Reviews & Comments
Bend, OR
Outdoor paradise with a worrisome future. -
8/3/2021I lived in central Oregon for 27 years and Bend is the hub for the whole region. I always described it as a city with a small town vibe. There is so much outdoor stuff to do year round and it’s a genuinely fun place to live. Lots of variety, beautiful setting and nice people.
However, there has been unfortunate changes recently. It’s grown incredibly fast and it has terrible traffic for being under 100,000 population. Homelessness has grown exponentially and cost of living is increasing at an alarming rate. I left the area a year before Covid hit and I don’t like going back anymore. There’s a LOT of value to this City, more than most in my experience, but it’s headed in a troubling direction. The changes aren’t inherent to the city itself and that’s how it retains good value, but regardless, there are large obstacles that are growing and could ruin a once near perfect city.
Portland, OR
Could’ve been something but took a bad turn. -
8/3/2021Lived in Oregon for 29 years, Portland for 3. Early on, the homeless problem was prevalent but not overwhelming but seems to have skyrocketed in the past few years. Obviously COVID has affected things a lot, but Portland has exceptionally bad. Portland was very up and coming 2 years or so before COVID. And this review would be very different. But these are the factors bringing it down heavily:
- Homelessness out of control
- Crazy rate of increase in housing costs
- Graffiti EVERYWHERE. Not over exaggerating at all.
- As a moderate, I understand a progressive society is a healthy one, but this is getting to be absurd and it’s not helping. There are no protests, they are riots.
- Crime growth across the board, noticeably so in higher income areas as well.
There’s potential, but it has huge hurdles to overcome.