Denver Ghettos (Aurora, Center: crime rates, houses, high school)

[ryanswindle]

Born and raised in Denver to the ripe age of 24, I have been to every part of the area at every part of night and 6 months ago, as with all my life and the same for any Denver native, I was convinced that some parts were 'ghetto'.

I have for the past 6 months lived in Pittsburgh and can tell you without question, there is not so much as a single building that you can call ghetto in Denver. Denver does not have houses standing on blocks. Denver does not have blocks of houses where parts of the exterior walls are missing, and the windows have been boarded up with doors. Denver does not have entire blocks of houses where there's corrugated fiberglass hovels partially constructed against the houses as make shift extensions.

There is no ghetto in Denver. There are however meth labs, so don't live near 84th and washington unless you want your windows blown out by an explosion in your neighbors kitchen. And never stay in a hotel on Colfax, but feel free to walk colfax at night, especially in downtown denver, there tend to be so many people on it, cops everywhere, and the street is thoroughly well lit. Just make sure you're not there past 2 after the bar rush has emptied and it turns into a ghost street, then something might happen.

[chilicheesefries]

Originally Posted by ryanswindle

Born and raised in Denver to the ripe age of 24, I have been to every part of the area at every part of night and 6 months ago, as with all my life and the same for any Denver native, I was convinced that some parts were 'ghetto'.

I have for the past 6 months lived in Pittsburgh and can tell you without question, there is not so much as a single building that you can call ghetto in Denver. Denver does not have houses standing on blocks. Denver does not have blocks of houses where parts of the exterior walls are missing, and the windows have been boarded up with doors. Denver does not have entire blocks of houses where there's corrugated fiberglass hovels partially constructed against the houses as make shift extensions.

There is no ghetto in Denver. There are however meth labs, so don't live near 84th and washington unless you want your windows blown out by an explosion in your neighbors kitchen. And never stay in a hotel on Colfax, but feel free to walk colfax at night, especially in downtown denver, there tend to be so many people on it, cops everywhere, and the street is thoroughly well lit. Just make sure you're not there past 2 after the bar rush has emptied and it turns into a ghost street, then something might happen.

Great post - there are no ghettos in Denver, not even close. I've driving through Pittsburgh, Newark, Trenton, Paterson, Gary IN, Philly, Chicago, Atlantic City (what happened there! almost the definition of Ghetto), St. Louis and even Kansas City and seen ghettos. You give great examples of what you'll find.

As with anything else - watch yourself! Don't do the stupid kinds of things like those you've listed and you'll be fine!

[the3Ds]

Without trying to quibble over the definition of "Ghetto"...there are some places you don't want to live. They have very bad schools and crime is common enough there that it rarely makes the news and people who live there hardly blink an eye. You've had a few places mentioned, but here's two more: Montbello and many parts of Green Valley Ranch.

[TheCaliforniaBear]

Denver does not have any ghettos. Aurora, 5 points, Federal...those aren't ghettos. They are just slightly rough neighborhoods.

Lots of people in Denver are so isolated out there in the mountains that they have never even seen an actual American ghetto before. They think any neighborhood that is not totally peaceful and at least 85% white is a ghetto. It's ridiculous.

[the3Ds]

Originally Posted by TheCaliforniaBear

They are just slightly rough neighborhoods.

While I agree that there are certainly worse places to live all over the US and in comparison, Denver seems pretty safe, that doesn't mean that there are not places in Denver that have higher crime, "blight", poor schools and a higher poverty level. Just because it's not East Los Angeles doesn't mean it's a safe place to live. No place is 100% safe...but there are places that for a newcomer to Denver would be better to stay out of.

The question was not "what is worse, East Los Angeles or Commerce City?" The poster wants to know where the areas to generally avoid if you can are. I think instead of "poo-pooing" his question and saying "Denver doesn't have ghettos", you should answer it in terms of where the areas are of Denver that you wouldn't want to live and wouldn't want to raise your kids in. There ARE plenty of areas in Denver where, if I drive through, I lock my doors and roll up my windows. You can find that in every city in America.

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by the3Ds

... There ARE plenty of areas in Denver where, if I drive through, I lock my doors and roll up my windows. You can find that in every city in America.

That is the problem. Too many people drive through and make judgments of neighborhoods behind their locked car doors and rolled up windows. If they would bother to get out and walk and look around, they will see that the "boogie man" that they perceive is not there.

I have lived and walked through many tough and rough neighborhoods, being an ex New Yorker; and I have walked and taken public transit through all the neighborhoods of Denver and I have learned:

Old buildings does not mean bad; poor does not mean dangerous; people of color does not mean a threat; elderly and the disabled does not mean that one has to avoid contact.

You learn much more getting out of the car. You will experience the real flavor and drama of a city on foot. You will see attractions, amenities and difference that will make your life more spicy. You will learn more of what is too be avoided, and where caution is warranted vs. a total negation of the experience of all that the city has to offer.

