Quote:
Originally Posted by bigfish
Do you mind me asking which neighborhood of Norristown you are living in?
I will say that no area has been immune to the effects of covid/recession. Many folks are really struggling and unfortunately that tends to lead to more crime. I was at Norristown TC last week for the first time in at least 3 or 4 months and there has always been homeless people living there but the entire station was full as in at least 30 or more people in there. I am sorry to hear that it finally has been enough to force you to leave.
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I'm on the east end and close to the PM border. You would think that it would be nicer here but unfortunately it's not and has really gone downhill and I have seen so much over the years. There's a few bright spots with some of the new townhomes and most of those are in spots where old dilapidated rowhomes stood so it was nice to see those torn down and replaced. However, just those blocks are better and the next block down can be a nightmare. And of course the nicer blocks are attractive targets and cars and houses are regularly broken into (my neighbor's and a few others were recently burglarized).
I can't even begin to tell you all of the crime I have experienced and witnessed here: multiple shootings with one homicide, fights (had the unfortunate pleasure of witnessing a violent one a few weeks ago), drugs (my neighbor recently OD'd), you name it. There's a large homeless encampment in the area now and even small patches of woods can contain some homeless and/or people shooting up. Not a single day goes by anymore where I don't randomly see something crazy. Hell, on a walk recently a junkie was passed out on the sidewalk and I had to nudge him just to see if he was still alive.
I am a renter so thankfully it's going to be simple for me to bail. I have been here for a while and was looking for properties to own in the area and there was a point in time a few years ago where things were looking up and then boom, downward slide again. I have now completely scrapped the idea of owning anything within the borough and have halted my search and that is sad, as there are many like me who would be a positive for the town.
And the income taxes are 2.1% btw so hopping the border gets me an instant 1.1% raise. The property taxes aren't good either so it's not like Philly where you can save a little there (yes the wage tax sucks but depending on where you buy in the burbs that may be a wash, as property taxes can be very high).