Is It Safe Part 3

My Megan's Law story

In every transaction wherein I represent a buyer, I include a disclosure detailing the Megan's Law database, which offers location specific information about registered sex offenders. Once a buyer fumed, apparently after consulting the site, "you were going to let me buy a house near registered sex offenders. What sort of neighborhood do you think I'll live in?!"
I didn't have any specific knowledge of nearby sex offenders--I'm not required to--and I didn't argue the point. I asked only, "did you check your current neighborhood?"
A day passed before the client called, full of even greater dismay, "my block [in West Hollywood]", they convulsed, " is teeming with sex offenders!"

People often presume their current neighborhood to be safe, or more safe, than the place less known, and less white*. But try telling people that the neighborhood they live in is unsafe, it's like going after their gods, particulary if they're illusional Westsiders, living in the "burglary box" (Santa Monica to Federal, Santa Monica Blvd. to Wilshire), or some other supposed safe haven. When a home invasion happens in Beverly Hills, residents cup their ears, eyes, and mouth. "Unusual", they drone, "the exception." But when a kid gets cut near Vermont Knolls, the whip hand sounds and the righteous nod dismissively.

*Ah the ugly ethic thang. But sometimes clients surprise, I once had a Mexican-born buyer voice particularly strong interest in neighborhoods populated with older African American residents. "Very respectful", he opined. "I don't want a neighborhood that's all Mexican", he elaborated, "things can get loco."