Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Rough Hood Areas

Harrisburg, PA is looking a little rough! High in crime, and with a poverty level of over twice the national average, it's not looking good. Although amenities are considered excellent, and housing is much cheaper than average, good jobs are hard to come by to afford it. The population has went from the height of 89,500 in the 1950's to about 50,000 as of today. Let's take a drive and check it out!

[@neverjethot]

Lots of decent cars parked in front of DESTROYED buildings. Puzzling

[@lindapietrasz8070]

That seems to be the norm throughout these videos.

[@Curlyloxau]

Exactly what I thought

[@janeentumbao8690]

And the motorbikes. They were covered by tarps. Those cost as much a a decent car sometimes.

[@internetcensure5849]

Yes, they live in a run down area, yet manage to have those cars.

[@billstill1794]

I'm blessed to be living in a much better part of this town. Those areas have been bad for decades! I never venture out on foot after dark though!

[@michaelwhite2823]

Have to been to that nice part north of division Street Italian Park/Lake

[@BeeLineEast]

Your right about that.

[@krysstefan2505]

I’m speechless ……….great full for living in Canada and and filling save at night .not tornadoes devastated areas just humans neglected city???!!!!! Depressing….

[@thejudgmentalcat]

Dead factories, dead schools...😢

[@bluerfoot]

Dead Boys (great band).

[@radiationroom]

Over priced real estate and blasted high property taxes.

[@edwardmiessner6502]

How did the state allow Harrisburg to get like this? This is the capital city after all. It should be a showcase!

[@crazeyjoe]

Trenton, New Jersey, sadly, is no better.

[@mayavenuemisfit814]

Trenton, Harrisburg, and Charleston make my top 3 list of worst state capitals. Obviously, the huge cities that are also state capitals like Atlanta, Columbus, Nashville, and Indianapolis have some really bad areas, but they are also enormous cities compared to these three.

[@crazeyjoe]

@@mayavenuemisfit814 Phoenix is the most populous state capital and has its nice and bad areas as well.

[@user-tb7rn1il3q]

The rest of PA is even worse. It’s the most run down state in the northeast by far.

[@damnationdefied777]

For it being the capital that’s insane how awful it looks

[@justmenotyou3151]

Ya, and it's the financial district.

[@DrQuagmire1]

@@justmenotyou3151 and I thought Philly was bad

[@Creeker859]

You should see the capital of Kentucky. Frankfort gets pretty bad.

[@pinksalt4524]

Looks like a war zone

[@BuckNaked2k]

Go see Hartford.

[@georgefox1055]

My mother was born in a different Harrisburg in 1930, it was a great city, look what it's become, no hope and no pride, shame.

[@FloridaGirl-]

And no jobs probably either.

[@tooge47]

the gradual decline of humanity on display for all the world to see

[@terrystrahl6006]

Harrisburg has turned into a disgrace, being the capital of Pennsylvania.....😡

[@lunachick7549]

I work in Harrisburg, but live in a rural community, about 30 mi. away. It's amazing how different the two areas are, for being relatively close, in the same county. My property manager said a lot of people are moving here "from the city." Of course they are, look at what the city has become. I start my commute by driving past farms and lots of animals, like alpacas, cows, buffalo, geese, etc... and end it driving through this.

[@wandadillard2838]

So many abandoned houses and yet we have so many homeless people in America.

[@FloridaGirl-]

Yah abandoned homes that are ancient and in decay. Ain’t gonna help nobody. Be cheaper to bulldoze and rebuild. Lead paint, asbestos, lead pipes too probably. Industry leaves. Towns decay. Time to knock em down.

[@internetcensure5849]

Putting homeless people in dilapidated houses won't help.

[@lindapietrasz8070]

The dilapidated properties and out-of-control landscaping isn't bad enough that the mass amount of garbage makes it all much worse and more of an eyesore. I see a lot of this as a city government problem. In my city the government doesn't play. They will cite the property owners and force them to clean up and fix up their houses.

[@BeeLineEast]

You are right what I heard the problem is people from New York buy these places as rentals. They pay practically nothing for the houses. Then when they get a tennant that's it. They never come back to repair anything so the place gets run down. So the city doesn't have the money to go after these people. Some my be caught but very few. That's what I heard.

[@mayavenuemisfit814]

A lot of these abandoned properties are owned by people out-of-town and out-of-state, or even in some instances outside the country. The city of Harrisburg would spend far more money to go after these people than they would get in restitution or fines from them.

