Any other families finally had enough of DC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:30 years ago was 1991, when there were 482 homicides in DC.

Last year (2020), there were 198 homicides.

How much did DC houses cost back in 1991?

How is that relevant?

I think it's relevant when a house next to an open air drug market costs $900k. Why pay that to live where shots are fired at a minimum of 4x year?
It's a bit different if you paid 60k for it back in 1991.

So you'd be ok with living next to an "open air drug market" if your housing costs were low, but not if your housing costs were high? Really?

DP but I feel like people (and it seems like Millennials in particular) don't understand the concept of tradeoffs. I've been here for 25 years and everyone that I know when they first moved here when they were young and broke lived in a "sketchy" neighborhood (at the time) in exchange for cheap rent. The sketchiness of the neighborhood is what made it cheap! That's how markets work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Been here 18 years.

For me it has been:
- The disaster of the vaccine rollout. Really revealing in terms of city government incompetence.
- The failure to fully reopen schools.
- Crime. Gun violence just blocks away from our home in broad daylight.
- Proximity of Jan. 6th events to our home, the fencing off of the Capitol, the militarization of the city related to political unrest.
- The nonsensical pandemic restrictions. Schools closed, but indoor dining open pre-vaccines. Outdoor mask mandate long after it was clear unnecessary. Mayor issuing and taking back new guidance this weekend. No metrics for when restrictions will be dropped. Mayor refusing to answer reporter questions on.

It's all just so exhausting. Add on top of it, how hard it is to buy a home, get into daycare, buy in a good school district.

I love the city and have really put down roots here through early career to building a family, but at some point it's just not worth it.

+100 on the bolded. We left DC for Florida and have never been happier. Mock all you want. Didn't think I was unhappy in DC until I finally left.
Good quality daycare at reasonable price and weather alone have improved our quality of life 100x over.

Pleased to hear. You would have to pay me to live in FL. No interest. And I sometimes play golf.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Been here 18 years.

For me it has been:
- The disaster of the vaccine rollout. Really revealing in terms of city government incompetence.
- The failure to fully reopen schools.
- Crime. Gun violence just blocks away from our home in broad daylight.
- Proximity of Jan. 6th events to our home, the fencing off of the Capitol, the militarization of the city related to political unrest.
- The nonsensical pandemic restrictions. Schools closed, but indoor dining open pre-vaccines. Outdoor mask mandate long after it was clear unnecessary. Mayor issuing and taking back new guidance this weekend. No metrics for when restrictions will be dropped. Mayor refusing to answer reporter questions on.

It's all just so exhausting. Add on top of it, how hard it is to buy a home, get into daycare, buy in a good school district.

I love the city and have really put down roots here through early career to building a family, but at some point it's just not worth it.

I've come to expect incompetence from the local DC government and am genuinely surprised if they don't completely mess up something. Bowser has made a mockery of the mayorship. I'm with you on everything that's bold.

Anthony Williams did yeomans work improving the quality of life. Fenty was actually well intentioned and tried, but ineffective. That was the pinnacle. Gray and Bowser have destroyed all of that hard work, competence and credibility that were so hard won. It's a real shame. I honestly do not believe that there has been a more cynical mayor governing DC than Bowser. DC better enact term limits on the mayor or else...

100% agree with what you and 23:21 said. Gray was the beginning of things worsening, but Bowser really took it to the next level. I find the lack of opposition to her shocking (and it's certainly not because she's doing a good job)!

+1. I would add the critical race theory that is being taught by DCPS. They are poisoning the minds of our kids. It’s gone way too far.

I love the curriculum my elementary kids are getting on topics of race and Us history. I’m not sure where / what you’re getting “critical race theory” but that sounds like a Tucker Carlson talking point.

The problem is, race and history is not just a topic in DCPS. It’s the ENTIRE curriculum. It’s exhausting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Been here 18 years.

For me it has been:
- The disaster of the vaccine rollout. Really revealing in terms of city government incompetence.
- The failure to fully reopen schools.
- Crime. Gun violence just blocks away from our home in broad daylight.
- Proximity of Jan. 6th events to our home, the fencing off of the Capitol, the militarization of the city related to political unrest.
- The nonsensical pandemic restrictions. Schools closed, but indoor dining open pre-vaccines. Outdoor mask mandate long after it was clear unnecessary. Mayor issuing and taking back new guidance this weekend. No metrics for when restrictions will be dropped. Mayor refusing to answer reporter questions on.

