And while that's not always an easy mix, it is what makes this section of town tick. You can live in these neighborhoods and feel like you're a part of them. I can literally walk to my office, to the coffee shop, to the postal station, to the bank to the dry cleaners, or somewhere to go to eat. But northeast Portland does have its problems. Traffic is one of them, as it is in most popular neighborhoods.
Crime is also a concern, but northeasters say that they get a bad rap when it comes to crime.
And the days of gang wars and prostitutes are fading. Part of protecting yourself in northeast means improving upon where you live. Remodeling is a favorite pastime there. It's become the cool way to live. You feel like you're part of something, you're saving something.