I'm sorry for all the problems you've had living in Aberdeen. I'm a graduate of Aberdeen High School, my mother still lives there on nice street. I moved back in 2000 and lived there for another six years. All towns have their problems with crime. I know...for example I work in Towson and just a few years back a teacher was shot and killed at the mall. A while back, a person approached one our staff working late with a gun. Luckily she wasn't hurt. Even when I went to High School in 1980's, kids would put down Aberdeen if they didn't live there. I think you don't even acknowledge the good, such as some of the top engineers and scientists live there and work on the proving grounds. There are families that still live in Aberdeen who have been there for 2-3 generations. One of the best minor league stadiums had been built. I've enjoyed going to the games, having kept my season tickets since opening day. It's easy to insult and knock a town. Maybe you didn't do your research before moving. There have always been pockets of drug dealers. Did you not read any of the polic reports before moving? I just wonder before you place blame on anyone else, you first need to take some responsibility with your own life.

I, too, am a graduate of AHS and have lived here all my life. It seems you chose a bad area to live in and that Clark Turner has done you wrong. However, it doesn't seem fair to judge an entire city by your experiences on ONE STREET/neighborhood in that city. I was raised here and my husband (also an AHS grad) and I are now raising our daughter here. There are good and bad parts in every city across our great country. Do I enjoy Section 8 housing? No. So I chose not to live next door to it. I am sorry that you are so against our city, but give it more time and open your mind and explore. Aberdeen does have great things to offer. And most importantly, it's filled with some pretty great people. People who have been here for generations. So it can't be that bad :)

Hi, I moved here from NJ as part of the BRAC from Fort Monmouth. We live in Havre de Grace and although we have not had the some problems with crime I understand the lost opportunities. We had a lot of great shopping etc right but Fort Monmouth including a mall and White Marsh Avenue-type area. Harford County has none of the shops I want so I do most of the my shopping online now -- the problem is not just with Aberdeen but all of Harford County. It seems like they are very resistant to change here and they are going to miss out on a lot of opportunities for growth.

First of all section 8 has nothing to do with local taxes so I dont see the connection. Did you bother to check where you were moving to,that area has always been low income ,and sorry to say,a high crime area. I've lived in Aberdeen for 50+ years in a low to mid income area and never been assulted by thugs,drug dealers,or prostitutes.You are a prime example of how corporate America has helped Aberdeen.Promise to do one thing,gets their tax breaks and does nothing,skates out in the dark of night(ryan)! The avenue was to be part of the ripken empire but nixed it when he couldnt make a killing on it! When the people who owned the vacant houses wanted to build business's he sued to stop them! Most local housing owners dont do section 8,its the corporations who buy up the large housing projects and get tax breaks. Then they dont take care of them and eventually sell them off. I agree that we need change in local govt. but so far the opposition has had ideas worse than what is currently in charge! Change for the better is great but change for change is a dangerous thing when you have the people promoting it to be a fringe element!

I remember when they started building that development. I wondered who would buy a beautify home is such a bad neighborhood. I'm so sorry for you and all the others that weren't aware of what you were getting into. I lived in a wonderful neighborhood in Aberdeen for 13 years, until they doubled the water bill, and opened Hillcrest Drive. My wonderful neighborhood turned into a thruway and crime increased. You have a huge point. Until Aberdeen residents begin to elect officials that care about the citizens, nothing will change.

Is Winston Choice the Town Homes by the Post rd Rt. 22 Intersection?

I also live in Winston's Choice, and yes, I have been frustrated with Clark Turner for many of the same reasons referenced in the article. Do I agree with the author's opinions on the city of Aberdeen....NO! I also moved into this community because of the close proximity to my job. I knew the area and generally knew what I was getting into. IF I was afraid of the community and living so close to section 8 housing, I would have opted for a gated community or something more like Bulle Rock. The state of the housing market and overall home prices just a few years ago made more "prestigious" communities like Bulle Rock unattainable for me.

I've had my issues with the builder, but overall, I've come to greatly appreciate Aberdeen and the small-town vibe it offers. There's lots of shopping, the area is well policed, and we have great public works and public services. As for the rampant crime referenced in the article, I haven't been a victim of any such incidents. I CAN say that I see an Aberdeen police cruiser drive by my home in Winston's Choice no less than twice a day. It makes this resident feel pretty good about my decision, regardless of the housing market collapse and over-priced mortgages. This is no fault of Aberdeen or even Clark Turner for that matter. Yes...things could always be better. Unfortunately, we can't live in a bubble cut off from the world around us.

