Is Concord a ghetto? (to live in, mall, safe)

[MelindaBelle89]

Maybe you should relax a bit? The area I live in Concord isn't the greatest. I can't walk down the street without being whistled or hollered at. So irritating. Some go as far to follow me until I yell at them. Makes me very uneasy, and the surrounding neighborhood is somewhat crappy. However, it is not at all dangerous. But its appearance could make people consider it ghetto. Other than that, it's just fine. There are much nicer areas in Concord.

[Lifeshadower]

Originally Posted by MelindaBelle89

Maybe you should relax a bit? The area I live in Concord isn't the greatest. I can't walk down the street without being whistled or hollered at. So irritating. Some go as far to follow me until I yell at them. Makes me very uneasy, and the surrounding neighborhood is somewhat crappy. However, it is not at all dangerous. But its appearance could make people consider it ghetto. Other than that, it's just fine. There are much nicer areas in Concord.

Maybe its relative then. I don't mean to demean yours or anyone else's personal experiences in Concord, but there are definitely worse places in the Bay Area on an absolute scale. It's not the nicest place in the area by any means, considering places like Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, and Danville are right there, but its not the hyperbole that a lot of people think it is in this thread. In fact, its close to the national average in terms of crime.

Most of the time, the trash-talking about Concord more has to do about the fact that poorer people (typically Mexican immigrants) are moving in. However, it really isn't that bad. I mean, I wouldn't want to wear blue talking about southside in the area, but its not exactly Deep East Oakland either.

[MelindaBelle89]

No, I understand where you're coming from. It's definitely not even near East Oakland. My god, that'd be insane to compare the two at an equal stance. I was just stating that there are unsavory parts of Concord, but they're not dangerous. That's all. No harm done. And I definitely see what you mean with the Mexican immigrants. I have no problem with them wanting a better life, but I have a strong dislike for their disrespect of women. Of course, not all of them are like that but a handful of them are. Generally, they're the culprit for unwanted attention, a lot live in my area. Suppose you could say that is another reason that people would consider it 'ghetto'.

[Lifeshadower]

Originally Posted by MelindaBelle89

No, I understand where you're coming from. It's definitely not even near East Oakland. My god, that'd be insane to compare the two at an equal stance. I was just stating that there are unsavory parts of Concord, but they're not dangerous. That's all. No harm done. And I definitely see what you mean with the Mexican immigrants. I have no problem with them wanting a better life, but I have a strong dislike for their disrespect of women. Of course, not all of them are like that but a handful of them are. Generally, they're the culprit for unwanted attention, a lot live in my area. Suppose you could say that is another reason that people would consider it 'ghetto'.

Don't worry about it I had plenty of friends from that area when I went to Berkeley (typically from the nicer parts of Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, and Concord) and they always talked about how ghetto it was. I mean, it is pretty ghetto compared to other cities along 680, but to the extent that they thought Concord was ghetto (in addition to people in this thread) would make one think that it was East Oakland reincarnate. Personally speaking, my only real experience in Concord is going to Costco along Monumental to buy something for work. I didn't think it was that bad, but I could see why it seems extremely unsavory.

I don't have that many problems with Mexican immigrants because I grew up with them in LA, but I can understand if others don't like it as much. Especially if you're a White female. Since I'm a Filipino male, half the time people think I'm Mexican as well.

Much of the 'anti-Concord' sentiment goes hand in hand with anti-Mexican sentiment. If that's what its really about, then it needs to be addressed.

[lmk1707]

Originally Posted by MelindaBelle89

No, I understand where you're coming from. It's definitely not even near East Oakland. My god, that'd be insane to compare the two at an equal stance. I was just stating that there are unsavory parts of Concord, but they're not dangerous. That's all. No harm done. And I definitely see what you mean with the Mexican immigrants. I have no problem with them wanting a better life, but I have a strong dislike for their disrespect of women. Of course, not all of them are like that but a handful of them are. Generally, they're the culprit for unwanted attention, a lot live in my area. Suppose you could say that is another reason that people would consider it 'ghetto'.

Concord overall is a safe place, and its dangerous areas are not comparable by a long shot to the most dangerous areas of Oakland, but it's important to note that there is Norteno & Sureno gang activity in some areas that would definitely qualify as dangerous for passersby.

