Baltimore - Depressing (with a capital D on purpos - 6/25/2008

Started working here in Nov. 2007 and hate this city. Light rail was not working properly for 2 months. Work on S. Charles in nice office building, but homeless people wander around outside all day. Friend got attacked on light rail for a necklace and the people just sat there while it was going on. People at my work are very snotty. They think Baltimore is the greatest place on earth. I'm sorry I ever came here - moving back to NJ next month.

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Baltimore and suburbs - 6/13/2008

I moved here from KS, AL, GA,TX,SC because I wanted to find a more cultural advanced place with also lots of things to do, hiking, dancing, theater, swimming. I thought living in the outskirts of Baltimore, close to DC and NYC, right by the water would be a great idea. But I am not sure if it was. Baltimore is truly the worst city I have experienced so far. Too many poor ghetto people roaming around, drug addicts who live in the many run down (once beautiful, I guess)colorful Baltimore townhouses. The Habor is a nice place to visit and little italy but it all sounds so much larger than it is. After 10 Minutes of walking you will end up in a poor place again. One day we were looking for the Zoo to take the kids...we could not even find the place it was so deep in the hood and were hoping for the car not to stop in any of these neighborhoods. We are foster parents an there are soooo many bad situations here, mainly because of the drug use, it is very sad. The suburb towns are often nice and have a cute downtown area, lots of farmland around Baltimore and it is very beautiful to drive to Havre de Grace. The schools are very violent in Baltimore but Bel Air has the greatest schools and also nice walking trails. Philly does not save me either because the city is just as poor and run down as Baltimore. They have a great Aquarium, though. Washington has lots of homeless people, especially in the parks around the White House. My kids asked me why the president does not come outside to give them some money....but of course there are many attractions there which makes up for it and they are all free!Free Zoo, free Museum.... Very expensive to live in most of these areas. A 3 bedroom townhouse in Harford County cost us $250.000. I saw a nice corner house in KS for that same price with about .5 acres, but that is Kansas. What I did not expect here was the humidity. I thought it would be nice and warm but it gets just as humid as down south. Last week-end we had 95F with 98% humidity. Great for gardening but there is Winter with snow, so not everything makes it through the cold. Lots of traffic, one can get stuck on I95 and stay in one spot for 3 hours.Especially if there was an accident. The beach is about 3 hours from here and Annapolis is definitely worth visiting. If I could find a place without earthquakes and tornadoes, no humidity and a steady warm temperature, lots of outdoor family things and a great school system close to some bigger half way decent cities..........then I will move from here, any suggestions?

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Born and Raised In Hampden, Hon! - 6/11/2008

Hampden is a neighborhood that definitely stays with you. Born and raised, I have friends to this day that I grew up with in Hampden and have known since I was 3 years old. That's the type of neighborhood Hampden is. Most of us live in the counties now, but we come back to Hampden to eat, shop and see each other. Great memories were made here and the neighborhood really hasn't changed. Many of our parents still live here. I'm a real estate agent now, so I feel very, very confident advising someone about this neighborhood. I know the history of the area and I know the houses. And best of all, I'm always anxious to share the information. Just ask me.

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Too Much Crime - 6/1/2008

This city is worse than NYC! The bloods are on one end of town, the crypts on the other. Teens are attacking teachers in the school systems. People are being attacked on public transit. I just can't wait to move to Tennesee.

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Bmore postive :) - 5/29/2008

Baltimore is far the “perfect city” but it has a lot of potential. In regards to the political arena, we have a new mayor, police commissioner, fire commissioner, and CEO of public schools and I believe they will turn the city around. The city has great cultural districts, restaurants, shopping, and lots of festivals to attend during the warm months. Housing prices in the mid-Atlantic have increased tremendously- so why would Baltimore be any different? There are many people here that take pride in their city and I think that’s just awesome. So to all the “complainers” out there, either do you part to better your community better or don’t let the door hit you on your way out.

