Bellingham, the ugly truth.... (Seattle, Ferndale: motorhome, renewal, homeowner)

[xPlorer48]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

As if Antifa people would spray that anywhere. They're not a gang marking their turf.

Well, then it was some young punks playing at being Antifa.

https://www.bellinghamherald.com/new...243877642.html

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

... Being taxed out of one's fully-paid for home is an all-too-real concern in WA.

My property tax in WA is 4x my highest ever mortgage payment. My house is getting old and worn out, but taxes still climbing. This will be the 3rd house we lost to Californication of property values in (2) of the (11) 'other' western states without Prop 13.

Such is life... (in previously desirable spots such as Bellingham)

[Baldy]

Originally Posted by xPlorer48

We have been out of the area for awhile. What happened at the county courthouse and which landmarks were destroyed? I knew the flags were burned and Antifa graffiti sprayed at city hall in August.

We are kinda liking the peace and quiet of Northern Nevada ranch country. Bellingham, our home town, is become an alien place to us.

Bellingham is like a poor man's mini-San Francisco; you wouldn't recognize it. Most of the old landmark businesses are gone. The ones that remain have had a change of ownership.

I'm headed to Tennessee or thereabouts for the motorcycle culture. I'm done with the West Coast, but my wife is a native Native to Whatcom, so there's resistance. I shall overcome as I mostly do, sometimes.

[LogaKoga]

Originally Posted by Baldy

I'm headed to Tennessee or thereabouts for the motorcycle culture. I'm done with the West Coast, but my wife is a native Native to Whatcom, so there's resistance. I shall overcome as I mostly do, sometimes.

If you like TN and your wife likes Bellingham and Whatcom, you might well overcome but your marriage probably won't. I doubt she'll be happy in TN.

[wolfdog]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

My property tax in WA is 4x my highest ever mortgage payment. My house is getting old and worn out, but taxes still climbing. This will be the 3rd house we lost to Californication of property values in (2) of the (11) 'other' western states without Prop 13.

Such is life... (in previously desirable spots such as Bellingham)

What could you reasonably sell your property for?
What is the assessor's market value?

[rkcarguy]

Originally Posted by Baldy

Bellingham is like a poor man's mini-San Francisco; you wouldn't recognize it. Most of the old landmark businesses are gone. The ones that remain have had a change of ownership.

I'm headed to Tennessee or thereabouts for the motorcycle culture. I'm done with the West Coast, but my wife is a native Native to Whatcom, so there's resistance. I shall overcome as I mostly do, sometimes.

Good comparison, I've called it that before.....a mini-version of SF or Seattle.
I recently purchased a scanner and have been listening to the police frequency at times, and the number of issues with the homeless/druggies is astounding. Just within a 90 minute period after work last week, a bicyclist riding by a camp was knocked down and beat up, two of them did a grab and run of a bunch of camping gear and clothes from an outdoor retailer, one spit on a pedestrian which turned into a fight, one exposed themselves, and two more were found passed out from doing meth in a van in a store parking lot.
We've had them cut through the fence and drill holes in the gas tanks of our work trucks to steal fuel(one homeless camp nearby had a small generator), converters get stolen, and many of the businesses in the business park nearby end up with urine, crap, needles, and garbage left in their entryways. BPD cleans out a camp every once in awhile and they truck away loads of bicycles that were stolen and parts stripped from them. My bosses aunt works for the property management company that handles those units and they get complaints every morning about the mess from the homeless.

[Baldy]

Originally Posted by rkcarguy

.... about the mess from the homeless.

The city/county councils are more interested in their image for the next election to care about us taxpayers. They allow crime because it is easier to ignore it than risk scorn from the liberals.

