Top 5 Worst Neighborhoods in Chicago (Oak Park: buy, to live, park)

[mel2000]

Originally Posted by ManheimMadman

I went to a dudes house to pick up a musical instrument around Austin & Chicago. All I can say is walking from my car to this guy's house was interesting. I haven't got that many stares in a while.

Those stares were probably more from your demeanor than your uniqueness since blacks are used to seeing all kinds of ethnicities in their neighborhoods on a daily basis.

[MannheimMadman]

Originally Posted by mel2000

Those stares were probably more from your demeanor than your uniqueness since blacks are used to seeing all kinds of ethnicities in their neighborhoods on a daily basis.

I'm sure you know it was my demeanor, because you were there to see how I walked through their neighborhood right? Don't you know that I love to walk through predominantly black neighborhoods staring them down and giving them dirty looks?

[MannheimMadman]

Originally Posted by noid_1985

Were you scared? Like Dogs people can sense when someone is scared or uncomfortable...

Good question. Now that I think about it, I may have been slightly unnerved at them staring me down. Natural human tendency I suppose.

[Avengerfire]

Check out this map of deadly shootings this year. It is not perfect, but it gives you a general good idea where to avoid living or traveling around.

Summer Shootings In Chicago

[MannheimMadman]

Originally Posted by David Hammond

A civilized person should NEVER back down from the feral. That is how civilization ends.

Get a backbone buddy. Shame.

Do you understand what I am saying? How did your ancestors ever get anywhere with your weak attitude?

When it's 10PM and a bunch of ghetto hood rats are staring me down, I think I have a right to get on the defensive and lose a little confidence.

Next time I walk through Austin alone at night, I'll be sure to walk with gusto and and confidence with your opinion of me on my mind.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

Check out this map of deadly shootings this year. It is not perfect, but it gives you a general good idea where to avoid living or traveling around.

Summer Shootings In Chicago

Also, a map of all CHA buildings in Chicago.

CHANGE - Chicago Housing Authority | Housing Developments | Family Developments | Madden-Wells

[eehtaht]

I found this forum by chance and wanted to share my knowledge and opinions of certain neighborhoods.I was raised partially in Englewood(75-86).We had our house broken into once.I can't say if it had the bad reputation at that time or when it started.The next area,I think was called Auburn(79th Sangamon).At that time(late 80's),seemed well kept.You could tell more people cared by how the lawn was manicured.No gang rift rafts.I can't recall any bad instances.We went back to Englewood.One vehicle was stolen twice.We found it ourselves the first time(parked right across the police station).A younger brother was pressured to join a gang/sell grugs.From that,I witnessed what you don't see enough of these days.We had a father in the household.He along with several uncles stepped up to the plate and practically shot down any and all plans of any gang involvement.Even going as far as to contact any gang boss,etc to personally inform them that there has been a change of plans,pay any outstanding debt you say is owed(my brother's life had been threatened). It worked.They vowed to leave him alone and they did without collecting one dime.They realized that this youth doesn't fit our standard of a gang banger.Not with family that is going to be on our a** like that. Later,we moved in the area? on 79th/Laflin.It was the first and only time I witnessed someone get murdered seconds after looking out the window. We didn't stay there long.Next it was off to Chicago Lawn.Some call it Marquette Park.The area was great.(early 90s)There was diversity and was it just lovely and quiet.We briefly went to ?57th May.57th and anything on the southside has always had bad rep.It affected me personally because my boyfriend at the time refused to step one foot in the area and we broke up.We had no mishaps though.But we knew we would eventually go back to Chicago Lawn.We did.In my adult life I have lived in Southshore-surprisingly no mishaps,just a perverted manager, Bronzeville-2 break-ins(one while inside sleeping;the other after having burglar bars installed on the front and back doors.So whoever it was couldn't get anything out.Fortunately,they had left-most likely severely cut, before I arrived home.I'm familiar with a lot of Northside areas because of a delivery position.Based on how we are trained,we are told to be on guard in certain "spots" in certain areas such as Humboldt Park and Austin mainly.But even areas as Logan Square,Wicker Park have resulted in some co-workers getting robbed.I currently reside in Hyde Park.In 2005,my vehicle was one of few cars that had bullet holes in them from a drive-by shooting.There was an attempted break-in.Many other apts. have been broken into.Although my management doesn't allow loitering,they can't control other surrounding buildings.Loitering happens every now and then.What I found out also, while trying to walk home one evening, is that half of the hoodlums you see hanging out on the corner don't even live around there.This is first hand knowledge from a few individuals that tried to speak to me.Why don't you go hang in front of your momma's or aunt and grandparents house?Or better yet,your own?My understanding of things,is that paradise doesn't exist anywhere on this earth.We all lock our doors at night.We all care about our safety and our livelihood.We don't want to be around the murderers,rapists and gangbangers who just got out of jail either.A criminal is a criminal whether they have it stamped on their foreheads or not.A criminal that hides behind a pretty picture is actually more worser anyway.They are treacherous in nature.Besides being concerned with those I can see,I am also concerned with who I can't see "lurking".Based on everyting I've experienced, and knowledge of other people I know,I would rank Chicago Lawn as one of the worse areas now.Oh my have things changed.Not to say Englewood isn't still bad.But when you have a drastic change like that,you have to consider this day and age of sophistication.I think the local police would back me up on this point as well.Some of the things you hear happening on the news in any given area is down right horrific.In my opinion,as I grow older,the world is getting badder,not better.I would consider us all neighbors in that it only takes a matter of minutes to get from one hood to the next.I have a relative who currently lives in River West,who also once lived in the Hancock building in the Gold Coast.The bottom line is that this is still Chi-town.From home security to attack dogs and firearms-they obviously not naive to think they shouldn't worry about protecting their property and themselves.In more ways than one crime affects us all.I'm sorry to have rambled on and on.But I had the extra time so I do wish everyone well.Don't let your guard down no matter where you live-unless you live in a bubble.

