gauntlet of cigarette smoke - 2/14/2011

It seems like the number of smokers significantly outnumbers the non-smokers. I get frustrated by how many people I pass on the street who are smoking.

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Eugene - 12/29/2010

Don't move to Eugene. I live here and I don't want to see this city enlarge. I think everyone should consider Portland, it's got a lot going for it!

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Living in Eugene - 12/11/2010

After traveling through most of the country last summer I have come to realize that Eugene has a lot more to offer than most other cities or towns in the U.S.A. Why? Eugene and its surrounding areas offer an abundance of outdoor activities for adults and children alike. There are outdoor programs that Willamalane and Y.M.C.A. offer for kids and adults from river rafting to arts and crafts. There is something for all ages. We are close to the beach where there is camping, boating, crabbing, fishing, etc. Florence and the Southern Oregon Coast all offer "World class sand dunes!" People from all over the world travel to Oregon to experience the sand dunes. And from Eugene, you are only about an hour away from the dunes. The winter months are usually wet with a lot of rain but you can head to the mountains just an hour and half away and play in the snow. There is skiing, snow shoeing, and tubing for all ages to enjoy. Also, hunting is huge near the Eugene area where there is plenty of game. Traveling from Eugene to Bend is a great adventure in the winter or summer months where there is plenty to do (2 1/2- 3 hours away). Eugene also does not have the incredibly high "Humidity" that most of the other states have to deal with in the summer. When temperatures do rise in Eugene the humidity usually stays moderate. I have experienced the southern states where in Florida, Alabama and many other states have excessive humidity levels. The days and nights can be unpleasant to say the least. Also, Eugene is home to the Oregon Ducks football team. Experiencing a game at Autzen Stadium (Loudest stadium on the country) is a great way to have fun on a Saturday in the Fall months. Just remember to scream loud (OOOOOOOOOOOOOO)!! If you come to Eugene expecting tropical weather, you will be disappointed. But if you come to escape the traffic of LA or high humidity of other states, you will be able to enjoy the outdoors at any time.

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Stay Away - 10/20/2010

We've lived in Eugene since 2002 and will be leaving ASAP. There are good things about Eugene: The bike paths, the organic grocers, the mild climate, the proximity to the coast and mountains, and fewer racist individuals than other parts of Oregon. However, the crime, over-heated real estate (still), pollen, unfriendliness, and the habit of the college students to riot far out weigh the benefits. Crime: I've been accosted by bums 3 times. There was a shooting in my front yard. Some one tried to break into my house to rape my wife during the middle of the day. An arsonist set my garage on fire. An arsonist tried to burn down REI. There is often needle and other drug paraphernalia in the parks, and the list goes on and on. Housing: The good neighborhoods are South Hills, College Hill, Cal Young, and Fox Hollow. The okay neighborhoods are Friendly and Amazon. All these neighborhoods have bad areas, and you should never leave your doors unlocked anywhere in Eugene. Stay away from West Eugene, Santa Clara (very high cancer rates!), Train Song (lots of cancer), and most of Springfield. Expect to spend at least $225k for a smallish house in okay shape in one of the good neighborhoods. I take allergy medicine 6 months a year. I've developed asthma, which I'm told is quite common in the Eugene area, and when they start burning the fields in the summer, you better hope you have AC. We've lived in Eugene for 8+ years and I have no friends here. I use to go to community events and other gatherings, I even tried joining a simplicity group. No one has ever offered me there phone number or bothered to call me when I've given them mine. Sure the people in Eugene are accepting, you can run naked through the streets if you'd like, but that doesn't mean they'll talk to you. I have numerous friends in Salem, Oregon where I lived for less than a year and in Portland, Oregon where I've never lived. The U of O speaks for itself. The U of O may not be the best place to get an education but it is a top party school. The joke in my office is the new prison expansion is to house U of O students. If you really want to live in Oregon Ashland, Corvallis, or Portland are better choices.

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I am making a real effort to leave Eugene - 8/9/2010

I have lived in Eugene since July 06, 4 years now. I agree with everything the other folks have said about living here. But I thought I would add a few other things. The people here have an almost religious fervor with the Ducks. I became a fan of sorts but you are not a real fan unless you have lived here your whole life. The ironic part is the football team has been in constant trouble with the law. These are black athletes recruited from the deep south to play, go to school, and live in Eugene. You really have to understand how Lilly white Eugene is to appreciate the how upside down these fans really are. My 5 top reasons for hating Eugene. 1. The Rain. 2. The Hippies. 3. The Transients Bums. 4. The Grass pollen kills me in the spring. 5. The Hippies. Did I mention the Hippies? What I will miss with Eugene. 1. The bike riding along the river is remarkable. 2. Its an hour drive to the coast and 45 minutes up to the mountains to go shooting. 3. The summer and fall is great for camping, but most camp grounds are full of hippies.

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Two Thumbs Down!!! - 6/16/2010

Eugene is not the place to live if your interested in bettering your career or raising children! This city has more trash on the ground then any where I've been and the homeless population is the largest I've seen in any city, they leave needles and condoms along sidewalks and on hiking/biking trails, and yet the city just keeps handing them more and more shelters and food! Also the city's management finds it more important to keep throwing money into unnecessary projects like adding bus lanes when very few even ride,, or renaming highways at a cost of $250,000 and all while the city is over $500 million in dept as of April 2010! If you prefer not working and trash everywhere this is the city for you!!!!!!!!!