[CoastieTX]

Originally Posted by rkcarguy

Good comparison, I've called it that before.....a mini-version of SF or Seattle.
I recently purchased a scanner and have been listening to the police frequency at times, and the number of issues with the homeless/druggies is astounding. Just within a 90 minute period after work last week, a bicyclist riding by a camp was knocked down and beat up, two of them did a grab and run of a bunch of camping gear and clothes from an outdoor retailer, one spit on a pedestrian which turned into a fight, one exposed themselves, and two more were found passed out from doing meth in a van in a store parking lot.
We've had them cut through the fence and drill holes in the gas tanks of our work trucks to steal fuel(one homeless camp nearby had a small generator), converters get stolen, and many of the businesses in the business park nearby end up with urine, crap, needles, and garbage left in their entryways. BPD cleans out a camp every once in awhile and they truck away loads of bicycles that were stolen and parts stripped from them. My bosses aunt works for the property management company that handles those units and they get complaints every morning about the mess from the homeless.

It’s getting ridiculous, no doubt. I’m a member of Sunnyland neighborhood’s Facebook page and every other day there’s posts about mass vehicle prowlings, burglaries, theft and trespassing. I attended an open-house the other week on 31st St. across from Joe’s Gardens in Happy Valley and surprise - there was a homeless encampment just behind the back fence.

We’re definitely following Seattle’s footsteps and I am really reconsidering staying here in retirement - the writing is on the wall. The idea of urban living in a walkable neighborhood close to downtown is much more appealing than the reality of it. All my friends who have recently bought homes went to Lynden and Ferndale...they didn’t get priced out of Bellingham (they still paid a pretty penny); they couldn’t find a clean, safe, and owner-occupied neighborhood.

Bellingham is becoming a place that’s more appealing to visit than live in.

[rkcarguy]

Originally Posted by CoastieTX

It’s getting ridiculous, no doubt. I’m a member of Sunnyland neighborhood’s Facebook page and every other day there’s posts about mass vehicle prowlings, burglaries, theft and trespassing. I attended an open-house the other week on 31st St. across from Joe’s Gardens in Happy Valley and surprise - there was a homeless encampment just behind the back fence.

We’re definitely following Seattle’s footsteps and I am really reconsidering staying here in retirement - the writing is on the wall. The idea of urban living in a walkable neighborhood close to downtown is much more appealing than the reality of it. All my friends who have recently bought homes went to Lynden and Ferndale...they didn’t get priced out of Bellingham (they still paid a pretty penny); they couldn’t find a clean, safe, and owner-occupied neighborhood.

Bellingham is becoming a place that’s more appealing to visit than live in.

Sadly true. The trail system that runs (more or less) from the Ford dealership to Whatcom falls/Alabama hill area runs through some bad areas with homeless camps in the bushes and stuff. My friend said he'd feel safe walking it IF he carried concealed lol.
Listening in on the scanner, BPD is BUSY dealing with it all, and seems to be doing a good job. I think, like many Democrat cities though, the balance of the local justice system is a revolving door for them. It's really a triple loss all the way around. The druggies and mentally ill aren't getting help, our citizens become victims of their crime and violence, all the issues strain our local Police forces, and like prior years several will freeze to death this winter when the cold Nor'easter shows up.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by rkcarguy

Sadly true. The trail system that runs (more or less) from the Ford dealership to Whatcom falls/Alabama hill area runs through some bad areas with homeless camps in the bushes and stuff. My friend said he'd feel safe walking it IF he carried concealed lol.
Listening in on the scanner, BPD is BUSY dealing with it all, and seems to be doing a good job. I think, like many Democrat cities though, the balance of the local justice system is a revolving door for them. It's really a triple loss all the way around. The druggies and mentally ill aren't getting help, our citizens become victims of their crime and violence, all the issues strain our local Police forces, and like prior years several will freeze to death this winter when the cold Nor'easter shows up.

Apparently you haven't noticed, but the druggies and mentally ill aren't getting help anywhere in the US, in Rempub-lead cities or Dem.IT was a Repub President, who closed most of the long-term mental health care facilities, and turned people loose on the streets, in fact.