Good Neighborhoods

[ddelaney1984]

I have a general question. I am going to be attending Wayne State Law school this fall and I would like to live in Detroit instead of a suburb. However, I would like to live in a safe neighborhood. Considering I am not that familiar with Detroit I was wondering if anyone knows of some safe areas I could look for apartments in. Thanks.

[cycledetroit]

woodbridge , corktown, midtown, any of the villages
Check the rentals on oconnordetroit.com

goodluck!!

[gnome]

grad school? or freshman year? man, woman, or? interests? own a car? bike? cat? Price range?

A little additional information might get you better advice.

[urbanoutdoors]

I would definitely recommend Corktown! I have lived here for 4 years never been a victim of a crime and love this strong community. Monthly meetings with the Corktown Residents Council. Come check out our diverse neighborhood at 6:30 June 2nd meeting at the Lager House on Michigan ave. Additional questions email me @ Josephrashid@gmail.com or check out our google group http://groups.google.com/group/corktowncommunity

[nouthen]

royal oak!!

[choquant]

I am a Wayne law student living in Woodbridge, and I love it. It's about a 20 minute walk or 5 minute bike ride to the school. The rent isn't bad, the houses are beautiful, and the community is lively, especially during warmer months.

Midtown is good too, and closer to the law school [[which is nice during the winter), but I am partial to Woodbridge.

Some good options to look for places are liveinwoodbridge.com and listings on Craigslist. I know of several places open right now so do some hunting and make sure not to overpay.

[Danny]

There are no good neighborhoods in Detroit, only ghettohoods.

[Eric_c]

http://www.thevillagesofdetroit.com/

[Fury13]

The only neighborhoods I'd recommend are Corktown, Midtown, maybe Woodbridge or Palmer Woods/Sherwood Forest.

No to Boston-Edison or Indian Village, unfortunately. They're "islands" at the mercy of criminals.

Keep in mind that the police have little to no effect in Detroit.

[Eric_c]

The only neighborhoods I'd recommend are Corktown, Midtown, maybe Woodbridge or Palmer Woods/Sherwood Forest.

No to Boston-Edison or Indian Village, unfortunately. They're "islands" at the mercy of criminals.

Keep in mind that the police have little to no effect in Detroit.

Sorry, Fury13 - I strongly disagree with your statement about the Villages community being an island "at the mercy of criminals".

The Villages are no more "island-like" than Corktown, Woodbridge or Palmer Woods/Sherwood Forest. Boston-Edison, I would agree, has pressures on all sides, but the Villages are an incredibly stable and cohesive community and no less "safe" than anywhere else in the city.

Anecdotal evidence may be sited about every community, but day in and day out, the Villages are quiet, comfortable places to live. I lived in Woodbridge for almost four years and while I look back with fond memories of the neighborhood, I'm far more happy in Islandview Village. The neighbors are long-term home-owners for the most part rather than transient students [[though we have and continue to welcome our share). It's also far less noisy than Corktown or Woodbridge because we don't border a freeway. Streets are no less walkable than the other areas advocated, and Belle Isle is right here. Good, clean, reasonably-priced markets are here and other than perhaps Woodward, there is no more intact commercial street than Jefferson Avenue.

The biggest problem with the Villages community is that people often don't have any idea we're even over here. Islandview, East and West Villages as well as the Berry Sub and Gold Coast are exceptional neighborhoods and deserve a closer look by a lot more people. There's more here than just Indian Village proper!

[hamtown mike]

Hamtramck! Cheap cheap cheap- arts -young people- close to all points.

[Fury13]

Sorry, Fury13 - I strongly disagree with your statement about the Villages community being an island "at the mercy of criminals".

The Villages are no more "island-like" than Corktown, Woodbridge or Palmer Woods/Sherwood Forest. Boston-Edison, I would agree, has pressures on all sides, but the Villages are an incredibly stable and cohesive community and no less "safe" than anywhere else in the city.

Anecdotal evidence may be sited about every community, but day in and day out, the Villages are quiet, comfortable places to live. I lived in Woodbridge for almost four years and while I look back with fond memories of the neighborhood, I'm far more happy in Islandview Village. The neighbors are long-term home-owners for the most part rather than transient students [[though we have and continue to welcome our share). It's also far less noisy than Corktown or Woodbridge because we don't border a freeway. Streets are no less walkable than the other areas advocated, and Belle Isle is right here. Good, clean, reasonably-priced markets are here and other than perhaps Woodward, there is no more intact commercial street than Jefferson Avenue.

The biggest problem with the Villages community is that people often don't have any idea we're even over here. Islandview, East and West Villages as well as the Berry Sub and Gold Coast are exceptional neighborhoods and deserve a closer look by a lot more people. There's more here than just Indian Village proper!

