Worst neighborhoods in Birmingham (Hoover, Bessemer: best neighborhoods, apartment complexes, crime)

[loverofall]

I've seen a lot of post here discussing the best neighborhoods of B'ham but I never hear about the worst. Why is that? I plan to move to Birmingham and of course I've been doing my research. Hoover, Mountain Brook, Vestavia hills and Homewood are those that have been discussed the most in a positive manner. However, during my research, I've also come across neighborhoods such as West End, Ensley, Inglenook etc. Are these considered the not so great areas of Birmingham?

[3am green coffee]

Originally Posted by loverofall

I've seen a lot of post here discussing the best neighborhoods of B'ham but I never hear about the worst. Why is that?

That's primarily because the people who live in those neighborhoods aren't in the habit of posting advice for people who might want to move here, and the people who are interested in whether you like Birmingham don't exactly have an incentive to air our dirty laundry. Birmingham's widely publicized murder rate is mostly the result of so-called "black on black" crime in poor areas. That crime doesn't affect people in the better neighborhoods anywhere near the same rate.

But since you asked...

Ensley is pretty rough. If I remember correctly, a lot of the people who lived in the housing projects downtown were relocated to Ensley. But it was already a rough place before that. Ensley was once a working class town for people who worked at the steel mills. When they closed, people who had any money left.

West End is also bad. There's a big housing project at Elyton that has a lot of criminal activity. Fairfield gets quite a bit of activity as well. There are some quiet streets out there, but as a whole the stretch from I-65 to the East part of Bessemer would not be recommended.

North Birmingham is another area you would want to avoid. The area between downtown and Fultondale has some pretty rough neighborhoods. After you get to Fultondale, it's not as bad.

There are some pretty rough areas around the airport. Woodlawn has been bad for many years. East Lake has turned bad in the last couple of decades.

Those are the larger problem areas, but there are pockets of issues in other communities as well. Avondale has some not so good streets. There's a rough housing project over behind Century Plaza mall on the east side. There are some iffy areas out in Roebuck, Center Point and Pinson. But there are good neighborhoods in all these areas as well.

One of the dirty secrets here is the immigrant population in Hoover and Pelham. Both get mentioned as great places to live, but they have a growing crime issue in the Hispanic communities. People don't like to talk about it for fear of appearing insensitive or racist.

You have entire apartment complexes in Hoover that are nothing but Hispanics. That in itself isn't the problem. The problem is that because of the language barrier and an ingrained mistrust of police, Hispanic crime victims often won't report the crime. As a result, bad guys in the area know they can often do whatever they want without getting caught. The big Hispanic gangs like MS-13 prey on that and have a presence here, although I don't know if Hoover will admit it. Hoover police have been trying desperately to recruit bilingual officers to combat the problem, but the problem still exists.

Most of us don't talk about all this, not only for the reasons mentioned above, but also because it makes us uncomfortable. A white guy from Mountain Brook or Homewood rarely spends any time at all in any of the areas mentioned. Therefore he will often not feel qualified to comment on problems in a neighborhood with which he isn't really familiar. People in the Birmingham area are quite sensitive to being labeled racist and will go out of their way to avoid speaking about poor black areas for fear of being misunderstood.

Me? I don't really care. I worked in news in Birmingham and have been in these areas, covering murders and problems in housing projects. I don't see how it helps to dance around the subject.

[pvjd]

As a social worker who is out in the field 80% of the day, I have to agree that there are very dangerous neighborhoods. I attribute it to drugs and poor quality of life, where people are born into a sense of helplessness based on what they see around them. I also see a lot of good in these communities as well. Even people in housing projects and poor neighborhoods have families, and a sense of pride and protectiveness in their community. I am realistic and tryu to not sugarcoat, but often a community gets written off as being bad because it is poor and predominantly black, and that in itself is a crime. There are many, many good people in these neighborhoods as well. But since we are talking statistics, a good bit of crime does take place in the above mentioned neighborhoods.

[kadams01]

I appreciate your honesty on Birmingham. I am about to move to that area in July and I'm saving this. Im clueless about the area, but I have a daughter who will be going to the 8th grade and in Virginia she is in all honors classes. I don't want to make the mistake of going to the wrong neighborhood or town and regret it forever. I think you are helping me to avoid the wrong places. Thanks a lot!

Originally Posted by 3am green coffee

That's primarily because the people who live in those neighborhoods aren't in the habit of posting advice for people who might want to move here, and the people who are interested in whether you like Birmingham don't exactly have an incentive to air our dirty laundry. Birmingham's widely publicized murder rate is mostly the result of so-called "black on black" crime in poor areas. That crime doesn't affect people in the better neighborhoods anywhere near the same rate.

