Is Maple Heights Really That Bad? (Cleveland, Cleveland Heights: apartment, rental, crime rate)

[Shybird]

Forgive my naivety here - I am a small-town white girl planning to move upstate. Coming from a very small poor, "redneck" college town with an over-powering elderly population and nothing to do and 30 minutes from any real civilization, I feel any place is better than here - but I have no experience with "black neighborhoods".

I see a rental near the highway and close to the chain store where my partner can transfer to, that I am in love with, but it is in the infamous Maple Heights. I've been looking around for about a month and its the best match for the house I have found for our needs. I can only afford 600 a month for rent currently while paying back college debt, but cannot move into an apartment, so moving to nicer neighborhoods seems a fallacy anyway.

Did some skimming and all I see is 'white flight' and declining and don't go there etcetc.. Is 68% black/28% white demographic going to be particularly uncomfortable? The crime rate and schools and such aren't promising from statistics also, but we don't have kids and I work from home so the house won't be empty often. What kind of "unsafe" is it (robberies, violent crime, domestic crime)?

It seems close enough to everything for us, and we have friends in Garfield and Cleveland heights.

Is it really that bad?

We are just looking for somewhere to live for 4-5 years while we work on our careers and save money to go back to school...

Some advice would be much appreciated!

[L2DB]

Why can't you move into an apartment?

[Clevelandsrocks]

Maple Heights is going downhill fast....

[1watertiger]

You can find something better for $600. I personally would not consider maple Hts.

[SquareBetterThanAll]

Known people that have lived in Maple Heights. One having been hit in the face with a gun and robbed.

And that happens in city neighborhoods too, but I am hard pressed to think of redeeming qualities for Maple other than good access to the Interstate. Schools aren't good, no architecture, nothing historic, no interesting neighborhoods, no attractions, mediocre retail.

It wouldn't be the end of the world to live in Maple Heights as there are much, much worse neighborhoods in the Cleveland area. But again for $600 you could probably do better. You could probably live in Cleveland Heights or Garfield Heights, for that matter.

[Shybird]

I can muster 700 is the place is nice enough, looking around Brooklyn. Thanks guys!

[usaf_1832]

Why not move to Cleveland Heights?

[L2DB]

Originally Posted by usaf_1832

Why not move to Cleveland Heights?

This.

[Clevelandsrocks]

Or even better, why not Ohio City, Tremont, or Gordon Sq?

http://www.freshwatercleveland.com/d...ley050415.aspx

You may even qualify for one of the affordable units. These have skyline and lake views. They are right by Happy Dogs and the rest of Gordon Sq - The hottest neighborhood in Cleveland.

[bhmu93]

I think you should consider moving to the city proper. The city itself is in the midst of a tremendous resurgence while many of the inner suburbs, such as Maple Heights, are declining. As Clevelandrocks stated, Ohio City/Gordon Square/Tremont on the west side are all growing with plenty to do. Along the river downtown you have the Warehouse District. There is tremendous growth between public square downtown through Playhouse Square and the Cleveland State campus, and then also the University Circle area. All these areas are viable with public transportation, safe/walkable neighborhoods, grocery stores,local shopping, etc; although I suspect the west side city neighborhoods such as Ohio City/Gordon Square and Tremont will be the most affordable - while the downtown/east side neighborhoods will offer the best access to cultural amenities at a slightly higher cost. Regardless, you can't go wrong with Cleveland city living now - and it's only getting better!