Nelson , I too have read that Gangs will sometimes make people pay monthly "protection" just to live in their own homes. The article I read that was a real problem in parts of Tegucigalpa, where the gangs are a big problem , but not so much in most of the rest of the country. I am also familiar with the war tax, but I have not known any expats to be targeted. But to answer the second part of your question , the gangs are a problem in ALL of honduras, including the resorts . Security is a must in Honduras. The gangs do not target expats , or foreigners in general . They target anyone who is vulnerable. If your property is not secure or if you do not have reliable , faithful security, you will have problems. All of the resorts and beach commumities usually have armed security that the home owners pay for from monthly HOA dues, so its not a huge problem , but I have even heard stories of expats in beach communities getting robbed , though I dont know any personally. I think that for the most part , Honduras is safe for expats to travel and live, but they should absolutely take their security seriously. Woodrow is right. I highly suggest that you subscribe to the US State Department's traveler alerts and warnings service. You can subscribe to Honduras and the State Department will email you periodic updates of the situation in every part of Honduras, plus phone numbers of people to contact if you have a problem .Hope this helps