Safest NYCHA projects? (Eden: gated, to live in, floor)
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I do realize this is an old post but chances are, this mom is still on the NYCHA waiting list. So here is my insight: Not all NYCHA Housing complexes are bad. For myself, I applied in 2008 when I first found out I was pregnant with my oldest child. At the time, her father (now my husband) and I were not together. So i applied for just myself (they didn’t care if I was pregnant not. I only counted as one person). I was working at the time. I had a part time job working for the government and I was given the priority code of w2 plus I was considered to be living in an overpopulated situation.
The week before I gave birth they interviewed me. So it was less than a year between the time I applied and when I got an interview (remember this is 2008). After I gave birth I had to update them with my child’s birth certificate and ssn. The whole time from application to move in was less than 2 years. I had a one bedroom apartment for myself and daughter by Sept 2010. Also I only applied to Brooklyn.
They sent me a list of availabilities and vacancies. I checked out each neighborhood I considered moving to beforehand (during all times of day and evening) I decided on Sheepshead bay because I didn’t see too much foolishness going on over there. Plus there are plenty of stores, supermarkets and neighborhood amenities. Best of all: there’s no street cleaning.
Compared to other developments, Nostrand/Sheepshead is pretty well maintained. Occasionally we won’t have hot water, but my repairs have been fixed in a timely manner. Also, there are lots of training and job opportunities for residents because NYCHA wants to help their residents. And by help, I do mean help train residents for better jobs so they can charge you more rent.
NYCHA will adjust your rent if for whatever reason you lose part or all of your income which in this day and age is a blessing honestly. Most of the landlords don’t care if you lose your job or not they want their $1700 for a one bedroom apartment.
Also Sheepshead bay is pretty diverse. There are African American, Hispanic, Asian, Caucasian and many other races over here. Most people here also work for a living.
I have since transferred from the 1 bedroom I was in to a two bedroom (I got married and my husband and I had another child). It took exactly 1 year and 3 days from the application for a transfer to the move in to the larger apartment. It is also in the same development.
NYCHA has a bad rep but honestly my family and I couldn’t have survived in NYC without it. My husband and I both work full time, I’m finishing up a bachelors programs and entering a MSW program next fall. I could not have afforded school if I had to live somewhere else in NYC paying market value rent.
Also there are three Catholic schools in the area one within walking distance of the Sheepshead Bay/Nostrand houses.
You are also allowed to have an air conditioner, washer and dish washer but not a dryer (fire hazard).
I hope I was able to answer most of your questions and concerns. Best of luck.
Last edited by AshleyFromBrooklyn; 12-17-2017 at 11:12 AM..
Reason: Typos
Great post Ashley. I’m also middle class and living in public housing. It’s really not as bad as ppl think. I’ve lived in private buildings that were worse.
I really believe that the James A. Bland Houses in Flushing, Queens would be the best.
I'm often in Flushing (because, let's face it, Chinese restaurants are a bum's best friend) and it's the absolute safest projects anywhere in the city by far...after all, a billion Chinese can't be wrong!
By which I don't mean that it's full of Asians -- in fact, it's mostly black and hispanic though I do see lil' ol' Chinese ladies wheeling groceries into a building every so often (and if you know your New York ethnography you'd know they're Chinese and not Korean [or even Japanese], most likely) -- but that with all the Asian passers-through (they walk through the grounds) all the time, even at night, with many even hanging out there, literally, again even at night, well...this definitely implies that those projects are safe and sound.
And speaking of "sound"...I very rarely hear anything blasting from a window there -- even in the summer....
I don't know how NYCHA works but evidently you can choose where to go so I would highly recommend this one above all -- and there's ample shopping right across the street, plus a gazillion transportation options (mostly in the form of buses) nearby, including the 7 train which is like the best line in the system after the L....
There was a fire at the marlboro houses due to a air conditioner, early Sunday morning. Had no idea that they too can be fire hazards
Hell, when I was living nearby in Gravesend years ago, some poor hispanic van-driver got randomly shot by some uncaught perp practicing sniping from a Marlboro rooftop!
Great post Ashley. I’m also middle class and living in public housing. It’s really not as bad as ppl think. I’ve lived in private buildings that were worse.
I believe you -- living in the NYC shelters, for the absolute very first time in my life I actually have a lot of heat in the winter!!
Every single landlord I've ever had have never ever ever given anywhere near enough heat in the winter, no matter how much I was paying...and while I normally like the cold and have never thought anything about indoor cold than to put on a sweater, I finally learned one day that not having enough heat can actually cause mold (that is, encourage the proliferation of normally already-existent molds and fungi)...!
I learned this when my closetful of clothes went bad...twice!! Lost my entire wardrobe two times over to the cheap skimpin' landlord....
Having worked at many projects in my life time
based on your requests I would apply to
Excluding Bronx and Staten Island: Just too far from Midtown Manhattan
Um, not the Bronx...from all too many one could simply walk over the bridge into Manhattan, FWIW.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr.Retired
Queens Location:
Pomonok Houses
Astoria Houses
Oh hell no!
Pomonok is "out there"...though at least surrounded by nice nabes.
Astoria is right next to Ravenswood and also "out there" -- though only as compared to the rest of Astoria/LIC.
Flushing is the best in the city by far along just about any metric you can think out: transportation nodes, shopping (working-class prices), safety, size (which unfortunately seems to factor into safety issues in the U.S.), diversity (just the right ratio of races)....
You can drive over 3d ave or Willis avenue Bridge.
into Manhattan. But I consider that a two fare zone
and way too crosstown for me
as all alot of jobs are at Columbia on the WestSide and
those trains 1,2,A for all extensive purposes truly fly.
For the Bronx Bound folks
Note:
extra traveling time involved.
Edenwald Houses
and The old fox grounds in classons point
Soundview Houses.
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Re: NYCHA