In those communities, can you walk around the streets after dark, say about midnight, without fear of being assaulted or robbed?

Can you sit on your front steps at 2 a.m. and talk with friends without a likelihood of being accosted?

In other words, are you nearly as safe in your community at night as someone in an inner-ring suburb would be? [[Note that I said "nearly as safe.")

If you can answer yes to those questions, I will retract my statement as it applies to the Villages.

As for B-E, it's a lost cause.

[Eric_c]

In those communities, can you walk around the streets after dark, say about midnight, without fear of being assaulted or robbed?

Can you sit on your front steps at 2 a.m. and talk with friends without a likelihood of being accosted?

In other words, are you nearly as safe in your community at night as someone in an inner-ring suburb would be? [[Note that I said "nearly as safe.")

If you can answer yes to those questions, I will retract my statement as it applies to the Villages.

As for B-E, it's a lost cause.

I absolutely promise that residents are able to walk at midnight and enjoy their porch at two in the morning in the Villages! Thanks for listening.

[crawford]

The Villages are surrounded by some of the poorest and most devastated neighborhoods in the city. It is NOT safe to walk around these areas late at night. As for the remainder of the day, break-ins are routine, and assults are not uncommon.

This does not mean that these neighborhoods are not worthy of your consideration, BUT only a fool would call these neighborhoods safe. They are in one of the most dangerous parts of one of the most dangerous cities, and if you call 911, nobody shows up.

Do not listen to the homeowners in the area who are posting otherwise. They have a vested interest in you moving there, because they want to maintain their property values.

[Bearinabox]

I absolutely promise that residents are able to walk at midnight and enjoy their porch at two in the morning in the Villages! Thanks for listening.

Sorry to threadjack, but could you explain precisely which areas you are and are not including in "the Villages," and to what extent your remarks apply to every part of that area equally? I've heard a lot of talk about "the Villages," but have never quite been able to figure those two things out. For example, is west of the Boulevard still "the Villages?" How about Fischer St.? Van Dyke and Goethe? Thanks.

[mwilbert]

If you are going to Wayne, living in Midtown or maybe Woodbridge is going to be the most convenient, and they are as safe as anyplace inside the city as far as I can tell.

Unless you can't find someplace within your budget there, that is where I would look.

[BillyBBrew]

www.thevillagesofdetroit.org that should help you out bear....I live in West Village and I couldn't be happier as are almost every neighbor I've spoken to, home owner or not....The biggest crime I see here is car theft and car break ins. And yes, I've walked at night and felt safe.

[Eric_c]

Some more good info on the Villages:

http://www.modeldmedia.com/features/villages07.aspx

Bear -

Speaking to your question which I perceive to more or less ask about the consistancy of the Villages neighborhoods, I would have to say that the residential portions are overall exceptionally comfortable, even quaint. Certain blocks are bad, meaning mostly empty lots and ratty houses, but 90% of the community is solid.

To our west along Mt. Elliott is an old industial corridor, so there's not a lot of great housing over there. Moving East, Canton and Helen Streets have good block clubs and several noteable restorations. New construction has helped those streets, as well.

The Boulevard is difficult. Overall, the home-owners are pretty damn happy with things, but the houses are huge and take a special person to want to tackle them. E. Grand Boulevard residents also must deal with the fact that nursing homes, churches, funeral homes and hospitals line the street from Jefferson to Mack.

Field, Sheridan, and Townsend are good neighborhood streets, but the quality of the blocks varies. Field, as an example, where I live, starts out at Jefferson with apartments, evolves into nice, mixed-income housing, then the East Village condo development. Between Agnes and Vernor, frankly, the blocks are pretty ratty. Between Vernor and Mack, there are well-maintained, fine old brick homes under mature trees.

West Village is next and runs from Baldwin to Maxwell. I think it stands on it's own as a nice little area.

Indian Village is next, followed by East Village which runs all the way to Cadillac Boulevard. East Village is the most pock-marked and the most recent neighborhood included under the Villages umbrella. The area is the most in need of investment, but again, overall, it's a lot of good people.

The Villages also include the Gold Coast high rises south of Jeffeson like Detroit Towers, Shoreline East, the Jeffersonian, etc. as well as the Joseph Berry Subdivision; home of course, to the Manoogian Mansion.

The Villages use Gabrial Richard Park and Belle Isle as their access to the river.

If I were new to the area, I would rent at one of the high-rises, or in West Village. If I were to buy, I would buy in either West or Islandview Village, unless I were in the market for a home larger than 4,000 square feet.

If I could, I would invite interested people to spend a week in a guest room and show them just how wonderful the neighboorhood really is!

