Is Harlem all hype? Moving, need advice.

[OyCrumbler]

Originally Posted by funniesaru

Thanks! These two apartments came to us through connections because we know there are a lot of scams out there. They are openings in apartments of friend's of friends. We haven't had an offer for Bay Ridge yet...

Wow, if it's a legitimate and decent room in Harlem for $400, grab it. If it's really not a scam or a tiny shack full of roaches and the demon souls of heathens.

[funniesaru]

Originally Posted by kmknyc

I lived in Harlem for almost 9 years up till 2 months ago and moved up there as a white 22 yr old female fresh out of NYU grad, so I think I can offer some good insight for you!

I do agree with some of the others posts that if you have NEVER EVER lived in any type of 'inner city' environment and are brand new to NYC, Harlem will ABSOLUTELY be a huuuuge culture shock to you and you will most likely feel 'uneasy' for that simple fact alone! Not uneasy b/c it's dangerous for you, but more because anyone with no experience in that type of environment will most likely have moments of unease.

HOWEVER, I do want to stress that as someone who lived ALL over Harlem in several different apts, that it is a GREAT place to live! I would still be living in Harlem were it not for now being almost totally priced out.

The Harlem of today vs. the Harlem of 2003 when I first moved up there are SO drastically different, it's almost unbelievable to me. The gentrification of Harlem, esp in the past 3-4 years has been very swift and a little merciless to those of lower economic status. But, this gentrification has also brought a LOT of good to the area!! I am of the mindset that gentrification is a double-edged sword, with many good and bad effects.

One thing I can definitely assure of is that there is a VERY HEAVY, VERY VISIBLE police presence in Harlem!!!! Like, WHOA!! Especially even more so over the past 12-18 months. It's very hard to walk anywhere in Harlem for more than 2-3 blocks and NOT see a police cruiser, beat cops, watchtower, etc etc. This tremendously adds to the element of 'feeling safe' there, despite it still being a somewhat heavy crime area.

As for the crime, Harlem is really the same as it is in ANY PART of the city. Most of the crime is drug-related and tends to happen late at night, near housing projects, and usually between people that already have beef with each other. If you're not looking to get in a dealing with a street gang, your chances of ever having a problem with being a target are drastically reduced. As for things like being robbed, mugged, assaulted, etc, THAT stuff happens everywhere in the city, even in the BEST of neighborhoods in NYC! In fact, some people believe that you have a higher chance of getting mugged in a good neighborhood vs a 'bad' neighborhood, simply for the fact that a lot of perps tend not to commit crime against unknown people on their own turf. They tend to leave their home turf to find victims. Of course, this is something that can't really be 'proven' and is subject to personal opinion.

All in all, I would heartily recommend Harlem to most people! It's a great place with beautiful architecture, lots of new shops and restaurants opening near 125th, and an all-over unmatchable multi-ethnic vibe! Harlem is now a true 'melting pot' of NYC, as you've got upper middle class, middle class, low income, welfare, and EVERY single major ethnic group in NYC living there!

As someone else said, the only way to really find out for yourself is to actually visit Harlem during the day AND at night, and to ALSO take the subway at night and the subsequent walk to determine how YOU feel. I think that is one of the best things you can do, other than finding out from people who know the area what it's really like!

I hope at least some of my rambling has been helpful to you!! Best of Luck!

Your rant was really really helpful. We are small city folks but we also have a history of working in community organizing and social justice so we have spent time in higher crime areas in our city and I agree, many times it's between folks who know each other.

[funniesaru]

Originally Posted by jad2k

That's the truth! I don't know why there is this myth that NYC is the most "hardcore" place on earth. There are ghettos in other parts of the US that would give these "high crime" neighborhoods of NYC a bullet to bullet run for their money. Have you people ever seen some of the ghettos of New Orleans or Detroit? Good Lord! Now THAT is the hood!

Funny you should say that, my partner has spent time and done work in the "ghettos"of Detroit. He said it was fairly terrifying.

[Harlem resident]

People tend to focus on "safety" to be politically correct. There are lots of random shootings in Harlem, lots of robberies, and similar - all true. Lots of brat adolescents with guns, lots of gun-running in the open, and then there are the parents ... Harlem is far from safe, although I would add that the neighborhood element (if people accept you) means that someone will help as they will not in other areas of Manhattan. So ... in a strange sense it may be safer, if you avoid being in the wrong place at the wrong time, than the once-neighborhoods, now bedrooms for the very rich and quite superfluous who now make up much of Manhattan. Caveat: Some of these, with "bohemian" pretensions, show up in Harlem. Avoid.

But the quality-of-life issues are as serious as anything about safety. Litter and garbage everywhere. Screeching ghetto children and mothers, which will trouble you if you have compassion. Ghetto culture in general does not create a pleasant or positive living environment. Few amenities, and no decent New York-level ones. You did not mention your age, or I missed it. A younger person could probably tolerate it. A younger person who is not a native would probably not notice the dearth of amenities. Us natives often expect a lot, and this is not happening in Harlem right now. Yet ? Who knows.

Harlem is far from "gay friendly," whatever that means. I know several couples who left after nearly non-stop harassment from ghetto folk.

Whoever commented that transplants would be at a disadvantage in Harlem: You are mistaken. Indeed, the vast majority of the "new" Harlem people are transplants. Very few native New Yorker, non-Harlem natives live here. We knew several but none could stand it and they left.

A side note: All of the comments that commence with or contain "just like anywhere else" should be strongly qualified. There is far more crime, and far more violent crime, in Harlem than elsewhere in the city. That is a fact. Political correctness can be applied and applied but it does not change the facts.

[Harlem resident]

One more comment: There are plenty of cheap apartments in Harlem. Do not know where people get the idea that there are not. You need to look, network, and so on. There are even many stabilized apartments. Is this fact established by reference to craigslist ? Or what. Because that's not necessarily how you get an apartment in New York.

$400. is not at all out of the question for a roommate situation. That said, though, there are also scams.

[funniesaru]

Originally Posted by Harlem resident

One more comment: There are plenty of cheap apartments in Harlem. Do not know where people get the idea that there are not. You need to look, network, and so on. There are even many stabilized apartments. Is this fact established by reference to craigslist ? Or what. Because that's not necessarily how you get an apartment in New York.

$400. is not at all out of the question for a roommate situation. That said, though, there are also scams.

Thanks, the $400 is for half of a two bedroom through someone we know. We already were approached by a few scams so we are sticking to personal contacts now.

[JayJay718]

U should move to Harlem it's not as bad as its reputation just don't be acting stupid at night

[funniesaru]

Thanks everyone for your help. We took the Harlem apartment. So far it seems nice. Lots of eyes on the street. True, not a lot of amenities and a bit of a healthy food desert but we don't mind to travel.

[Kefir King]

I would presume there are an AWFUL lot of rent stabilized apartments in Harlem, probably far more than landlords would like to admit. It's an old neighborhood, previously HIGHLY undesirable...hence low rents.
It stands to reason that buildings built before 1980 are rent stabilized. (I say 1980 because almost nothing was built in the economic morass of the 1970's that didn't wind up in a state or city receivership.

I would also venture to guess that landlords are overcharging FREQUENTLY.

I caution ANYONE moving into an older building in Harlem to file with:

[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1][SIZE=1]NY State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR), the state agency which administers the rent laws (718-739-6400) [/SIZE]

and find out what you should REALLY be paying.

Just do it as a matter of course...like brushing your teeth. But sign the lease first and pay what you are asked until a determination can be made. The process often takes YEARS, but no work on your part and you get all the overcharges back.

[rgr555]

harlem is just fine but summer is its worse