Moving from Los Angeles to Clifton Heights (Cincinnati, Fairview: to rent, high crime)

[frankhuang92]

I am moving to Clifton Heights in Cincinnati from Los Angeles in a couple weeks. I am a 22 year old single male born & raised in Southern California. You can read more about my details and preferences in this thread.

I chose Clifton Heights because of how close it was to Downtown where I will be working. I was debating between Oakley and OTR. Oakley because I wanted a house and less congestion and OTR because of the proximity to my office and recreation. Being able to rent a house within a minute of Downtown seemed like a good in-between.

Is Clifton Heights a good place to live? What are your thoughts on the location. High crime is not a deal breaker for me although of course it is not preferred. Will being so close to UC contribute to anything? Thanks!

[progmac]

I think Clifton Heights is a good choice for a young person comfortable in an urban environment. If I were single, I would choose it over either Oakley or OTR, too. The McMillan business district is quite diverse and walkable. You'll have almost everything you need, restaurants, shopping, nightlife, etc. within a couple block walk. It may take some time to figure out where the spots to go are, but if you're outgoing and start talking with and getting to know people in the neighborhood, you'll figure it out soon enough.

The tradeoff is that crime is somewhat high. It is an area that brings in a lot of college kids who are somewhat easy targets for the criminal element in Cincinnati. Streetsmarts are a must and you should take your safety seriously.

Enjoy! I think what can make or break the experience of a place--any place--is having a strong social circle. If you go out of your way to meet to people, you'll be richly rewarded and very much enjoy your experience in Cincinnati, whether it is for a year, two, or ten.

[ProkNo5]

I agree with the above completely. Clufton Heights is filled with undergraduate college kids which inevitably means there's a lot of deuces debauchery. That said, it's a prime location close to everything.

One question, will you have a car? You don't really need on living there. Transit access to downtown in really easy. The main reason I ask though is because Clifton Heights is the neighborhood most cars get destroyed in every winter. The hills are steep and the students aren't aware of icy road conditions enough. There are countless parked cars that get side swiped every year from uncontrolled cars sliding down the hills.

Far from a deal breaker, but it's definitely something to be aware of. Off street parking or no car are optimal.

[Wilson513]

I am sorry to disagree with my esteemed colleagues, P&P, however, I see Clifton Heights as a poor choice for a person working downtown. First, Clifton Heights is not cheap. The pressure for student housing, and the relative ability of parents to pay, keeps the nice locations an properties in Clifton Heights at a premium, rent-wise. Further, living in a college community when you are not a college student is not all that much fun. The college kids lack maturity, tend to be clickish and are deeply involved in their own college related events.

Finally, the safety of Clifton Heights is a problem. Despite recent efforts of UC President, Santa Ono, to add patrols, cameras and lighting, UC students still present what is essentially a $500 ATM visit for the thugs that come to Clifton Heights to prey upon them. Every one of them has an I Phone and a credit card and it takes very little to get them from the students. A thug could rob 10 people in Winton Terrace and not end up with $500 worth of stuff. Hence, the problem.

I think OTR would be a better choice.

[flashes1]

One advantage of renting is you can try it for a year and leave if you don't like it. Clifton has a lot of international students which might appeal to the OP, and he said a little crime doesn't bother him. I say go for it.

[SWOH]

Sounds like the best choice to me! Good luck in Cincinnati frankhuang!

[goyguy]

Clifton Heights is the "C" of what's popularly known as "CUF" (pronounced "cuff.") The "U" and "F" stand respectively for "University" and "Fairview." No one has ever agreed precisely where the boundary line should be drawn between those three neighborhoods - all of which have "Heights" as the second part of their name. Many people also call the entire area south of Calhoun and McMillan St's "Lower Clifton."

FWIW two days after the last post (catching up here, after a visit to Cincinnati - LOL) it's not so much what street you're on, it's when you're on it. Prime time for crime is between 10 PM and 3 AM, though muggings at mid-day are not unheard of. I'd also give second thoughts to living in a first-floor or basement unit without window bars, and anywhere without solid dead-bolted doors. CUF is nothing like the area around USC with regard to safety risks, but it's still not a place to be unwary. Incidentally, the "F" of CUF - which lies southwest of Hughes High School - is arguably the safest and least transient pocket around there.

Not only would you have many eating and drinking attractions close at hand (though the local Arby's is now closed ), you'd also be a short bus ride from the gaslight district of Clifton to the north as well as "OTR" to the south.