Discovery subdivision (Frederick, Ballenger Creek: section 8, renters, violent crime)

[beedoobee]

I am in the process of buying a house on Inspiration Avenue with my wife. It looks like a very nice area, and from what I could tell looked fairly low on crime. But I have had some people tell me that Discovery has it's bad points.

Can anyone who lives in the area tell me about the neighborhood? I'm living off of Crestwood Boulevard right now, and the neighborhood is definitely on the downslide. I would not want to go into an area that is going to be the same thing.

Thanks!

Margaret

[StayLucky]

I would say Discovery is probably about the same as what you're used to, assuming you're living in one of the neighborhoods off of Crestwood that I'm thinking of (there are a lot of neighborhoods off Crestwood, but only a few that are on a "downslide"). Discovery will be about the same - nuisance issues, occasional property crime, domestic disturbances, etc, but very, very little random violent crime.

[htownterp]

I wouldn't do it.

[beedoobee]

Well htownterp - could you give me some reasons why? I talked to the crime analyst for Frederick County Sheriff - and looked at the crime stats on line. There are some thefts from vehicles and a few burglaries - nothing recent. I saw a robbery in July, but asked him about it and he said the robberies they have are in the townhome section, and a lot of the times they are drug rips - victims not cooperative etc. I know there is section 8 housing over there, but where the house is that I am buying is on the far end of Inspiration. We have driven by the house at different times and days and it has always seemed quiet. The houses are all very well cared for.
Everybody mentions the 'gang related' shooting 6 years ago. But that was between people who knew each other and had a beef with each other.

[htownterp]

I think Steven P summed it up...not a lot of violent crime, but lots of petty issues, thefts, etc. The clientele of a significant portion of the neighborhood is rough. Not sure a purchase here will hold it's value compared to other parts of town.

Not a dangerous place by any means....but compared with the Crestwood area, I'd stay on that side of town. I hadn't heard that there were areas over there going downhill?

[beedoobee]

Believe me, Crestwood is going downhill. I just had $3500 of vandalism done to my car from an eight year old girl, and it was obvious the parents didn't give a damn. There was an armed robbery down the street a few months ago and the suspects ran into our development. And just looking at the people walking in and out of here gives me the willies.

[StayLucky]

Originally Posted by beedoobee

Believe me, Crestwood is going downhill. I just had $3500 of vandalism done to my car from an eight year old girl, and it was obvious the parents didn't give a damn. There was an armed robbery down the street a few months ago and the suspects ran into our development. And just looking at the people walking in and out of here gives me the willies.

Sorry, but that last sentence sounds classist at best, and racist at worst. Just calling it how I see it.

"Crestwood" is such a broad term for an area that encompasses a lot of the Ballenger Creek CDP (~15,000 people), and I'd hate to see newcomers get an unfair perception of an area based on one individual's experiences. The small, older townhome community by the middle school, for example, is going to be significantly different than the single family houses closer to to the high school, which is going to be significantly different than the mixed-income area by Wawa.

[stpickrell]

If the area south of town in Ballenger Creek (fill in the blank) is not up to your standards, then I'm not sure how Discovery is going to work for you. Is there a reason you can't live outside a subdivision?

[beedoobee]

Originally Posted by Steven P.

Sorry, but that last sentence sounds classist at best, and racist at worst. Just calling it how I see it.

"Crestwood" is such a broad term for an area that encompasses a lot of the Ballenger Creek CDP (~15,000 people), and I'd hate to see newcomers get an unfair perception of an area based on one individual's experiences. The small, older townhome community by the middle school, for example, is going to be significantly different than the single family houses closer to to the high school, which is going to be significantly different than the mixed-income area by Wawa.

Well, I had an 8 year old little girl do $3500 of vandalism on my vehicle FOR NO REASON. I never did anything to her. She took her bicycle with handlebars that didn't have rubber ends on them and scratched the length of my car on both sides. Fortunately another neighbor's kid saw her do it and I made a police report. The parents don't give a sh*t - I have NEVER heard anything from them. The little girl and her sister bullied the child who witnessed it at school and didn't stop until the girl's mom raised holy hell with the principal. The mother of the suspect was in her car one day and drove it at the witness and her grandmother - just trying to intimidate her. Unfortunately the family of the little girl who saw the creep do it don't speak a lot of English and are wary of the police, and they were too scared to report it.

There was an armed robbery down the road a couple of months ago, and the suspects ran somewhere into our development and the cops and helicopters were up for hours looking for them (which they never did).

I had a pit bull break free of their chain outside of it's house (which residents are NOT supposed to do) and charge toward me and my two small dogs that I was walking them. Fortunately, the dog was actually pretty friendly - which is good, because it weighs at least 80 pounds. I went to the house and after banging on the door for five minutes - the owner FINALLY came to the door and got the dog. No apology nothing.

I resent the fact that you call my statements 'classist'. Class has nothing to do with it. There are shady people walking around the area late at night who don't live here - I don't know what the hell they are doing here. There used to be drug deals in the common area but they finally stopped after my wife kept calling the police.

So don't call me classist. I'm moving out of here because a growing majority of the people who live in this development are renters or people who just don't give a damn about anyone else. I looked at the stats for Discovery - yes there are a few thefts from vehicles and burglaries - but any of the robberies that have occurred have been in the townhome section on the other side of the development. Thefts and burglaries can happen anywhere, and in many cases are preventable. When people lock their vehicles and don't leave their iPods and computers and other valuable items in plain view - they aren't going to be victims.

[beedoobee]

And incidentally - the little girl who damaged my vehicle - was a little 8 year WHITE girl!