East Humboldt Park (Chicago, Arlington Heights, Itasca: apartments, for rent, amusement park)

[lz0]

Originally Posted by progmac

i'm just poking around the forum, i'm not from chicago. but believe me, living in an """"UNSAFE"""" neighborhood will make your life way more interesting than someone living in whatever yuppy area of the city is considered """""""""""""SAFE""""""""""""". After you've been at it for a while you'll get addicted

First, I wouldn't call this area unsafe. I've lived at Maplewood and Hirsch for two years. There is isolated gang and domestic violence every now and then, and that's pretty much it. The Section 8ers are being gradually pushed out and gentrification marches ever westward.

Second, there's absolutely nothing sexy about the kind of danger you're referring to. But you sound like a kid who watches movies in his suburban parents' McMansion. I wouldn't expect you to understand this yet. Someday, hopefully, you will.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by lz0

First, I wouldn't call this area unsafe. I've lived at Maplewood and Hirsch for two years. There is isolated gang and domestic violence every now and then, and that's pretty much it...

I am glad nothing has happened to you, but I do think you are being a little too over-positive about the immediate area and glossing over much of the violence. There have been 8 murders between North Ave-Division-Western and California in the past two years.

[eevee]

Originally Posted by killbuzz

nikitakolata: Since you're from the area, can you recommend any good restaurants or other stores close by? Pizza Metro got some good reviews on Yelp, and there's a fruteria/carniceria across the street from it, have you been there? I don't want to have to go to the Wicker Park Jewel to grocery shop, but it wouldn't be terrible.

I know it was directed at nik, but I can say that Cermak Produce is pretty decent for cheap produce and meats. nothing fancy or organic, but good, basic items. there's also an Aldi's near Milwaukee and Leavitt that I often walk to (though not so much recently since I mostly buy frozen stuff from there and don't want the stuff to melt by the time I get home! the North Ave bus works in these cases). between Cermak and Aldi's I don't really go to Jewel's that much any more except for when they have very good sales (check them online for sales)

[Humboldt1]

Do you still worry about groceries melting before you get home? I would borrow a car or bum a ride from a friend. I just don't understand how people are able to buy groceries and then ride the bus or walk with that stuff.

Not having a car seems so foreign to me. But then again, you are talking to a guy who has been driving since he was 12 (32 now, and I drove on the farm from 12-15, until I got my drivers license). When you are from a rural area, there is no public transportation so cars are necessary.

[killbuzz]

For the last year I had to take the train or ride my bike to get groceries, and it wasn't ridiculously awful, never really had anything melt on me, plus I don't have a car so there really was no better option. What it really lead to was only buying food that matters, and not buying a bunch of soda or snack foods, plus an overall decrease in my consumption.

Anyway, Humboldt1, you seem to be very knowledgeable about Humboldt Park, is there any advice you can give me and my roommates about living there?

[Drover]

^^ Enjoy the food. Some of the best mom-and-pop hole-in-the-wall restaurants can be found in HP.

[Humboldt1]

Kill Buzz,

Stay in the latin parts of Humboldt. You are better off east of the park but be wary of puerto rican and to a lesser extent mexican gang bangers. Do not go south of grand west of the park and avoid blocks or areas near flashing blue lights.

Basically, the closer you or to other yuppies (eastern and northern HP) the better off for you. Stay as far from austin and garfield park as you can.

Basically, my advice is to live in Logan or Bucktown if you can afford it instead of HP.

People were generally cool to me when I lived there but there was a lot of jealousy and resentment, articularly from older Puerto Ricans who resented some white yuppie coming in and cleaning up a block that they had been unable to clean up in 40 years or had contributed to its demise. Steer clear of the older Puerto Ricans as well as the gang bangers as these are some very bitter people with a huge entitlement complex.

There are good Puerto Ricans but my experiences with Mexicans were far more favorable. My experiences with blacks were for the most part abysmal. Maybe your experiences will be different. You will have virtually no interaction with other whites/asians as you west and south in HP. Good luck.

[killbuzz]

Well I still feel very weary about living here. I feel like I'm not even going to be able to have friends over without worrying for their safety on the way back.

Does anybody know how hard it is to cancel a lease after it has been signed, but hasn't started yet? I am almost considering doing this and finding a place in Logan Square or Pilsen instead.

[Muppet123]

Wicker Park is another option if you don't mind yuppies and whatever hipster d-bags haven't moved out yet.

[killbuzz]

Originally Posted by Muppet123

Wicker Park is another option if you don't mind yuppies and whatever hipster d-bags haven't moved out yet.

I wouldn't mind living in Wicker Park, however, it's just too expensive.