Is Newark REALLY that bad???? (Hoboken: real estate, safe area, elementary school)

[bob142]

I have worked in Newark for years, went to school there, and owned a home the North Ward. Crime there is very, very bad and is often violent, not just petty, crime.

While the police as individuals are good law enforcement officers, they are vastly overworked and overwhelmed. There's just not enough of them. The cops themselves put it this way: "We own the city by day, they own it by night". The cops themselves will not enter a housing project alone, and insist on a backup so that there at least two armed officers answering a call. One night, I called 911 reporting six gunshots and had NO OFFICERS RESPOND! The next morning, we saw the bullet holes in a car a few doors away. It is very common to experience a 2 hour delay in response to a 911 call, and often they don't come at all. And this is in the BEST neighborhood in Newark, Forest Hill.

Office workers in Newark leave promptly at 5 and don't linger. Stragglers may be mugged or worse, even in the business center of the city. Neighbors of ours were carjacked in Newark, and I myself experienced several attempted carjackings. My car, parked on the street, was constantly broken into.

That of course doesn't mean you will be a victim of crime every day, but the odds are you might get hit some day.

It makes little difference if you live in a better neighborhood in Newark - the bad guys will find you, as they drive around looking for trouble. The nights are frequently punctuated by gunshots, and the sounds of kids in stolen cars "doing doughnuts" at night will be your lullabye. Not long ago, a University student was killed walking to or from his class. In neighboring East Orange, the elderly owner of a video store was bludgeoned to death with a hammer. The same bad guy also killed a young Indian man, a student at the University, who was pumping gas to pay his bills. Several years ago, a commuter aboard a train passing through Newark was hit by a stray bullet which came through the steel sides of the passenger car.

I personally witnessed a daytime burglary (next door) and a car theft (across the street). Called the cops each time, but they only came the next day, and that was just to take a report.

A friend of mine decided to move out of his beautiful Newark apartment when a bullet came crashing through his picture window one evening as the family was eating dinner. We decided to move out also after the shooting down the street, and after my son was mugged a few blocks from our house (during the daytime).

Race doesn't come into whether you'll be a victim of crime in Newark (or the neighboring problem towns of Irvington, East Orange, and Orange). The bad guys aren't prejudiced- they'll hit anybody regardless of race.

The schools are for the most part terrible in Newark. The best elementary school is probably Ridge Street school in the North Ward. There are some decent schools in Ironbound, the Portuguese/Brazilian area, although if you speak English your kids will be in the minority. There are no good and safe high schools in Newark. Barringer High used to be a great school many years ago, but rampant corruption of the local politicians and rising crime have made it a poor choice these days. Most of the private high schools left Newark years ago due to the crime.

As a bonus, the local politicians have always looked upon their office as a license to steal (your tax dollars). Mayors Gibson and Sharpe James openly robbed the city blind; beats me why they kept getting re-elected for nearly 40 years! Mayor Booker, who was just elected, seems to be a break from "business as usual", and ran on an anti-corruption platform. But even so, it will take many years before the city is cleaned up and crime really reined in. The "gangsta" culture is strong in Newark (and East Orange, Irvington, and Orange, too) and I don't see any solution in the near future.

BTW, Newark Airport is only in Newark by name, and is very safe. It's in an industrial area and is a beautiful facility,

I would recommend looking elsewhere for a home for your family, if you value your safety and sanity.

student2nj, you should be aware that there is a strong prejudice against Asians (especially Indians and Koreans) among some members of minorities in the Newark area. A young Indian man was brutally murdered in neighboring Hudson County some years back by a bunch of Hipsanic thugs who were shouting racial slurs at him while beating him to death. Amazingly, the perpetrators were set free because their defense attorney argued that the Indian was partly responsible, since he used an umbrella to try and fend off his attackers.

[NJ Chutzpah]

newark sounds cool

[cyntmac]

"Mayors Gibson and Sharpe James openly robbed the city blind; beats me why they kept getting re-elected for nearly 40 years!"

You need to go back a little farther than 40 years and acknowledge U.S. history. This was a tale of two cities for most of its history- seperate and unequal. Go back and look at the history of Newark over the past hundred plus years and you will find the future in the past. This is true for many urban areas. Many of these problems are not actually "local" problems in the sense that they are systemic in nature and supercede local governing bodies, legislation, policy, etc. "History" did not start in 1970. Many of the barriers that existed back then still exist today. Individuals have made great strides yes but at the community level the breakthroughs are not so evident. That is what should be examined. It is too easy to ignore the big picture and instead make ignorant comments on city-data about clown mayors and clueless citizens. Most people who live there are more clued in than the average American. The circumstances there make this so. People have also lost their faith in government- local or other. On some level things do not change and in many cases have just gotten worse. The person in office is not the issue. Their power is limited in any case.

[Tank1906]

Originally Posted by mikef973

No, it is not safe to walk the mile. I had a friend visiting me from maryland and i didnt even want him to walk from penn to broad st station in broad daylight and hes a 300 lb black guy from an urban area himself. dont put yourself thru it.

