The Bad Part of Town: A Revelation
A few days ago a visitor named Greg made derogatory remarks on our blog about some Fullerton neighborhoods south of Commonwealth. Admin asked Greg to take a walk through the area with him, hoping that a closer look would challenge old stereotypes and misconceptions about the area.
Following the meeting, Greg sent us this:
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Ok, I admit it: I was wrong. As it turns out, the “bad part of town” is actually not as bad as I remembered it. A while back, I made some comments about the area south of the railroad tracks between Lemon and Harbor. Growing up it was known as the “Fullerton barrio”. It wasn’t a derogatory name; it’s just what it was. I had some personal experiences in the area back in the 80’s and 90’s that left a substantial impression on me. Since then, I avoided that part of town. After making my comments last week, Admin challenged me to walk the hood. I took him up on the challenge and we met last night near the train station.
On my way over to meet Admin, I drove down a few of the streets so that I could get a better idea of the area. I wanted to see the trash, graffiti, gang bangers, troublemakers, etc. while there was still some good light. I started out on Lemon and headed south to Valencia . I headed east and took it to the end and turned down what I thought was an ally but turns out it’s a street. Anyway, I looked high and low for what I knew would be there. As it turns out, Admin paid them all off to go hide while I was in the area. Ok, maybe not. The truth is, there was little graffiti. There were a few houses that needed some serious TLC but we have those everywhere. One liquor store had what I would categorize as a few gang bangers in front of it sipping there Budweiser on bikes. But by the time we walked by the store they were gone. Maybe Admin is their secret leader…? Maybe not. The reality is that the barrio has come a long way in the last 20+ years. I would even consider saying that it isn’t really the barrio anymore. Maybe it moved or just faded away, but there is very little of it like I remembered it.
So I met Admin right at 5PM. We talked and walked and I got to see the good and the bad that were present. One thing I noticed quickly was that the sidewalks in the SOCO complex were not user friendly. There were fire gates all over that made the pedestrian have to limbo or walk around it through the landscaping. Poor design. The lighting was good and there were lots of kids on skateboards and bikes. The complex was free from the used condoms, trash, and tagging that I saw when the project was wrapping up. I suppose the new residents deter that sort of criminal mischief. We walked down Truslow and Valencia , eventually making a big loop. Veneer was spotted on some buildings. It wasn’t the cheap stuff that gets glued on but it was clearly a veneer cap. I thought it looked ok but until a couple of weeks ago, I would never have noticed nor cared. Now, at least I am a little more cognizant of its use and misuse. We saw some more tagging on the veneer and a window. Admin stopped to talk to a resident.
Ok, I have to back up a bit. Before meeting Admin, I thought I should do a little investigative work. Using top secret classified resources, I looked up properties held by people with Admin’s last name. There were several dozen such properties in Orange County with all but maybe two in Fullerton . The majority of the properties were in the SOCO area. A lot of different ideas crossed my mind as I reviewed the records. These holdings could mean that Admin was trying to monopolize the area. It could mean a lot of things. Not knowing what it all meant, I decided to go along for the ride and see what happened. As it turns out, Admin was very upfront with the properties he had; there were no secrets, no shades of grey. I had to conclude that his significant investment in the success of the area was directly related to how much the area had improved in the last 20 years. He had taken run down lots and built new homes. He had taken an area that actually had blight and turned it into a quiet and peaceful place. I credit Admin with the amazing transition of this area. And to top it off, NO TAX-PAYER DOLLARS WERE EVER USED. (ok one minor exception back in the 80’s but it didn’t make a difference in and of itself)
In the end, I must thank Admin for opening my eyes to what has been slowly taking shape for many years and giving me the opportunity to be proven wrong!
Sincerely,
Greg
Good!
I’ve noticed an attitude directed toward those areas that is based on impressions that just aren’t true. But I always have the feeling that those who live north of Commonwealth or north of Chapman probably have as many problems –though different, as those who live south. They just cover them up with fancier traps.
Kanani,
You are right. Living up in the north end of town, we have our issues. Once in a while there is graffiti. There are the occasional burglaries. A attacks at Craig park, too. What we don’t seem to have is the constant presence of gangbangers hanging out in front of liquor stores. Not that I saw many but there were a few when I first drove through. We have kids who can be destructive from time to time but no obvious gang signs. The point is that I had built up a prejudice based on experiences I had 20+ years ago. I had no idea the transformation that was taking place. It was time for me to see the reality and not my perception.
It just goes to show you that I will admit when I’m wrong (which I was) and that I care enough to actually get involved.
I thank FFFF for challenging me to this eye-opening experience. THANK YOU!
