The Greater Atlanta Area (Sandy Springs, Dunwoody: affordable apartments, rental, crime)

[movinggull]

I may be relocating to the Atlanta area for a job and would like to know which areas are considered safe and affordable with easy access to MARTA. I have visited the area several times on business and Hapeville seems OK and close to most points of interest. Are there affordable safe apartment communities in this city?. What is the Decatur are like? Any and all information will be appreciated. What are the absolute worst areas of the city? I have used the crime maps but I thought this forum would also be helpful.

[cqholt]

Decatur is expensive.
Please provide more info. See sticky post at top of threads.

[westau]

What do you consider affordable and what do you consider safe? I can't personally think of an area that is safe AND affordable AND near Marta except maybe the Dunwoody station.

[movinggull]

Being able to use MARTA during business hours and park nearby. I consider affordable apartments as under $800.00. Is there alot of crime in the Decatur area in general? Thanks for any information.

[gerrythesnake]

Are you looking to live in the suburbs or close to the city?

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by movinggull

Being able to use MARTA during business hours and park nearby. I consider affordable apartments as under $800.00. Is there alot of crime in the Decatur area in general? Thanks for any information.

There are two parts to Decatur, the progressive urban village area anchored by the incorporated City of Decatur that is extremely popular with young professionals, and the hardcore high-crime unincorporated area with a Decatur address that is known as "THE DECK" that is south of the City of Decatur in DeKalb County.

The Decatur MARTA Station is located smack-dab in the middle of the progressive urban village area that is popular with young professionals, but because the hardcore high-crime area is so relatively very-close nearby, progressive urban village Decatur at times tends to have public safety issues (like property crime, armed robberies, unprovoked shootings and home invasions) that spillover from the less-desirable areas into the more highly-desirable areas of Decatur.

Decatur is considered a very highly-desirable neighborhood in Intown Atlanta/ITP Metro Atlanta, but unfortunately, because of the area's relatively close proximity to an area of high-crime and urban poverty in unincorporated South Decatur and South DeKalb County, a consistent threat of crime is something that comes with living in the nice areas of Decatur.

Like in many big cities, a consistent threat of crime is also something that comes with living in many desirable areas both inside and outside the I-285 Perimeter because of the large pockets of poverty that are spread throughout the five-county core of the Atlanta area (Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton, Cobb and Gwinnett counties).

Some areas around MARTA heavy rail stations that might have lower threats of crime in which you could search for an affordable rental space include around the North Springs, Sandy Springs, Dunwoody (as westau recommended), Lindbergh, Brookhaven, Chamblee and Doraville MARTA Stations.

If you want access to MARTA heavy rail, affordability and a lower threat of crime, the aforementioned MARTA stations are the ones that you should look around.

Decatur is a great area but affordability may be questionable and there is a higher threat of crime.

Hapeville is most likely relatively very affordable, but is not located immediately next to or immediately near a MARTA heavy rail station and there is a much higher threat of crime as public safety can sometimes be an issue in the area, particularly in regards to property crime (auto thefts, auto and home break-ins, burglaries, etc) and violent armed robberies and violent home invasions.

To move into an area like Hapeville, one REALLY has to be committed to urban living and helping to turn a questionable area around for the better over the long-term.

[sedimenjerry]

Originally Posted by westau

What do you consider affordable and what do you consider safe? I can't personally think of an area that is safe AND affordable AND near Marta except maybe the Dunwoody station.

Yep. Near Marta, safe and affordable. Choose two.

Switch out Marta with short commute and that's basically metro Atlanta in a nutshell.

I would definitely stay away from Hapeville. Decatur is probably your best bet if you can afford it

[kferq]

Decatur is fairly safe, comparable with the Lindbergh area. Here is a good crime map block by block for Atlanta. Remember the map is by number of crimes and not by crime rate, so where there are a lot of density, this map will register it as a lot of crime.

Crime Map Beta - Trulia

[smb90]

Honestly, if you look REALLLYYY hard, you may be able to find someone trying to find a roommate in their house or apt online if that is something that you're willing to do to stay within your budget. To be near MARTA, I'd look anywhere from downtown Decatur as recommended before on eastward into downtown but not west of it, then follow the MARTA line northward past Lindbergh and to me, Chamblee wouldn't be a bad idea. You actually may find an affordable apartment near the Chamblee MARTA station and it's not a dangerous place at all. Another place I'd recommend, I forgot the name of the complex, however theres a complex on Holmes St next to the Kroger on Howell Mill Rd. I forgot the name of the place, but you can walk to quite a few places and while not directly on the MARTA rail line, it is only a few bus stops away from Arts Center and also Atlantic Station which has plenty of shopping. Those apts I believe are less than 800 for a 1 br

[movinggull]

Thanks for all of the information. I will continue to research the greater Atlanta area while keeping your post in mind.