Downtown Portland, OR

[RetireeRobert]

In a resort community in Henderson, NV, called Lake Las Vegas, where happy retirees live.

https://lakelasvegas.com/

Ah yes, Nevada.

Actually, Nevada has been on my daydream list. No state estate tax, no state income tax, reasonable sales tax (with groceries exempt as I recall), and lots of good scenery.

I have actually dreamed of the Reno/Carson City area, closer to Oregon (should I want to vist kids/grandkids), and nice views of the mountains and evergreen trees along the Cal/Nev state line. Furthermore, Reno area would be a half day's drive west to get to the Pacific Ocean and Northern Cal coast which would be a draw to me. Also, the casino buffetts would be a draw to me as well!

But with kids so established here in Oregon, I suspect those ties will keep me here (although son-in-law did express some growing misgivings with the changing cultural climate in Oregon and maybe some other state would be more attractive. At which point I tried to direct the discussion towards Nevada!).

 

[Scrapr]

My SO & I were in Astoria for my birthday in June. Town closed up at 9:00 pm. Couple bars open but that was it

 

[NW-Bound]

In a resort community in Henderson, NV, called Lake Las Vegas, where happy retirees live.

https://lakelasvegas.com/

In 2010, in a visit to LV, I drove to Lake Las Vegas to take a look.

Earlier, I happened to see on YouTube segments of a 2006 concert by Andrea Bocelli held by the lakeside. The backdrop was interesting, and I did some research of the development by curiosity.

And when the LV trip happened, I took the opportunity to go there to see how it was. At that time, the subprime crisis was still raging, and there were condos on fire sale. We went through some model homes out of curiosity, but did not look at any existing home.

The thought about buying crossed my mind, but having already 2 homes, I relented. There was talk of insolvent builders, subdivisions in disarray, etc...

Some years later, I looked again on the Web, and things seemed to recover nicely. I don't regret not buying, because the stock market recovered just as nicely, and with less headache than having a 3rd home.

 

[RetireeRobert]

Not to downplay LV and Henderson area in south Nevada, which have their own charms, but Reno made a "best of' list in places to retire to: https://moneywise.com/a/ch-c/the-best-city-to-retire-in-every-state/p-10

 

[Dog]

Portland probably peaked 10 years ago and is now in steady decline ( my daughter lives outside of Portland). Same with Seattle. I worked in Seattle before I retired in 2014. Crime rate, drugs and homelessness have soared in the past five years and the Seattle Police force has been decimated. We sadly gave up our season tickets for the Seahawks. It is no longer the Emerald City and I don’t see it turning around anytime soon with the political environment in the city, county and state.

 

[Goldendoodlebug]

There are some nice apartments on the east side of downtown by the east side esplanade. I think if I were to live in a condo, that’s where I’d live. It has a huge OHSU Presence and lots of shops/restaurants. The Tillicum bridge is there, a bridge just for pedestrians and transit. It has a nice view of the Willamette river and the train and tram go right by it.

Other neighborhoods in the inner Southeast are also nice and trendy, mostly single family homes but they are not cheap.

Lake Oswego has a couple of nice neighborhoods with condos and walking distance of their downtown but you’d probably need a car.

As someone else said Portland is a series of neighborhoods and each has its own character and flavor.

I still think Portland is a great place to live, but I don’t live in the downtown core. It depends on what you are looking for in a city. Lots to do here and people are friendly.

 

[JT90505]

I lived in Texas and currently live in the Portland area. First, weather: you may want to rent (not buy) for a year as a trial. For many people, the dreary sunless rainy season (a contiguous 7-8 months of the year) can be depressing, especially if you're used to the Texas sunshine. It doesn't bother me, but some can't deal with it. Taxes can be high, depending on your income/spending. The Portland homeless problem is, well, terrible, with tents/tarps everywhere. The political climate is very left, which you may or may not want. The green, lush climate and parks/mountains/forests/coast are simply outstanding.

A post with a reasonably balanced perspective. Visit the city, spend a week (or several weeks) and form your own opinions. Unfortunately perspectives on just about everything are heavily biased based on political views and the biases of what media outlets are watched/listened to/read.

 

[travelover]

A post with a reasonably balanced perspective. Visit the city, spend a week (or several weeks) and form your own opinions. Unfortunately perspectives on just about everything are heavily biased based on political views and the biases of what media outlets are watched/listened to/read.

Yup, this. Depending on your "unbiased" news source, any place can seem a hell hole.

