quote:

Originally posted by choang3:
I’m a lifelong resident of the area and choose to live in Jefferson Parish instead of Orleans Parish. I know you’re planning to rent, but as a homeowner, I wasn’t too keen on idea of paying higher property taxes and taxes in general for poorer services. NOPD response times are atrocious due to serious understaffing, many roads are in poor condition, traffic cams are rampant, and small scale flooding occurs more frequently than I think is acceptable. Jefferson Parish, however, is enjoying some of the lowest rates of crime in years and is almost a polar opposite of how I described New Orleans.

I know someone mentioned that crime is rising in River Ridge according to some relatives that live there, but I’ve lived in River Ridge (unincorporated Jefferson Parish) for years and now am a homeowner in Harahan (incorporated town adjacent to it) and I haven’t seen that trend. Harahan was declared safest city in Louisiana according to crime statistics in 2016 & 2017.

Other areas in Jeff Parish I’d consider living that has easy access to the UNO Lakefront area are: Bucktown, Old Metairie, And Kenner. If you don’t mind the 30-minute commute and tolls everyday, then the Northshore is also very nice and safe. If considering the Westbank (across the Mississippi River), I’d consider Old Gretna. There’s a sliver of New Orleans on the Westbank called Algiers but everyone treats it as the redheaded stepchild by both Orleans Parish and Jeff Parish. When you hear about crime in the Westbank, it’s usually in Algiers.

If you’d be ok with Orleans Parish, I really like the Lakefront area and it’ll be very close to your work. Trendy areas right now include Marigny, Irish Channel, Bywater, and Mid-City.

In terms of life in the area, there’s a certain joie de vivre about the residents that I haven’t encountered elsewhere in my limited travels. The people are the best I know and the food never leaves me wanting. We’re in festival season right now and there’s just an air of happiness percolating everywhere. Yes, it can get hot, humid, muggy, and it rains a lot, but just like any other climate, you just learn to live with it.

If you come down for a looksee, email me and beers are on me—as long as you don’t drink like a fish.