not unless you have $$
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6/11/2010
I moved to Eugene three years ago to live in a cooler, more liberal climate, from Oklahoma. Don't let the rain measurements fool you: it may not be many more inches than where you live now, but it comes down all the time, all Fall, Winter & Spring. That said, the temps are mild in both directions, so long as you don't mind the constant darkness, lots of folks have special lamps to ward off Seasonal A??? Disorder, depression. But Summer is just gorgeous, only too hot about one week, lots of houses don't have A/C and don't need it. But the days you can't enjoy the outdoors because of rain are about the same number you can't enjoy because of heat in the South. Property values are outrageous unless you're relocating from SanFran, LA or NYC: it's a university town, good medical care, nice climate, lots of wealthy retirees. I doubled what I spent on housing from Okla. and still ended up in a bad neighborhood and the neighborhoods are very diverse/mixed property values which is all nice and egalitarian, but not so much when you've just spent 250-300K to live surrounded by meth heads, even in the "good" part of town. If you're looking at houses here, I recommend driving in concentric circles around the neighborhood/street you're considering and don't ignore the ugly spots because they're NOT "up and coming." The university neighborhood is very high priced and has nice views but you'll get stuck with college rentals around you, parties and folks peeing on your lawn. South Eugene is nice in pockets but you'd better have 350K+ to spend, Southwest Eugene, again, nice in pockets but terrible in others. Pay attention to the crime map. River Road/Santa Clara, looks nice but there's a reason for those lower prices, I live there now, surrounded by meth heads, homeless folks coming up from the river. The meth problem here is so bad that meth addicts are part of the daily fabric of life in all parts of town. We have no sales tax (but 9% state income tax) so no jail beds available except for the very worst crimes, not enough police, property crimes, no use in even reporting those, barely any treatment programs to make it better. I don't take my trash out at night.
Some of the good aspects are lots of tolerance for different lifestyles, highly educated population, tons of art and culture, fantastic symphony, opera, ballet for a city this size and beautiful outdoor areas all around.
They call it "The People's Republic of Eugene" and they mean it - everything must be discussed for ten years, every side heard ten times, no progress allowed because progress, in the traditional sense, is not "sustainable" and green. Since "new" = "bad" the whole place looks kind of run down.
Be prepared for people to tell you how you should eat (local and organic only) and where you should shop (don't be caught dead at Wal-Mart, though amazingly, the parking lot's always full...), people who shop "right" do it at the farmer's market which is huge and lovely but the prices are out of this world and fixed. You see people paying $8 for a tomato with food stamps! Folks are very outspoken here to the point of rudeness and they expect accommodation, not just for special needs, but for every whim they've ever entertained, but don't want to compromise on anything or be put out in any way themselves. It creates a very odd mix. On one hand, it's truly nice that homeless and other cultures are treated in such an egalitarian manner. On the other hand, when you're the one doing all the accomodating, it gets a little old. When I came here, I was a good liberal, Unitarian, recycling, left-wing, organic-eating, feminist Democrat. I've discovered, having had the extremes shoved down my throat for the last three years, that I'm actually a very middle-of-the-road Unitarian (though a lifelong UU, I've left the local church because I get tired of being viewed as a bad Unitarian because I don't do the extreme lifestyle) who doesn't enjoy being told where to shop and what to eat. I like my car, don't believe that convenient = evil, shave my legs occasionally and wear a touch of makeup now and then (don't dare wear even a tiny amount of cologne to a public space or you'll get a lecture on how you're endangering those with sensitivity to scents and I'm NOT KIDDING, there are actually signs up at the performing arts center), enjoy a chain restaurant and a regular movie every so often and none of that is a sarcastic exaggeration. Before I moved here I used to be so impressed with the weekly publication's ads for shamanic healing, meditation services, green everything, 4:20- friendly but now I'm just fed up with it all and thinking of moving back to the midwest where I can afford to live in a decent, safe neighborhood for 250K.
Tolerance is promoted but only for the "right" things. I used to feel I lived under the tyranny of the right; now I've discovered the tyranny of the left. Like me, you may think you crave this kind of lifestyle but it's more than you'd ever imagine - mayhap I went too far?
Also, despite seeing dogs everywhere, this IS NOT a dog-friendly town: the yards are tiny, even in expensive neighborhoods, your neighbors will gripe every time your dog makes a peep, part of that expectation of accomodation, but they'll let their pit bull (this place is covered in them, my German Shephard has been attacked twice by pits in public areas in three years) run free in their front yard and the parks, not to mention that you'll spend all Winter drying your dog six times a day and wiping the mud off your walls.
So if you're a rich, socialist, pet-free vegan who bikes everywhere, lives 100% organic, loves accommodating everyone to the point of masochism, have a graduate degree but not looking for a job (12% unemployment), enjoys lots of rain, doesn't want a big yard, you might be fine here but be prepared to embrace it wholeheartedly because moderation is frowned upon.
Abhd | Eugene, OR