[MelindaBelle89]

Originally Posted by Lifeshadower

Don't worry about it I had plenty of friends from that area when I went to Berkeley (typically from the nicer parts of Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, and Concord) and they always talked about how ghetto it was. I mean, it is pretty ghetto compared to other cities along 680, but to the extent that they thought Concord was ghetto (in addition to people in this thread) would make one think that it was East Oakland reincarnate. Personally speaking, my only real experience in Concord is going to Costco along Monumental to buy something for work. I didn't think it was that bad, but I could see why it seems extremely unsavory.

I don't have that many problems with Mexican immigrants because I grew up with them in LA, but I can understand if others don't like it as much. Especially if you're a White female. Since I'm a Filipino male, half the time people think I'm Mexican as well.

Much of the 'anti-Concord' sentiment goes hand in hand with anti-Mexican sentiment. If that's what its really about, then it needs to be addressed.

Berkeley is an interesting city. Depends where you walk. Never had any danger there, but it looks worse than Cocnord in some parts for sure. And that's funny, I live about 5 minutes away from that Costco. lol. See my point about my surrounding neighborhood? All in all, I'm safe where I live, but there I times when I'd prefer to live somewhere else.

Yes, it does. I'm not anti-Mexican, nor racist. Not saying you were accusing me of that, but just wanted to address that in case I may be misinterpreted. It makes me uncomfortable, considering, like you said, that I'm a white female who gets a lot of unwanted attention. But it's not just white women, all women get it in my neighborhood. It's frustrating, but it's something I've learned to endure living here.

[MelindaBelle89]

Originally Posted by lmk1707

Concord overall is a safe place, and its dangerous areas are not comparable by a long shot to the most dangerous areas of Oakland, but it's important to note that there is Norteno & Sureno gang activity in some areas that would definitely qualify as dangerous for passersby.

Yes, I agree. Those gangs do not reside in my area, but I'm sure they're pretty close by. Who's to say they won't move nearer? I've often wondered about that. It all depends I guess.

[Lifeshadower]

Originally Posted by MelindaBelle89

Berkeley is an interesting city. Depends where you walk. Never had any danger there, but it looks worse than Cocnord in some parts for sure. And that's funny, I live about 5 minutes away from that Costco. lol. See my point about my surrounding neighborhood? All in all, I'm safe where I live, but there I times when I'd prefer to live somewhere else.

Yes, it does. I'm not anti-Mexican, nor racist. Not saying you were accusing me of that, but just wanted to address that in case I may be misinterpreted. It makes me uncomfortable, considering, like you said, that I'm a white female who gets a lot of unwanted attention. But it's not just white women, all women get it in my neighborhood. It's frustrating, but it's something I've learned to endure living here.

Berkeley isn't the safest place in the world. Even the students aren't safe there.

UC Berkeley student, 21, stabbed to death - SFGate (http://articles.sfgate.com/2008-05-04/news/17153187_1_uc-berkeley-parking-lot-sorority - broken link)

Yeah, I remember that. I was supposed to go to that party too, since some of my friends were graduating. Unfortunately, stuff like that was routine in Berkeley, but for someone like me who grew up in a shady area, it wasn't that big of a deal. For a lot of the sheltered kids from the nicer parts of the Bay Area or nicer parts of California/US, it was quite a shock. I would say it was an exercise in being street smart, as well as book smart.

The area around Costco on Monumental isn't bad at all. In fact, I almost bought some elote (corn on a stick with mayonnaise, butter, cheese, and other goodies) from a vendor walking in front of the U-Haul. It wouldn't be the first choice of where I'd live (of course, who ever really DOES live in their first choice place), but it sure as hell beats living anywhere in the East Bay between Richmond and Hayward along the flat lands.

As for the machismoism of some of the populace there, I am not a woman and will never ever know what that feels like, so I won't comment. I will say that it's not only restricted to a certain culture, but moreso about the individual.

In a lot of ways, I hear about Concord in much of the same way I hear about places like East San Jose or Santa Rosa. They all have the same factor in common (Mexican immigrants), but no one ever really says it. It's just trying to keep the dialogue open and honest.

Meh, it'll get better with time. By then, you'll probably move out of there, so its irrelevant anyways

[NorCal Dude]

I think the biggest kicker for families is that Concords public schools have been sucking/ have been on toilet bowl status for quite some time now. Its not really real ghetto. It is easilly less affluent than the surrounding communities but really not worse than pittsburg and antioch so its all relative.

But those schools in concord really just suck as of late.

[chinamen]

Lol, this thread makes me laugh. Concord is no ghetto. You just get a certain type of people at times at the mall and I am never scared there.