How dangerous is New Orleans post-Katrina? (Metairie, Kenner: apartment, neighborhood, private school)

[Vampgrrl]

I wouldn't walk around in any part of Gentilly alone. Generally speaking the area between St. Charles Ave. and Magazine St. is the best (although nothing is 110% safe inside any city).
Metarie is much "safer" and the Northshore is much much "safer".

But don't get the impression it is just terrible in New Orleans generally. I see students of college age and younger roaming the streets all the time Uptown, and I roam the Garden District alone during the day and have little problem going to the Quarter alone on a Saturday night.

Again most crime, most....is thug on thug in very poor, very minority neighborhoods, MOST. This isn't excusing it but gives you an idea. (Treme/7th Ward, Central City, Gentilly, New Orleans East).

[Southerncharmer]

Originally Posted by Vampgrrl

I wouldn't walk around in any part of Gentilly alone. Generally speaking the area between St. Charles Ave. and Magazine St. is the best (although nothing is 110% safe inside any city).
Metarie is much "safer" and the Northshore is much much "safer".

But don't get the impression it is just terrible in New Orleans generally. I see students of college age and younger roaming the streets all the time Uptown, and I roam the Garden District alone during the day and have little problem going to the Quarter alone on a Saturday night.

Again most crime, most....is thug on thug in very poor, very minority neighborhoods, MOST. This isn't excusing it but gives you an idea. (Treme/7th Ward, Central City, Gentilly, New Orleans East).

So, you are saying that New Orleans East is an area plagued with crime? I'd be living in the New Orleans East area. I did visit the NOPD website and entered my S.O.'s address and found that most crimes near there have been bugarly, theft, & auto-theft and in another neighborhood in the New Orleans East area there was a robbery/buglary turned murder and the victim apparently knew the two men that committed the crime.

As for other poster's comments: Thank you for responding. San Phlegmatico: When I was younger and childess I wanted to really Know New Orleans. It is a wonderful city filled with culture, eccentricity, and experiences that cannot be had in Alabama or any where else.

I am a social worker by profession and have always been an advocate for the poor, minorities (in race & sex), and those in bad environments BUT I am not willing to sacrifice my daughter for my own selfish needs/desires. I am still undecided about the move and may consider relocating to a town nearby. I know that Alabama is not perfect and does not have a stellar reputation for crime or race relations but it's home and it has afforded me with many wonderful opportunities educational and otherwise. . .

[Cookie0907]

The east is not a "very poor" area. I live in the east in a home owners neighborhhood where there are mostly black and vietnamese people. There have been incidences of Home invasions, complete with murder and body dumping since this area is not heavily populated as it used to be. Don't worry, as long as you do not make yourself a target, you should remain safe. The east does have crime, but it sure ain't the worst area. Neither is gentilly.

[Cookie0907]

Oh yea I live in the Michoud area of the east where most of the home invasions took place. It used to be pretty quite out here pre- Katrina.... Things have settled down a bit though.

[Southerncharmer]

Wow! Home invasions & body dumping?? That's not very comforting. I keep seeing the words. . .if you do no make yourself a target. . .why is it that these victims have become targets? Also in N.O. East, the crimes have been carried out by outsiders not residents of the neighborhoods? Do any of your neighborhoods have a neighborhood watch team? I read some where that the LA state troopers are patrolling that area more heavily is this true & if so, has it made a difference? Would you feel comfortable walking around your neighborhood? Letting your children play outside?

[Vampgrrl]

I would not voluntarily live in New Orleans East.


You might want to look at Slidell, LA on the other side on the I-10 Twin spans if you want a better place (and if you don't want to live in New Orleans itself...although I recommend Uptown too but that might be out of your price range, not sure.

[njkate]

Originally Posted by gv0928

Well, firstly, they are keen of taking advantage of you - they will take you in a circle rather than just going down the street.

Secondly, the other companies aren't trustworthy. Moderator cut: editAt least don't go in them alone.

Same as any big city...I just love when a taxi driver in NYC tries to pull that on me....

[Cookie0907]

Yea it is believed that the people commiting the crimes are outsiders and do not live in the neighborhood. This home invasion thing was a brief string of events, It doesnt just happen all the time.
And no offense to the other person who keeps responding to your post, but from what I understand she just moved here in 2007. I am a lifelong resident. And what I mean by "making yourself a target" is, don't sell drugs, dont buy drugs, dont be flashy with money or material things and dont talk s*** to people.We do have a Neighborhood Safe group out here in Michoud, along with plenty of police officers, military police, and sometimes state police all over the east. As for uptown, it can be a very mixed situation. My best friend grew up Uptown on Soniat St. and yea......her neighborhood was pretty rough in terms of drugs. I have never been scared to be around there. And then 2 blocks from her street is a mostly white girl's Catholic school called Ursaline Academy. I feel pretty safe here now but I dont screw around outside at night b/c anything can happen in any town or city.During the day, I'm fine. One thing i will advise you to do is to get to know your neighbors.Another thing, Slidell is very nice, but not New Orleans at all. It's pretty far.

As I said before dont read into what the media says. When I relocated to CA after the storm a lot of people judged us SEVERELY thinking that we were theives and murderers and completely ignorant! We all know this isnt a perfect city, it has its problems, but the reason many areas of the city or so under populated or populated with the wrong people is b/c people look at these areas as dangerous and poor b/c of what the media says. All of the people that can help to make the community better all run off to "safe zones" like Metairie. BTW what does your husband think about his neighborhood?

[Cookie0907]

And if it wont freak you out too much, I could give you links or website of the lastest major crimes here

[Cookie0907]

Map of 2007 homicides - 2007 Homicides New Orleans - Times-Picayune NOLA.com (broken link) here is a link for a map of 2007 homicides. The east does have some but not near as many as other areas.