Renting in Squirrel Hill/Shadyside....safe for a single woman? (Mars: real estate, apartment)

[pgoodcake]

Hello Everyone

In the spring of 2012 I will be attending nursing school in Shadyside. I need to find a safe (secure) rental close to UPMC Shadyside for about $900/mo. (also need parking) in Squirrel Hill or Shadyside.

Are there any "less safe" areas of these two neighborhoods? Would you consider them safe to live in for a single woman? I have been shopping/eating in both of these neighborhoods for years, but know nothing about living in them.

I have been working downtown for many years while commuting from the Cranberry/Mars area. I won't miss the rush hour traffic on 279 & 79!

I'd appreciate any feedback!

Thanks

[BrianTH]

So there is some street crime in Shadyside, a bit less in Squirrel Hill, and very infrequently there will be a small crime wave of some sort. Statistically I'd suggest your long commute was more dangerous, but I think standard urban precautions should be applied even in nicer neighborhoods like Shadyside and Squirrel Hill. I don't know what your schedule will be like, but for women that includes not walking alone around commercial areas too much at night.

[I_Like_Spam]

Shadyside and Squirrel Hill are certainly pretty much safe in their entirety in 2011.

The only thing I'd be cautious of is some real estate agents expand the definition of "Shadyside" and "Squirrel" to include neighboring areas which (although not particularly seedy nowadays) still aren't quite as nice and perhaps a little grittier.

I've seen places far into Greenfield advertised as "Squirrel" and places as far adrift as Dearborn Street and Pennley Park called "Shadyside" in real estate ads.

[BettyTheHun]

Both are very safe for a woman.

About walking at night, there's definitely a difference between walking alone before say midnight and after midnight. I personally wouldn't hesitate walking alone in these neighborhoods before midnight. I'd be more cautious after, but not scared by any means. Also, walking in business districts seem safer to me opposed to residential areas, due to the amount of people around and lighting.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by BettyTheHun

Also, walking in business districts seem safer to me opposed to residential areas, due to the amount of people around and lighting.

The problem is that street criminals target places they know they are likely to find victims, so street crime does actually tend to be higher in commercial areas. The combination to most watch our for is commercial areas when they aren't bustling, which gives street criminals the best ratio of possible victims to possible witnesses.

I might note none of this is cause for serious overall concern in these neighborhoods, but it is like wearing a seatbelt (a sensible precaution in the unlikely event of an accident).

[robrobrob]

Years ago I lived in an apartment building on the corner of Alder and Spahr in Shadyside. It had a parking lot and was real cheap. I forget the name of the Landlord.

[BettyTheHun]

Street crime may be statistically higher in commercial areas. But going on happenings of people I know and my own experiences, a woman is more likely to be mugged, physically/sexually assaulted on a quieter, residential street than on Walnut, Murray, Forbes, etc. Criminals don't want to get caught obviously, so they target victims where there's less of a chance being caught or intervened with.

Hypothetically, if a woman asked me the safest route from point A to point B in Shadyside, I'd recommend using Walnut Street as opposed to Howe. However, I may deviate from this logic with concern to the Southside. Due to the large number of drunks on Carson, I'd likely recommend Sarah where there's still a lot of people, but less "rowdiness".

[BrianTH]

I'd agree side streets right near commercial areas are probably not the best choice late at night (which I suppose covers most of Shadyside). I'd also emphasize this very much depends on time of day/how busy the commercial area in question is.