Would you rather live in Brooklyn Center or Rogers?

[nclib]

I would rather live in an inner suburb like Brooklyn Center than an exurb like Rogers.

[nclib]

I still can't understand why anybody would prefer an area with gangs and crime over a safe neighborhood.  That just doesn't make sense to me.

I would certainly prefer a safe neighborhood to a crime-ridden area, if all things were equal. However, "crime-ridden areas" may have positive aspects that tend to be associated with urban areas.

[phk]

Brooklyn Center

[Alcon]

you lock your door at night, you always keep your car doors locked and you stay out of dangerous areas when it's dark. very easy. My friend who lives in north Minneapolis (which is what Brooklyn Center borders and is even more gang and crime-ridden) is having no problems.

I like to go on walks at night. It's part of why I live in a city.

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A lot of those people automatically hate Bush because everyone else does and don't really know why. I'd rather have at least some debate.

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Don't you have any nice, safe, wealthy liberal areas in Minnesota? We have places like the beautiful waterside Lake Forest Park, which has a median income of about $75,000 and crime is a virtual non-entity. And then there's the other cool part: it voted 69-30 Kerry! You can even find precincts by the waterside that voted around 72-27. There are some inland ones that voted like 82-17. One day, I hope to get a nice house on Beach Place NE.

If you're going for more wealth, you have to settle with more moderation - for instance, Mercer Island, with a median house value of $573,900. It, too, has little to no crime. An ultra-rich suburb must be Republican, right? Nope. It voted Kerry, 60-39.

If you're more of the type that likes the environment and doesn't mind being away from it all, try the islands. In the middle of Puget Bay just off land from Tacoma is Vashon. The Vashon precinct (which probably does not contain all of Vashon, but gives a good idea of it) voted Kerry, 82-18.

The beautiful San Juan islands are also great. San Juan County voted 65-33 for Kerry, and only one precinct voted Bush - plus all but two of the roughly 10 other precincts voted Kerry by at least 20 percentage points or more. Waldron Island, although it is nearly roadless and very isolated, voted Kerry, 96-4. Dino Rossi actually lost here with 2 votes to Gregoire's 80. The Green party candidate for liuetenant governor got 26% of the vote. He got 3% statewide.

Sorry for the long post - I just love this state.

As far as I know, it's the only state where rich people are more likely to be Democratic. Hell, Medina, where Bill Gates lives, with a median income of $134K and median house value of nearly $800K, voted for Bush only 54-46.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

There aren't any super-wealthy areas in Minnesota that vote Democratic, but that's really a non-issue because I couldn't afford to live in such areas anyway, and even though I could probably make around $70k a year a few years out of college I'd rather live in the city and spend the money on other things than buy a really expensive house and be surrounded by people I hate. I don't even want a house to be honest. My apartment is fine.

If you're talking about safe liberal areas, you do have places like Columbia Heights, Richfield and Spring Lake Park. However, the aethsthetic in Minneapolis is FAR superior to those places. In fact, the only other suburb than Brooklyn Center I wouldn't mind living in is Lauderdale, which is nustled right between Minneapolis and St. Paul, is so small you can literally drive through it in only about 5 minutes, and is virtually indestinguishable from the nearby cities. If it wasn't for signs you see when entering, you wouldn't even know it exists. And it voted 70% for Kerry.

[Alcon]

There aren't any super-wealthy areas in Minnesota that vote Democratic, but that's really a non-issue because I couldn't afford to live in such areas anyway, and even though I could probably make around $70k a year a few years out of college I'd rather live in the city and spend the money on other things than buy a really expensive house and be surrounded by people I hate. I don't even want a house to be honest. My apartment is fine.

If you're talking about safe liberal areas, you do have places like Columbia Heights, Richfield and Spring Lake Park. However, the aethsthetic in Minneapolis is FAR superior to those places. In fact, the only other suburb than Brooklyn Center I wouldn't mind living in is Lauderdale, which is nustled right between Minneapolis and St. Paul, is so small you can literally drive through it in only about 5 minutes, and is virtually indestinguishable from the nearby cities. If it wasn't for signs you see when entering, you wouldn't even know it exists. And it voted 70% for Kerry.

5 minutes? That's about 3 miles, which isn't too small of a city.

But those places sound good, too. Still, they aren't quite as rich as, say, Mercer Island.

I think you'd like Seattle a lot. 80%+ Kerry, urban, not all that crimey, although getting an apartment might cost a bit. There's also nice apartments in the Democratic suburbs, too.

What is it about cities named things like Spring Lake Park and Lake Forest Park? They always seem to be liberal for some reason.

[Sam Spade]

I would rather not live in Minnesota at all and live in a place where it's not so effin' cold.

