Moving To Portland, any useful info is welcome. (Gresham, Milwaukie: apartment complexes, crime)

[westboundrambler]

Hi I'm moving to Portland and I'm looking for any useful info. Below is my situation in a nutshell, please read and share any advice you may have. Thanks!

I've been doing research on Portland for over a year now as well as a multitude of other cities (Including San Francisco, LA, San Diego, and Seattle basically all the major west coast cities) and between all those, from what I've seen, Portland has the cheapest cost of living by far. I'm seeing plenty of 1 bedroom apartments in nearly every neighborhood within a 20 mile radius of Portland for $600-$750 a month that I'd be very comfortable living in. I haven't seen any info or pictures of a neighborhood in all of Portland that looks as bad as what I've previously lived in which was South East downtown Grand Rapids, MI. From my research I've also found the crime rate isn't as prominent as the other cities I mentioned. Also (my main reason for moving there) the music scene is one of the best in the country. My fiance and I have decided to move there this May without jobs or an apartment set up (were taking 5 weeks to get out there but we have enough cash saved up to live off of for nearly a year) so we'll probably start contacting apartment complexes in May, which I've researched. And we'll probably start contacting/looking for work once we're on our last week of our trip at my friends place in Oakland, CA. My favorite neighborhoods I've seen have been right around the Powell Butte Nature Park/right around where portland meets Gresham. I've looked at many job postings and I'm planning on getting something involving Manual labor (construction, landscaping, etc.) I've got 7 years experience in retail, online sales, and customer service so I'd be able to do that as well, but I'm tired of sitting at a desk and would rather work with my hands. I'm not too worried about the unemployment rate, I know it isn't great in Portland, but West Michigan is one of the worst in the country so I'm used to it. That's pretty much the gist of it, an advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Steve Pickering]

Stay away from 60th and Killingsworth.

[westboundrambler]

Thanks, I have heard that North portland was a bit rougher. What are your opinions on West portland (near powell Butte Nature park) and East Gresham? Those areas are my main prospects because they're 6-10 miles from the Hawthorne district (which I'm told is the main area for venues etc. and I'm planning on being an active musician) and only 20-25 miles from the country and mt. hood area (I'm a big outdoors enthusiast). The third location I was considering was the Multnomah village area or areas near there just southwest of the river. It seems safer, and more affordable but it's further away from the music scene and mountains. Thanks!

[Steve Pickering]

Actually the Entertainment District is one of the less safe areas of Portland. It is right next to and part of the Tenderloin area and Skidrow.

Although most of the crime in the area is drunk against drunk. Straight against Gay, and Homeless against Homeless.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

For actual crime statistics, go to this website and plug in the cross streets or an address in the neighborhood or area you are interested in:

CrimeMapper

It's a pretty handy tool for finding out what an area is really like.

[westboundrambler]

Originally Posted by Steve Pickering

Actually the Entertainment District is one of the less safe areas of Portland. It is right next to and part of the Tenderloin area and Skidrow.

Although most of the crime in the area is drunk against drunk. Straight against Gay, and Homeless against Homeless.

Alright, that's not what I was asking. I was asking about Gresham, East portland near the Powell Butte Nature Center (which looks beautiful) and Multnomah west of the river. I'm going to be in the entertainment district regardless of where I live, that's the entire reason I'm moving, and I'm quite used to everything you've mentioned. But obviously a lot can change in a 15 mile span, heck a lot can change in a 1 mile span so I'm looking on information on West Gresham, East Portland, and Multnomah. I've also looked at a few places in North Milwaukee. They seem to be the safest areas in Portland area that are reasonably priced, but I'd like an opinion on each area I mentioned.

[westboundrambler]

Originally Posted by pdxMIKEpdx

For actual crime statistics, go to this website and plug in the cross streets or an address in the neighborhood or area you are interested in:

CrimeMapper

It's a pretty handy tool for finding out what an area is really like.

Thanks, I checked one of the areas (the closest to downtown I'm considering) and it's pretty subdued. Just typically stuff, no homocides or rapes. Thanks!

[crisw]

I can speak to north Milwaukie. It's probably a lot more convenient, time and traffic-wise, to the Hawthorne district than Gresham or Multnomah Village. As long as you are west of about Linwood, it's generally very safe, although not at all an exciting place to live. (Even east of Linwood is a cakewalk compared with most big cities ) The area around King Rd. has a lot of the apartments; you can walk to the Safeway, public transportation is good and you're near the Springwater Corridor if you like to bike. You didn't say too much about what kind of amenities you want nearby.

[westboundrambler]

Originally Posted by crisw

I can speak to north Milwaukie. It's probably a lot more convenient, time and traffic-wise, to the Hawthorne district than Gresham or Multnomah Village. As long as you are west of about Linwood, it's generally very safe, although not at all an exciting place to live. (Even east of Linwood is a cakewalk compared with most big cities ) The area around King Rd. has a lot of the apartments; you can walk to the Safeway, public transportation is good and you're near the Springwater Corridor if you like to bike. You didn't say too much about what kind of amenities you want nearby.

Thanks for the info! Well both me and Fiance will have cars and bikes so walking distance amenities aren't really an issue. Honestly I'd just like to be within a short distance of Hawthorne area. I'm not sure where I'll be working and I figure most of what I'll be doing in downtown portland would be playing gigs and going to them, so I'd be usually driving if I have equipment, or if it's late. Which brings me to a couple questions, what is parking like in downtown (or hawthorn/just east of downtown) like. Is it real expensive? Is it easy? Is it free nights and weekends and meters? Are there many meters? Does public transit run late?

[Steve Pickering]

No Parking allowed in the Entertainment District on Weekends. It's a new city ordinance to protect the drunks who stagger out into the street.