[gravitymachine]

They have a vested interest in you moving there, because they want to maintain their property values.

totally true, when i was looking for a house, every homeowner i know was politicing for me to buy in their neighborhood, some even offered to sell me their houses. their optimism having been exhausted and me [[at the time) flush with it.

there is no magic island of safety in this city, just varying degrees of safety from one hood to the next, and our safest neighborhoods [[the ones mentioned above) are pretty mediocre in terms of safety relative to other cities' "safe" neighborhoods.

[Eric_c]

Why would anyone ever expect an individual with a vested interest in a place to not be an advocate?

I didn't repond to the poster's comment because he clearly has no tie to the community and was then so rude as to suggest my comments should be disregarded...because I actually live here???

The whole premise is silly.

Here is a thread started by an individual who was looking for neighborhood suggestions and I did no more than offer them an opportunity to become aware of another alternative.

I most certainly have an interest in maintaining my property values, just as I have an interest in making sure my lawns are cut and having a home in good-repair. Why wouldn't I encourage like-minded people to at least look?

My experience in Islandview has been nothing short of ideal. Five years as a home-owner here after having rented in Woodbridge for three. Prior to that, I was in the Villages as a single man for four years.

What more can I say? I like it here!

[EastsideAl]

The Villages are surrounded by some of the poorest and most devastated neighborhoods in the city. It is NOT safe to walk around these areas late at night. As for the remainder of the day, break-ins are routine, and assaults are not uncommon.

This does not mean that these neighborhoods are not worthy of your consideration, BUT only a fool would call these neighborhoods safe. They are in one of the most dangerous parts of one of the most dangerous cities, and if you call 911, nobody shows up.

Do not listen to the homeowners in the area who are posting otherwise. They have a vested interest in you moving there, because they want to maintain their property values.

I grew up in Indian Village and survived! It is nowhere near as dangerous or crime-ridden as this person makes it sound like. In fact, it was a highly enjoyable, family-friendly, and very diverse place to grow up, with a crime rate that is lower than the city as a whole. I feel very lucky to have lived there. One wonders what the vested interest is of someone who darkly speaks of the "vested interest" of others while running down what is clearly one of the city's premium neighborhoods.

Having said all that, it may not be the best place to point someone who is coming to the city to attend law school at Wayne State. In a situation where time and money are undoubtedly tight, I would think that the midtown neighborhoods around Wayne or nearby Woodbridge [[where my sister lived quite happily for years) would probably be the best areas to look.

[EMG]

To the original poster - my recommendation would be to tour and visit prospective new neighborhoods in person before you make any sort of commitment to a particular area. Only you can judge for yourself how "safe" you feel in a given area. Use good judgment and common sense. Obviously if a particular area has unkept or even abandoned or burned down houses, bars in the windows, broken glass littering the streets, and bums and/or winos urinating in the alleys at all hours of the day, you might be unlikely to consider the neighborhood "safe," and most prudent people would agree with you. On the other hand, if you can find a better maintained area, one where the neighbors come out and talk on the streets during the day, one in which you feel welcomed, one where you'd feel safe taking an evening stroll of a mile or two if that's something you like to do, then that might be worthy of consideration.

You can see just from the wide range of responses so far in this thread that you will get widely diverging opinions on the relative safety of various neighborhoods - all the more reason there's really no substitute and no more reliable way to make this decision other than to judge for yourself firsthand.

[gravitymachine]

Why would anyone ever expect an individual with a vested interest in a place to not be an advocate?

i don't think there is anything wrong with being an advocate, vested interest or not, but the degree to which, i at least, was being lobbied to purchase a house in friend's and acquaintance's neighborhoods kind of reminded me of that onion article http://www.theonion.com/content/node/51852

back to the safety issue, again, there's no magic bullet, but woodbridge, midtown, or corktown, three of the safer areas, are at least connected to downtown with contiguous "decent" areas that don't pass through the blight and sketchiness of some of the others when sticking to the main drag [[warren, ave, woodward, michigan, etc). but like the last poster said, your comfort level and experience may vary, so while we can steer you to a few areas to check out, its ultimately your call.

[Prodigal_Son]

ddelaney,

As a resident of Woodbridge, I am biased, but I would highly recommend the neighborhood. Thefts are an issue here, I admit, but be smart [[use a club on your car, don't leave valuable things outside) and you'll avoid that. Home break-ins are extraordinarily rare. There is the occasional mugging, but -- as other posters have said -- this is Detroit, and this is the reality of the city right now.

Do Woodbridge residents feel safe? Absolutely. Friendly neighborhoods just have that effect on people.

[French777]

No one has mentioned Rosedale Park and Grandmont? How safe are those area's. [[I hope not to threadjack since those neighborhoods are not by Wayne State.)