Relocating soon (Baltimore, Mount Vernon: section 8, apartments, daycare)

[stevenisgreat]

Relocating soon to Baltimore area with kids (during the summers). Never been to Baltimore, start work soon and have no time to "visit" before trying to secure a residence. Gay white male with a lot of tattoos, street savvy, from the South.

Druid Hill at MLK Jr....would you say:
- Run
- Bring a gun and keep it chambered
- Install security, 2nd car alarm and carry mace
- Keep an eye out
or
- No worries

I don't care about the demographics as long as the neighbors don't.

[medfieldbum]

Steve---You didn't say what your price range is, or where you'll be working. Or what your commuting desires are. I think gays for the most part are welcome in almost all parts of Baltimore. The Mt. Vernon or Charles Village neighborhoods might work well for you. Druid Hill and MLK?

[kinkytoes]

Hi Steven,

Since you have kids, you may want a nice place for you AND the kids. To tell the truth your description of yourself kind of scares me. These aren't gang tattoos, are they?! I am going to assume that you are a nice person and the safety and well-being of your children is important. I assume that if you want to have a gun, you make sure that your children are aware of gun safety and the gun is far out of their reach, right?

Adult Activities Nearby
-----------------------
As an adult, YOU will be okay in this area. Mount Vernon is nearby for going-out and there are several gay bars there, and a large gay population. There are also museums and things that you can take the kids to. The Peabody and the Walters Art gallery have summer programs for kids.

The Neighborhood Looks Okay
----------------------------------------
The area around MLK used to be very shady, dirty and low-income, and I generally would not have recommended living there. Having said that, I took a walk there on the way to Bolton Hill from downtown about 2 years ago, and the area looks much nicer! I think there is a new gated housing development on the west side that looked great, had nice families living in it and I think even had a park for kids. I saw nice kids playing there. I was surprised. On the eastern side of MLK near that area, I believe are some walled-in communities. I got the impression they were low-income housing. They were fairly nicely-built and clean, though. I think they may have been a mix of townhomes and apartments, but I'm not sure. I personally would not live there if I could afford to live elsewhere. The gated community looked very nice. I believe those were single-family homes and may have all been sold.

Areas of Concern
----------------------
1. That area does not seem particularly gay-friendly to me. Your kids may bear the brunt of this un-gay-friendliness. You may have to tone down the nature of your relationships and/or take other steps to avoid any backlash against your children. Your safety may also involve getting to know your neighbors, many of whom may be perfectly nice and great. But, they may be taken aback by open displays of affection between gay men. It's still the south, and some ppl regardless of demographic are conservative.

2. The other area children may not be the best companions for your child - This is my personal opinion and I do not have children. If I did, I would like them to grow up in an environment where they would learn the American version of standard English so that they would not be discriminated against because they speak what is considered a low-income, uneducated version of American English. I would also like them to be around children who are educated, open-minded and taught non-violence at home. I also normally see many kids selling water at the side of the road when I drive up MLK. This indicates to me that they have uncaring, drug-addicted or absent parents, and may not be very well-brought up. If you live in that area be VERY careful of your children's companions.

3. Places to Play - The Druid Hill YMCA is in the area, but it's a long walk from MLK through what I consider a shady area. DON’T let your kids walk there by themselves. They may not get shot, but who knows what else could happen to them? You will probably have to drive your kids to and from the YMCA. I tutored at one of their programs several years ago and most of the parents who brought their kids to the Y were working-class fairly-educated blacks and the kids were well-behaved+sweet.


When children are part of the equation, your physical safety (I think you will be fine in this area in that regard) is just one of the worries.

[chippeebobippee]

As one who worked in the area you reference considering to live, regardless of your orientation and tattoos and children, look elsewhere. Not a safe area to live and be.

[medfieldbum]

I agree with chip on this one.

[stevenisgreat]

Thank You all for the information.

I still have some time if I accept the job. It can get a little overwhelming trying to decipher all the data about the city.

As far as price range goes I'm not willing to spend more than $900 a month for a house/apt itself. I still have a home in Floida to pay for as well.

I will be traveling between DC, Baltimore and the surrounding territory weekly primarily by car.

I have a large dog which is a hindrance to most apartments. I like inner-city rowhomes or something with a closed in patio or back yard.

I plan on attending a university to shore up my degree.

Basically, and I know I'm asking for the works here but I need to find an area that is suitable for children to play outside during the summers, close to interstates, close to the Metro or rails, near a college (not medical) and within my price range.

[rudy_d]

I agree with kktoes about the area. I considered the area very bad when I first moved here, but the nearby high-rise housing projects are long gone and the section 8 housing is more widely dispersed, for better or worse depending on where you live. It seems pretty tame these days, at least at a distance. It's also close to Mt. Vernon and Bolton Hill as well as the Metro, Light Rail, UB, and Univ. of MD Baltimore.

However, it's also very close to some very rough areas to the west and northwest. I wouldn't say run, but with kids in the equation, definitely keep an eye out and install security at the minimum. I see some positives in the price and location based on your needs, but keep an eye out for something better.

[chippeebobippee]

I used to work in the highrise and surrounding area as a teacher. When I decided to buy in the city, my realtor didn't listen to me and said this was "a great new neighborhood that was up and coming." He took us there anyway to see a home that we'd already told him we didn't want to see. We told him to lock his car. While we were inside, his care was vandalized and he was robbed. This was in 2000 when all was new and shiny. The area that you are looking has some of the plusses that you want but safety is a huge concern. Look elsewhere for a safer, friendlier place to be. There are others in your price range with a lot of the ammenities that you seek.

[kharing]

Stevenisgreat, as a new transplant who has been looking for apartments - I can tell you $900 is not enough money if you are looking for more than one bedroom in a safe/cool neighborhood.

One bedroom places I have been checking out start at over a grand not including parking or utilities!

[kinkytoes]

Originally Posted by kharing

Stevenisgreat as a new transplant who has been looking for apartments - I can tell you $900 is not enough money if you are looking for more than one bedroom in a safe/cool neighborhood.

One bedroom places I have been checking out start at over a grand not including parking or utilities!

I think I agree with Kharing. For that type of money, I am not sure if you will be able to get everything you want. A place of sufficient size in your price range might not be in the nicest neighborhood. Maryland in general is pretty pricey, I think. On the positive side, we also have a great job market 
For instance, you can live in a high-rise in a nice neighborhood for close to 900. The positive will be that your kids have a pool to play in during the summers. The negatives will be no backyard for your dog. You will have to walk your dog a lot to exercise it. You may also have to pay for doggie daycare. That’s available, but it costs money.
On the other hand, you may be able to have an entire townhouse in a cheaper area, but you will have to pay a lot to ensure your personal safety. That’s safety at home, and safety outside going to the park, store etc.
You can also try to live in a suburban or rural area. For instance, you can get a 2BR and maybe even a townhouse in your price range in York PA. That may be safer and more attractive than a low-cost neighborhood in Baltimore, but you have to pay for the 1 hr commute to work every day. It’s a trade-off.