Yes, you will learn more, getting out of your car. Denver is so much interesting when you walk slowly through it vs. speeding through; and only get the glare of experiences through your windshield.

Livecontent

[PinkDaisies]

Originally Posted by the3Ds

Without trying to quibble over the definition of "Ghetto"...there are some places you don't want to live. They have very bad schools and crime is common enough there that it rarely makes the news and people who live there hardly blink an eye. You've had a few places mentioned, but here's two more: Montbello and many parts of Green Valley Ranch.

WHAT???? Green Valley Ranch in Denver IS NOT GHETTO! We have experienced crime in just about every other main part of Denver / Aurora / Littleton however!!!

[the3Ds]

Originally Posted by livecontent

That is the problem. Too many people drive through and make judgments of neighborhoods behind their locked car doors and rolled up windows. If they would bother to get out and walk and look around, they will see that the "boogie man" that they perceive is not there.

I have lived and walked through many tough and rough neighborhoods, being an ex New Yorker; and I have walked and taken public transit through all the neighborhoods of Denver and I have learned:

Old buildings does not mean bad; poor does not mean dangerous; people of color does not mean a threat; elderly and the disabled does not mean that one has to avoid contact.

You learn much more getting out of the car. You will experience the real flavor and drama of a city on foot. You will see attractions, amenities and difference that will make your life more spicy. You will learn more of what is too be avoided, and where caution is warranted vs. a total negation of the experience of all that the city has to offer.

Yes, you will learn more, getting out of your car. Denver is so much interesting when you walk slowly through it vs. speeding through; and only get the glare of experiences through your windshield.

Livecontent

While I can appreciate the sentiment...I don't need to get out of my car to feel the "local flavor" of Colfax Ave down by UCH. Sorry. And I honestly don't need the "preaching" about being afraid of minorities. I don't want to live in an area with a high crime rate. My neighborhood is very diverse...our school boasts it has the same diversity as the US population (not easy to find in Denver). Low crime often has nothing to do with the skin color of the residents...in my neighborhood, people take pride in their community and in their schools and that far surpasses skin tone.

Yes, Denver is a very safe city by comparison but that doesn't mean if someone asks "where's a place I don't want to live if I have a choice", you shouldn't mention many parts of Aurora, Commerce City, Montbello, etc. I've moved around a lot and I always watch the local news...you can get a feel for the areas you want to avoid. Every week, we get a section of the paper that has the crime map. Every week, most of the crime is in the same area. If someone new is moving to the city, it would be smart to avoid living there.

[the3Ds]

Originally Posted by PinkDaisies

WHAT???? Green Valley Ranch in Denver IS NOT GHETTO! We have experienced crime in just about every other main part of Denver / Aurora / Littleton however!!!

Sorry...I lived there for a year (on the "nice" side next to the golf course). My neighbor's house was raided because he was running a meth-lab (and at last check, still has the plywood on all of the windows), my daughter and I had to leave the large community park because 2 groups of teenagers started fighting and one pulled a knife, I've seen kids walk to the playground and head under the slide, dig in the dirt, and walk away with a package that was buried, and the neighbor on the other side of my house was robbed and assaulted in the middle of the day. The coffee shop next to King Sooper's (last time we were there) has the same bullet hole in their window that was there more than a year ago when we first moved in, and the Wal-Mart is just gross. I don't care what color the people's skin color is who are shopping there. I do care, however, when groups of teenagers are hanging out in the parking lot, walking around slowly and eyeing the cars, and I had to tell one of them to "kindly get your foot off my car" when he seemed in no hurry to remove his foot from my bumper even when he saw me getting into my car. That area is gross and when we notified our landlord that we were moving, I still consider it one of the best days I've had in Denver.

Is it a Ghetto in comparison with other parts of the country, no. But, it is a scuzzy place to live. I did see a few blocks while walking around (which I did regularly...only in the middle of the day) that were nice, but a few blocks does not make up for the whole. People are fooled by the "new house smell."

[Legs1357]

I want to totally add that it's all about perception. Grew up in Aurora, wasn't the greatest place ever but wasn't 'ghetto' by any real definition of the word. From another perspective, I'm currently working in a school in Capitol Hill in DC. It's in SE (and those of you familiar with DC know that 99% of people run away fast when those letters are mentioned) and I walk from the metro every morning and at the end of the day. It's not an issue, although most people in my MEd program wouldn't be caught dead at the school because of that. I also previously worked in a preschool in the Edgewood/Eastside area of Atlanta, which was never an issue although most people wouldn't get out of their car there if somebody paid them. Some places really do have bad reputations which are not necessarily warranted (not saying however, that there aren't places in DC that have problems with crime but its not as simple as 'oh that has a SE address, nevermind').