Critic yes, but I'm also a cheerleader for Salem

Because I've written a lot of blog posts about Salem, quite a few of them critical, among some people I've got an undeserved reputation as a Salem-hater.

Actually, I love this town. 

Below I've shared recent emails I've gotten from two people interested in possibly relocating to Oregon, along with my reply. You can see that I'm positive about Salem -- which fits with me having happily lived in and near Salem for 37 years.

My attitude is similar to how I felt when told in the 1960's "Love it or leave it, hippie!" I'd think, "Hey, I can not want to leave this country, and also want to make it better, since I don't love everything about the United States."

Same with Salem. I can love it, not want to leave it, and also be critical of it. 

So, yeah, it's fair to say that I'm a cheerleader for Salem.

Read on for the mildly edited messages from Person #1 and Person #2, along with my initial replies. Since, I've exchanged additional messages with them. 

Here's the email message I got from Person #1:

Hi Brian!

Stumbled on your site while researching Salem. My husband and I (along with a human baby and two furry babies) are looking to re-locate to Oregon.

While we originally looked in and around Portland and Eugene (we both love Portland -- I lived in Seattle in my twenties during the mid 90's and spent many a free weekend at Powell's before catching the train back to Seattle), I've noticed there are quite a number of positions open in Salem. Since you have spent a goodly amount of time there (37 years!) I thought I'd email and get your insight on it. 

About us -- liberal, crunchy but not dopey, atheist but follow the middle path for guidance, avid hikers (our honeymoon was John Muir Trail), and a bit artsy (my husband is an actor on the side, I'm more the nose in the book kind), and at the end of the day down to earth, hopeful, and looking for the positive in most people and sitches.

We are mainly looking to re-locate as it is impossible to buy a house in CA and the schools here suck. I would really love to live in a place which is multi-cultural, open, kid friendly, and has good schools. It would be a bonus if we could buy a house, but the focus is primarily a good place for families. We are hoping to give _____ a sibling or two in the next few years before we run out of time on our biological clocks. 

With that in mind-would you say Salem might be a good option for us? 

Thanks in advance!

My reply to Person #1:

Salem is a good family town. I’m glad my daughter grew up here, from 1977 until she graduated from high school in 1990. It lacks the “coolness” factor of Portland and Eugene, but there are some promising signs we’re getting cooler. Probably will write a blog post today about attending a recent city council meeting that offered up some hope along this line.

I could share some advice about where in Salem you might feel most comfortable, and other thoughts about the town. If you ever want to talk, my home number is ___________.

A good thing about Salem is the comparatively low housing costs. Also, the comparative lack of traffic/congestion. My wife and I get antsy about driving to Portland, since nowadays it seems like freeway rush “hour” can be almost any time of the day. However, I know quite a few people who live in Portland and work in Salem, because they prefer the Portland lifestyle and amenities.

Anyway, when I read your message I thought, “they’d fit right in.” We also mostly associate with liberal, atheist, outdoorsy people. As I’ve written about fairly recently, Salem is a liberal town, albeit with a (hopefully temporary) conservative Mayor and city council majority.

    — Brian

And here's an email from Person #2:

Dear Brian,

Just stumbled on your article about “planned communities” in Oregon for those of us nearing retirement. I found it as I was researching for a vacation/retirement exploration trip my husband and I (and daughter) are taking at the end of August 2015.

We’ve never been to the Northwest but everything we’ve read and heard makes us think we would be really happy to retire there. As I read your article, your description of yourself and what you’re looking for is identical to our goals. (Aging, active hippy types) Just wondering if you’ve found anything or any new builds since you wrote that piece in 2013?

Where can I get a good breakdown of cities we should check out while we’re there? Well, I hope you’re still communicating with the cyber world as I would appreciate whatever help/guidance you can give.

Thanks so much, _______

This is my reply to Person #2:

_______, nice to hear from you. If your tour of the Northwest brings you to Salem, let me know. We could get together for coffee and a snack, or whatever. 

