How safe is Flatbush?

[Sha83]

Originally Posted by Elvira Black

Yes, but how long ago did this happen? Here's a hint: the development is only accepting those with good housing history, adequate income, NO criminal record of any kind, etc. In other words, they are screening for good solid (probably mostly young) tenants. IMO it is no longer a dangerous development, though who knows what the surrounding areas look like. You'd just have to see.

I encourage folks not to just take the word of people who have not been to an area in awhile, or even in the past 6 to 12 months, or never at all. Incidents that happened a few years ago may be totally irrelevant now.

People, these look like gorgeous, totally renovated rent stabilized, affordble apts not far from Manhattan (or so the site says). Folks like you are going to be moving in there. Again, don't ignore an opportunity staring you in the face due to naysayers. They sometimes exaggerate!!!!! Rent stabilized, people, utilities included!!!! What more do you want...rent control in Disneyland?

Sheesh.

I used to go in there as a Section 8 worker and though most of my clients were nice, I do think the ads are misleading. A lot of those people are on Section 8 and remember, they still have no evicted everyone from that complex, so you still have bad apples. The grounds were not especially clean and I do remember lots of people just "hanging around"- and this was in winter at 2-5 PM.

[Sha83]

Originally Posted by Elvira Black

Not hard to empty out the old residents...piece of cake really.

Obviously you are not an employee from HPD or NYCHA. Unless you think 1-5 years is a piece of case...

[seeyvroserun]

Unfortunatelt I live in Flatbush Gardens. There advertising of this place is nothing but lies! I haven't had heat or hot water in two days! Every Sunday I don't have hot water. The old tenants still run the hallways, smoke pot and drink and fight. There is always pee in the elevators and the compactor room is a disgrace!! Now, unlike bkbk1969 I am Puerto Rican and Black and my roomate is Jamaican. I dont want anyone thinking I'm another one of those people who equate black people with drugs and filth. The building is poorly managed and full of lifetime welfare recipients, I don't care what color you are! Management paints this place as an up and coming property that is no longer like the projects it once was. What a joke! I feel like I'm living in an overpriced housing project. I have to mingle with people paying VERY little if any rent and collecting foodstamps and other assistance. Don't get me wrong, there are some people that need this help that are good people who mayb elderly or handicapped. My problem is a whole property full of young lazy people with a dozen kids, no job and no hope living on my hard earned tax dollars! It took months to find a new place insisting I didn't want to be associated with these kind. I am sickened by this place and its smell!!!!

[ecraw]

Originally Posted by seeyvroserun

Unfortunatelt I live in Flatbush Gardens. There advertising of this place is nothing but lies! I haven't had heat or hot water in two days! Every Sunday I don't have hot water. The old tenants still run the hallways, smoke pot and drink and fight. There is always pee in the elevators and the compactor room is a disgrace!! Now, unlike bkbk1969 I am Puerto Rican and Black and my roomate is Jamaican. I dont want anyone thinking I'm another one of those people who equate black people with drugs and filth. The building is poorly managed and full of lifetime welfare recipients, I don't care what color you are! Management paints this place as an up and coming property that is no longer like the projects it once was. What a joke! I feel like I'm living in an overpriced housing project. I have to mingle with people paying VERY little if any rent and collecting foodstamps and other assistance. Don't get me wrong, there are some people that need this help that are good people who mayb elderly or handicapped. My problem is a whole property full of young lazy people with a dozen kids, no job and no hope living on my hard earned tax dollars! It took months to find a new place insisting I didn't want to be associated with these kind. I am sickened by this place and its smell!!!!

You and your roomie are the only types they hope to attract. Flatbush has been a dump for 20+ years.

[cityboy22]

I grew Up in brooklyn and I will be the first one to tell you that Flatbush gardens although not 100% safe, its so much better than what it use to be. Most of the time the so called thugs of the area will not bother you. Remember their young kids and if you just say a simple whats up in passing, you'd be surprised at what you would get back. Remember the only white people they encounter are ether cops or school staff, and you know cops in New York are not so friendly at times. Once they know who you are and you don't act stuck up or afraid they will look out for you. Also if your looking for an area that is perhaps not as hard core but still has good rents you should go a little more north into the Erasmus area, Thats the Church Ave stop on the 2 or the 5 train. The area is mostly West Indians. Rent may be a little more than Flatbush Gardens but its most def safer.

[justfarr1030]

Originally Posted by cityboy22

I grew Up in brooklyn and I will be the first one to tell you that Flatbush gardens although not 100% safe, its so much better than what it use to be. Most of the time the so called thugs of the area will not bother you. Remember their young kids and if you just say a simple whats up in passing, you'd be surprised at what you would get back. Remember the only white people they encounter are ether cops or school staff, and you know cops in New York are not so friendly at times. Once they know who you are and you don't act stuck up or afraid they will look out for you. Also if your looking for an area that is perhaps not as hard core but still has good rents you should go a little more north into the Erasmus area, Thats the Church Ave stop on the 2 or the 5 train. The area is mostly West Indians. Rent may be a little more than Flatbush Gardens but its most def safer.

Also where I live in the Ditmas Park area which is not as hardcore is a good place to look into (by the B, Q trains).

[confusedny]

I want to move there in May. Does anyone live in any of the 2 bedrooms? If so, what size? Can it fit a queen or a King size bed comfortably? How safe is this? Would you reccommend a teacher and 2 daughters for these apts?

[aguy189]

Originally Posted by confusedny

I want to move there in May. Does anyone live in any of the 2 bedrooms? If so, what size? Can it fit a queen or a King size bed comfortably? How safe is this? Would you reccommend a teacher and 2 daughters for these apts?

The guy who does the flatbushnyc blog (just google flatbushnyc) has a two bedroom. Send him an email at gmail. With rents coming down everywhere I ended up somewhere else, but I exchanged a lot of messages with him when I was thinking about flatbush gardens.