Sweetz--you would be I-N-S-A-N-E to move to newark. with the rare exception of a FEW OKAY places in ironbound, roseville and north ward. Why you would subject yourself to this type of lifestyle would be beyond me. Ive seen firsthand stickups, drug dealing/using, cop-chases, fights.....on gang initiation night in nearby irvington i saw a teen stabbed on the corner of springfield ave and stuyvascent laying in a pool of blood. this happens in newark normally, they are not isolated incidents. avoid like the plague if you value quality of life---newark, irvington, east orange, and much of orange as well. these are twisted demented thug psychos who were raised in a sub-civilized invironment with parents on drugs THATS IF they even HAD parents around....grow up walking the streets with no conscience or sense of right and wrong taught to them. they grew up witnessing the violence of others and in the "gangsta" hip hop culture settling problems with violence and gang action. you would HONESTLY want to be surrounded by this day in and day out??? and kids????? hahaha PLEASE do i even have to say any more??? lets be serious here people. this is what you will deal with living in 90% of the city of newark and surrounding areas.

P.S.---PLEASE can we stop with the "mind your own business and you will be fine"???? ok obviously whoever says that refering to the newark irvington area is obviously NOT from newark or irvington. probly from like millburn or short hills or westfield. EVERYONE is subject to EVERYTHING. ask the families of the 4 college students that got shot. ask victims families of children who get killed on gang initiation night when gang thugs "sic" wannabes on whoever they dont like at school. do you wanna take the chance that that's your kid??? not on your life....literally.

p.s.s.---and you think the newark cops will help you??? HA....HA...BWAHAHAHAHAHA

I live on Raymond and it's not this bad, nothing is this bad! It aint Bagdad. The area near Penn is just fine and the local transit will take you there and its safe as any other transit system. Crime is a little higher than nost cities but it's not the wild wild west. If you like the school then go. You'll be fine.
Take the same precautions you would in NYC, DC or any other urban area.

Don't pay attention to these over dramatized posts. Take precautions and live your life. You can apply everything in the quoted post to any urban city in America.

Just a thought....As a native of D.C. which is in the throws over a major turnaround and is now considered desirable I've noticed a few similarities that may play a role Newark's rebound.

1. Out with the old corrupt Mayor and in with the new rightoues Mayor
M. Barry-A. Williams/S. James-C. Booker
2. MCI Center Downtown D.C./Prudential Center Downtown Newark
3. New Convention Center D.C./NJPAC Newark
4. Rock Solid Job Base
Fed. Government-D.C./Prudential- Newark(among other great employers)
5. Union Station-National Airport/Penn Station-Newark Airport all easily accessible.
6. Transit systems in place.
7. Newark actually has NYC nearby with many of those folks looking for a new place to gentrify(at a budget rate) with Jersey City and Hoboken all but busting at the seems.

The above is not scientific, just some junk I thought about. Most thought hoboken and Jersey City (and D.C.) were dead forever but look at them. I know those who sold there row homes in uptown D.C. and ran away in the mid-90s are crying there eyes out as those places are now worth millions.

[pwright1]

After a recent visit back to my birthplace I found Newark improving greatly. Tons of new homes for sale and many of the older ones being renovated. Two of my good friends, a married couple and their two kids packed their bags and left Seattle and now own a very nice home in Newark. They love it. They are originally from NY but lived in Seattle for the past 10 years. I also see the population of Newark has increased every year for the past 5 or 6 years straight. Something good is taken place there.

[brandosgirl]

I posted this same question somewhere else, and i got a bunch of mixed responses. I had seen some beautiful apts in newark with a doorman and alot of extra goodies. I decided to call the local police station and ask them honestly what the thought. Now keep in mind im somewhat young and live in a good neighborhood in cali. They told me not to do it by myself. Especially since i would be coming home late from work in ny. I was also told by another member here that cars get stolen from gated apt communities. I'm not going to move to newark but those prices are tempting and some of the apts are beautiful at least online they are. Theres a wesite called hoboken 411 and it kind of gives info on current gang activity (they have a police scanner and listen live) I hope this helps!!! I was pretty conflicted myself . Keep in mind i have never been to n.j. Good luck!!!!!

[calligraphy]

i would suggest staying far away from Newark no matter what anyone tells you!!

[DragonXJC]

Stop being so scared, I've been in Newark at all times of the night and day. Alone or with company, if you mind your business you'll be fine. I've been to the seediest bars and clubs in Newark. And I'm not black, I'ma light skinned hispanic college graduate that works in the "City", if you're not scared and aware of your surroundings, you'll be fine.

[dbrooklyn]

Originally Posted by sweetz

Thanks-- I couldnt agree with you more-- I got a feeling in Bayonne!!! And we are a nice family, professional, working people and I didnt appreciate the treatment. But anywho-- I am going to go to Newark-- as a matter of fact at night!!! That will tell me all I need to know!!

But thanks for the suggestions--- I will check those out!!

I'm with you. Everyone is saying do not move to Newark, but I've gone out there several times in the daytime and at night and I have seen peace and quiet. I plan on moving to Newark too. You have to go with your gut feeling and what I found is do look around and you will find a neighborhood that better fits your personality. I found the north side of Newark works for me, better than the south side.


Girl go out and take a look and you make the decision. I am soooo tire of people telling me do not move to Newark.



Dee

[brandosgirl]

I just looked this up and for the past 3 years camden has come in on the top 5 list of dangerous cities in america and trenton for the past 3 years has come in on the top 20. Newark was 22 one year and 27 another. Are these 2 cities worse than newark??? NO one has told me to stay away from them but i constantly here stay away from newark!!!!!!!