[Platypus]

I live in a rich, liberal inner city suburb and i'm happy where I am. The three booths in my suburb or that service my suburb all voted ALP by over 60% (one voted 75-25 for the ALP) and whilst we dio have some crime I can walk the streets at midnight and feel perfectly secure because most of the crime is due to rich criminals

The biggest problems with the area is that tonnes of new apartmants have been built over the last 10 years or so bringing in a total influx of yuppies. We're 10 minutes from the CBD and right on the beach, so it's a yuppie magnet :S. Also, because of the increae in population, traffic can get bad and when once you could stand ion the main street and not see anyone for 20 minutes on a saturday or sunday morning, now it's always packed with breakfasters. The third problem is that the poorer 'old port' people are moving out, which is getting rid of some of the soul of the suburb that made it so attractive to the yuppies in the first place. I would never live anywhere else in Melbourne though, except the neighbouring suburbs of Albert park, Middle Park and south Melbourne.

PORT MELBOURNE ROCKS Y'ALL!

(Plus my great-grandfather was mayor for yonks back in the earlier part of the 20th century, so I'm a bit jingoistic about the place )

[minionofmidas]

It's good to see that BRTD doesn't hate all suburbs anymore, just those that vote Republican.

Seriously, this shows why a discussion of suburbs is burdened by the definition. These communities are both in Hennepin county, but they differ in many ways.

Age of housing:                   Brooklyn Center      Rogers

Built 1999 to March 2000                42                     362
Built 1995 to 1998                          95                     510
Built 1990 to 1994                        140                     155
Built 1980 to 1989                        960                       69
Built 1970 to 1979                     2,167                       68
Built 1960 to 1969                     2,596                       54
Built 1950 to 1959                     4,717                       48
Built 1940 to 1949                        578                         7
Built 1939 or earlier                      304                       37
 
Total:                                       11,599                  1,310
 
Median Year of Construction:      1961                   1997


Number of rooms per unit:   Brooklyn Center      Rogers

1 room                                          218                         3
2 rooms                                        532                       22
3 rooms                                     1,212                       65
4 rooms                                     1,550                       68
5 rooms                                     2,786                     167
6 rooms                                     2,193                     188
7 rooms                                     1,226                     227
8 rooms                                        925                     243
9 or more rooms                           957                     327
 
The communities represent two eras in housing stock. Brooklyn Center is from the smaller post-war housing plus 60's-70's era apartments (31% of units are rented). Rogers is a predominantly new community with housing largely built in the last 15 years.  That housing fits the modern sytle of larger detached units, and the new area has not yet developed many rental units (7%).

Brr. Postwar architecture. I think I'll switch to option three, "under the bridge".

Okay, so that's an exaggeration. The building I'm living in  now is postwar too.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

There aren't any super-wealthy areas in Minnesota that vote Democratic, but that's really a non-issue because I couldn't afford to live in such areas anyway, and even though I could probably make around $70k a year a few years out of college I'd rather live in the city and spend the money on other things than buy a really expensive house and be surrounded by people I hate. I don't even want a house to be honest. My apartment is fine.

If you're talking about safe liberal areas, you do have places like Columbia Heights, Richfield and Spring Lake Park. However, the aethsthetic in Minneapolis is FAR superior to those places. In fact, the only other suburb than Brooklyn Center I wouldn't mind living in is Lauderdale, which is nustled right between Minneapolis and St. Paul, is so small you can literally drive through it in only about 5 minutes, and is virtually indestinguishable from the nearby cities. If it wasn't for signs you see when entering, you wouldn't even know it exists. And it voted 70% for Kerry.

5 minutes? That's about 3 miles, which isn't too small of a city.

But those places sound good, too. Still, they aren't quite as rich as, say, Mercer Island.

I think you'd like Seattle a lot. 80%+ Kerry, urban, not all that crimey, although getting an apartment might cost a bit. There's also nice apartments in the Democratic suburbs, too.

What is it about cities named things like Spring Lake Park and Lake Forest Park? They always seem to be liberal for some reason.

it is small when you take into account the traffic, lights and stop signs. the total area of Lauderdale is 0.4 sq. miles.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

For the record, Rogers is in a state House district which elected a Rep. which until he was removed by losing the party endorsement last election was known for sponsoring a bill that would legalize discrimination against gays, claiming it would stop Minnesota from "becoming another Africa." He also made the claim gays were not persecuted in the Holocaust, and protested a visit from the Dalai Llama to Minnesota, referring to him as a "cult leader"

Sorry that I'd rather live around gangs that the disgusting people in Rogers who'd elect such a moron.

[muon2]

1) kind of a "mini-metro"
2) people making or growing them themselves, they got a huge problem with homemade meth over in semi-rural Austin about 60 miles to the east.

