Undergrad Moving to Baltimore: Safety? (apartment complex, credit card, houses)

[jonjj]

"Thanks for agreeing with me finally, jonjj. I knew we would find common ground at some point."

---Gawd--I think I have to go throw up. Just joking bawlmer. Baby steps. Remember, baby steps.

[allymunro22]

Hi,I realise this post is a bit old but I'm in the same position as the opening poster. I've been offered somewhere to live on W Read St just west of Park Ave and was wondering if this was likely to be a safe place to live? I'll also be heading for the JHU shuttle. I'd appreciate some adviceThanks!!

[jonjj]

Read and Park is fine.

[Tom Lennox 70]

Bayview is lcoated at the edge of Baltimore City, you can possibly look into Essex or Dundalk. And being from Maine those two places actually sort of have a small town and definite blue collar feel but they are safe. White Marsh and Towson are nice suburban areas that are definitely safe to the best of myh knowledge, just be sure wherver you live there is no Section 8 housing nearby as Section 8 housing naturally attracts the undesirable elements whether in Baltimore or anywhere in the country.

If you are the yuppie type, a lot of yuppies live in Federal Hill, Canton, and Fells Point but those places can be overpriced. They are good places to live in if you are over 21 and like going to bars and drinking and not having to worry about driving home. That is why a lot of students, grad students and other young people live in these neighborhoods.

[kinkytoes]

? Essex? Dundalk? Federal Hill for students only? Sigh. Pls come and visit to see where you would like to live. There are tons of professionals of all ages and older people in Federal Hill, Canton etc. I don't think I would call those areas overpriced, either.

You can find a two-bedroom for 1000 and up, which is about average for a decent rental in MD. Federal Hill etc. also are very clean(Think Frisco Clean), have supermarkets, restaurants, shopping, outdoor activities, salons etc that are closeby. I think that's worth paying for. As a long-time Marylander, I am not sure I would consider Essex or Dundalk as comparable alternatives.

Having said that, if you'd like to live someplace with fewer sophisticated eateries and more of a blue-collar, non-university-degreed feel, then you might enjoy those areas. They are where our steel industry used to be, and you might find some interesting people there. I would recommend visiting before making a decision. Who knows, you might actually like Dundalk.

[Lumerian Feast]

If you can take the JHU shuttle bus, I believe that also stops at the Homewood campus, which makes Charles Village and Hampden available to you. They're both pretty nice city neighborhoods with lots of young people and stuff to do (just use urban common sense). And they're cheaper than Canton or Fells Point (though if you can find an affordable place in either of those places, they're both very convenient b/c you can just take a bus up Eastern Avenue to Bayview; in FP, stay south of Eastern Ave, the closer to the water the better). You mentioned West University Parkway; it is very safe. I used to jog up and down it at night to go run at the JHU track. It runs along the edge of the Homewood campus, so picking up the shuttle to Bayview is just a quick trot across a few quads.

[collegemom1234]

Help! My 17 yo daughter will be beginning a dual degree program at both JHU Home..campus and Peabody. She is 95 lbs./5'7, very naive, never been in a city, from rural area, or small town environment, w/ 0% crime, thinks everyone is a friend, extremely high IQ but often in a daze texting or zoning out. She had a hard time not engaging w/ complete strangers who approach her for money on our visit to town. She reports that as a freshman she is required to live in Mount Vernon (Peabody) dorms instead of JHU campus dorms. This would be her neighborhood. She is well beyond her years in many ways but 10 years old and sheltered in common sense department. Her high school has zero diversity. Everyone is same ethnicity and religion it seems. Simply being immersed in cultural diverse environment will memorize her in it of itself. She did not want to go to school in a city but could not find a good fit for both degrees, so decided here. I have heard Mount Vernon is a place for street smart people and I am terrified. I would like to request she be housed at JHU. Is it just as unsafe? Thank you for any help.

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by collegemom1234

Help! My 17 yo daughter will be beginning a dual degree program at both JHU Home..campus and Peabody.....I have heard Mount Vernon is a place for street smart people and I am terrified. I would like to request she be housed at JHU. Is it just as unsafe? Thank you for any help.

I am not sure the area around JHU is significantly safer. I also doubt that Peabody will change their rules for one student.

I also think it is important for a music student to have contact with other music stidents.

I hope you plan to accompany your daughter to campus and see her surroundings. I suggest that you and she agree on a set of rules for her to follow. For example: - Do not give money to beggars. - Do not text on the phone while walking on the street. Make it clear that you will not replace a stolen phone if she was irresponsible about it. But don't make the rules so tight she can't enjoy herself.

I also think you ought to meet the person who is the head of the dorm. They might be called the resident adviser. It might be reassuring.

[diver110]

Confirming LF, there is indeed a shuttle from JH main campus to the medical school and there is tons of student housing near the main campus. There is also an apartment building (the Fitzgerald?) near the University of Baltimore. It is on the corner of Mt. Royal and Oliver. It is also near a light rail stop. The immediate vicinity of UB is generally pretty safe. UB has a lot of night courses and security. I think you need to take the subway, not light rail, to get to the medical school. Getting from the subway to the light rail at night could be iffy.

[collegemom1234]

Thank you so much golden age1. Good ideas.