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Baltimore Maryland - 3/28/2008

The cost of living in Baltimore is high and the schools are terrible.

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High Cost of Living - 2/15/2008

Maryland is very democratic with bad leadership and a high cost of living. I am over it.

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hospitals - 2/14/2008

there a a lot of good hospitals

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Like other places - 1/11/2008

Baltimore has positives and negatives. There are always new things to find to do. The climate is decent. Housing is expensive.

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No end in sight - 12/27/2007

First, the good points-Baltimore has some great historical places to visit. The Harbor (NOT Harborplace) is beautiful, compared to 30 years ago. The zoo and the aquarium are fun. There are good colleges and hospitals everywhere. The nightlife is great. Bars close at 2 am but still a good time is had. Lots of good concerts by major acts. A couple televison shows film downtown (The Wire). Cost of living not too bad, compared to rest of USA. A hell of a lot of culture and awesome festivals during the summer. The bad Points-Crime is out of control and there is no end in sight. There is always a new mayor and new police chief who say they have the answer to crime and guess what? The crime continues rising at enormous rates. Littering among long time residents is terrible. They seem to have no respect for their city. The city government seems to be run by high-school drop-outs. They have a great meter maid department because it is VERY easy to get parking tickets downtown (They just discovered a meter maid who had written about 10,000 phony tickets in 1 year!). They put so much focus on writing tickets and forgot about the major crimes occuring. The city schools are basically babysitting stations for pre-criminals. I have spoken with teachers who are scared for their lives sometimes. The transit system (Bus and Train) has had a big problem with violent crime, including murder. My wife was mugged at 6:30 am, two blocks from our house, last summer. Luckily she was not hurt and they caught the moron who did it (He was sentenced to 15 years because he confessed to about a dozen other crimes!). Neighbors and I have had our cars broken into numerous times for petty things (an ashtray full of pennies). Heroin is quite popular here, as well as syphillis. Finally, GOOD LUCK if you want to renovate a house in the city. The building permit office is run by some of the rudest humans ever and the housing inspectors do not help you, only make things much worse. They haven't a clue what they are doing. I have a few friends who are contractors and they have been forced to bribe these bastards so they can get a house done, even though the job is done right. BOTTOM LINE: Live in the Northern suburbs of Baltimore County (Towson, Hunt Valley, Glen Arm). Crime is lower, trees everywhere, and the city is just 5-15 miles away if you want to have some fun. The housing is a little more expensive but worth it.

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Baltimore: Trying to Get Out of Dodge - 12/24/2007

I've lived here most of my life and there are some things that I like about this area. Museums such as the Walters Art Museum, the Reginald Lewis Museum of African American History & Baltimore Museum of Art. The National Aquarium. Little Italy. Patapsco State Park & Catoctin Mountains for hiking and getting away, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. The Senator and Charles movie theaters. The vibe of Mt. Vernon and Charles Village. These things have greatly helped, but aren't enough for me to stay. Congratulations to those who love this place, but as for me, the sooner I get out of Dodge, the better.

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Our Economy is the cause of our crime rate - 12/21/2007

I found out that my economy is unemployed 5.60 of the U.S 4.60 and has only raised 0.14%. This has effected our crime rate all though our education is getting better crimes have gotten worster. Even though most young people in Baltimore city go to school and try thier best to finish they are more likely to still commit crimes due to poverty. Most children I have seen attended school every day and were in a gang or promoting violence. This is not because they want to they have no other choice. So in order to eat,have transportation, buy clothing, pay bills and helath insurance they have to rob, sell drugs and commit other crimes that no one would want them to commit. Our business growth is large but yet the employers aren't hiring so even though most people qualify for the positions they are still out of a job. Our crime rates are 7 in burglary and 8 in murder. In the U.S it is only 3 so who is responsible for our high crime rates our economic system.

