortons at one time? May be we can discuss the schools in Hghland Park?

[one is lonely]

Actually, if you look up the crime statistics, it doesn't appear that Highland Park is any worse than Detroit. Highland Park's "problem" is that it's almost 100% black and that nearly all of the city's landmark buildings are in various states of disrepair. Visually, it intimidates your average Michigander, especially white citizens.

But really, it's just your typical bad Detroit 'hood, the only difference being that it's been singled out by virtue of being its own city. Believe me, there are worse neighborhoods in Detroit proper than what you'll see in Highland Park. However, at the same time, Detroit also has a few nicer neighborhoods that Highland Park really can't compare with.

Of course, your typical Metro Detroiter on here hates seeing Detroit honestly compared to a cities like Highland Park, Flint, Pontiac, and etc. They like to believe that Detroit is somehow better in every regard that such, simply because Detroit a higher number historic institutions and establishments in Detroit survived through the downfall, all of which owes to the fact the Detroit received by far the most investment back in Michigan's heyday. The city was so big that it's taking it

Really, though, Detroit is probably worse overall than they'd like to admit, and cities like Highland Park, Flint, Pontiac, and etc. are better overall than they'd like to admit.