Visitreno

CaSwede · Joined: 28 Feb 2006 Posts: 866

The biggest complaint about downtown Reno is the undesireables/pandhandlers/crime/not feeling safe Right???

The Reno Gazette had a good article about this issue:

http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080404/NEWS04/804040533/1321/NEWS

I was just thinking: Can you image if this whole problem was not an issue? Just think about downtown Reno without ANY safety issues? Would tourism double? Not going to happen, but wouldn't it be nice?

stan_allen · Joined: 19 Dec 2005 Posts: 1129

Good point, and I keep dreaming...

But at some point, even I have to say that the improvements I liked to imagine were right around the corner are, in fact, nowhere to be seen.

I'm willing to give anyone the benefit of the doubt, and I appreciate that police departments have huge caseloads, but we have not seen anyone step up to the plate and deal with the problem. Apparently, the urge to look the other way is too powerful, and the downtown will simply remain a mess for the foreseeable future.

Look at all those spiffy new condos being enthusiastically sculpted - is there no thought given as to what potential residents might think when looking within a quarter-mile radius of these buildings?

Very sad. I'm a fan, and yet I can no longer defend downtown Reno.

remano · Joined: 20 Dec 2005 Posts: 717

Don't be so hard on Reno. Every city of any size has the same problem. In Las Vegas they try to keep the panhandlers away from the casinos but you still see some, and get just a block away from Fremont Street and see what you find. And don't even get me started on San Francisco! Reno's vagrant population is tiny by comparison.

stan_allen · Joined: 19 Dec 2005 Posts: 1129

Thanks for offering that silver lining - and yes, every now and then, I venture up towards San Fran, and am always flabbergasted at the unbelievably huge volume of bums.

So perhaps there's hope yet.

evandors · Joined: 23 Dec 2005 Posts: 36

Sorry, but I need to play Devil's advocate. I wonder how many people get panhandled outside of Indian Casinos ?

hawk · Joined: 17 Dec 2005 Posts: 508

They are on every corner (nearly) here in a small OR town. From what I've read in the paper, they have 4 times the income I do as a retiree. AND they pay no taxes, fees, whatever, just steal what they think they need.

The good side though: We got ONE of them off the street when John started this message board.

john · Site Admin Joined: 17 Dec 2005 Posts: 1181

I just wish you guys would leave us...uhhh, THEM, alone.