 

[pacergal]

I (& my SO) were just downtown last night. We parked (free) about a half block from a whiskey place that we tried. Then walked a block over the the Schnitz (Theatre) & heard david Sedaris give a talk. It was a beautiful night. There was a sidewalk tent (homeless) on the block. We didn't bother them they didn't bother us. Portland is starting to clean out homeless camps. It's going to take a while. Maybe years. There was a homeless camp fire next to the freeway on the way in. While looking at traffic on maps there was another camp fire on a different part of the freeway. The whiskey bar was good. I had some moonshine.After the show we did not notice any boarded up windows. We were a few blocks up from the "action" last year

I'd visit a few times. Downtown is not what it was. Portland is really a collection of neighborhoods. Sellwood, Woodstock, Ladds, Pearl, etc. Each has a different vibe. If you are in the 'hoods you don't notice what is happening downtown. Downtown may be changed by the WFH. Without office workers there is lots less foot traffic downtown. So the ancillary shops & restaraunts will be changed. Good for parking! It's going to take time to restructure those spaces.

I would not live in Portland proper because taxes are unreal. Property taxes are high (because no sales tax) Schools seem to get every bond they put up even after gross mismanagement. Metro got an affordable housing bond recently. There was a homeless bond iirc. More I'm forgetting

There are some nice apartments on the east side of downtown by the east side esplanade. I think if I were to live in a condo, that’s where I’d live. It has a huge OHSU Presence and lots of shops/restaurants. The Tillicum bridge is there, a bridge just for pedestrians and transit. It has a nice view of the Willamette river and the train and tram go right by it.

Other neighborhoods in the inner Southeast are also nice and trendy, mostly single family homes but they are not cheap.

Lake Oswego has a couple of nice neighborhoods with condos and walking distance of their downtown but you’d probably need a car.

As someone else said Portland is a series of neighborhoods and each has its own character and flavor.

I still think Portland is a great place to live, but I don’t live in the downtown core. It depends on what you are looking for in a city. Lots to do here and people are friendly.

As with any larger city, there are pluses and minus. Portland is a beautiful city, very walkable, lots of fun and funky bars, etc.
I have lived in suburbs east and west of the city for most of my life. I would not live in the city proper, not because of any "bad stuff", I am just not a "big" city person.
Advice for anyone wanting to move anywhere would be to rent for several months, check out the area.
You also do need to understand and live through the winter here. The gray cloudy weather and frequent rain (in the past!) can be relentless. But does keep the grass and trees green and lovely!
The spring/summer cherry blossom trees, rhododendrons, and roses are gorgeous.
And you live basically two hours travel by car to beaches, mountains, desert.
It is a beautiful place to live.

 

[Brat]

FWIW most Portland residents are upset about the homeless camping and our weak city counsel.

The city needed to improve tax revenue to pay for sewer & stormwater replacement, hence the creation of the "Pear District" and all the expensive condos. What was removed was SROs (single room occupancy rentals with bathrooms down the hall) used by very low-income residents. Right now there is a discussion of creating similar housing in old motels and building tiny units on city-owned land. This should have happened at least a year ago but I guess it is better late than never. Before Covid, a couple of wealthy residents had high-density housing shelters planned but they couldn't meet Covid standards.

Yes, there is a theft issue. Anyone who takes a long look at a homeless encampment can see bikes that are being dismantled.

Unfortunately, there are two groups who want to fight with the police caught in the middle. Most of that happened in close-in east side and around the Federal Courthouse. Not a lot of that happening since early this year.

Also, because the police are stretched there are folks who are using pistols and shooting at each other at night and early morning hours. That activity is concentrated in Old Town and areas in the far NE part of town.

Vancouver is not immune from these problems.

 

[oiseux]

C'mon down to my 'hood. No state income tax, no homeless population and sunshine everyday of the year.

Per survey data, per capita Las Vegas' homeless rate is the 28th highest in the US, Reno 24th, and Nevada overall 9th. The majority are unhomed per the most recent homeless census.

 

[travelover]

.........Vancouver is not immune from these problems.

Nope, it is just a northern suburb separated by a river.

 

[RockyMtn]

I live about five miles from downtown Portland and won't go down there now. In the last three years the city has really changed. It was once a beautiful city and now it is filled with homeless camps, garbage, a lot of untreated mental illness and a lot of hard core drug users. We had some of that before, but now it has taken over and it is not just downtown. I've never seen the amount of theft like we are experiencing now either. Catalytic converter and car theft are rampant.

Gun violence used to be in select areas, now it occurs seemingly randomly around Portland.

I have high hopes that things will turn around here, but in the meantime, I'm sad to say, Portland has turned into a dump.

Feel free to message me if you want to talk further.

+1 to this post. Portland, especially downtown is really a mess right now. Grew up there and it has done a 180 degree change. Only reason to go to Portland now is to get a rental car to go to Cannon Beach and Gearhart!

Edit to Add: Brother had his small RV stolen from his driveway last week. Found it two days later 'minus the stereo, GPS and catalytic converter. At least it didn't end up as one of the "zombie vans" parked around the city!

 

[RetiredHappy]

Per survey data, per capita Las Vegas' homeless rate is the 28th highest in the US, Reno 24th, and Nevada overall 9th. The majority are unhomed per the most recent homeless census.

We don't live in Las Vegas.

