Considering a move to Portland (Beaverton, Bend: transplants, for sale, high crime)
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I am currently residing in New Orleans and considering a move to Portland in the coming year. I've traveled a decent amount throughout the Pacific Northwest including BC, and find it absolutely beautiful. I know a lot of people seem to complain about the price of Portland housing on this site, but relative to other west coast cities its very affordable. It's also affordable relative to New Orleans which is troubling considering the state of the city and the risk of flooding that exists here with hurricanes. My main concern is how the weather would effect me. I grew up in Florida and have lived along the Gulf Coast most of my life. I also lived in St. Louis for approximately 3 years. I have to say that the St. Louis winter did get to me, but I am not sure if that is a result of the decrease in sunlight/or the fact that it was too cold to get outside and be active. The SAR that has been written about on this post does concern me though. Is it possible to stay active in the winter outside with activities such as biking and hiking despite the weather? Again in reading all these posts and reading other articles, the only thing I see that would be a real issue for me is that weather, lack of sunlight. I think most of the other complaints people have related to the city that I've read are the same complaints you'll read people making about many other cities, i.e. acceptance by locals.
My interest in considering Portland is that I want to get out of New Orleans as a result of the difficulty of life that exists in a Post-Katrina world, and do prefer to go to a city that does have some natural beauty, not just a generic city without a soul similar to somewhere like Dallas. As someone who has lived on the coast almost their entire life, I also know that I don't want to live somewhere that is landlocked as I do enjoy boating, fresh seafood, etc. In looking at Portland it does seem that the schools are probably fairly decent for a city of its size. It also seems that crime is not a real issue compared to what I have gotten used to (New Orleans). I know that some will have a different opinion on that issue, but if you think its bad in Portland move to New Orleans and you'll learn what high crime is like, murders, home invasions, robbery, car jackings, and burglary are just an everyday occurence in this city.
Also, I keep hearing about the "redneckness" in Portland. That intrigues me. I've even heard about it from a friend in Seattle. What exactly is this? I have lived in Louisiana for sometime, and also went to college in Alabama, and I can't imagine that on the west coast you'd have more "redneckness" than I am accustomed to here, same is to be said with the lack of motivation. Is there anyone who may have experienced the Southern "redneckness" and can offer a comparision? same with lack of motivation, as is very strong in New Orleans?
I guess if I don't think I can handle the portland winter, it will be back to Florida. Either way the Mountains of Oregon or the beaches of Florida in a neighborhood/city where I feel more safe when taking a stroll will be better than where I am now.
I've lived in Portland and moved for two reasons...depressed economy and the number of professional bums.
Every street intersection has a pro...offering flowers and other things for sale...82nd and Holgate.
dogs needing food...people out of gas...Foster...Stark every approach to the avenues...even people pretending to be veterans..Burnside Bridge.
I did a stakeout one morning...they were dropped off at 6 am...dropped out of new white Dodge vans...and then picked up in the evening...
I guess they were a reglious group taking in the money...everybody had a cardboard sign that was easy to read...and the animals were very well groomed..
If this sounds like your type of town...then go for it.
I have spent time there. I lived on the Gulf Coast a LONG time-toooooooooooooooooooo long. Visited NO often. And while I enjoyed visiting there for a day or a week-end, I will admit that I could never live there.
It's a whole other world.......................but then, I wouldn't live in downtown Portland either.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kellhashc
I guess you haven't spent much time in New Orleans.
The addition that I see in the 'Big Easy is the number of drunks....not so many in Portland...also the spring ritual of the 'craw-dad boil...and sucking the heads if a person is a 'purist.
Where do Portlanders go to escape? Inner Oregon...The Dalles, Mt. Hood, Coos Bay, even Pendleton.
Alaska was popular too.
With the economy turned upside down...everyone is looking for a place with low/no taxes...give Pittsbugh, Pa a look.
I'm not kidding...a city with a great ethnic personality...
It looks like no one has given you a decent response so far.
I think your concern about lack of sunlight is quite legitimate. Your body is quite used to seeing sunshine almost everyday and youve probably read numerous "horror stories" about people from sunny climates coming here and suffering from SAD. With that being said, there is absolutely no way you can no how it can affect you without coming here. Many people from Texas, Arizona, Florida come here and have absolutely no problems with the decreased amount of sunlight in winter and even thrive in this kind of climate. Others come here and are forced to leave a few years later because they cannot handle it anymore. I would say give it a try, because if you dont, youll always wonder.
To give yourself a better chance in Winter, engage frequently in outdoor activities. That means hiking, biking, running etc..Make sure you are VERY active during this time and not just sitting inside all the time, surfing the web, watching television. Also, throw yourself out there, join clubs and make friends. When you have good friends to keep you company, you may barely notice the grey skies.
In the end, I think more people are able to acclamate to this climate than you think. Some may have trouble their first winter only to report it getting better and better, because they learn to adjust to it. I personally lived in both Louisiana and Texas before coming here and had a hard time my first winter, but the second winter was MUCH easier and after a while it had no effect on me whatsoever.
