Is southside Fort Wayne really that bad?? (Indianapolis, Carmel: crime, home)

[mrsmomsueb]

Originally Posted by BronzeBeautyDoll

It seems like, as I did my research, a lot of people are claiming that the southside of Fort Wayne is really bad, more gun shots, "gangs" (even though I honestly think it might be the way certain people dress more than being in an actual gang) etc, even though I've read about crime in other parts of Fort Wayne besides the southside.
Now I've visited Fort Wayne before more than once and I REALLY like it.
Coming from the east coast I really kind of almost laughed at the notorious "southside" when I saw it.
Okay, but to be honest, I've seen S Anthony and E Paulding and I do not want to live on those streets, but honestly, other than that, it looked fine to me.
(If you want to see a true ghetto I'd say to visit the South Bronx in NYC, it even makes me nervous lol. :P )
Anyway, my hubby and I don't have the best credit at all (due to past marital issues), and it's hard to get an apartment in the "nicer" areas because of our credit and lack of rental history.
I'm currently out of state in CT but will be in Fort Wayne in a few months when I'm done with healthcare school. My husband is in Fort Wayne, and works a lot, so I'm pretty much trying to do as much research as I can.
I came from humble beginnings so I don't mind starting off living in the southside, however, I also want to live my life peacefully and if it's really that bad, then I need to know too.

So what I'm wondering is:
1.) Is Fort Wayne's south side really that bad? Or is it just a bunch of talk?
2.) Are there only certain streets to stay away from? (I've stayed at a place on E Hoover Dr while visiting and everytime I go there, it's actually pretty quiet, but other streets seem worse than others)
3.) Should we live in an extended stay hotel for a while to build some kind of stable rental history, then try an apartment in another area?
4.) Any other info, links, sites, experiences, etc helps. Please share <3

Thank you so much!

No, I have lived here all my life and I have lived near the McKinnie and Winter streets, on Pontiac, on E. Lewis and Oliver. Never was afraid and most of the people that live there are very social. I am white and have had no problems.

[jlomaglio83]

Originally Posted by Linzmaire

Is Fort Wayne's south side really that bad?

The simple answer would be yes, especially if you mean Southeast and within the city limits. It's pretty bad. I lived for 10 yrs in FW, went to middle and high school there- natives tend to see a solid dividing line between North and South. I lived out North, went to Northside HS, almost never set foot "out South" for any reason.

That being said- it's not as simple as North and South- the south side is a bit of a patchwork. You've got some truly wretched ghetto areas, as above comments cover pretty well, but there are also some pretty cool little enclaves where you could grab amazing bargains on some absolutely stunning historic homes.

I know it's a touchy subject, but whether or not you want to live out South kinda depends on how you feel about "diversity." I'll leave it at that.

I live there.
It's not that bad by petit, rudisill, north of paulding. Anywhere by foster park and north of southgate is relatively safe and mostly clean. People who have never "set foot out south" should refrain from making ignorant comments on whether it is good or bad, because they simply do not know.

[jlomaglio83]

Originally Posted by pjbolako

You've had a good mix of responses. Personally, I’d be skeptical of any that are second or third hand to actually living or working on the south side. I think it is a natural tendency of people to want to feel safe by compartmentalizing crime to a particular area/race/socio-economic-strata that isn't their own. A person feels safer when they can say; it is "someone else's" problem. Don't be shy to ask the Fort Wayne Police department for a graphic print of the crimes you are most interested in over some period of time. They track that stuff and report it regularly to neighborhood associations.

Be aware that there feels to be a bias in the local newspapers. At least in the past, the local newspaper headlines would read "Man shot on South Side", but if there is a murder on the north side, it will state a particular address or block which doesn't sully the North Side's image. Or at least it feels that way when you live on the south side and see enough headlines.

Another point to consider: Older parts of town have had time to mature. I've found that the older parts of town have much higher diversity in housing stock and communities than newer sections of town which haven't had the years for people to invest or divest in them. The older parts of town have had time to acquire flavor or personality. The south side of town is one of the oldest sides of town in Fort Wayne. It has many of the greatest houses and communities, and it has some of the most neglected too. In the older parts of town, even just 2 blocks can make a marked change in how an individual might value the area.

