ASAP-may be renting-is this area safe by piedmont park (Atlanta: apartment, rentals)

[SharRog]

I may have found an apartment but I'm new to Atlanta and was wondering if this area is SAFE - it is in between 12th St NE and 13th St NE on Piedmont Avenue NE. Thanks for any info.

[cqholt]

Be aware that Atlanta is a big city and crime can happen aware. For crime statistics look on Atlanta police website. Personally, my wife and I have walked through that area several times at night on the way to MARTA and had no problems.

[nrgpill]

You should be fine and don't pay too much attention to those review you find online as mostly the complainers tend to post. The satisfied tenants post much less frequently on review sites.

[shivtim]

Yes, that area near Piedmont Park is safe. I've walked around there a lot, including at night, with no problems. The biggest crime issue in the area is cars getting broken into if they're parked on the street overnight, but even that is rare.

[cqholt]

Don't leave any valuables in your car. Especially guns. People will bust windows if they see cords.

[red92s]

As others have said, car break-ins would be the only thing to worry about. It's not necessarily a problematic area, but "crimes of opportunity" can happen anywhere at anytime in a major metro area. Keep valuables out of sight, including any chargers, mounts, and docks, and I doubt you will have any problems.

[Mal93]

If you are in one of the older apt buildings (less than 3 stories) in the area, they offer a little more exposure. Be aware that there are quite a few people who will pick through the dumpster (so don't throw away anything that could lead to ID theft--and try not to have a heart attack if you go to throw something out and someone curses at you for waking them up). Some thieves/crackheads/junkies/starving homeless/drunk festival-goers think nothing of stealing anything off your porch,or anything outside that's visible from the sidewalk. I lived on 13th late 90s until a few years ago; several neighbors had bikes/furniture/etc stolen from the 2nd floor balconies. When a condo was under construction there was a rash of break-ins (auto and via unbarred windows) which quieted down after it was completed. My one neighbor gave up on locking his car doors after his convertible top was slashed and windows busted -- only to find that someone had apparently mistaken his car for a hotel :X Most of the newer rentals are gated, have security cameras, or limited access, but a lot of the older brick buildings have open parking lots and side alleys, etc.

On the positive side, I never heard of anyone dealing with an assault/home invasion/car theft or worse while I was there.

Midtown is safe for those who are aware of their surroundings, but as many people have said, in any dense residential area there are always "scavengers" who are just waiting for an opportunity.

[arjay57]

I would have guessed that area was totally safe.

[red92s]

Originally Posted by arjay57

I would have guessed that area was totally safe.

It's certainly not "dangerous", which to me would be the opposite of safe. But, petty theft is an issue even in the nicest in-town neighborhoods.

[testa50]

It's generally an extremely desirable spot, but you need to watch out for (1) car break-ins and (2) walking around south of 10th and east of Myrtle late at night (typically at 2AM or later). Unfortunately, people drive around with guns and rob pedestrians sometimes down there--but that's far from typical and seems to have more or less ended in the last six months.

North of 10th is in most cases safer, in my opinion (I've lived on both sides, and still live in Midtown).