Does anyone know anything about Slater Square (formerly The Elms) Apartments or Portland Ave. in General (Minneapolis: cheap apartments, for rent)

[liamscott]

Minneapolis is still one of the main places I'm planning to move to and I've looked on apartment review sites and can't actually find a review for that particular apartment under either name it just shows be the first to write in reviews or similar wording. It appears to have a high walk score and be close to anything I personally would need. But I wonder if it's a good deal or if it's a bad apartment I'm hoping the first. Any help would be appreciated. I think it's in the Whittier neighborhood which from what I've read on here I would do good in.

[GBCommenter]

I looked up the street address to reconfirm (1400 Portland Avenue South). Whittier neighborhood (and certainly this part of it) is known as one of the highest crime areas in Minneapolis, perhaps with the exception of near North Minneapolis (though not all of North Minneapolis is bad - I am referring to the area very near Broadway Avenue North). Within the last week (9/4-9/10) according to Minneapolis Crime Maps (from the Police Department), within a block or so there was an aggravated assault, robbery of person, and residential burglary.

Slater Square is definitely near downtown and will have a high walk score, but IMO there is a reason it's a low price...sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Is there a budget you're looking to stay within? If you want to be downtown/high walk score, there are other areas that can offer that without as much concern of crime.

[uptown_urbanist]

Not to confuse the issue, but 1400 Portland isn't in Whittier (and Whittier is not generally known as one of the highest-crime neighborhoods in Minneapolis, anyway). I'm fairly certain that's an Elliot Park location. I haven't spent much time in that area, and perhaps my impression is outdated, but that location is pretty unappealing. It's surrounded by freeways heading into downtown, and there's not really much right there. It's seen some gentrification (the neighborhood, I mean -- not sure about that corner of it) but it's still high-poverty a. It may have a high walk score, but my guess is that most of the things that make it highly "walkable" are not in the immediate area -- you'd have to cross some freeways, for example, or traverse some streets not really very pedestrian-friendly. If you want cheap and walkable, I think you can do better (at least as far as location; no idea about the building itself).

[Min-Chi-Cbus]

Yeah, please reconsider and look elsewhere. You can still find something cheap and close to everything without being near what is quite possibly the #1 drug zone in the metropolitan area. Even if there isn't THE MOST crime there (or doesn't SEEM dangerous), it's not a good place to be for a newcommer to the area, or anyone who has options -- and I'm hoping you do.

Try Whittier further west maybe. Or Steven's Square has very cheap apartments and is even CLOSER to downtown than the place you were looking at. There's many choices, however Minneapolis is not a dirt-cheap city like many other Midwestern cities are, and is more like Chicago or Milwaukee in terms of cost of living (but it's worth the extra cost, and then some!).

[liamscott]

Originally Posted by GBCommenter

I looked up the street address to reconfirm (1400 Portland Avenue South). Whittier neighborhood (and certainly this part of it) is known as one of the highest crime areas in Minneapolis, perhaps with the exception of near North Minneapolis (though not all of North Minneapolis is bad - I am referring to the area very near Broadway Avenue North). Within the last week (9/4-9/10) according to Minneapolis Crime Maps (from the Police Department), within a block or so there was an aggravated assault, robbery of person, and residential burglary.

Slater Square is definitely near downtown and will have a high walk score, but IMO there is a reason it's a low price...sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Is there a budget you're looking to stay within? If you want to be downtown/high walk score, there are other areas that can offer that without as much concern of crime.

Well I've found an article that shows actual for real free roommate finder sites, so I think I'll do that more than anything because I do live on disability so I don't have a lot to spend but I do want to be safe and I don't mind roommates. I was kinda figuring not the greatest area, but sometimes you're surprised. For example, an apartment rating site gave a cheap apt. complex in Providence, RI huge scores. It's something like $500 for rent and all utilities except cable if you want it, that's lights, heat, and water. It had really high reviews by most people except for a few people complaining about parking/parking fees, which since I can't drive isn't a big worry for me. It had like a 95 rating sadly it stays pretty much full 24/7 and you can't plan to get a roommate and rent a 2 bedroom you have to have them with you at the time. I'm looking into a few different areas right now. Minneapolis, Providence, Asheville NC are my big ones.

[liamscott]

Originally Posted by Min-Chi-Cbus

Yeah, please reconsider and look elsewhere. You can still find something cheap and close to everything without being near what is quite possibly the #1 drug zone in the metropolitan area. Even if there isn't THE MOST crime there (or doesn't SEEM dangerous), it's not a good place to be for a newcommer to the area, or anyone who has options -- and I'm hoping you do.

Try Whittier further west maybe. Or Steven's Square has very cheap apartments and is even CLOSER to downtown than the place you were looking at. There's many choices, however Minneapolis is not a dirt-cheap city like many other Midwestern cities are, and is more like Chicago or Milwaukee in terms of cost of living (but it's worth the extra cost, and then some!).

Yeah that's why I post a lot to these type of sites so I don't wind up making a bad decision. About 20 years ago when I was a teenager we had to move and it was sudden, we knew nothing about the area. We wound up moving again in like a month. It was something I never want to do again. All our other moves before and since were well planned out but not this one and it was horrible. The whole small city is one of the worst for crimes mostly drugs and all that that entails inc. hearing gun shots, hearing about people getting shot actually, etc. The lights went out all of the time because the wiring was so old, etc. It wasn't cheap rent either sadly but it was about the best place you could find. Anyone that could move when the steel jobs went in the 80s they did too. Not everyone had that option. Thankfully, we were able to get our old apartment back in the city we had briefly left. I learned so much from that experience though. I'm not so worried about COL cause I can get a roommate, etc. I put safety above all else.

[Min-Chi-Cbus]

The safest cheapest place I can think of off the top of my head that is in the city of Minneapolis that also has great walkability and public transportation is probably Stevens Square or maybe Elliot Park downtown. Check out the availability for an apartment in some brownstone.....they seem to run between $700 and $1000 for a typical apartment. If you want even cheaper, you'll probably have to move to a run-down suburb, and I doubt you want that.

[liamscott]

Originally Posted by Min-Chi-Cbus

The safest cheapest place I can think of off the top of my head that is in the city of Minneapolis that also has great walkability and public transportation is probably Stevens Square or maybe Elliot Park downtown. Check out the availability for an apartment in some brownstone.....they seem to run between $700 and $1000 for a typical apartment. If you want even cheaper, you'll probably have to move to a run-down suburb, and I doubt you want that.

No but to me that isn't too bad at least with a roommate to help curb the cost. Also, hopefully I would be able to get to be able to work p/t if not f/t eventually. I really love Minneapolis and Asheville for sure so I hope I can find a way to make them work for me. Mom is terminal so that's why I'm looking more intensely than I was. After she dies (the longer away the better since she's not suffering) I'll be moving to somewhere more accepting of others. I'm in the LGBT community and that's part of why certain cities appeal to me. I know Minn. is one of the major cities that is very pro-glbt.

[gweilo845]

You might want to consider the Loring Park area then. It's one of the most gay-friendly places in the city; they hold a big Pride festival there every year.

Rents in the area are pretty cheap. You should be able to find a studio for around $500.

I would not recommend that building you were looking at. I found a review on Yelp that mentions hearing gunshots, which fits in with the area. The rents there are so low for a reason.

[Min-Chi-Cbus]

Ditto Loring Park. Just a great neighborhood in Minneapolis in general, let alone for the GLBT community! I'd live there, if the circumstances presented themselves!!