I love my South Side neighborhood of Williams Woodland Park. I've lived in West Central as well. Both have National and Local Historic designated areas. I've spent many years in Woodlands of Riverside near St. Joe and St. Joe Center Roads on the north east side of town too. It is a different experience up there. Yes, crime seems to be lower, yet both houses I've lived in (north and south) have been broken into. Diversity in race, income, and housing is lower on the north side. The sense of community is lower. For instance I know only a dozen neighbors up north yet I know a hundred in Williams Woodland Park. The north side neighborhood has cancelled at least one neighborhood picnic due to lack of response. The south side neighborhood has a bunch of kids and families to support not only the annual picnic, but also the annual bon fire, cider pressing, parade float building, ice cream social, Fourth of July cookout, book club, community garden, home tour, two clean ups, a chilly cook off, and untold impromptu neighbor get togethers. In the north side neighborhood, the neighbors’ five year-old is currently outside alone on the sidewalk a few doors down from her house and no one is worried. In Williams Woodland Park, there are more kids so I see fewer out alone. But I see groups of 5 year-olds out regularly playing without the parent in sight, the neighborhood daycare in one of our 3 neighborhood churches walk their kids like little ducks down our sidewalks on nice days, Mothers with strollers, kids walking to the elementary a few blocks down, use the sidewalks. Older neighbor kids come play baseball in my side yard almost every day in the summer. And you have to wait a moment for the roller blade hockey game clear the street some days when you come home from work. The north side's annoying noises include racing motor cycles on weekend nights heading to Pierre's night club and the buzz of I-69. On the south side I hear more thumping stereos and the rumble of trains at night.

Choosing a neighborhood should be a very personal choice. Avoid the rumors and come experience what you can for yourself. I'd be happy to be anyone's guide and many of my neighbors have been thrilled to do the same. I invite all readers to call two60-threefour1-48seven5 to make arraignments. Or visit our website at [URL="http://www.WilliamsWoodlandPark.com"]www.WilliamsWoodlandPark.com[/URL].

Welcome to Fort Wayne,
Pete

Bravo.

[eok]

Originally Posted by Allergyvictim

I just noticed that south side of every city I live in is the worst so from now on I always say head north

Lexington, Kentucky, is an exception to that rule. The south side is safer and richer, and the north side is poorer with more crime. But, overall, just like Fort Wayne, it's a relatively low-crime city. In Louisville the divide is between east and west. Big parts of the west side are like a big ghetto, with lots of violent crime. The east side is generally richer and safer.

[one is lonely]

I'm from Detroit and recently visited Fort Wayne for a bit. I've lived in a variety of urban environments, and Fort Wayne is a fairly typical older industrial Midwest town. It struck me as one of those cities where you can find trouble if you look for it, but otherwise, the chances of anything bad happening are exceedingly low. No, it's not as safe as a shiny new suburban neighborhood where you could probably get away with never even closing your car door (let alone locking it), but I wouldn't worry.

[FWmom89]

I live on the Southside Lillie St and the corner of Colerick near Anthony. I moved here 1 yr ago and the city of Fort Wayne is great. But I JUST heard 10 gunshots in MY front yard. The TRUTH. NO EXAGGERATION. Happened the last 3 nights straight and happens ALL the time. I am stuck in a lease and can't wait to get out of this neighbor hood. No place for children. If you see 46806 look the other way.

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by FWmom89

If you see 46806 look the other way.

46807 is the place to be in south FW.

[Helga99]

Originally Posted by cdr18

The southside of Fort Wayne is historically considered bad because nerly 80% of the cities murders occur there. Do realize though, that Fort Wayne overall is not a heavy crime city, compared to the national average.

Like most have said, not ALL of the southside is bad. In fact, the south side is more known for the poverty than anything. The heavy crime mainly occurs in the southeast side of the city.

However, coming from the East Coast there will be a change in how much rent cost here for an apartment. You may be able to afford a decent 2 BR apartment in the nicer parts of the city for $600-800/month. I am not sure if that is manageable for you, but that is realistic. Some may even be lower as cost of living is not high here. The northeast, north, northwest, and southwest areas of the city are the so called 'desirable places.' However, SW fort wayne is extremely upscale. In fact, the 46814 zip code is the wealthiest in the state than any other zip code.

My advice, look to see what you can afford in the nicer areas. If not, settle for something that suits you best. Fort Wayne is a great city and you will find that out when you move here.

Why are apartments twice that of houses???

[PoorTinkTink]

Yes....parts of Fort Wayne a quite rough.....and the bad areas are only expanding...we have destroyed the cities homocide record...just had 3 triple murders 3 days in a row...best bet in the Fort is the extreme Northside,Northeast area are pleasant if you can afford them...

[janedoe1972]

Also don't forget the Southwest area of Fort Wayne around the Jefferson Pointe area. Very affluent area.