Moving to DC: any help will be highly appreciated, DC 20032 area (Washington: apartment, rent)

[Dr_AFG]

Hi,
I have got a job near 7500 MLK, DC 20032. I was wondering if i could find an economic, yet safe, apartment near my work place. Please, any comments will be highly appreciated.

Thanks

[dullnboring]

Bad area. Really bad area. There's signs of improvement near the Anacostia Metro station but the general rule of thumb in the DC area is to steer clear of the parts of DC across the Anacostia River. If you can swing it, Capitol Hill isn't all that far away and is much safer.

[Mike from back east]

Dull one....is this location anywhere near that new stadium being built....if so, could be one of those ground opptys to buy into an area that is going to rise in value...greatly....many risk takers did this is the harbor area of my home town (Baltimore) back in the early 1970's when decrepit row homes were being sold for back taxes by the city (most went for about $1,000.00). The brave ones bought these, rehabbed them, now Federal Hill is one of the most sought after and expensive in town.....

For more on the Baltimore version of urban renewal....
http://www.baltimoresun.com/business...home-headlines

s/mike

[dullnboring]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Dull one....is this location anywhere near that new stadium being built....if so, could be one of those ground opptys to buy into an area that is going to rise in value...greatly....many risk takers did this is the harbor area of my home town (Baltimore) back in the early 1970's when decrepit row homes were being sold for back taxes by the city (most went for about $1,000.00). The brave ones bought these, rehabbed them, now Federal Hill is one of the most sought after and expensive in town.....

s/mike

You know, I didn't even think of that. I haven't been following the stadium construction so to be honest, I have no clue if this is in the same area. I'm too lazy to reserach it now, but I'll look into it. It could definitely be an investment but it's just a matter of being willing to wait it out as it will take some time for both the stadium to be built and for the community to reap the rewards from that. At the moment, it's not a nice community but that could definitely change in the coming years. It would be an absolutely phenomenal turnaround if they were able to turn Anacostia into DC's own version of the Inner Harbor. It's unlikely of course just due to differing natural settings (i.e. bay vs. river) and distance from the center of town and relative isolation, but you never know.

[Dr_AFG]

Dear "dullnboring",
Thanks for your reply! I truly appreciate your response. Well, I dont have an option for now, I have to join this job. I have limited budget for now, therefore, I need a cheap place to stay. Do you have any recommendation?
Thanks once again for your post.

[dullnboring]

I researched the new stadium a bit and it looks like while it will lie right by the Anacostia River in Southeast, it won't be "over" the river. It will be located right next to the Washington Naval Yard. That means that the neighborhood in question is a good hike away from the new stadium and unlikely to see any sort of regentrification as a result. I was thinking and hoping the stadium would be built across the river near Anacostia Metro. I think it would've been a good catalyst for redeveloping such a blighted and ignored area.

Originally Posted by Dr_AFG

Dear "dullnboring",
Thanks for your reply! I truly appreciate your response. Well, I dont have an option for now, I have to join this job. I have limited budget for now, therefore, I need a cheap place to stay. Do you have any recommendation?
Thanks once again for your post.

This neighborhood, upon further inspection, is actually probably the worst in DC so as such, I couldn't in good conscience recommend that anybody live there. This is in general the area around Congress Heights and Washington Highlands, some of the most violent parts of DC. I would definitely not recommend staying in the immediate neighborhood. One advantage to the neighborhood however is the fact that there is a Metro stop on the Green Line in Congress Heights, meaning it is accessible to public transportation if you choose to live elsewhere, easily accessible from most of DC and Prince George's County, Maryland. Even Anacostia, just a Metro stop away and generally regarded as a "no go" part of town, would be a better option and rents are only a bit more expensive, but well worth it in my opinion. How much money are you working with in terms of rent money? If you are forced to live in Congress Heights, just exercise street smarts and stay out of trouble. While crime is really bad, you can greatly minimize risks based on your activities (i.e. no drugs, no gangs and no hanging out with people who are into that....or messing around with their women) and just common sense (avoid large groups of sketchy men, be aware of your surroundings, minimize time out at night, etc.). You're not guaranteed to be the victim of crime by any means, but it's just that unless absolutely unavoidable, I'd recommend just about any other community in the DC area over this one.