Anybody move here from a larger or similar-sized city?

[bchris02]

The rise in crime here is something I've noticed as well. I guess it comes with a growing community but it seems with all this money for redevelopment, maybe crime prevention is getting the shaft. It says something when OKC has more murders in a year than Washington and Vegas. It also is interesting to note that over 25% of the city's murders last year was gang related. This city has a gang problem that hasn't gotten any serious attention.

I use to love being in downtown OKC at night. Walking around Bricktown and also downtown. Now? I won't be caught down there after dark. After being caught in the crossfire of the shootings after the festival down there a few years ago...that was enough. Since that day, OKC proper hasn't received a dime of my money (from sales tax) outside of getting something to eat at the airport. With crime increasing it is just another factor in finding some place new to live.

Sorry to hear about your experience. Oklahoma City is still 50th on the "Most dangerous cities" list so crime is still lower than many other major cities, but the rising crime is not good at all, and if anything (besides the collapse of a major company like Chesapeake) ends the OKC renaissance, it will be that. High-crime cities are never boomtowns. Most of the time they are stagnant and suffer from severe white-flight to their suburbs i.e. Memphis. Other, much larger cities are much lower on the list. It will be very beneficial to OKC short term and long term to beef up its police force.

[CaptDave]

I think we should seriously consider deannexation of some of the rural areas of OKC. That could the the quickest, most cost effective way to provide out police and fire departments some relief. Reduce the area they are required to service and increase the size of the force wen prudent and possible. Of course the deannexation would have to take into account reduced property tax revenue but I think it could be done by some careful analysis. Then return rural law enforcement to the OK Sheriffs Department. Reestablish volunteer fire departments and/or enter into agreements with the nearest municipal fire department for service in the rural areas.

[ljbab728]

I think we should seriously consider deannexation of some of the rural areas of OKC. That could the the quickest, most cost effective way to provide out police and fire departments some relief. Reduce the area they are required to service and increase the size of the force wen prudent and possible. Of course the deannexation would have to take into account reduced property tax revenue but I think it could be done by some careful analysis. Then return rural law enforcement to the OK Sheriffs Department. Reestablish volunteer fire departments and/or enter into agreements with the nearest municipal fire department for service in the rural areas.

I totally disagree. I see no evidence that the police force spends much time patrolling the outlying areas which you think might need to be deannexed. I agree with beefing them up but think that's an ineffective way to do it. They aren't hanging out around 119th and Council while neglecting 10th and Western.

In my opinion, that would basically have zero effect on the overall crime rate in OKC.

[bchris02]

I totally disagree. I see no evidence that the police force spends much time patrolling the outlying areas which you think might need to be deannexed. I agree with beefing them up but think that's an ineffective way to do it. They aren't hanging out around 119th and Council while neglecting 10th and Western.

In my opinion, that would basically have zero effect on the overall crime rate in OKC.

The areas that should be de-annexed are areas like SW 59th and Cimarron or Hefner Rd and Frisco. Rural West OKC is vast and very sparsely populated. Or maybe the area around NE 150th and Indian Meridian could go as well. I can't see how it benefits the city to keep all of that within its city limits.

[ljbab728]

The areas that should be de-annexed are areas like SW 59th and Cimarron or Hefner Rd and Frisco. Rural West OKC is vast and very sparsely populated. Or maybe the area around NE 150th and Indian Meridian could go as well. I can't see how it benefits the city to keep all of that within its city limits.

It keeps OKC from being totally landlocked like Dallas or Tulsa. I have had numerous discussions with others here over the subject of deannexation. I can't see how it benefits the city to abandon all of that area to the suburban cities who would quickly gobble it up for future economic benefits.

[CaptDave]

It keeps OKC from being totally landlocked like Dallas or Tulsa. I have had numerous discussions with others here over the subject of deannexation. I can't see how it benefits the city to abandon all of that area to the suburban cities who would quickly gobble it up for future economic benefits.

That is a legitimate concern without a doubt. I was looking at it mainly from the standpoint of concentrating the efforts of our present police force in a smaller area. There are other reasons I think it should be seriously studied and considered, but this is one of the primary ones.

[DeluxeOK]

To the people who are looking for ways to make friends and meet new people, volunteering is a great way to find others with common interests. Give a few hours of your time to Momentum, the Humane Society, Children's Hospital - it might be worth a try.

[ljbab728]

That is a legitimate concern without a doubt. I was looking at it mainly from the standpoint of concentrating the efforts of our present police force in a smaller area. There are other reasons I think it should be seriously studied and considered, but this is one of the primary ones.

I understand you point, CD. I have just never seen any convincing evidence that it is a legitimate answer to anything. Besides that, it will never happen anyway. LOL
It's better to look for other solutions.

