Is Desert Hot Springs safe to raise small children? (Compton: crime rates, middle school)

[rmflores]

Originally Posted by kcummins

Here is an honest answer from a person who lives in Desert Hot Springs....well I just moved to DHS from Alabama...I think alot of pple on here are not telling the whole story abt.this place. First off there are only families here!!!! . Low income-middle income mostly hispanic descent. Yes some of the fathers are paroles, but said paroles have a lllooot of kids here So if you are white (I am) and you come from a white suburban sheltered community you won't like it here. If you already live in a low-middle income city this one isn't that bad. I am originally from New orleans, DHS is quiet and nice compared to N.O.. I have not heard a single gun shot since I have been here. <<<<<<>Pros- Houses are very cheap and surprisingly not very old! there is 2 large groceries, kmart starbucks and some fastfood..you are only abt 10 minute shoot to the airport, walmart, lowes etc in palm springs. There are several new parks for the kids. A massive skateboard one and a separate bmx..plus slides etc. The schools are fairly newer compared to the east coast. Also several baseball soccer fields for kids. Also very warm here in teh winter, you can lay out and get a tan in January. <<<<<<>Cons- Houses and rent are cheap so some areas can be run down. B/c its the desert the wind blows garbage and debris into the yards and vacant lots. There are no damn street lights at night it is very scary driving around, also the busses run all over through which does not help the city, prosper it only moves in more low income ppl..and alllot of pple ride the bus, you have to try not to run them over at night do to no street lights or side walks. Allot of the roads are pot hole ridden. All the stores are employed by immagrints.. so the service is awful b/c they don't speak english. There are a ton of kids. it's seems the families here are very large and the kids can be very loud... they also having a habit of taking my pets home. one kid could not understand the right of ownership that a cat w/ a collar belongs to some one....oh yeah and there beggars/crack heads out side the stores here, the beggars are all white. and seem to only harass the 5 other white folk here. my husband went to get the mail once and had an old cracky lady ask him for a ride. he of coarse then asked her if he looked like a taxi... umm it is also very very hot here in the summer.. there are no jobs really here in DHS you would have to get on the interstate and commute most likely. Plus it's the desert no rain no trees very dry...
<<<<<<<>Personally I like trees and rain.. so I will be going north here soon.. <<<>>> I have only gone into yucca once..it is much more secluded then DHS, there is only one road in... they do have a good bit of shopping, a walmart and biglots so you probably don't need to leave the yucca valley for anything really...

The phrase "...could not understand the right of ownership..." contained within this quote is an anomaly which indicates that this quote is bogus. Whether this person is giving an accurate description of life in DHS is suspect, although everthing they say may be perfectly true.

[CalOrBust2011]

Seems any DHS address on realtor is bargain priced... but I did noticed some places near by which are DHS post office/addresses but look okay. Okay using google street view that is... :~)

I've zeroed in on La Quinta like some posters have suggested. Houses with in-ground pools starting around $200K there.

[sleapz]

To add a counter-perspective, while DHS has its problems, the city government is making HUGE strides in revamping downtown (repaving most of the roads, rebuilding many of the downtown buildings and refacing the rest, brand new school, newly responsive code enforcement department, etc.) and trying to emulate the environment that Palm Springs has. There have been large increases in the law enforcement staff as well as in joint operations with other government agencies to get rid of the non-law abiding citizenry. While it still has a ways to go, it's a far cry from the city it used to be.

The area that my wife and I live in is very quiet with nice homes and fairly nice residents. I plan on raising kids here (I live in DHS) and I'm gaining more and more confidence in our city government and the path that it has chosen for ridding the city of its reputation. Like most cities, you just have to choose the area that you're going to live in after considering the different areas.

[HarryStam]

Crime is everywhere, DHS is another City trying to get read of the bad apples. The City has initiated (house cleanup) and it is working, undesirables are going away!!!!!!!!!!!!! Harry

[Twinkle Toes]

Originally Posted by HarryStam

Crime is everywhere, DHS is another City trying to get read of the bad apples. The City has initiated (house cleanup) and it is working, undesirables are going away!!!!!!!!!!!!! Harry

I applaud the city for trying to clean up its act, but regardless ... DHS is a place I would NEVER move to, and would NEVER even consider moving to. It ISN'T safe, and I would NEVER dream of subjecting my kids to that awful place. There's a reason DHS is "cheap" ..... Sorry if that sounds harsh - but it's reality. There are a lot of good folks living in DHS, but there are far too many bad folks who ruin it for everyone.

[issapowers]

Well i just moved here to Desert Hot Springs in August 2010 and my husband and I have wanted out of here since the 1st week. We live in what we were told was a quiet neighborhood next to a park. Boy were they wrong, the 1st week I took my 2 year old son and 3 year old daughter to the park. Two hispanic gang bangers were shooting at a 3rd gang banger. All this right in the open. The 3rd gangbanger hid in the play area around the children. I was so close to the shooter, that I heard him yell at him....ooh I see how it is hide behind the kids huh, and he shot 3 more times toward his enemy. I stood there in shock that this was happening in my "new" neighborhood. Thank goodness no one was hurt. The wierdest thing is that the other kids and adults in the park that day just stood there and watched. When the gang bangers left they went back to what they were doing. Later I did my research and I read that the people who have lived in this area for a long time are used to being terrorized by gangs. So used to it that they are afraid to react in fear of retaliation.

Just today I went outside at 7am to take out the trash cans for trash day. A hispanic man dressed in typical gang clothing was walking down my street. I glanced at him, and noticed he continued to stare me down. he started slowing down and walking as slow as he could watching me. As I was about to roll the trash cans down the street he stopped walking and just stood there watching me and kicking the curb. I left the trash can in the middle of the driveway and ran in the house. I am a stay at home mom, in my 30's raising two small children. The only reason we moved here was because my husband got transfered to this area. we rented this house from a relative who was looking for a renter. The relative lived here for years and never told us it was this bad. If you want to know if it's safe to raise kids here, just google crime in Desert Hot Springs. Then look for somewhere else to live, I am.

[Twinkle Toes]

There's a DHS story (or 6 or 10!!!) EVERY SINGLE DAY in the Desperate Sun (mydesert.com | The Desert Sun | Palm Springs news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Palm Springs, California). I don't even set foot in DHS - I stay on my OWN side of the freeway!

[JohnSoCal]

I would strongly consider the Temecula/Murrieta area. Very low crime, good schools, lots of shopping, etc., and housing is pretty reasonable now.

[Twinkle Toes]

Just in case there is any doubt about Desperate Hot Springs ...

Two shot in Desert Hot Springs | mydesert.com | The Desert Sun

[leximarie9]

o come on ppl i lived in dhs all my life and i like it. there is alot of nice ppl and the schools are not that bad. i loved middle school and i went to the C school for a year and had the most amazing teacher. its all about how u raise ur kids.