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Cottage is iffy at best, I used to work not far from there, with people who have severe mental illnesses. While they are not generally a threat (they are more likely to be a victim of crime than committ one), they are placed in not so great neighborhoods as a result of the NIMBY people (not in my backyard).
I would literally knock on doors and talk to neighbors. Or go down the street on a warm day and talk to people on their porches. Even on one street certain areas can be more looked after than others. This how I managed to find a nice block in Black Rock - I asked around and found out the neighbors were long term and there hadn't been any serious issues on the street in a long time.
Cottage is iffy at best, I used to work not far from there, with people who have severe mental illnesses. While they are not generally a threat (they are more likely to be a victim of crime than committ one), they are placed in not so great neighborhoods as a result of the NIMBY people (not in my backyard).
College and Cottage street in Allentown is a block away from the Allen bar district. It is fun to live there while you are in college, but plan on homeless bums walking around non stop, and drunk college kids urinating on the lawn. Also you get people from the ghetto who ride around on bicycles, and break into cars, smashing windows.
I had friends who lived there. They paid a high premium to live in an old house that was not energy efficient at all, and they had no parking. They both had cars broken into, and one car hit.
It was nice to be able to walk downtown, or walk to the Allen bar district, but at what age does that get a little old?
Cottage st...plan on homeless bums walking around non stop, and drunk college kids urinating on the lawn...get people from the ghetto who ride around on bicycles, and break into cars, smashing windows.
I am happy you posted this! Everyone wants to glorify Allentown and I have had a lot of bad experiences there with crime. Two of my best friends have lived on the Hudson end of Cottage for over 3 years. Both of them, one of their bf's and I all had our cars broken into over the course of four months. They attempted to steal mine, sheering off the ignition switch. The others just had stuff stolen or rifled through ('cause there was nothing to take). Older cars are a big target for carjacking because thieves assume they won't have tracking devices or other newer tech to prevent theft and they parts them out for $$$. Fortunately my ancient behemoth has a chipped key so it didn't start. Three of their neighbors have been robbed and someone attempted to push in my friend's air conditioner while he was asleep in his room. He woke up and scared them off, prompting the landlord (who claims it's a nice area!) to put the special bars in their windows that stop the air conditioner from being shoved inward. Their neighbors also rotate CONSTANTLY so you have no one really being looking out for each other because they don't know you. I will add the other end of the street is nicer and has an older crowd. Knock on wood, I've lived in Black Rock over a year on a quiet, tiny street with every color and age of person and I've had zero problems (though I am always on alert because I know the average crime rate for my zip is high). I talked to my neighbors first and found out what the place was like BEFORE I moved in, then I sandwiched myself between a bunch of long-term residents and kicked back. My rent is cheaper for a bigger, nicer place with my own balcony, closer to shopping areas, and still a 5 minute drive to dowtown on the 190S. I also deal with a fraction of the weird crack head/cart pusher types that are a constant fixture on Cottage and areas around there.
Don't buy the hype - always get the scoop from long-term, older tenants who aren't just concerned with being hip or near a certain scene's hang-outs, regardless of 'hood. There are nice areas, streets or even blocks in every neighborhood (even the low income ones, *gasp*) where the people know, and look out for, each other. This goes for house buying too!!! Find an area with lots of responsible homeowners, regardless of color or class, and hunker down there enjoying your spare money while your friends waste their $$ on the yuppy neighborhoods and the 'burbs. This is the only way Buffalo will truly revitalize is if we help stabilize the low income areas people are desperately holding out in, waiting for the new generation to help them "fight the good fight" so to speak. Look at how much huge areas of the West Side and North Buffalo improved over the last ten years as one by one new people bought and renovated houses and others little by little joined in, expanding the nice blocks into nice streets and then into nice districts, raising the quality of life and property value drastically.
I would also just like to share this site that I used to help me weed through my apartments, as I'm new to the city too. I ended up with a cute and inexpensive place on Delaware :-)
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