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A little help from future friends? - 6/15/2010

Hey all. My niece has been decided on UO for her university studies... so, to Eugene we go. I've seen the crime data and understand (living in Tempe, AZ currently) how crime is "pocketed" when living near a university (especially one like ASU where people move in from other states... and not unlike us). However, I would like to see us move to a lower crime neighborhood as it'll be just us and her pup. I'm concerned about the stories of drug addicts attempting to break into residences (oh, I wish I'd copied that site down) while the owners are home and the police unwilling to respond. It's possible that may be a one off story but I'm simply not sure where to start looking. Any suggestions?

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welcome to a private oasis - 6/11/2010

Eugene is a crown jewel of oregon...you may not find a better city or quality of life except portland metro....its not for everyone,it is a university town,university of Oregon being a focal point,it is a wonderful place to raise kids,its safe, have a family, and lead a nice quiet life...you can still go for walks late at night with little concern,...its small,but has all modern ammenities needed for most people, a mixture of students, hippies, regular people, and nature lovers, dogs and biking are welcomed, beautiful river runs thru city, good transportation, farmers market, rains alot, but spring and summers are plenty sunny with gardens in bloom...if you want big trees, nice people, artists, student life, nature, and the niche of everything you have heard, Eugene is for you. Cost of living is low, education is good, the job market is not the best, too many people, too few jobs, like i said , not a huge city, that would be the only drawback.

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not unless you have $$ - 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.

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The Hippy City - 4/15/2010

Eugene is a very friendly and welcoming city to anyone & everyone. Anything pretty much goes. Eugene seems to be a very green city, a lot of organics and recycling. We are the Hippy City and have a huge country fair every year just to prove it. We are a city that is very much college team oriented. GO DUCKS. Eugene is a couple hours in either direction of almost anywhere. You can go to the mountains for great skiing, to the forest for the most beautifuls hikes or camping, or to the ocean for an amazing coastal drive or perhaps go to the desert or visit a volcano. We pretty much have it all. But although it does get pretty green. It rains and rains. Summers are nice but seem to last for only a short time before it rains and rains again. So if you don't have a problem with depression the rain can be quite lovely to listen to.

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Nice - 3/23/2010

Good place for living.

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Eugene - 2/6/2010

It's the best!

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Winter rain - 1/31/2010

It rains a lot in the winter. The first few years it didn't bother me, but it finally has. Very few sunny days.

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Sustainability - 1/16/2010

Eugene is an excellent place to live. We are close to the mountains, beaches, and the vineyards. The city is very bike friendly with paths along the river and bike lanes along most streets, making bike commuting safe and practical. The citizens are also socially responsible. There is curb-side recycling for paper, metal, plastic and glass. And a wide variety of local, organic, sustainably grown produce & raised meats can be easily found in the grocery stores, farmers markets, & individual farms.

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Thumbs Down!!! - 11/8/2009

Not the kind of town to raise kids. The level of transients that the city nurtures is unbelievable. The preference is to make it difficult, if not impossible, for businesses to thrive and do everything possible to ensure that the transient population blooms. Maybe that is what all the gray and rain is for. Growing bums. Many people are just dirty, while others are totally lacking in manners. I have never lived in an area where so many women and men spit...not off to the side, but right in the middle of where everyone walks. Educational funding is not handled sufficiently and the police force is non-responsive at best. The short summers, if they appear, can be nice, but not worth the 9+ months of rain. But,if you want to live in a non-safe, business deprived, bum infested mud hole, then Eugene could be the place for you.

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Eugene, OR is Great ! - 10/22/2009

Quality of Life is what you'll find in Eugene. Gorgeous scenery,clean air and water,be in the country in 10 minutes!

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More conservative than you think - 10/16/2009

People will tell you that this is a hippie bastion and very liberal community. Since moving here 8 months ago, I've met mainly evangelical Christians, many of whom honestly, literally believe that Obama is the anti-christ. I think the hippie myth arises in part from the annual Oregon Country Fair, which is hosted here, and partly from an insular, homogeneous crowd who think they're living in Gomorrah whenever they see a long-hair pass by. We're not looking for hippies, but this is verging on Bible belt. Add to that surprising levels of air pollution (some mornings smell strongly of sulfur where we live), a more-than normally depressed economy, not our cup of tea. That being said, an hour to the ocean, an hour to the mountains, some decent restaurants, could be worse.

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Climate - 9/15/2009

Eugene is a great, beautiful town/city (around 150,000 pop), but it does rain the majority of the time throughout the year. The terrain is very beautiful because of this. However, with a lot of rain comes with a cold, wet climate- sometimes hard to dress for. The summers are great (usually June through mid-September) and the fall is gorgeous (low amounts of rain- sunny but brisk). Yet, starting in mid-September it gradually begins to rain more until the end of October where it rains consistently until about May to June. It rarely snows.

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Eugene, Oregon - 5/8/2009

Eugene is best known for its greenery, and for the giant Hippie population. Both are true.

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I came for the "Quality of Life" - 4/1/2009

Eugene is a nice place to live and raise kids. It's not a good place to live and make money / advance your career - unless you have a Phd, and there's more Phds per square mile here than you would guess. Coming from California, I miss the sun, which, after a long dark fall, winter and most of spring, appears as a foreign object for a hot summer. Although Eugene appears very liberal, it is not diverse, and not as liberal as it would appear. Yes, there seem to be a lot of left-over hippies and pot here, but also lots of organic farmers, so you can eat well. You can get from one end of town to the other in about 15-20 minutes, so commute time is great. The recreation on nearby rivers & lakes is great, & so is the incredible bike path that runs everywhere. The magnificent Oregon coast is a mere hour away. Ok, there's not much material advancement - unless you're a sports repair surgeon - but there is spiritual advancement, thus "quality of life".

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