[@internetcensure5849]

@@mayavenuemisfit814 All abandoned properties not paying taxes are foreclosed by the municipality, and then left to rot away, because they are unsellable.

[@bridgetmuehlberger5141]

Wow. What a tragic loss of such beautiful architecture in places. That building at 08:12 must've been spectacular in its heyday. This one had so many great still shot pics throughout. The teddy bear slumped on the porch, next to the "I miss my dog" graffiti was so sad.

[@kartofle123]

I think it's a panda but yes it is sad.

[@ЛарисаЛариса-т1б]

Очень грустно

[@renatoamaral8259]

I fully agree with you, Bridget. Really sad. 🙁

[@BeeLineEast]

Cool video I know that city well. For our capital city it's embarrassing. I live outside of the city.

[@mayavenuemisfit814]

It's embarrassing for all Pennsylvanians. I guess it could be worse though. At least Harrisburg isn't Trenton. They're actually pretty close though.

[@mk6022]

Crime moved in so law obeying people with money moved out. That's what happened.

[@dickiegreenleaf750]

People who moved in destroyed it. That’s what happened.

[@cluelessinky]

Years ago I was offered a job in Harrisburg. My wife and I went for a ride around town to get the “vibe” of the place. After a short while my wife said we can’t move here it doesn’t feel right. How did she know?

[@FloridaGirl-]

👀 I’d a said the same thing seeing this!!

[@QKingPhilly]

What part of Harrisburg is this please?

[@Sushi2735]

What In Gods name??? Harrisburg was simply lovely 40 yrs ago when I spent time there! I shocked at appalled!!!I just don’t believe it! Simply terrible. This city could have been the Charleston of the North! Look at these amazing old houses! This is a blight! It looks like the entire city is “The Hood”. I can see these homes redone and thriving neighborhoods. Simply heartbreaking!!

[@Mr.Memes2885]

Someone has to fix this. It makes me sick having to see these people living in such conditions. Hopefully the future will be better.

[@kjaecques]

They always have the nicest cars though.

[@internetcensure5849]

How can they afford them, living in such a rundown place?

[@michaelwhite2823]

Okay is Harrisburg the place where there is a small lake with nice homes and a BEAUTIFUL empty art deco high school and library? The area near Italian.Park.

[@samanthab1923]

Reminds me of Trenton. Basic horror show of neighborhoods, the Capital Bldgs. & then this lovely street of beautiful homes with their own very pretty train station.

[@lunachick7549]

Yes, Italian park is beautiful, but there are far too many areas like this. It's just sad. 🙁

[@stephenwong4934]

If it was a choice between living in a tent on the street in LA, it would be better to live in one of these abandoned houses!

[@axaboutme717]

I grew up here & can name every street in the video especially dauphin street (orange cones) where so many lives have been lost. Thank God I got my kids out of the immediate city & raised them in susquehanna township then as soon as they were off on their own I moved across the river

[@sntmdsa3628]

Even without drugs or gangs, liquor store quickly available will destroy a community. Even more so, turning away from Gods Word will set it off from the jump.

[@MegaBait1616]

State capitol too....smh.

[@Sushi2735]

The big question, who tore it all up?????

[@Hhhkl-]

4:06 used to be my school that big building 🤦‍♂️

[@darknessislight3689]

I would be terrified to live there 🫢 Virginia isn’t perfect 🫤 I feel blessed by watching these videos 🙏🏾☺️

[@vickisawyer7405]

This looks like such a gloomy town. Very sad. There are a few bldgs that looked like they could've been so much better in their days. Thank you for the video.

[@tooge47]

crumbling dwellings, adorned with high dollar rides, SMH

[@internetcensure5849]

Yes, they live in a run down area, yet manage to have those cars.

[@Gigismom59]

It's not so much the endless boarded up houses, it's the ones that are still occupied where you can see them still trying...That rain-soaked teddy bear on that porch just tears 😢 me up..

[@LockdownCoverage_]

And this is our capital?? 😂

[@spg5658]

The downtown and Waterfront are actually very nice. Many cities have bad areas like in this video

[@anjachan]

that´s a shame for a rich country. In my opinion.

[@PhillyBagel]

I like downtown Harrisburg. It’s too bad it’s surrounded by so much entrenched squalor.

