Austin....so over it

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Brons2

Brons2

Joined
Sep 16, 2003
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Austin, TX MSA
I've lived in the Austin area for 32 years and I am so done, but I'm stuck because of all the nearby family I have, my parents live nearby plus all my inlaws.

What I really hate are all the non-stop positive articles about this being a great place. Just came across one again this morning.
austin.culturemap.com

'Talent magnet' Austin named one of the top 50 cities in the world in prestigious report

Austin has solidified its place as "the hometown of the American dream" following another year of success in the economic, educational, and tech industry sectors, according to a prestigious report by Canada-based real estate and tourism marketing advisors Resonance Consultancy.
austin.culturemap.com austin.culturemap.com

This place is not even close to being one of the 50 best cities in the world. I am not sure what they are talking about. I've had the good fortune to travel around the US and the world quite a bit, this place is not even in the top 100. The infrastructure has not changed that much since I moved here in January of 1992, yet there are now literally 3 times as many people. We are so far behind. And it's so expensive now to live here. And the extortion property taxes. And we have a homeless situation on par with LA, SF, Portland and Seattle. Not to mention all the tech bros moving here from Silicon Valley.

I've moved about as far out as I possibly can while still being in the catchment area of a highly rated suburban school district. If I didn't have this consideration it would be even farther.

Austin sucks, there I said it.
 
Sounds like Northern Virginia.

Although the entire state of Virginia seems to be filled with people who have their nose up in the air about what a great state it is because of things that happened decades or centuries ago, like the 8 Presidents born there. EDIT: Don't even get me started on all the people claiming to be descendants of Pocahontas.
 
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I moved to Austin in 1981. Back then it lived-up to all of the hype, and then some. It has gradually deteriorated to the point where I no-longer like living here. 40 years ago I never would have thought this would happen. 25 years ago I stopped encouraging people to move here, not because I didn't want Austin to grow any larger, but because I knew that they wouldn't like it.
BTW, I have not been to 6th street in over 20 years. We used to go there all the time, now it has become much too dangerous.
 
JeffKeryk said:
Well, years ago I was sent to Austin on business for a week. 6th Street was freakin' amazing!
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6th Street was awesome 30+ years ago, when I first went there. Now, it’s very different. I don’t like it nearly as much. Was there 15 years ago and it was still great.

Was there last year and…it was packed with Hipsters, Panhandlers, and jerks - very, very different vibe than the Austin I knew.
 
Astro14 said:
6th Street was awesome 30+ years ago, when I first went there. Now, it’s very different. I don’t like it nearly as much. Was there 15 years ago and it was still great.

Was there last year and…it was packed with Hipsters, Panhandlers, and jerks - very, very different vibe than the Austin I knew.
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... and gangs. You are literally risking your life going downtown now days.
 
Last time I was there was 2003. Thought it was nice but nothing to rave about.
 
alarmguy said:
Under certain administrations NYC was almost like walking in Disneyland. Gone were the street people, beggars, windshield cleaners, drug dealers. Its a shame, now is back in time to all the above except for "Disneyland"
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Manhattan is really nice. Was clean when I was there over the summer.

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Houston along with Austin is becoming a dump. Can't see myself staying here into retirement anymore which sucks because I've grown very fond and attached to my small farm and I'd have to sell it along with my houses if i want to move. The only thing i remotely care about.
 
buster said:
Manhattan is really nice. Was clean when I was there over the summer.
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Wow, surprised to hear it, Times Square area? Theater District.
Maybe I am out of touch but have heard comments from those who were there even this summer. They said the smell of pot on every street and pot sellers on every corner ruined their trip there. So I assumed the worst.

I haven't been there myself in 14 years now but it wasnt as it used to be even then. Born and raised on Long Island, spent 4 decades in Nassau County and decided to get out while I could, best move our family could make, worked out great for our kids too. Still own property in one of the city suburbs though but never want to go back there.
 
The Critic said:
Don't put yourself a situation where they can affect your day to day life. It is that simple.
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The problem is that they are EVERYWHERE. You can't get away from them. They panhandle relentlessly and they won't take no for an answer. We have a HUGE homeless problem. The city fathers think that the answer is to provide more low cost housing. WRONG! Over 50% of the homeless are homeless by choice and are not going to live in any kind of housing, low cost, free, or otherwise. They don't want to live by anyone else's rules.
 
alarmguy said:
Wow, surprised to hear it, Times Square area? Theater District.
Maybe I am out of touch but have heard comments from those who were there even this summer. They said the smell of pot on every street and pot sellers on every corner ruined their trip there. So I assumed the worst.

I haven't been there myself in 14 years now but it wasnt as it used to be even then. Born and raised on Long Island, spent 4 decades in Nassau County and decided to get out while I could, best move our family could make, worked out great for our kids too. Still own property in one of the city suburbs though but never want to go back there.
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I can only speak of Manhattan in the Times Square vicinity down to KoreaTown. We had the impression based on the media that it wasn't in good shape, however, it was. Was very clean.
 
wag123 said:
The problem is that they are EVERYWHERE. You can't get away from them. They panhandle relentlessly and they won't take no for an answer. We have a HUGE homeless problem. The city fathers think that the answer is to provide more low cost housing. WRONG! Over 50% of the homeless are homeless by choice and are not going to live in any kind of housing, low cost, free, or otherwise. They don't want to live by anyone else's rules.
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I can't imagine it being worse than San Francisco? If you do not interact, they do not interact. Just stay focused on your task at hand...
 
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