Anyone have advice for moving to rough neighborhood?

[nick is rulz]

I think the order of "seedy" (note the quotes) areas I would look into would be as follows:


Powderhorn
Camden
Phillips
Near North

I would put Powderhorn over Camden simply because I like hanging out on Lake Street and in Midtown/Longfellow/Seward. If I was looking for a strictly residential setting, I would probably say Camden.

I think the most important thing to do if you are looking is to get a strong feel for the neighborhood. Here's a few things I have done when I have sort of looked about:

1). Research Hennepin County for their property tax records. These are a valuable asset for getting a feel on who lives where. For example, if you're looking on the 36xx block of Newton, also check the 36xx block of Oliver and Morgan so you know who is on both sides of your house. The information provided indicates the date of sale, so you get a feel as far as longevity in the neighborhood. If the tax records are mailed to a secondary address, its a rental. If they have a bank address listed, odds are its foreclosed.

2). Check crime maps for the surrounding blocks going back as far as possible. Obviously this only gives you a picture of the past, but you can get a general feel for if the block is going to be a concern for you. Do not simply search homicides and rapes and say "well, nothing bad has happened here so it shouldnt be a problem!". The block might not be so hot that there is rampant gunfire, but it might have a lot of burglaries that take place.

3). Talk to nearby neighbors. Its best to talk to those who have been around a long time. Get a feel for the area. Older neighbors that have stayed put thru thick and thin are a valuable asset and will keep an eye on the area like hawks. These are the people you want as your next door neighbors.

4). Make a very strong effort to establish relationships with the "good eggs". You'll find you establish a much much stronger bond with neighbors in areas like this than you ever will in most neighborhoods.

5). Get involved in your neighborhood organization, but know your limits. Dont be the guy who is out on the corner shouting at the dealers to get out of their neighborhoods. I would advise against living in a neighborhood thats like an open air drug market in the first place, but dont try to be too much of a hero.

[Camden Northsider]

Nick, I take issue with the use of the word "seedy" (even with quotes) and Camden being put together - OK so maybe there are parts where this can be the case, but other parts definitely aren't.

My list would probably read as follows (first choice to last choice):
Camden
Powderhorn
Near North
Phillips

But if I were to break it down by neighborhood, it would probably look something like this (based on some of my own personal preferences re: housing stock):
Victory
tie between areas of Webber Camden/ Cleveland n'hoods
Near North (neighborhood - old Victorian mansions close to downtown)
Willard-Hay - western section
If I were to go South, I would look at Longfellow and Seward, but these would still be behind a few northside/ camden neighborhoods. And there are a lot of Southside n'hoods I admittedly don't know anything about that seem like they might be interesting. Northeast would probably be at the bottom of my list.

I guess one thing I was trying to say in my previous post is that you actually don't need to look in a "rough" neighborhood to find VERY affordable homes that are in safe neighborhoods these days, my own neighborhood is a case in point with this. Actually, here in Victory there are a number of longtime residents that love this neighborhood so much tat they are buying (either individually or in groups with other neighbors) a number of the fixer foreclosures to prevent predatory investors from getting their hands on them (it's coined a new term: "block builders").

[3three3]

Originally Posted by Camden Northsider

And what area of North are you referring to in your generalizations? - please do be more specific - Phillips is a smaller geographic area than all of the northside and you do realize that there are 13 neighborhoods on the northside, correct?

My apologies. Perhaps this is a result of my upbringing. When with my friends, all of whom grew up in the inner city, we have distinct areas mapped out in our heads when we reference South Minneapolis or North Minneapolis. "Southside" Minneapolis means areas close to South High School...near Powderhorn and includes Phillips. Longfellow, Seward, Southwest, Uptown and so on - get referenced in their own right. When referring to "Northside", we are thinking of the parts of North Minneapolis where our friends grew up and bought houses...areas where you can't order delivery because no pizza joints (etc) deliver to your zip code or surrounding area. The other neighborhoods in North Minneapolis, such as the beautifully stunning areas along Victory Memorial or near Theo Wirth, or various other safe and lovely spots...those, like Longfellow and Seward, get referred to by their names. Northside is northside...southside is southside. I've found similar language used by working class folks in East St. Paul and West St. Paul...there are distinct areas/neighborhoods that folks generally understand to be referenced in those titles.

I understand that not everyone grew up with these maps or language, so my apologies for not being more specific. Thanks for calling me out on it.

[insert_name_here_00]

theres really no need to overplay the situation.

dont present yourself as a victim and dont show off how nice the interior is. not to say you have to live in a cave. i dont care where you live, leaving the blinds open with a three thousand dollar lap top out on the summer porch is just a bad move.

a friend of mine lives on lake and portland. his only security is the massive malamute he walks around the block (dogs are great). so if you have a garage, good locks, and the luxury of a working security system - you'll be fine.

are you a man? woman? single?

speaking from experience, young fit men are typically not the target when youre looking to get over on someone. even if youre a single woman though - if you can take care of yourself - go for it! just make sure you know what youre doing if youre out at night.

dont let the couch potato news-laden sponges scare you away from the south side. it might just be the best place ive ever been.