Errol Heights Neighborhood (Portland: real estate, crime rates, felony)

[kikster]

I would like to know if anyone can provide more information about this neighborhood. It seems to be on the South East border of 97206. I am considering buying a home in this area a couple blocks north of Errol Heights park. There seems to be quite a differance in home values from just to East to West of 52nd. Can someone give me some insight regarding the value of homes in and around the Errol Heights area?
Thank you VERY much!

[pdxMIKEpdx]

Well, to start with, Errol Hieghts is now called Brentwood-Darlington.
I grew up in the Sellwood-Moreland and Woodstock neighborhoods and Errol Heights was known as "Felony Flats" back then.
It was a neighborhood one aspired to move out of.
About twenty years ago, streets were paved, with sidewalks added.
This improved the visual aspect of Errol Heights quite a bit.
Then real estate values started going up, and a lot of people either sold and got out, or used the new found equity to improve their homes.
It isn't as bad as it used to be, but some parts are still a little sketchy.
Definately a lower income, working class neighborhood.
And you are right, 52 AVE is the east west dividing line.
The neighborhood west of 52AVE is nicer than the one east.
I suggest going to google streetview and looking around.
Also google "Portland CrimeMapper" for crime statistics and "Portland CGIS" for more information regarding house values and more.

[EnricoV]

The area is more commonly referred to as "Felony Flats." If that tells you anything. I will say, though, that I've lived very close to that area, and found it a great neighborhood. Family still lives there. I think the area south of the bluff isn't quite as "felony flats" as the top is.

[sueisme]

Is this restaurant (Foster Burger) in "Felony Flats"?

[pdxMIKEpdx]

It's a few miles north of the particular "Felony Flats" we're talking about here.

[EnricoV]

More like the northern "boundary".

[wateransalmon]

I've been living here about 18 months now, near 52nd, and I have to say I love the neighborhood. The neighborhood association is awesome: very friendly, very proactive, very large showing. I had construction done on the house before I moved in and -- being in a neighborhood with a less than perfect reputation -- I was worried that someone would see a vacant house with active repair being performed and would try to break in and steal some of the construction tools -- never happened. I bike to work downtown and my ride is easy, 30 minutes -- the only major boulevard I cross is Powell (which I cross at 41st) and, until I get downtown, I don't have to ride on any major roads the entire way -- all small, low traffic streets.

I originally wanted to live in Sellwood, but prices were crazy -- unless I was willing to buy on highway 99. Also, I found out that a large part of Sellwood is in a high water table area and that the basements in many of the homes appear to be quite wet. B-D, on the other hand, has low water tables and good soils according to Oregon geology sites and city sources. I find biking from B-D to the rest of the city is easier than from Sellwood. Sellwood is on the Springwater Trail and it's hard to get downtown without riding on that trail. That's great in the summer, but I bike to work all year and I don't feel safe biking down an isolated trail after dark. Biking to rest of the Inner East side (Division, Hawthorne, Hollywood) is also way easier from B-D.

So, would I recommend buying here? Absolutely. New Seasons is coming to nearby Woodstock. The new MAX is coming with an enclosed bike parking locker at the nearby Tacoma station. And, the new Powell-Division Rapid bus line is coming in 2020, which might be better than the MAX since B-D has so much North-South bus frequency (71,72,75 lines).

Where would I buy? I think The NW section is the most convenient for those who want to minimize car dependence. It has great transit access: the 19,75, and 71 bus all run through that area. It's in the Car2go zone. It's in walking distance to Woodstock and New Seasons. Also, everything west of 57th is in the Lewis-Sellwood-Cleveland school district -- all good schools. Unfortunately, everyone else is thinking the same thing. Anything west of 52nd, these days, is expensive. Things East of 52nd and West of 57th go very quickly too. There are good deals in the 52-57 spot but mostly because the homes are very small. At the time I'm writing this post there are 5 homes on the RMLS in this little area -- 4 are pending or sold -- I know that 2 sold with the first few days, all went pending within a month. I don't think a single one of these homes was bigger than 1000sq feet, so it could be developers buying them up. On the upside, the lots tend to be large and you can always add an ADU. When I bought here, homes in that little area used to take a few months to go -- of course that was before the New Seasons announcement, when the economy was weaker, and when the MAX still seemed a distant dream. There are some dingier looking homes East of 52 that are close to the run-down looking commercial buildings at the intersection of 52nd and Flavel that seem to go slower, but they still seem to go. Woodstock Blvd is also pretty crappy looking from 48-to 60th and doesn't seem to stop nearby homes from selling either.

Also very desirable is the area around Ogden from Brentwood Park to 72nd or so. Actually, this is one of the nicest, hidden gems in all of Inner SE Portland. You can get alot of home for your money here. Many of the homes are very nice with large lots -- plenty of room to add an ADU later. Probably because of the schools, the homes here sell at a slower but, nonetheless, steady pace. With the money you save on the house, send the kids to private school if you can't get them transferred.

As for the areas South of Flavel, I don't get down there much just because I don't need to. However, I do travel down Flavel drive (Drive -- not Street) on my way to Home Depot often and it seems very nice. I get the impression from some people that some spots in this area are, or at least were, kinda crappy. But I don't see it from my trips down Flavel. The homes here do seem to sell slower than North of Flavel so it could be a good place to get a deal if you're in it for the longer term -- not to mention that a small part of this area is in the excellent Lewis school district. I'm also starting to see a few big, new homes put up in this area close to Flavel Drive.

As for the Felony Flats reputation? I think it's an undeserved monikor from times past -- probably when Portland had bad meth problems. From what I can tell, looking back at old records, this area never had crime rates that were as bad as North PDX did. I wouldn't worry about it, just be careful about getting to close to 82nd ave. And don't listen to biased locals, do your own research. Data about neighborhoods is free and abundant -- if all people buying in near Alberta last decade had listened to the locals they would have missed out on some awesome growth. This neighborhood is about the same distance from downtown as Alberta, so its time is coming -- if not here already in the NW section of the hood.