Woodlawn-MLK and Ainsworth (Portland: apartments, crime, neighborhood)

[KristenCarol]

Hi,

I'm in town looking at apartments and I found one in Woodlawn that I'm interested in. It's basically at MLK and Ainsworth. I'm curious if any of you have any opinions on the general safety of this area. I also saw a place by N. Rosa Parks and Greeley. Any comments would be very helpful!

Thanks,

Kristen

[skiffrace]

According to crime statistics, MLK & Ainsworth are bad, N Rosa Parks and Greely a little better.

CrimeMapper Detail Report

Any reasons you are looking in North Portland? While there are some decent, safe pockets there, in general, it's the most crime-ridden part of Portland.

[oldtintype]

The one on MLK is in an area that has a lot of new restaurants and interesting things popping up, but there is a fair amount of crime still. It's not terrible and I wouldn't say don't do it, but you'll want a car for night time. A lot of it would depend on the apartment and the price for me. Greely is better.

[Leisesturm]

Has anyone besides me taken an area known to be "good" like... say Tanasbourne or The Pearl and looked at it in Crime Mapper? Do it. The results ought to be instructive. There comes a point at which "data" is irrelevant. I don't really care if, by the numbers, Greely is better than MLk, neither area feels or looks like Goose Hollow and, at the end of the day isn't that what we all want, a neighborhood that looks and feels like Goose Hollow? I mean... someone has to live there (NoPo) and, of course, many do.... they don't ask anyone's opinion about it. They don't have to, they know the deal.

H

[oldtintype]

There's crime everywhere, you're right. But she's new to the area. I would live in either location. But my idea of safe is apparently different than other people's so I take a middle of the road approach. However, in the MLK area she mentioned as a woman I wouldn't feel safe at night and I'd want a car. In the day I wouldn't care. I used to work near there and never had any problems. Lots of nice people.

I actually have lived in Goose Hollow and the drama from college students drove me nuts. Police were there constantly. I don't really like the area so nope, not everyone wants Goose Hollow

[skiffrace]

in the MLK area she mentioned as a woman I wouldn't feel safe at night and I'd want a car

I concur. The only 2 scenarios in which I would want to live there would be
a) super close to my job
b) much cheaper than anything else
If neither of these 2 applies, I'd move on to a better area.

[Minervah]

It also depends upon your comfort zone. My neighborhood was considered unsafe and terribly desirable when I first moved here. Within a decade it started to become one of the most trendy and expensive in Portland. If you wait awhile, I think every neighborhood in this city is going to be that way. If someone is looking for inexpensive now, but wants something close to work with conveniences and is cheap but is in a more shabby neighborhood, move there now because it will no doubt change anyway in a few years.

The exception might be one in which there are going to always be college students or other transient type people because I have had that experience too and no thank you never again.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by Leisesturm

Has anyone besides me taken an area known to be "good" like... say Tanasbourne or The Pearl and looked at it in Crime Mapper? Do it. The results ought to be instructive. There comes a point at which "data" is irrelevant.

Do it for a place like Hollywood California. Some of those high-end places make Portland look downright sleepy.

[Steve Pickering]

Portland averages a shooting a day mixed in with stabbings. Many (the majority) are in North Portland. MLK stands out as a crime area.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

Steve, I seriously doubt that statistic.
Where did you find that out?
I looked and looked but could not find anything to substantiate this!
Please cite.

Hopefully you aren't just pulling this out of your hat.
I know that you will say that not everything makes it to the internet, but something this serious would, and I can't find any information that gives me the "shootings" and "stabbings" yearly totals.
Murders, yes.
Assualts, yes.
But no real statistics about shootings or stabbings that don't result in deaths.
Please let me know how you determined this.

I would say that east Portland, places like 122nd and division, are giving N Portland stiff competition for crime these days.

I am not trying to start an argument with you.
I have seen you state this before and just wonder how you get information that no one else seems to have...