As far as "rednecks" go, I have never encountered any in Portland. As I mentioned, I lived in the south for a number of years, so I KNOW what a redneck is. What we have here in Portland is a large population of hipsters, starving artists etc who have a reputation for having very little motivation and not wanting to make anything out of life. I think their motto is "We are screwed anyways, so why try??" People tend to get annoyed by this because the numbers of this kind of people is so large and they seem to be walking clones of each other.
There are some rednecks literally still living in Portland but lots have been driven out by rising housing costs in the last ten / twenty years. I went to Wilson High School and knew lots that lived in some neighborhoods in DEEP SW Portland. Close to Tigard and Beaverton. They never had any interest in going downtown or anywhere else in the city. It was always "lets just stay around here." Maybe because they felt like such outcasts? Seems like being the outcast is the cool thing in Portland though... hm.
It's the same down here in Bend. Most of the rednecks have been driven north to Redmond or south to La Pine because it's become so much more expensive to live here than it used to be.
As my screen name inidicates, I am a life long Oregonian...and Portland in particular. I did spend 5 years in the midwest for college and another year in Seattle for my internship but otherwise I have live my entire 42 years in Portland.
Since the winters are such a part of me, I do not get effected by them like some transplants do, but even around March I am saying "enough already"...seriously with the exception of 14 day or son (and non-sequential), anticipate that mid-October through late-May will be gray and overcast. It is not that we even get a lot of rain (volume) but we have a lot of rain (duration of drizzle). WIth taht said, Portland has the best...and I mean THE BEST summers anywhere. Late June through mid-October are fantastic. Long days (daylight from 5:00 am - 9:00 pm in June/July), warm days (high 70's to mid 80's) and pleasant evenings. There will be an occational hot streat 90's/100's for 4-5 days but it goes away fairly quickly as we get cooling off the ocean.
Portland is a beautiful city and though it had driven up the housing costs, the Urban Growth Boundry has helped the city to thrive where other city centers have died from neglect as the masses have move out of to the burbs.
I agree with some other posters...the homeless/vagrant population is prevelant in Portland. I don't know that we neccessarily have more per capita, but they are definitely more visible that I have seen them in other similar sized cities. Also, their is a distinct bohemian/indie crowd in the city. The motto is "Keep Portland Wierd", and there is definitely a population that strives to do just that. I think it is part of the charm...apparently others think is is a disgrace...oh well...to each their own.
Regarding rednecks...I would say 30 years ago that may have been true...there was a time when there were more 4x4 PU trucks in Portland than cars...now, the Prius and the bicycle have taken over as the preferred means of transportation. I also beleive that the "rednecks" have been driven out to the suburbs (Forest Grove in the West, Woodburn in the South, Estacada in the East, and Vancouver, WA in the North) because of the prices. This may sound very snooty but it is not meant to be. I beleive that a lot of people have been driven out of the city by the growing housing prices and the high property taxes. I think that redneck is an unfortuante term but I used it simply because it was introduced by you.
One thing that makes Portland different from many other cities is that is has a very low minority population and it is a very segregated city. I think that you would find most people who live in Portland proper would call thenselved liberal or progressive and would "fight" for equality and integration but the fact is there is very little race integration in the fairly Lilly white town. I'm sure that will be distinctly different for New Orleans.
Regarding schools, don't hold your breath. We have three children and we have pushed for in district transfers for all of them due to the poor quality of our neighborhood school. We don't live in a bad neighborhood but our elementary school is poor. If you do want to transfer to another school within the district, it is a pure lottery system. A few things may give you an advantage, but it is fairly random in that the names are spit out of a computer. If you have children (you don't mention), I would consider moving into a neighborhood where the schools are better. You can get the rankings of all of Portland's public schools off their web site at: http://www.pps.k12.or.us/schools/index.htm . From here you can find which schools serve which neighborhoods and you can select any of the schools and look at the standardized test schools, demographics of enrollment, etc.
I hope I have given you some helpful information. It is somewhat ironic as my family is considering moving out of Portland due to the poor job market. Good luck. Come visit for a week or two (in February) and see how you like it.
Is it possible to stay active in the winter outside with activities such as biking and hiking despite the weather?
The answer to this question is what stops you from staying active in winter? If you are cold or it is wet outside, do you stay inside? If your attitude is whatever the weather, I will dress appropriately for it and do what I want, then the answer yes, you can be very active (and there are lots of people there who are active). If you need mild temps, and dry sunny weather to get out in the winter, then no, you will be holed up inside for most of the winter. As always, it depends on you and your attitudes.
If St Louis bothered you with lack of winter sun, be very careful of Portland. It is quite a bit farther north and has substantially more cloud cover during winter, altho the average winter temps are much milder.
I thought December - January would be the best months to test oneself against the gloomy winter period in Portland. (This was my plan) Am I wrong?
I thought December - January would be the best months to test oneself against the gloomy winter period in Portland. (This was my plan) Am I wrong?
You're right, the darkest days are around the winter solstice in late December. So if you're visiting, that's the time to test the gloom. For those who live here, February can seem worse just because it's been so long since it was sunny.
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