Living near Mt vernon/7th st convention center. Safety?
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
You might be thinking of Sursum Corda. This used to be one of the worst housing projects in the city. The crack era is over though, which like many of the bad areas, was the big problem. With the one-way u-shaped road, it allowed easy lookout for cops during drug deals. They are no where near as bad as they used to be, but you are right that it's definitely a spot to steer clear of.
No, wasn't referring to Sursum Corda. I'm referring to the apts that are literally directly across the street from the Convention Center on 7th Street. I knew someone who lived there for 6 mos, and left as quickly as possible. All sorts of shenanigans going on there.
It was built on the cheap as section 8 housing. It's overall crappiness is why the rent is still cheap. From your neighbors, to the thin walls that let you hear their conversations, to the inward-facing-community design that provides for an enclosed playground for crime; there's a reason the rent is cheap.
If that's the place you're looking at, I'd think twice.
Before any coddled suburban social crusaders roll in telling you how great affordable housing is, let me assure you that actually living there is a special adventure, and you will lose your faith in human beings.
It was built on the cheap as section 8 housing. It's overall crappiness is why the rent is still cheap. From your neighbors, to the thin walls that let you hear their conversations, to the inward-facing-community design that provides for an enclosed playground for crime; there's a reason the rent is cheap.
If that's the place you're looking at, I'd think twice.
Before any coddled suburban social crusaders roll in telling you how great affordable housing is, let me assure you that actually living there is a special adventure, and you will lose your faith in human beings.
Before any coddled suburban social crusaders roll in telling you how great affordable housing is, let me assure you that actually living there is a special adventure, and you will lose your faith in human beings.
Affordable housing is a good thing--people need to be able to live somewhere. The warehousing of poverty in largescale low income projects, however, is an abysmal failure. It's not helpful to the surrounding community, and it's not helpful to the people who live there.
I personally support the District's approach of mandating a percentage of affordable units in new market-rate housing projects. The problem is getting enough built to meet the demand caused by the elimination of larger, all-low income projects across the city.
I live down the street, but I've been there at a friend's apartment a number of times. They renovated the building a few years ago, but it's got bad bones; no noise insulation at all.
As for what you'll see/hear; it's basically just a daily grind of people being pretty crappy human beings with the occasional police swarming around and sound of gunshots in the distance.
I honestly think it's pretty safe; most violent crime is targeted but there is an added risk factor living in a high crime area; especially for a single female in her 20's. The bottom line is that it's going to be an uncomfortable environment for most people.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 14thandYou
Affordable housing is a good thing--people need to be able to live somewhere. The warehousing of poverty in largescale low income projects, however, is an abysmal failure. It's not helpful to the surrounding community, and it's not helpful to the people who live there.
I personally support the District's approach of mandating a percentage of affordable units in new market-rate housing projects. The problem is getting enough built to meet the demand caused by the elimination of larger, all-low income projects across the city.
I also support the dream of mixed income developments replacing the concentrated poverty warehouses, but the reality today is that DC affordable housing = failed concentrated poverty warehouses.
In the area in question in this thread, we're talking about multiple contiguous square blocks of concentrated poverty warehouses - McCullough, Gibson, 1330 and another (inward facing development a block NE, forget the name) are all a block from Washington Apartments.
The neighborhood is still up-and-coming and all of the other good things said about it, but there are two more 100% subsidized projects and an expansion of one of the worst in various stages of planning just a few blocks north. DC is still very much in the business of concentrating poverty in one area.
the reality today is that DC affordable housing = failed concentrated poverty warehouses.
That's true, but it's also not unique to DC. As a model, dense clusters of low-income housing is a failure. It's why so many cities are looking to undo it. Sursum Corda is perhaps the most egregious example within the District, but there are many others to be sure.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