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Baltimore can be a great place to live - 11/15/2007

There are a lot of nice places to live, lots of jobs in some fields, good schools in some places, good recreation, natural areas to explore, museums, the arts, etc. You just need to be very careful when selecting a place to put down roots. AND Washington DC is only an hour away. Everything is there, but the cost of living is higher, I'm sure. I would suggest for anyone relocating anywhere - take a leave of absence from your job, if you can; find an appt or cheap extended stay hotel, and check out different locations before committing yourself.

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education - 10/5/2007

lots of great opportunities for higher education beyond high school

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The Crime in Baltimore is RIDICULOUS!!!!!!!! - 9/19/2007

The crime rate in Baltimore is steady rising and the involvement of the city to make it better is pretty much no existent if you ask me. The police to more lounging in their cars and harrassing innocent people than they do work. The city of Baltimore needs a serious miracle, OR MAYBE THEY JUST NEED SOMEBODY WHO CARES ENOUGH ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE CHILDREN TO GET THE TRASH OR THE STREET. NOW THATS A REVIEW!!!!

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Baltimore Climate - 9/7/2007

Baltimore experiences all 4 seasons--sometimes in the extreme. One year can have 100+ degree temps in the summer and mounds of snow in the winter! The humidity is usually high in the summer--so be prepared to be sticky!! However, if you are looking for a place that has spring, summer, fall and winter--Baltimore might just be the place for you.

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B'more - 8/31/2007

Native Baltimoreans are very proud of their city, and such assets as Harborplace, its ethnic neighborhoods, and historic Fells Point. However, we have an increasingly worrisome problem with violent crime. I'm not a native and, frankly, Baltimore will never be my favorite city. Although the downtown area has changed tremendously for the better since I arrive here 30 years ago, I have been in cities with prettier, more walkable downtown areas, and more cultural and arts opportunities. (sorry!) Like most East Coast cities, it's also relatively expensive here, compared to the Midwest and much of the South.

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Baltimore is best place. - 8/30/2007

Baltimore is best place to live.I have been in Baltimore(east side) last 6 years and now I am living in Florida.I missed Baltimore.People are pretty much nice and respectfull in Baltimore.Now,I learned better; what is the unrespectfull person mean In Florida!!!Here is (Florida),people are RUDE,no customer service and no smiley faces.But if you are in Baltimore best,people are very respectfull to each other.I can say that;Florida is good place for couple days vacation but Baltimore best place to live for all life.

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crime - 8/8/2007

Living in the Baltimore City is great, except for the crime and violence. It is very scary when you can't take a walk in the park without looking over your shoulder, and having your mace ready. The biggest problem is with the teenage population when it comes to violence. They beat a neighbor of mine into a comma for his wallet and watch. This is not uncommon. They throw glass bottles in the street and at cars, and there is no consequence.

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Signs of Decay - 7/29/2007

I love Baltimore with all my heart and it will always be my home, but there comes a time when people need to open their eyes to the truth. I have since moved from Baltimore for just over a year and did not go back until 48 weeks after I left. I always knew Baltimore had its' problems with crime, but it became more evident when I started seeing construction sites with the generators hanging from cranes. I asked a friend who is in construction why they did that and his explanation was this, "We do it because, the drug addicts keep stealing them and selling them for drug money. At around $10k to $20k per generator, we can't afford to keep losing them." Baltimore has become a haven for drug addicts and drug dealers. The "Stop Snitching" shirts started there. People took it as a novelty in other cities without really knowing what it was about. That whole campaign was to advise anyone who snitched on the drug dealers and/or anyone else dealing in criminal activity would be dealt with in a swift and usually fatal way. Baltimore also made the limelight of national media when the story of a mother who was trying to stop the drug dealers from selling drugs and sitting on her front steps while selling it had her home fire bombed because she "snitched" on them. Unfortunately, she and her children had to pay the cost for standing up what is right. It was said that prior to the Battle of 1812 when the King of England decided that he wanted the U.S. back as its' territory, he said he didn't want to start the war in Baltimore. He said it was "the land of pirates and thieves". Has it changed any over those almost 200 years, definitely not.

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