But since you asked...

Ensley is pretty rough. If I remember correctly, a lot of the people who lived in the housing projects downtown were relocated to Ensley. But it was already a rough place before that. Ensley was once a working class town for people who worked at the steel mills. When they closed, people who had any money left.

West End is also bad. There's a big housing project at Elyton that has a lot of criminal activity. Fairfield gets quite a bit of activity as well. There are some quiet streets out there, but as a whole the stretch from I-65 to the East part of Bessemer would not be recommended.

North Birmingham is another area you would want to avoid. The area between downtown and Fultondale has some pretty rough neighborhoods. After you get to Fultondale, it's not as bad.

There are some pretty rough areas around the airport. Woodlawn has been bad for many years. East Lake has turned bad in the last couple of decades.

Those are the larger problem areas, but there are pockets of issues in other communities as well. Avondale has some not so good streets. There's a rough housing project over behind Century Plaza mall on the east side. There are some iffy areas out in Roebuck, Center Point and Pinson. But there are good neighborhoods in all these areas as well.

One of the dirty secrets here is the immigrant population in Hoover and Pelham. Both get mentioned as great places to live, but they have a growing crime issue in the Hispanic communities. People don't like to talk about it for fear of appearing insensitive or racist.

You have entire apartment complexes in Hoover that are nothing but Hispanics. That in itself isn't the problem. The problem is that because of the language barrier and an ingrained mistrust of police, Hispanic crime victims often won't report the crime. As a result, bad guys in the area know they can often do whatever they want without getting caught. The big Hispanic gangs like MS-13 prey on that and have a presence here, although I don't know if Hoover will admit it. Hoover police have been trying desperately to recruit bilingual officers to combat the problem, but the problem still exists.

Most of us don't talk about all this, not only for the reasons mentioned above, but also because it makes us uncomfortable. A white guy from Mountain Brook or Homewood rarely spends any time at all in any of the areas mentioned. Therefore he will often not feel qualified to comment on problems in a neighborhood with which he isn't really familiar. People in the Birmingham area are quite sensitive to being labeled racist and will go out of their way to avoid speaking about poor black areas for fear of being misunderstood.

Me? I don't really care. I worked in news in Birmingham and have been in these areas, covering murders and problems in housing projects. I don't see how it helps to dance around the subject.

[hlsess]

if your daughter is in honors classes then you definitely need to stick to Vestavia, Hoover, Homewood or Mt Brook-

[sunshineshay]

All of ensley is not bad the belview heights area is a nice and affordable. pleasant grove is another place to consider. It all depends on your economic situation. Some people cannot afford to live in homewood. There are good neighborhoods in the city. You just have to be prayfull and ask God for guidance

[Dell M Ashley]

Yes, they have good schools in Hoover, Vestavia, and Homewood, if you can afford to live there. But also on the south end of the interstate 459 and 20/59 there are numerous communities such as Letson Farms, Bentbrook, and others along Eastern Valley Road going towards Tannehill State Park, that have sprung up recently that provide a good area to raise a family. The school may not be as publicized and promoted as Hoover is, but McAdory High School is coming along. They are also building a brand new middle school. I am sure that their programs are constantly being restructured but that comes with growth of the community. I know at some point the time will come when the Ensley, Fairfield, Midfield, and other communities will finally pull together and bring peace and growth to their area, but that is not happening right now. I would love to live in those areas because it is close to work, there are a lot of old houses that are magnificent that can be redone and fit to live in, but I won't until there are some changes made in those areas. I cannot do it alone. Anyway, these are my thoughts.

[Back Again]

Originally Posted by Dell M Ashley

Yes, they have good schools in Hoover, Vestavia, and Homewood, if you can afford to live there. But also on the south end of the interstate 459 and 20/59 there are numerous communities such as Letson Farms, Bentbrook, and others along Eastern Valley Road going towards Tannehill State Park, that have sprung up recently that provide a good area to raise a family. The school may not be as publicized and promoted as Hoover is, but McAdory High School is coming along. They are also building a brand new middle school. I am sure that their programs are constantly being restructured but that comes with growth of the community.

It is about time someone other then me sees that the Eastern Valley Road area of Bessemer/McCalla is a great place to live.

Not only is what Dell M Ashley stated true, but on Eastern Valley Road from 459 to about Pocahontas Road, a planned Village has been approved and will be built. Homes are still cheap here and you can still get some land and not be right on top your neighbor.