 

[NW-Bound]

For an entr'acte, here's a video segment of the 2006 Andrea Bocelli concert at the shore of Lake Las Vegas, which brought me there to check out the development.

Lake Las Vegas is in Henderson, and about 20 miles crow-flight from the strip at Las Vegas. In the video below, it was the Italian-style architecture that drew my curiosity.

By the way, the song "Cuando Me Enamoro" ("When I fall in love") is Spanish. Bocelli is of course Italian.

 

[RetiredHappy]

... and this is my favorite.

 

[NW-Bound]

Sorry for being off topic again, but Besame Mucho has been a favorite song of mine since my early teenage years. I fell in love with the tune via a saxo rendition, then later as sung in French lyrics by Dalida.

Not too many people know that the song was written by Consuelo Velasquez, a Mexican composer/singer, when she was only 16.

 

[shortstop14]

I've lived in the Portland area over 40 years. In that period downtown evolved into much more of a residential area, with more grocery stores, restaurants and shops. It's always been a very walkable place with good public transit. Lots of parks and public areas, and generally safe feeling.



But in the last few years, it's really gone downhill. The increase in homeless encampments, graffiti and garbage makes it much less comfortable. The causes and solutions are complex, and I'm pessimistic about the long term trajectory. Outside of the downtown core there are quite a few nice livable areas. There are still a lot of good reasons to live here.

 

[Chuckanut]

FWIW most Portland residents are upset about the homeless camping and our weak city counsel.

The citizens of Portland elected the city council and mayor.

 

[MichaelB]

<mod note> Let’s please not get into the politics

 

[tulak]

Brat, what you say about Portland can be said of Seattle too. Idk about Portland, but personally, it’s best to ignore media and check it out for yourself. Even from this thread you can find different reports of what Portland looks like.

I’m in Seattle and while there are definitely issues, most of the city is fine. I visited family in TN this summer and they thought I must be living in fear/lockdown. Unfortunately that is how things are portrayed nowadays. Usually there are issues, but it’s somewhat confined to specific areas in the city, mostly within a few blocks. I even have friends that live in the suburbs and won’t visit Seattle. It’s tough if you don’t see it for yourself (and sometimes it isn’t pretty too, don’t want to sugarcoat any issues).

So take a long weekend or week trip and see if you like it or not. That could be fun regardless.

 

[neihn]

... There are still a lot of good reasons to live here.

+100
We lived in Portland OR for > 30 years - In 2016, we retired to Florida and found out it is not for us, so in 2020 we moved back to Portland OR.

Before 2019, we had enjoyed downtown Portland very much lots of eateries, food carts, great transportation in and out downtown from West or East side of the city via light rail. Not to mention Saturday Market, an outdoor market, where you can get local produces, arts, and some great street foods. For the last couple years, downtown Portland becomes a mess, but there is plan in place to revitalize the city. There is a sense of the whole community is really in it to get downtown Portland back. I have very high hope for the city. I still go to downtown Portland every chance that I can (be it meeting friends for lunch, strolling), I'd like to support the cause.

 

[NW-Bound]

... Usually there are issues, but it’s somewhat confined to specific areas in the city, mostly within a few blocks. I even have friends that live in the suburbs and won’t visit Seattle. It’s tough if you don’t see it for yourself (and sometimes it isn’t pretty too, don’t want to sugarcoat any issues)...

I have not visited SF, LA, Seattle, Portland in some years, so cannot say how the situation is now. But even then, it depends on what part of the city you visit.

My thought was the same as the above highlighted writing. Hopefully, the problem will stay contained within these blocks, and will not spread.

But if you go to YouTube and search for snippets of news from the local TV stations, you will be quite scared. I was.

For example, just search for "LA skid row", then ask yourself how things could get so bad. It did not make sense!

 

[tulak]

^ I’d be scared too based on these videos. And I live in one of these cities!

I don’t want to understate the problem. The reality is things have spread, but these cities can still be very livable. It all depends on location, along with your tolerance. Living in one of these cities for decades, it is frustrating at how it’s progressed. Part of it is because these cities are thriving. Seattle had one of the largest growth rates in the US last year. If everyone is moving here, it can’t be that bad, right?

And I know this thread is about Portland. I just wanted to point out that if you’re curious, you should check it out in person. The reality will be different, but then you need to figure out if it works for you.

 

[Major Tom]

Here's a random video YouTube somehow selected to recommend to me just now. It's about transgression by homeless people in Hollywood. Tell me if it does not scare you.

I had just finished my dinner when I watched this. I am so glad I watched it after dinner, and not during!

As for the discussion on the homeless situation in Portland, we are experiencing the same thing here in Oakland. It's the same in Los Angeles, and I'm sure many other large metro areas too. There is an encampment a few minutes walk from my house, which is being cleared out by the city this week. The causes, IMO, are multiple, and systemic. Anyway, that's a discussion for another time. I just wanted to comment on the hot bucket of diarrhea