[@angela-ti1np]

Exactly. This is Allison Hill - always the worse part of the city. Every city has a 'worst part'.

[@FloridaGirl-]

Where industry “once thrived”.

[@fivespeedsvx]

It's a shame you didn't have time for the Wild West Museum. Steve Reed would've wanted you to visit.

[@lindapietrasz8070]

Architecture not a fine point in Harrisburg.

[@Jay-Leigh]

What a shame to see so much decay and destruction in was once I bet a beautiful looking city. The old houses must have been beautiful when it was in its glory. So sad to see. Thank you for sharing.

[@hoodsnhollers]

Thanks for watching!

[@Am71919]

I lived in this town for close to 20 years during the pre-"restaurant row" days, I lived near 17th and Walnut and I DO NOT remember the city having this much blight, this place now appears to be a disaster, the flamingo grille and that "SPOT" place on 2nd Street and the gazebo room had amazing food though, but I shudder to think what condition those places are in now.....

[@TheU-hv8qj]

Is there a common denominator with these dilapidated cities?

[@PortlandsTransport]

Hard to believe how many cities look like this now.

[@FloridaGirl-]

Industry leaves and this is what you get. Rust towns.

[@renatoamaral8259]

There should be a feasible way to recover all these areas. Tax exemption to attract new businesses, for instance. 🌟👍

[@johnfrank3642]

I remember going with my father to move Neighbour back home to 17th St. in Harrisburg and at that time it was real nice we went in at 65 Ford pick up truck to bring her belongings back to her home on 17th St. in Harrisburg

[@CharChar876]

Well, it's crazy to see the projects looking better than the city around it. So sad!

[@AllenArt64]

This looks worse than it did in the early 70's - and it looked pretty bad THEN. Such a shame. Never would have looked like this while Reed was mayor.

[@litoreggie]

Yup, pretty much PA right here

[@lindapietrasz8070]

08:57 did this giant bird fly in and make it's nest here?

[@EthanFilms]

So tempted to download one of these videos and see if I can pull a 3d scan of one of the dilapidated homes you pass by... This is a gold mine of old house references.

[@susanlore345]

That old school at 8:20, so hauntingly beautiful.

[@Theresistance64]

Yuk. Looks worse than when I left! I left in 1999, but lived there from 1975 as a kid until then. My mom and a couple brothers are still in the area, the rest of us escaped! We went to Central Dauphin HS out in Lower Paxton Twp. Sad to see it getting worse.

[@gabrielpaulsmom]

You should of seen it in the 70's if you think this is bad. I live one town over

[@jackbower8846]

Trust me thier are many cities just like this all ove the country.

[@johnmartin7182]

And again big fan of your y awesome content thanks

[@hoodsnhollers]

Thanks so much John!

[@bethmcgill5944]

Pretty rough looking. Wish some of these places could be restored.

[@brm1279]

I have yet to see anyone growing their own veggies in all of your videos. Are poor urbanites incapable of putting a seed in the ground?

[@lindapietrasz8070]

Depending on the time of year and the fact that most gardens are in the backyard and he films the front of these properties, it would be hard to see one.

[@edwardmiessner6502]

Depends. I haven't seen a plant and gardening store throughout the video, and most of the folks there don't have cars.

[@vincentkennedy3487]

@@lindapietrasz8070 That wasn't to hard to figure out😆

[@anthonydelvacchio4671]

And yet there are how many homeless people?!?!?

[@gixxer750r3]

Wow. I grew up in western PA and had cousins near Harrisburg. I always thought it was lovely with the river frontage and the State Capitol. but I haven't been there in 40 years. Very sad what it has become. Unfortunately many such towns in PA and WVa look similar. I did drive through Reading a few years back and feared for my life.

[@lindapietrasz8070]

09:53 Forrest St. indeed.

[@camden336]

With all that land around them they built a city of 50k like it's 500k on a tiny island plus it's basically beyond repair...smh..

[@Gzimkodra]

Looks like Detroit of 1980s omg sad

[@Mooooty]

Hiroshimaburg

[@tocarules]

I doubt Ron Ron will live forever ever, but I bet he's moved.

[@lindapietrasz8070]

Ron Ron thinks too highly of himself.

[@stryker290]

How is it all those condemed buildings are not getting torn down?