[noid_1985]

Originally Posted by eehtaht

I found this forum by chance and wanted to share my knowledge and opinions of certain neighborhoods.I was raised partially in Englewood(75-86).We had our house broken into once.I can't say if it had the bad reputation at that time or when it started.The next area,I think was called Auburn(79th Sangamon).At that time(late 80's),seemed well kept.You could tell more people cared by how the lawn was manicured.No gang rift rafts.I can't recall any bad instances.We went back to Englewood.One vehicle was stolen twice.We found it ourselves the first time(parked right across the police station).A younger brother was pressured to join a gang/sell grugs.From that,I witnessed what you don't see enough of these days.We had a father in the household.He along with several uncles stepped up to the plate and practically shot down any and all plans of any gang involvement.Even going as far as to contact any gang boss,etc to personally inform them that there has been a change of plans,pay any outstanding debt you say is owed(my brother's life had been threatened). It worked.They vowed to leave him alone and they did without collecting one dime.They realized that this youth doesn't fit our standard of a gang banger.Not with family that is going to be on our a** like that. Later,we moved in the area? on 79th/Laflin.It was the first and only time I witnessed someone get murdered seconds after looking out the window. We didn't stay there long.Next it was off to Chicago Lawn.Some call it Marquette Park.The area was great.(early 90s)There was diversity and was it just lovely and quiet.We briefly went to ?57th May.57th and anything on the southside has always had bad rep.It affected me personally because my boyfriend at the time refused to step one foot in the area and we broke up.We had no mishaps though.But we knew we would eventually go back to Chicago Lawn.We did.In my adult life I have lived in Southshore-surprisingly no mishaps,just a perverted manager, Bronzeville-2 break-ins(one while inside sleeping;the other after having burglar bars installed on the front and back doors.So whoever it was couldn't get anything out.Fortunately,they had left-most likely severely cut, before I arrived home.I'm familiar with a lot of Northside areas because of a delivery position.Based on how we are trained,we are told to be on guard in certain "spots" in certain areas such as Humboldt Park and Austin mainly.But even areas as Logan Square,Wicker Park have resulted in some co-workers getting robbed.I currently reside in Hyde Park.In 2005,my vehicle was one of few cars that had bullet holes in them from a drive-by shooting.There was an attempted break-in.Many other apts. have been broken into.Although my management doesn't allow loitering,they can't control other surrounding buildings.Loitering happens every now and then.What I found out also, while trying to walk home one evening, is that half of the hoodlums you see hanging out on the corner don't even live around there.This is first hand knowledge from a few individuals that tried to speak to me.Why don't you go hang in front of your momma's or aunt and grandparents house?Or better yet,your own?My understanding of things,is that paradise doesn't exist anywhere on this earth.We all lock our doors at night.We all care about our safety and our livelihood.We don't want to be around the murderers,rapists and gangbangers who just got out of jail either.A criminal is a criminal whether they have it stamped on their foreheads or not.A criminal that hides behind a pretty picture is actually more worser anyway.They are treacherous in nature.Besides being concerned with those I can see,I am also concerned with who I can't see "lurking".Based on everyting I've experienced, and knowledge of other people I know,I would rank Chicago Lawn as one of the worse areas now.Oh my have things changed.Not to say Englewood isn't still bad.But when you have a drastic change like that,you have to consider this day and age of sophistication.I think the local police would back me up on this point as well.Some of the things you hear happening on the news in any given area is down right horrific.In my opinion,as I grow older,the world is getting badder,not better.I would consider us all neighbors in that it only takes a matter of minutes to get from one hood to the next.I have a relative who currently lives in River West,who also once lived in the Hancock building in the Gold Coast.The bottom line is that this is still Chi-town.From home security to attack dogs and firearms-they obviously not naive to think they shouldn't worry about protecting their property and themselves.In more ways than one crime affects us all.I'm sorry to have rambled on and on.But I had the extra time so I do wish everyone well.Don't let your guard down no matter where you live-unless you live in a bubble.

this is one big paragraph

[eehtaht]

Originally Posted by noid_1985

this is one big paragraph

My bad.I'm thorough.I did do some deleting.By the way isn't Galewood like the same as the Austin area??

[cap1717]

Originally Posted by eehtaht

My bad.I'm thorough.I did do some deleting.By the way isn't Galewood like the same as the Austin area??

Personally, I was happy to read of your experience on the south side. Everything changes. . . and the pendulum swings back and forth. . . it's just that our human "time frame" gives a relatively short window of opportunity to observe, so that we cannot ever see the whole picture. I don't know if things are getting better or worse, but I do know that life is a learning experience!