How is the Roslindale area? (Orange, Huntington: low income, rental, townhouses)

[ckk]

I will be working in the Longwood Medical Area and am considering renting a townhouse on Blue Ledge Drive just off Washington St. According to the ad, it is located in a 'gated community'. Schools are not an issue. Our concerns are related to the safety, theft, burglary, etc. How is this area? I would appreciate any info.

[Urban Peasant]

To me, that area is a little mixed. Roslindale is safe for the most part but there are housing projects just around the corner from the street you mentioned. I heard somewhere that they plan to replace those projects with townhouses but I am not sure. I don't think you will have a ton of problems but just keep in mind that that part of Roslindale is more low income and a little more run-down than other parts.

Also keep in mind that the Stony Brook Reservation is nearby and so beware of wildlife.

[goyguy]

Blue Ledge Dr is part of High Point Village, which was constructed as a mixed-income development in the '60s. Now that the 40-year commitment to provide subsidized housing has expired, it could well be that its owners are now pitching all the units at "market rate."
The few people I've known who lived there liked it. The "townhomes" were all well maintained and attractive (from personal observation) and the neighborhood was close-knit. All the same, the far end of Blue Ledge Dr does curve toward the Washington-Beech projects which have had their "issues." The track record of public-housing makeovers is uneven at best. Crime/gang/drug problems tend to remain although at a much lower level.
I think being close to a park area is a plus, for quiet daytime strolls through the woods and such. Wildlife of the human variety is what truly needs to be watched out for.
A redone public-housing development much closer to the LMA is Mission Main, extending from Saint Alphonsus St (off the east end of Longwood Ave) over to Parker St. Although the townhouse exteriors are on the drab, dull-pastel-color end of the spectrum the buildings are a major improvement over the brick boxes that were demolished for them. Now that the community is "mixed income," the area has become considerably safer and provided the catalyst for even faster gentrification of the adjoining Mission Hill neighborhood. BUT you still hear about the occasional robberies, or shootings, related to lingering turf battles and bored unemployed people.
A better, surer bet would be to search west of Washington St - near and north of "Rozzie Skway-ya" along Belgrade Ave and South St are best. Jamaica Plain goes through one wave of gentrification after another, but you can still find some reasonable rent deals if you dig far and deep enough. And it's not too late to locate something in Mission Hill that wouldn't cost an arm and a leg, too; the closer to Brigham Circle (Tremont/Huntington intersection) the better. The main drawbacks to JP and Mission Hill are that they're each becoming more "student ghetto" with each passing year, thanks to the climbing rental rates in the Fenway and the South End.

[Caitlin22]

My grandfather lived in High Point Village for years and never had any problems--I used to ride my bike around all the time and always felt perfectly safe.

That said, other parts of Roslindale might be more interesting/provide for an easier commute if you're taking the T.
There is a commuter rail station in Roslindale Square, and buses from the square that will take you right to the Orange Line at Forest Hills Station...that line to Ruggles station, followed by a walk or a short bus ride, would get you to Longwood (the 39 bus also goes from that station and takes you right to the Longwood area).

Some of the nice streets around Roslindale Square are parts of South Street (anything around the 600s is lots of families and close to the Arboretum, a beautiful nature preserve), Walter Street...and Belgrade Ave is OK too.

All of the streets off Walter St are nice as well.

Good luck!