It's all just so exhausting. Add on top of it, how hard it is to buy a home, get into daycare, buy in a good school district.

I love the city and have really put down roots here through early career to building a family, but at some point it's just not worth it.

I've come to expect incompetence from the local DC government and am genuinely surprised if they don't completely mess up something. Bowser has made a mockery of the mayorship. I'm with you on everything that's bold.

Anthony Williams did yeomans work improving the quality of life. Fenty was actually well intentioned and tried, but ineffective. That was the pinnacle. Gray and Bowser have destroyed all of that hard work, competence and credibility that were so hard won. It's a real shame. I honestly do not believe that there has been a more cynical mayor governing DC than Bowser. DC better enact term limits on the mayor or else...

100% agree with what you and 23:21 said. Gray was the beginning of things worsening, but Bowser really took it to the next level. I find the lack of opposition to her shocking (and it's certainly not because she's doing a good job)!

+1. I would add the critical race theory that is being taught by DCPS. They are poisoning the minds of our kids. It’s gone way too far.

I love the curriculum my elementary kids are getting on topics of race and Us history. I’m not sure where / what you’re getting “critical race theory” but that sounds like a Tucker Carlson talking point.

The problem is, race and history is not just a topic in DCPS. It’s the ENTIRE curriculum. It’s exhausting.

I get it! It’s very exhausting having the dubious “achievements “ of one particular ethnic/racial group woven throughout the ENTIRE curriculum— ignoring the accomplishments of other groups and of individuals who did not get the respect and attention that they deserved. Fortunately I was lucky enough to have teachers who were able to bring in a wider variety of materials and perspectives —so that we could go beyond the narrowly focused and often obviously biased Euro-centric textbooks. I’m delighted to learn that things are improving.

[Anonymous]

For the “DC crime isn’t bad” crowd, you do know that DC has a higher murder rate than Chicago. It has roughly the same murder rate as Philadelphia. It’s only a “safe city” if you compare it to Baltimore and New Orleans.

Saying that at least it’s not as bad as when it was the murder capital of the country 20 years ago is not a ringing endorsement.

[Anonymous]

Jeff should change the name of this website to Hysterical DC Urban Moms Who Should Be Clutching Their Pearls in the Suburbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jeff should change the name of this website to Hysterical DC Urban Moms Who Should Be Clutching Their Pearls in the Suburbs.

DCUM: Where we take pride in our crime rates!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jeff should change the name of this website to Hysterical DC Urban Moms Who Should Be Clutching Their Pearls in the Suburbs.

DCUM: Where we take pride in our crime rates!

Right? The “if you don’t like crime, then you belong in the suburbs” mentality is so trite and played out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Almost all homicides in DC are among persons known to each other. In other words, if you don't hang out with criminals and drug dealers, you don't have to worry about being murdered. A typical UMC white woman is at a greater risk of being murdered by the man sleeping in her bed than a stranger on the streets of DC.

What about armed carjackings? This was a rarity in my neighborhood and now I feel like there is one every week if not more.

Don't leave your car running unattended in the middle of the road because you can't be bothered to find a parking space to pick up your food delivery order. That alone would eliminate 90% of the carjackings in the city -- not to mention keep traffic flowing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Been here 18 years.

For me it has been:
- The disaster of the vaccine rollout. Really revealing in terms of city government incompetence.
- The failure to fully reopen schools.
- Crime. Gun violence just blocks away from our home in broad daylight.
- Proximity of Jan. 6th events to our home, the fencing off of the Capitol, the militarization of the city related to political unrest.
- The nonsensical pandemic restrictions. Schools closed, but indoor dining open pre-vaccines. Outdoor mask mandate long after it was clear unnecessary. Mayor issuing and taking back new guidance this weekend. No metrics for when restrictions will be dropped. Mayor refusing to answer reporter questions on.

It's all just so exhausting. Add on top of it, how hard it is to buy a home, get into daycare, buy in a good school district.

I love the city and have really put down roots here through early career to building a family, but at some point it's just not worth it.