[Dubya61]

Can you point me to the thread where deannexing / land-locked OKC was discussed? I've missed it and, personally don't see the problem with being land-locked.

[OKCisOK4me]

How about the next MAPS be called MAPS4OKCPD?? Lol, seriously...that's the only way the city can really afford to hire the amount of new police officers it needs.

[ljbab728]

Can you point me to the thread where deannexing / land-locked OKC was discussed? I've missed it and, personally don't see the problem with being land-locked.

I think was the most recent. There were some prior to this.

http://www.okctalk.com/general-civic...ty-limits.html

[Snowman]

How about the next MAPS be called MAPS4OKCPD?? Lol, seriously...that's the only way the city can really afford to hire the amount of new police officers it needs.

While you can call it what you want, the MAPS style taxes pay for capital improvements not payroll. Plus much of interest from all the MAPS taxes have gone to buying police and fire vehicles.

[ljbab728]

While you can call it what you want, the MAPS style taxes pay for capital improvements not payroll. Plus much of interest from all the MAPS taxes have gone to buying police and fire vehicles.

You're exactly correct. The MAPS style of taxes are designed to make improvements to the city which will at some point improve our basic tax situation to pay for salaries and other needs.

[soonerguru]

This is a fascinating thread. Thank you to all for your contributions. I'm a native, but I've lived and traveled elsewhere, so I've always noticed these deficits in OKC's quality of life. Thank you for summing it up better than I could / have.

Clearly OKC is making great strides, and I honestly believe we have a mayor (and, for the most part, a chamber) who understand these concerns and are trying to improve things.

I'm very optimistic about OKC's future; I just hope I'll have enough "youth" left in me to enjoy it when it really becomes more like the city we all want it to be. It's approaching big-league status, but there are still a lot of small-time thinkers here who have no idea what a great city even looks like. I'll join you all to keep fighting the good fight.

Let us not forget that our city made a series of disastrous decisions going back 50 years, so we have a lot of mistakes to overcome, and our track record over the past 15 years is pretty darn good. Over the last five it's even more impressive.

This message forum is one thing that has dramatically opened the dialogue to discuss where we need to go as a city. In the past, a handful of rich white guys just did what they thought best for everyone with zero input from the public. OKCTalk and social media are changing this dynamic.

[Teo9969]

If you're single under 30, I'd guess that living in the Urban Core is your best bet to distance yourself from the family-oriented suburban lifestyle. The Urban Core is really starting to be a city, whereas most of OKC is just a big giant suburb of itself.

I live on 46th and Classen and don't really get the family vibe around here at all. Classen Curve, Penn Square, Western Avenue are all at the doorstep. 23rd, Paseo, and Plaza are 5 minutes away and downtown is maybe 10 minutes away, but the drive is significantly more interesting than driving from Edmond or NW 122nd/Council.

It's not Midtown, but it's a lot cheaper (honestly, it could be a fantastic investment if you buy here. If you decide to leave, just rent it out), not that far away, and one of the most diverse areas in the entire city.

[OKCisOK4me]

While you can call it what you want, the MAPS style taxes pay for capital improvements not payroll. Plus much of interest from all the MAPS taxes have gone to buying police and fire vehicles.

OK, then how bout they just put a penny cent tax on a roll of toilet paper. Lemme guess, you'd be shaking with your right hand, lol.

[betts]

I'm very optimistic about OKC's future; I just hope I'll have enough "youth" left in me to enjoy it when it really becomes more like the city we all want it to be. It's approaching big-league status, but there are still a lot of small-time thinkers here who have no idea what a great city even looks like. I'll join you all to keep fighting the good fight.

Soonerguru, I can reassure you that it doesn't require youth to enjoy improvments in a city. When I moved here, downtown OKC was a wasteland. Actually, the process of watching it change has been as enjoyable as appreciating the changes. It's never going to be Chicago, but it's light years better than when I moved here. I suspect (and hope you've got enough years in your to see as dramatic a change as I have.

[bchris02]

If you're single under 30, I'd guess that living in the Urban Core is your best bet to distance yourself from the family-oriented suburban lifestyle. The Urban Core is really starting to be a city, whereas most of OKC is just a big giant suburb of itself.

I live on 46th and Classen and don't really get the family vibe around here at all. Classen Curve, Penn Square, Western Avenue are all at the doorstep. 23rd, Paseo, and Plaza are 5 minutes away and downtown is maybe 10 minutes away, but the drive is significantly more interesting than driving from Edmond or NW 122nd/Council.

It's not Midtown, but it's a lot cheaper (honestly, it could be a fantastic investment if you buy here. If you decide to leave, just rent it out), not that far away, and one of the most diverse areas in the entire city.

I might consider that area. I have until summer when my lease runs out to decide. How is the safety in that area?

