Prior to my moving to Niagara Falls a year ago I was told the crime is high. I was even told you should move to LaSalle or Amherst not Niagara Falls. I highly disagreed. While I was house hunting I met lots of nice people in the Hyde Park community and tons of natural beauty. I had been praying for 7 years for God to show me where to go to semi retire cause I sure couldn’t sustain myself retired in San Diego. I had created a vision board asking & believing for a community with Water Falls ( I just Love waterfalls), lots of beauty of nature, an urban feel but, not big city (I was tired of that), if possible a home under $100,000, & Diversity… For 35 years, I had lived where there are all types of people from all over the world & I do love that. All my friends said, “ You are crazy, you won’t find a place in a city with all that, maybe in the country but, not the city.” My response was, “ The Word says, “ Ask, so I am asking“   I had never really been to the east coast but, Niagara Falls was on my bucket list. I never thought to look at it as where I would settle down as I had always heard New York was just as crazy expensive as LA and San Diego. So when I came here it was to knock it off my bucket list after a women’s seminar I had attended. Low & behold as I drove around I found myself going, check, check, check on my vision board including the home under $100,000!! So, I returned for 5 weeks in February, just to be sure I could handle the cold, I loved it and bought a home and now one year later I still just love it!

The only thing that concerns me is the outlook so many have about the community. Since I have been here, I hear grumbling complaints about the crime in Niagara Falls yet when I ask “ what are you doing to aid in the prevention of crime in your neighborhood?” The answer given is: “that’s the police job or there is nothing I can do about it – it is what it is. “ Not True. I am so grateful for my home in Niagara Falls and in our little 10 houses here on the end of the street, I do feel the love from my neighbors.

We all need to take responsibility for sustaining our neighborhoods & in making that choice is how we Revive & Create better neighborhoods in Niagara Falls. Actually America. It doesn’t take a bunch of money either. San Diego downtown in the late 60’s & early 70’s was Very much the same as Niagara Falls is now. It needed some TLC. Bit by bit each neighborhood got together and decided to Revive San Diego and create the neighborhoods they wanted. It began with a Neighborhood Watch Program were the neighbors met at the local Senior center and agreed to swap phone # and keep an eye out calling that neighbor if they saw anything odd. Or if saw an actual crime called the police… Not just sit in the house saying, “ that’s a darn shame but, I don’t wanna get involved” Groups also began monthly Walks to pick up trash in each in a 1 mile radius of your home. The walks varied it would be families together or groups in the neighborhood walking and picking up trash. I still keep a plastic grocery bag in my car and wherever I go take my walks pick up trash as I go along. Why?  I am a resident of Niagara Falls and I am responsible to do my part to keep Niagara clean. Don’t like any of these ideas? That’s ok, just keep your own home and yard clean and have respect for your neighbors. Think before you crank up your music. I love music and I turn mine up too but, I do try to keep it at a level it doesn’t rock my neighbor’s house or keep grandma or the baby awake. Smile  If you are going to have a party that could get kinda loud, step over and let your neighbor know and by 9 pm tone it down and take it indoors. And whatever you do, don’t get to yelling and fighting, your neighbors don’t want to be involved in your drama.  These are Zero Cost ways of Improving Niagara. Simply put
“ Love & Respect your neighbor as yourself. You reap what you sow no matter what neighborhood you live in.

So, if you aren’t already taking responsibility and doing your part to Sustain your hood, get started today by saying Hi to your neighbor, get to know them a little… you don’t have to hang out (unless you want to) just show Respect and be Kind.