Admin and FFFF readers would be well advised not to place too much credence in the opinion of blogger Greg as a baseline for the rest of the community. This is a guy who hopped from his #2 comment above to rush back to an argument he was spinning in another thread where he secretly change his log in to “Anonymous” underneath comments previously made as “Greg” so as to back his own self up. “Greg/Anonymous” should perform a thorough self exam on his debating ethics.
Some of pay attention and know how to tell lie from truth. We’re the same peeps who really know what it’s like on the other side of the tracks cuz we walk there more than once every five years before attempting to spout off about things we know very little. Bonus: we have the conviction to do it under one name whether we speak alone or with the masses.
The Creep Factor must be referenced as well. “Greg” is a man, a former teacher, who glosses over the “hypothetical” issue of the sexual objectification of 12-13 year old school girls by their teachers because it reminds him of his “HOT!
” HS teach fantasies. ref. skeezy commentary in this thread.
I mention these things not just because I think “Greg” deserves a glass of cold water in the face, but because “Greg” devotes his time to lengthy erroneously blog entries, and I don’t have the time or inclination to waste disputing them all…so just a kind heads up, Readers, on “Greg/Anonymous'” lack of credibility.
EoE: down boy (or girl)! FFFF readers are always warned to believe nothing they read here. Don’t trust, but verify! (to paraphrase)
Also I believe Greg simply forgot to type in his name. That will produce an “Anonymous” automatically.
“down boy”
If I’m your dog, you can be the town ass. 🙂
“Also I believe Greg simply forgot to type in his name.”
You are a fool if you believe he forgot to log in three times in that thread, but did just fine with being “Greg” when he hopped back and forth to this one that was all about himself.
Additionally, I’d wager his log in is stored though there’s no way to prove the point. (Certainly can’t ask honest “Greg/Anonymous,” now can we?) “Greg” posts here near daily under the name “Greg.” My log in is stored like I bet most regular posters is…the ones not hiding behind multiple nicks, that is.
* most reg posters are
Let’s get back to the point of this post – I think Greg should be applauded for having an open mind, making the effort to go on a walkabout and for admitting that he was wrong. Isn’t that what this blog is all about?
I agree that it’s never too late to be smart. A guy who accidentally lit himself on fire said that exact phrase to me once.
This article came up on my google alerts for Fullerton and though I do take everything I read on this blog with a grain of salt (mostly because so many of the articles seem so angry) I must say that I am very happy to read this one.
I live, work and play in Fullerton. As a realtor(r) I have been in all these neighborhoods and have many people say that they don’t want to live in particular ones (such as the one discussed) but you know what? Greg is totally right! Most are not what they were in the 80’s and 90’s and I have opened many buyers’ eyes (and many have opened mine) to them. I sold my best friend a home in a very comporable Fullerton neighborhood. She is happy as a clam! She loves it.
Thank you so much for the article! Things change and these Fullerton Changes seem to be for the better!
“so many of the articles seem so angry”
Well, we’ve got a lot to be mad about – when it comes to the mismanagement and lack of accountability in local government. And also when it comes to getting stuck with nincompoops like Bankhead and Jones to represent us (Keller is really starting to solidify her membership in this club).
If all this were just a recent trend we probably wouldn’t get so agitated. But as our pages have amply demonstrated, lack of accountability and council puppetry in Fullerton have being going on a long, long time.
Much – most of this kind of bad-mouthing of any area of our town would seem quite SELF-SERVING for the Redevelopment Agency expansion advocates.
This article brought back to my memory the pure RUBBISH which City Councilwoman Jan Flory used to spout about “INNER-CITY FULLERTON”.
What a COMPLETE ASS that woman was, to hype such a phony image about her own little suburban city.
It made me sick to listen, as the phony private property rights grabbers of our present City Council FAKED UP “findings” of “blight” in order to expand the should-have-been-dead Redevelopment Agency this past summer.
“What a COMPLETE ASS that woman was”
No, she’s still alive.
But I know what you mean. She shaved my hindquarters once and make me walk backwards.
Greg, to clear the record, I believe the reason this neighborhood turned “bad” was because after the Harbor & Lemon St. grade separations occurred in the early and late 70’s respectively, the natural flow of street traffic was altered, some streets became dead ends, others one way in one way out, this neighborhood was literally separated from the rest of the city, at that point many longtime residents moved out and the neighborhood was taken over by absentee landlords.
They charged rent based off the number of people they could squeeze into a unit, and anyone could build a unit without permits, some units had no sewer line (buckets were in high demand), inadequate water pressure, most lacked heating and ventilation, it was a joke, no joke. For many residents, the only “open space” was in the street. One house had 60 people living in the basement, now that’s overcrowding!
To make matters worse, the attitude at city hall was “those people like living that way”.
Greg, thanks for meeting me and for the educational post 🙂