[@Hhhkl-]

Sad how it looks like now lived right by here🤦‍♂️

[@77D777]

Looks like Philly

[@Bishopspipes]

Wouldn’t want to break down or walk there at night alone

[@Maizan24]

Its so odd to see a house on the verge of collapse standing next to a home thats inhabited.

[@kF-mj9uz]

I just drove thru this area holy smokes it’s awful 😂

[@luiszuluaga6575]

Folks could re-invest in these homes and retain its historic charm but it would have to be done on a large scale, if that’s even possible. Seeing that dilapidated armory at the end, tho’… 😢

[@mrsvickigriffin]

So sad 😢

[@johnzubil2875]

I live in Ohio, our Capitol is booming, and so is the population. This should be embarrassing to Pennsylvanians.

[@hoodsnhollers]

I have quite a few uploads on the channel with Ohio cities, check them out thanks for watching!

[@77D777]

Just found your channel and sub’d I’d love to make videos like this. From St. Louis MO so also from a very abonden boarded up city.

[@-Diana469]

Notice all the nice cars and clean. No people around. People can’t afford to fix their homes though. Know the feeling.

[@internetcensure5849]

How can they afford those cars?

[@EthanFilms]

2:00 CAT

[@eamonnmckeown6770]

Such a shame.

[@simuresquiner3633]

como se nota que nunca pisaron una villa jajaja

[@anjachan]

it´s shocking to be honest.

[@lindapietrasz8070]

10:21 looks like someone sawed a house in half lol.

[@hoodsnhollers]

Someone took it seriously when they said they wanted their half lol

[@georgeboatright6635]

has gone not has went

[@robertunderwood3393]

That's the state capitol tragic. Well at least it's quiet

[@prestonforayter7747]

Welcome to Pennsylvania

[@mayavenuemisfit814]

Trenton and Charleston are the only other state capitals I can think of that are as crime-ridden and run-down as Harrisburg is.

[@hoodsnhollers]

I have an upload of Charleston on the channel check it out thanks!

[@mayavenuemisfit814]

​@@hoodsnhollers already have. 😊

[@gls5031]

The Motherland

[@anthonynguyen1701]

I live in Pittsburgh's suburb and travel to H-town at least once a week. It's pretty run down for a capital of a state. But hey, coming from the hood in Southern California, it still looks somehow decent to my standard lol.

[@AO-qj2zu]

Stop da 🧢, hoods in south Cali look way more nicer than this.

[@draines9237]

​@@AO-qj2zu ikr smh

[@robertgarrett1593]

I wonder why Philadelphia or Pittsburgh wasn't the Capital 🤔. Harrisburg looks like Trenton New Jersey's State Capital.

[@yeye3295]

Depressing 😒

[@Ligalyt]

It looks like a bad place to stay at great video though

[@babyrazor6887]

I've had over 9 jobs in my life from Mineral sampler to Photo store manager. I've never been fired and every job has either gone out of business or moved out of the country. My Dad worked in steel in Harrisburg, now almost every big city is turning into this.

[@kimberlyakbar4924]

Looks like Capital of NJ Trenton 😢

[@edwindsilva5720]

Y this place looks deserted

[@johnbarnas879]

Many of the vacant places shown here had been bought and shuttered to be demolished for the new federal courthouse. Although there are still way too many abandoned and vacant homes the situation is getting better. The city is catching up with removing the vacant homes but there are just many old, neglected streets where people can't afford to fix up the old places and out-of-town landlords are just too cheap to do it.

[@Daniel_Scott89]

Anyone know the location of the house @10:48 ?? I do abandoned photography and would love to capture this one

[@sheldonhchambliss1385]

I used to fish and Harrisburg

[@CreateWealthEasy]

This the burg. Nothing happened, this just the way it is...... Get used to it, or get out and seek something better..... #Facts

[@henrytroll3439]

Damn

[@ronz101]

Not as bad as it could be. Some areas in your other presentations show some real rough stuff.

[@FAn.tomas.]

Хорошо 👍

[@crazeyjoe]

Sadly, the capital city of Trenton, in neighboring New Jersey is similar to this.

[@hoodsnhollers]

I'll do a video on Trenton soon!

[@josephroney3681]

Same way it looked 20 years ago when I lived there.

[@annemitzel1701]

I use to live in Harrisburg pa now I live in Georgia

[@bigfrank717]

Damn!!!

[@EmmaSoliyah]

not all of harrisburg look like that .