I've come to expect incompetence from the local DC government and am genuinely surprised if they don't completely mess up something. Bowser has made a mockery of the mayorship. I'm with you on everything that's bold.

Anthony Williams did yeomans work improving the quality of life. Fenty was actually well intentioned and tried, but ineffective. That was the pinnacle. Gray and Bowser have destroyed all of that hard work, competence and credibility that were so hard won. It's a real shame. I honestly do not believe that there has been a more cynical mayor governing DC than Bowser. DC better enact term limits on the mayor or else...

100% agree with what you and 23:21 said. Gray was the beginning of things worsening, but Bowser really took it to the next level. I find the lack of opposition to her shocking (and it's certainly not because she's doing a good job)!

+1. I would add the critical race theory that is being taught by DCPS. They are poisoning the minds of our kids. It’s gone way too far.

I love the curriculum my elementary kids are getting on topics of race and Us history. I’m not sure where / what you’re getting “critical race theory” but that sounds like a Tucker Carlson talking point.

The problem is, race and history is not just a topic in DCPS. It’s the ENTIRE curriculum. It’s exhausting.

I get it! It’s very exhausting having the dubious “achievements “ of one particular ethnic/racial group woven throughout the ENTIRE curriculum— ignoring the accomplishments of other groups and of individuals who did not get the respect and attention that they deserved. Fortunately I was lucky enough to have teachers who were able to bring in a wider variety of materials and perspectives —so that we could go beyond the narrowly focused and often obviously biased Euro-centric textbooks. I’m delighted to learn that things are improving.

DP. I’m certainly ok with schools teaching history, and I love the idea of highlighting accomplishments from diverse people of all nations, backgrounds, races, etc. For me, the problem is when the focus is just race. I don’t think it’s good for kids or their education to focus enormously on race. We are all individuals with different strengths and weaknesses regardless of skin color. When our society elevates race as if it is of the utmost importance, we all lose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jeff should change the name of this website to Hysterical DC Urban Moms Who Should Be Clutching Their Pearls in the Suburbs.

DCUM: Where we take pride in our crime rates!

Right? The “if you don’t like crime, then you belong in the suburbs” mentality is so trite and played out.

The premise of this thread is literally "any other families finally had enough of DC?". It's hardly a stretch to infer that some of you would be happier in the suburbs. Was that not OP's point? DP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Almost all homicides in DC are among persons known to each other. In other words, if you don't hang out with criminals and drug dealers, you don't have to worry about being murdered. A typical UMC white woman is at a greater risk of being murdered by the man sleeping in her bed than a stranger on the streets of DC.

What about armed carjackings? This was a rarity in my neighborhood and now I feel like there is one every week if not more.

Don't leave your car running unattended in the middle of the road because you can't be bothered to find a parking space to pick up your food delivery order. That alone would eliminate 90% of the carjackings in the city -- not to mention keep traffic flowing.

I see we’ve reached the “blaming the victim” and “making things up” portions of the thread simultaneously this evening. Lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jeff should change the name of this website to Hysterical DC Urban Moms Who Should Be Clutching Their Pearls in the Suburbs.

DCUM: Where we take pride in our crime rates!

Right? The “if you don’t like crime, then you belong in the suburbs” mentality is so trite and played out.

The premise of this thread is literally "any other families finally had enough of DC?". It's hardly a stretch to infer that some of you would be happier in the suburbs. Was that not OP's point? DP.

Deciding where to live a complex, multifaceted, and interesting topic. Empty “if you don’t like crime, move to the suburbs” comments are just goofy and don’t contribute anything meaningful. I suspect they’re mostly made by naive city dwellers without children and people who just generally have low standards in life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've been here since 2001 and am very happy. DC represents a great mix of affordability and amenities, compared to other cities like NY and SF. If you aren't in a gang, your life is unlikely to be affected by crime.

If you’ve lived here since 2001 and have never experienced crime, you should buy a lottery ticket. I don’t know anyone in a gang, but many people I know in DC have been victims of crimes (even if minor crimes such as car break ins, street harassment, etc.).

I have lived here since late 1999 and have never been a victim of crime in DC. Perhaps I am lucky. I am Black and have lived in neighborhoods EOTP since moving here.

[Anonymous]

Well the population is now officially shrinking, per the census.