We custom built our home in Aberdeen in 2004 and moved into it in 2005. WE LOVE OUR COMMUNITY! I have never seen a drug deal, a prostitute, or a single arrest in my neighborhood. Our children have loved their school and our teachers have been wonderful to our children. My oldest daughter attends Aberdeen Middle School and we've enjoyed her time there and the teachers have been great there as well. You are judging an entire town based on a single neighborhood. Yes, your builders dropped the ball and left you with a neighborhood that looks and feels neglected, but that in NOT all of Aberdeen. Every town has it's good and bad. We chose this town in part for the fact that generations of families have chosen to stay here. We grew up in Baltimore City where in many places there is far more bad than good. Moving here or anywhere else and thinking you were moving to some sort of crimeless utopia is an unrealistic expectation. Maybe you and your neighbors can create a plan to help you all create a community and reduce those things that you have witnessed. BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION. Create a neighborhood watch, have block parties, work together to maintain the neglected parts of your community rather than blaming the builder and pointing the finger. By creating this community you and your neighbors can create the kind of place that other people want to live, pushing the builder to complete the promised plans for your neighborhood as their home sales increase.

he writer obviously did not check out the area first or he probably would not have move in that particular area. When BRAC came they told the people to go to Bel Air, fallston because it is so nice. (they did not disclose the meth or heroin issue but remember everyone in those areas believe their area is the BEST!! Well we all no Bel Air and Fallston aren't any better than any other city or location in Harford County the difference is that county puts more $ in to those areas and when the residence leave and make it famous they come back to share the wealth, unfortunately aberdeen does not do this well with the exception of a family that had a couple sons play baseball. Let me just say that they never did jack for aberdeen except for that wack stadium that still isn't paid (quote from article I read here) But no others which is their fault and or problem. Sorry to say it but the writer is partly correct but he still should have check out his area/builder and not just the price of the house. The other new townhouses across the street in North Deen are not any better, I looked there but once I went into the house it was a wrap new homes should not have mold and water issues plus the area sucked. I currently live in Riverside and Aberdeen is so much better. What will probably happen is his neighborhood is going to file a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the builder (check case search there is 2 pages of lawsuits against this builder)

The town of Aberdeen, while it is in close proximity to a lot of worthwhile shopping, the worthwhile shopping is not in Aberdeen, it is in Bel Air. The worthwhile shopping is also in Towson and Christiana. Although that is my preference for shopping, I don't expect, nor did I expect, Aberdeen to compare to such places. What I do expect from any town is a town that is well developed, even (or especially) a town the size of Aberdeen. It does not take much thought on the part of the town officials to plan well. Instead, it is clear to this resident that the city officials didn't capitalize on what it has. It also doesn't bother to hold accountable the property managers who are responsible for maintaining the retail shopping centers. I don't believe that there is a lot of shopping in Aberdeen itself. Bel Air Ave has a few shady looking shops, including far too many tire stores. Why not force these businesses out and make Bel Air Ave a destination spot that looks more like what one would find in Federick or even Havre de Grace? Or what about that shopping center that houses Goodwill and Ollie's? The parking lot and the buildings are incredibly unnattractive. Furthermore, the shopping center is so off the beaten path and inaccessible to the main road. What's with the round about that clearly used to lead to 22? Or consider the La Tolteca. When this first came in, I was excited but had a difficult time even finding the store. The list can go on as well.

I moved into the area about 6 years ago. I chose Aberdeen because the price was right, not because of the shopping. However, when I drive through the town on my way t o work in Bel Air, I can't help but be disappointed by the fact that the Aberdeen has the infrastructure to support the development that could bring in a lovely outdoor shopping center much like White Marsh Avenue or Honeygo. The city also has the infrastructure In place to make Bel Air Ave a destination spot with very attractive store fronts, retail shopping, and restaurants that people would visit. Such development could also flow onto rout 40 and the train station, which is absolutely a disgrace. So, why not revitalize downtown Aberdeen? Why not give the loyal citizens of Aberdeen a revitalized, attractive downtown shopping district? Such development, coupled with appropriate policing, does deter crime and raise revenue for the city.