I think you’d be happy with the Northwest. We sure are. I prefer Oregon to Washington, but that’s because I’ve lived here since 1971. The weather is a bit milder and less rainy in western Oregon compared to western Washington, but the Puget Sound area definitely has a lot going for it.

 

We haven’t found any actual retirement communities that appeal to us yet. We’ve expressed interest (and even put a $1,000 deposit down on one) in a couple of continuing care communities — thinking ahead to the time when we could be needing that sort of care. 

 

Right now, at age 65 and 66, we don’t. So for the moment we’re happy to stay on our 10 acres in rural south Salem. We’ve got another deposit down on two lots in a new development here in Salem, Fairview Addition.

 

Regarding cities, these are the “coolest” cities for retirement in Oregon. (I’m not as familiar with Washington.) Portland, Eugene, Corvallis, Ashland, Bend. 

 

The coast and eastern/central Oregon (Bend is in central Oregon) appeal to many people, but to us they have too many drawbacks as a place to live, as opposed to visiting. The coast is rainy and foggy much of the year. Central and eastern Oregon are cold much of the year, though for skiers this is great (the ski reason was poor last winter, though, because it rained more than snowed due to climate change, most likely).

 

We like the Willamette Valley because the weather is temperate, and you’re close to the coast, to Portland, to the mountains. Salem, though I criticize it a lot, does have quite a few positive points.

 

Notably, housing costs are considerably cheaper here than in Portland and even other Willamette Valley cities. $300,000 buys a nice home here, while in Portland this would be a shack, comparatively. Salem is more low-key, without the crime, traffic jams, and such that Portland has. So you should give the Salem area a look.

 

I’d be glad to talk with you by phone if you ever want to discuss Oregon and the Northwest that way. 

 

Also, Sisters, in central Oregon is a wonderful small town. Well worth a visit. It’s about half an hour from Bend. If it wasn’t for the winters, and the generally less temperate climate there (spring comes late and fall early), I could see myself living in Sisters. 

 

    -- Brian

Comments

[Harry Vanderpool]

Brian said:
"Actually, I love this town. "

WELL NOW, THATS MORE LIKE IT!!!!!

But what is this cockamamie nonsense of inviting the entire planet to move here?

If you are serious about inviting every Tom, Dick and ,,,,well every Tom and Dick to move here, what do you say we put in a dense subdivision right next door to you for them to live?

Ever heard of Tom McCall? I love how totally conservative you are becoming, but SLOW IT DOWN A BIT!!!

Oregon. Please come and visit and THEN GO BACK HOME!
:-)

[Kurt]

Salem is no longer the Salem we loved. While I still feel great affection for the city, my relationship is becoming similar to that between a parent and a child who has made bad friends and seems to have acquired bad habits - while holding hope for the future and maintaining a certain sense of connection, a deep sense of foreboding has reared its ugly head.
The purpose of our local government has become the promotion of the goals of the real estate industry, their associates, and the Chamber of Commerce.
The things we loved will continue to be sacrificed. I share Harry's concern about increased population. The goal of creating a big city (begun during the Taylor administration), which is well on its way to being realized, will result in big problems.
It has already become difficult to get around town because of traffic congestion. This can only get worse. Air quality will certainly suffer.
Water quality should is also a major concern. The expected regularity of drought and increasing demand will eventually have a negative effect on water quality and availability. The desire to find tenants for the Mill Creek Corporate Center, which was an initial goal of Mayor Taylor when she was first elected, continues unabated. While Public Works Director Fernandez has assured us that we have enough water to support this development, we should be careful to consider the changing environment and the accuracy or his contentions. During the departure dinner of the admirable and devoted former City Manager, Linda Norris, she made it a point (the only policy statement, I believe, that she mentioned) to state that, if the City does not move to increase water storage capacity by 2020, then it will be too late.
Elect Tom Anderson in 2016.