Street gangs are connected with drugs in Austin MN, too. Here's a link to the minutes of their Human Rights Commission from two years ago.

http://www.ci.austin.mn.us/HRights/11-21-02%20minutes.pdf

[muon2]

Also, let's face it, would Republicans want to have me around? See, I'm doing everyone a favor by refusing to live in conservative areas.

Au contraire. I enjoy a diverse mix of views, and would welcome you to my neighborhood. I count liberals of your views among my friends and neighbors, and enjoy the discussions that can ensue.

... In fact, the only other suburb than Brooklyn Center I wouldn't mind living in is Lauderdale, which is nustled right between Minneapolis and St. Paul, is so small you can literally drive through it in only about 5 minutes, and is virtually indestinguishable from the nearby cities. If it wasn't for signs you see when entering, you wouldn't even know it exists. And it voted 70% for Kerry.

5 minutes? That's about 3 miles, which isn't too small of a city. ...

it is small when you take into account the traffic, lights and stop signs. the total area of Lauderdale is 0.4 sq. miles.

It's microscopic. I had HS friends from Lauderdale and I know it well.

[bushforever]

I'd rather live in the exurbs of Chicago, where I currently live.  Staunch republican area with the conveniences AND challenges of suburban living.  But close enough to the cultural and economic capital of the Midwest.  Four seasons too.  And nice people.  Plus I've lived here my whole life.

Minnesota is OK, but just a little too cold.  I went there for a weekend once and saw the Metrodome and the Mall of America.  We also stopped in the suburb of Woodbury on the way home... I s'pose I wouldn't mind living there.

[Alcon]

I'd rather live in the exurbs of Chicago, where I currently live.  Staunch republican area with the conveniences AND challenges of suburban living.  But close enough to the cultural and economic capital of the Midwest.  Four seasons too.  And nice people.  Plus I've lived here my whole life.

Minnesota is OK, but just a little too cold.  I went there for a weekend once and saw the Metrodome and the Mall of America.  We also stopped in the suburb of Woodbury on the way home... I s'pose I wouldn't mind living there.

People from Chicago can't talk about Minnesota being too cold.

People from anywhere east of the Rockies and north of Virginia can't talk about anything being too cold.

[bushforever]

I'd rather live in the exurbs of Chicago, where I currently live.  Staunch republican area with the conveniences AND challenges of suburban living.  But close enough to the cultural and economic capital of the Midwest.  Four seasons too.  And nice people.  Plus I've lived here my whole life.

Minnesota is OK, but just a little too cold.  I went there for a weekend once and saw the Metrodome and the Mall of America.  We also stopped in the suburb of Woodbury on the way home... I s'pose I wouldn't mind living there.

People from Chicago can't talk about Minnesota being too cold.

People from anywhere east of the Rockies and north of Virginia can't talk about anything being too cold.

I suppose so.  It is slightly colder there though, by about 10-15 degrees.  And I don't think anyone would want to live in International Falls or Embarass, the two Minnesotan towns always competing for the "icebox" of America award.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

a girl i knew my freshman year was from International Falls. she liked it because they got to drink in Canada.

I actually think my apartment complex might be bigger than Lauderdale now that it's aquired the one next to us. I think the only reason that's a seperate city is when the planning was done they didn't know where else to put it, it doesn't really symmetrically fit with Minneapolis or St. Paul.

I'm still pretty sure there are no gangs here since most of the drug users are yuppies and college kids. There might be some people with connections to Twin Cities ones though and that's probably where most of the narcotics come from.

[muon2]

a girl i knew my freshman year was from International Falls. she liked it because they got to drink in Canada.

I actually think my apartment complex might be bigger than Lauderdale now that it's aquired the one next to us. I think the only reason that's a seperate city is when the planning was done they didn't know where else to put it, it doesn't really symmetrically fit with Minneapolis or St. Paul.

Lauderdale is most closely aligned with Falcon Heights and to Eastern Roseville. The city government is independent but most other functions (such as schools) are tied to those communities. I was a 1975 graduate of the Roseville school system, and I briefly went out with the daughter of Lauderdale's Mayor back then.

I'm still pretty sure there are no gangs here since most of the drug users are yuppies and college kids. There might be some people with connections to Twin Cities ones though and that's probably where most of the narcotics come from.

I'll bet my bottom dollar that the narcotics are connected with a gang.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

They probably are, but like I said, one based out of the Twin Cities, not all the way down here. I've never seen any group of people gathered resembling a gang.

[muon2]

They probably are, but like I said, one based out of the Twin Cities, not all the way down here. I've never seen any group of people gathered resembling a gang.

Trust me, they are in both Austin and Albert Lea. If you are in Mankato, you'll find them if you go looking. I would agree that they'll have connections in the Cities since that's the distribution hub for the area.

In general, gangs do not want to be seen by anyone who is not in a gang. They make a living selling drugs, and high visibility gets in the way.