How bad is Overtown really? (Miami, Hollywood: low income, section 8, apartments)

[Banx]

I've been recently looking to move to Miami from Chicago to be closer to my mother in West Palm Beach (I chose Miami because I liked the city and want to continue to live that big city kinda vibe) and attend Miami Dade College (cause of it's price, I'm very low on money right now). I'm looking at Overtown because the rents are cheaper (yes I know, there's probably reasons), lack of Spanish language influence (I don't mind Spanish, being from Chicago n all, but the less of it I have to deal with the better), and it's close to downtown (where college is located). I just want to know, from someone who isn't biased against a low income lifestyle, if it's really that bad of an area. I'm currently living in a rough area of Chicago right now (Humboldt Park currently, and I grew up as a kid near the Cabrini Green projects in the 90's), and I'm curious if Overtown could compare to rougher parts of Chicago. If u all could give me your opinion, maybe comparison it with other Miami neighborhoods, that would be appreciated. Thanks alot.

[Urbanize32]

Haha, wow man I wouldn't move there. But, if you like challenges, go for it.

[Banx]

haha no it's not like that, I'm just very low on money and have to play the cards I'm dealt with right now. I've been through liberty city and some unincorporated shanty areas of dade just east of hialeah along 79th, and wouldn't even think of moving into those areas. I was just wondering if Overtown was really as bad as people say it is, and as bad as other areas of Miami.

[unradical]

Take a ride on google street view and see what you think.

[Chelito23]

If you don't want to have to deal with Spanish don't move anywhere in Miami, especially if you want to be near WPB. Look into Ft. Lauderdale where there is a larger African and Caribbean black population, much less Hispanic influence, and closer to WPB. Also, Broward Community College is just as good and cheap as MDC. Also, rents in West Park, areas of Hollywood and Ft. Lauderdale are about as low as you can find them.

Overtown doesn't make any sense, it is basically people on section 8, a few Habitat for Humanity homes, run down apartments, lots of drugs and gangs, unsafe...certainly not many college students would entertain living there to save money or to be close to MDC.

[noland123]

They need to bulldoze that area and build section 8 housing on Krome Avenue.

[compelled to reply]

If you intentionally want to move to a "ghetto" neighborhood for lower rent, why don't you look into places like North Miami Beach, eastern Miami Gardens (east of 27th Ave and north of the Palmetto Expressway), east Miramar, some parts of south Dade? Those are basically places where you may have to dodge the occasional burglar rather than stray bullet for the same price. Those are a few of many lower/middle income, predominately black areas that I feel completely fine in. If you like working class, mostly black neighborhoods, you can live in east Miramar, rent a crappy apartment off of Pembroke Rd east of the turnpike for 550 a month, see the occasional drug dealer hanging out on the porch, maybe the occasional stray prostitute that came from Hollywood, and not much worse, and be 5 minutes away from the Broward College south campus. Further away from Pembroke Rd or the turnpike might be too quiet and trends more towards the "middle" side of working class, although for thrills you could always venture into Sherman Circle at night. You could do the same thing in the North Miami Beach area and be 5 minutes away from MDC plus closer to other areas of interest. Rent might be slightly higher (probably around 600) and there are more muggings compared to Miramar/Hollywood, but a street smart person probably wont have any problems and you are in a VERY central location. Check out areas to the east of MDC in particular. Both are BIG steps up from Overtown but still have the city "hood" vibe if you like that. I think these are two areas close to a community college that you will feel very comfortable in that truly "aren't that bad".

[tallrick]

Stay away from any low-income area with apartments because you will be sorry. If you like the ghetto find one with single-family homes and you will have to dodge fewer bullets. Avoid any street with the name 'Martin Luther King" or areas like "liberty city". You can use Google street view to identify the hell holes, they never have nice landscaping or significant tree cover. Seeing people home during the day or hanging out on the street in the summer is always an indication of crime and squalor.

[crisp444]

Forget it. I would highly recommend that you get rid of your goal of avoiding areas where you'll hear a lot of Spanish. The working-class neighborhoods of newly arrived Caribbean and Central American immigrants in Miami are much safer than Overtown. If you want a safe, black neighborhood, consider parts of North Miami/North Miami Beach or Richmond Heights (not too far from MDC's main campus on SW 104 Street).

[bzybz]

Perhaps Banx is not scared and brings his own environment.