One thing I've noticed about OKC as opposed to other cities is most of the trendy neighborhoods are still somewhat emerging, meaning you still have some blight mixed in with the gentrification rather than a completely gentrified historic neighborhood like Dilworth in Charlotte.

I really wish Google would update the streetview imagery. I have a feeling a lot has changed in the inner city since 2007 and its hard to fully take in surroundings when driving and watching traffic.

[Teo9969]

I might consider that area. I have until summer when my lease runs out to decide. How is the safety in that area?

One thing I've noticed about OKC as opposed to other cities is most of the trendy neighborhoods are still somewhat emerging, meaning you still have some blight mixed in with the gentrification rather than a completely gentrified historic neighborhood like Dilworth in Charlotte.

I really wish Google would update the streetview imagery. I have a feeling a lot has changed in the inner city since 2007 and its hard to fully take in surroundings when driving and watching traffic.

It depends street to street. Some Streets have terrible lighting and some have okay lighting. I've had a couple thefts but a lot of that has been my inattention to security: for example, the first time, I was living alone in the house and had a room that had no curtains or blinds up that looked vacant...so I assume a kid just thought it would be an easy target...that was also the only time that I was literally broken-into.

If you make sure that the exterior of your house is well-lit and that your access points are well secured, I doubt as though you will have problems...It's kind of hit and miss street by street down in this neck of the woods.

[PennyQuilts]

Soonerguru, I can reassure you that it doesn't require youth to enjoy improvments in a city. When I moved here, downtown OKC was a wasteland. Actually, the process of watching it change has been as enjoyable as appreciating the changes. It's never going to be Chicago, but it's light years better than when I moved here. I suspect (and hope you've got enough years in your to see as dramatic a change as I have.

When I was a young woman, a friend of mine was a transplanted Rochester native and she just couldn't adapt to OKC. She was used to an established city with plenty to do all the time. At the time, she was 29 or 30. I was about ten years younger. I recall telling her that she had a great opportunity to dive in and be part of building a city. At the time, OKC wasn't even a hundred years old and Rochester was had been around for nearly 300 years. Eventually, she moved back home.

But my point is that when I said that to her, I was thinking more in terms of civic, cultural, artistic development - I had no real vision of how it would explode, physically, into such a beautiful, vibrant city. I am just so proud of OKC and the way it has worked to develop its downtown and surrounding areas is just absolutely thrilling, to me. I personally don't have any desire to live closer in but wish OKC had been a little further along when my kids left the nest. There is so much more to offer young professionals, now, than there once were. I am very happy for the ones who feel like they don't have to leave the way people once did.

[betts]

I might consider that area. I have until summer when my lease runs out to decide. How is the safety in that area?

One thing I've noticed about OKC as opposed to other cities is most of the trendy neighborhoods are still somewhat emerging, meaning you still have some blight mixed in with the gentrification rather than a completely gentrified historic neighborhood like Dilworth in Charlotte.

I really wish Google would update the streetview imagery. I have a feeling a lot has changed in the inner city since 2007 and its hard to fully take in surroundings when driving and watching traffic.

Actually, I think most of the cities we would all like to emulate have blight mixed in with their trendier areas. That's what makes them trendy - they've only recently become "worthy" of being considered trendy. I have to laugh because my daughter turns her nose up at Lincoln Park in Chicago as "too preppy". She considers emerging areas as far cooler, but they're definitely grittier.

[Urbanized]

Wow, Rochester? I think she was just homesick. Or, it sounds like you're writing about a time when OKC was in its depths of despair. But I've been to Rochester, and while the setting is pretty, it is certainly no more cosmopolitan than OKC or cities around us. The incorporated city limits boasts HALF the population of OKC's. felt pretty comparable to Wichita, Kansas to me.

[PennyQuilts]

Wow, Rochester? I think she was just homesick. Or, it sounds like you're writing about a time when OKC was in its depths of despair. But I've been to Rochester, and while the setting is pretty, it is certainly no more cosmopolitan than OKC or cities around us. The incorporated city limits boasts HALF the population of OKC's. felt pretty comparable to Wichita, Kansas to me.

She was homesick but much of the problem was it was about 1980. In comparison, OKC was a cowtown or dead.

[bchris02]

She was homesick but much of the problem was it was about 1980. In comparison, OKC was a cowtown or dead.

Pre-MAPS, most other cities, even some half the size of OKC, offered far more. That was when this city was feeling the full wrath of the Pei Plan from the studying I've done on its history.

Personally, I wouldn't have willingly moved to OKC even ten years ago. It's made a ton of strides just in the last decade.

[Bunty]

She was homesick but much of the problem was it was about 1980. In comparison, OKC was a cowtown or dead.

But I thought Oklahoma City was quite a booming oil town in 1980 with plans for huge skyscrapers to soon go up. Oil had no where to go but soon to $100 a barrel.