East Humboldt Park (Chicago, St. Charles: rental, new house, neighborhoods) - Illinois (IL) - Page 4 - City-Data Forum

killbuzz · 07-14-2010, 09:26 PM

Hello, I'm new to the forum but I've been reading some of the threads the last couple days.

So here's my situation:
Me and 3 of my friends who are students and Columbia/DePaul (all white, 20 yr old males) just signed the lease to an apartment in Humboldt Park, east of the park between California, Western, North, and Division. Our apartment is a first floor/basement duplex of a 3 story house, pretty close to Von Humboldt. The apartment itself is amazing, exactly what we were looking for and at a good price. What troubles me is that after reading some of the stuff on this forum it seems like the area we're about to move into isn't quite as safe as I was originally thinking. Not that I was being naive or something about the area, I knew it had it's difficulties but I figured that since it was east of the park it was generally okay. Anyway, just looking for some feedback on this decision. None of us have cars, but we'll probably be biking, possibly public transit in the winter. So some nights I may be coming home at around 10PM. Was this a bad idea? I'm definitely feeling nervous about living there, right now I live in Little Italy where I've never experienced any problems, day or night.

Just looking for some feedback and advice. Sorry to bring up this topic again, it seems to have been covered well already but I was looking for some more recent and specific information.

noid_1985 · 07-14-2010, 09:43 PM

you should be okay....

Drover · 07-14-2010, 10:54 PM

There's a reason why your apartment was cheap. Crap does go down in that neighborhood, but east of the park is definitely better than west. Don't make a habit of walking around late at night. Biking is a better idea. You can bring your bike on the L trains as long as it's not rush hour.

Avengerfire · 07-14-2010, 10:58 PM

eevee · 07-15-2010, 01:17 AM

I live in the same area and have walked home far later than that. it isn't paradise, but use some common sense and you should be fine (common sense= not stumbling home drunk at 3am, not getting involved w/ area gangs, being aware of your surroundings, etc). you are far from the only white, college-aged males living in this area so it's not like you'll stand out. I personally don't recall anything major happening recently, other than the usual BS that went down around the Puerto Rican Festival several weeks ago

Lookout Kid · 07-15-2010, 10:02 AM

Cue Axl Rose: You know where you are?!? You're in the JUNGLE baby!!! You're gonna DIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

I kid! That's probably one of the nicer areas of Humboldt Park. I'd be a bit more nervous about the ground floor/basement situation than the walk home, actually. Most burglaries happen during the day, so make sure to keep the place really secure. And make it look occupied. I had some issues with my duplex apartment in Wicker Park about six years ago, and the cops mentioned that burglaries in West Town and Humboldt Park are really a problem--particularly in rehabbed buildings that stand out as nicer than their surroundings.

UnderTheLiveOaks · 07-15-2010, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Cue Axl Rose: You know where you are?!? You're in the JUNGLE baby!!! You're gonna DIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

I kid! That's probably one of the nicer areas of Humboldt Park. I'd be a bit more nervous about the ground floor/basement situation than the walk home, actually. Most burglaries happen during the day, so make sure to keep the place really secure. And make it look occupied. I had some issues with my duplex apartment in Wicker Park about six years ago, and the cops mentioned that burglaries in West Town and Humboldt Park are really a problem--particularly in rehabbed buildings that stand out as nicer than their surroundings.

I totally saw a zombie dog eating a vampire baby in Humboldt Park one time.

In broad daylight.

Which made things even tougher for that vampire baby.

Lookout Kid · 07-15-2010, 10:19 AM

I guess it wasn't a Twilight-style vampire baby then. Yeah, I took my 11-year-old niece to the last movie. So what.

slow_nerve_action · 07-15-2010, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarolinaBredChicagoan

I totally saw a zombie dog eating a vampire baby in Humboldt Park one time.

In broad daylight.

Which made things even tougher for that vampire baby.

If only the vampire baby was allowed to own a firearm.....

chet everett · 07-15-2010, 10:53 AM

The real issue is how tight can you keep your stuff / place. Property crimes are much more common in the places that have ample opportunity for no-good punks to casually slip and and make off with easy to fence items. Bicylces, cell phones, laptops, TVs, even small applliances from kitchen & bath all make for an easy score. If the landord has not installed a decent alarms I would CERTAINLY ask them to consider it, and if they do not agree then investigate hiring a company on your own. You NEED to ace a very loud kind of system with sirens and flashing light inside and out that will discourage any one from even entering your place, better than some expensive monitored setup that the bad guys will have left with your stuff before the dispatchers send out someone...

For goodness sakes get EVERYTHING on a renter's insurance policy too, and take seriously the insurers recommendations about locks and identification systems. A newly renovated building with college kids screams to the break&entry guys "jackpot". They gpcan probably carry off $20,000 worth of goodies while you and your buddies are hanging out ...