hill district? (Pittsburgh, Reading, Clairton: crimes, safe neighborhoods, YMCA)

[TrayyBall]

Originally Posted by PeterRabbit

Earlier this year when the murder count for the city was at 43 there had been 4 murders in Middle Hill, 3 in Terrace Village and 2 in Bedford Dwellings. Population of these neighborhoods is around 6,800. This equates to a murder rate of 132 per 100,000. Overall this year the city's murder rate is 18. Obama said you can put lipstick on a pig and it's still a pig.

where are u getting these stats?

[PeterRabbit]

Originally Posted by TrayyBall

where are u getting these stats?

The Pgh. Courier details every murder of the year in monthly summary reports. They've been doing this for the past few years. That isn't where I get my information but you can verify it there.

There's another homicide I can think of that happened in the Hill several months ago. A cab driver was being robbed so he pulled out his gun and shot and killed the potential thief. That isn't considered a murder and isn't in the 9 I quoted previously.

At the time of the city's 43rd murder, the Hill was the deadliest area of Pittsburgh.

[vpujic]

Originally Posted by PPG

I frequent every part of the Hill regularly. I also worked on Webster ave. and Bedford. I have family in bedford projects. Never saw any whites up sugartop. Never saw any whites beyond crawford square. Sorry, maybe I have poor eyesight.

Well there are definitely other ethnicities besides black living up the Hill past Crawford now, because I am one of them. It's annoying to me that so many Pittsburghers believe that if you show your face in the Hill and you're not black, you're as good as dead. Whenever I tell people where I live, I usually get a weird, surprised and disbelieving response. Most of the time the first question is "do you feel safe there?" A good question, perhaps, but it seems that most people from this area are unwilling to think of the Hill as anything but dangerous and unlivable, when I have found that to be untrue in my case.

We are moving away from PA for reasons unrelated to the Hill, but I can honestly say that I will really miss living in such a beautiful location with wonderful views of downtown and the North and South Hills. This area has a rich history and hope for the future and it breaks my heart that although many good things are being done to revitalize this area (new beautiful library opened on Centre and Kirkpatrick this past fall, new Kuhn's grocery store going in on Centre in the near future), the prevailing opinion seems to be that nothing good happens in the Hill.

I hope that some open-minded people will still consider moving to the Hill Area. I would recommend looking along Bedford Ave in Middle Hill- there are beautiful new mixed income townhomes and apartments at affordable prices ($700-950) for rent.

[TRO Z]

Let's reel you back into reality here vpujic...The Hill is one of the most dangerous areas of Pittsburgh, there's 2 active gangs and definetly the largest drug trade in the city residing in that neighborhood...

Some of these young gangsters from the N.Side won't even step foot in the Hill...

Once the street lights come on, NOTHING GOOD HAPPENS IN THE HILL...Unless the Pens are playing that night...

[mr.davon24]

Originally Posted by gnrpenguin

I've heard that the hill district is a rough area, but how bad is it? is it somewhere i could reasonably live, or is it just insane, comparable to southeast DC or west Baltimore?

I used to live on the Hill for about a year in the half ( 2006 - 2007 ) and I would never live there again. We lived on Bedford and Chauncey Drive was just behind us. I've been robbed for a cell phone at 5:30 in the morning and witnessed a drive by as my girlfriend was off to work around 8 O'clock at night. After this shooting ( no one was hurt ) the person ended up driving behind my gf. I've seen about six + murders or shootings up there.

If you're considering living there, Think lower hill. This is coming from someone that was raised in Homewood.

[mr.davon24]

I'll correct myself... I've lived there for four years and I seen more murders there then in my life in Homewood.

[JJ20theguy]

I would have to disagree on the high crime in pittsburgh. I was born and raised in Reading, PA just recently moving to Pittsburgh and feel it's not that bad. Here's a link comparing crime rates of both cities -Moderator cut: link removed, please read the terms of service. Take notice of the population difference and compare all statistics. You will see that Pittsburgh including the Hill District to be very safe.

[Uptown kid]

Err! I'm fully aware we don't live in Compton... But DA HOOD is DA HOOD from Southside Queens to Inglewood... In the Hill DistriCK theres 8 homicides... It's pratically the 6th month of the year... Yet the rate averages to over 1 homicide a month in a small section of this City. Check out homicides for 1997-2007... Wilkinsburg had 51 homicides! While liltle Homewood South had 41, Penn Hills 31, Middle Hill had 24, ect. If Pittsburgh isnt sooo bad how bout you wear red in Homewood or Lincoln-Lemmington or another gang nieborghood tonight... Did I say gang nieghborhood??? Why YES I did becuase theres about 30 in this City.. And more throught the rest of the county... Pittsburgh isnt near a real gangsta city... But have bloods, cripz & Tre 8s aswell as homegrown gangs which pleuge a few nieghborhoods.

[Q-tip motha]

For the past 4 years I've been walking home through the hill after school or work. Day, night, summer, spring, fall, or winter I've never had a problem from anyone. Even with a broken arm in a sling. I've walked through uptown, crawford square, middle hill, upper hill, and even past the Bedford dwellings. Each time I take a different route just to take in the interesting looking houses in the neighborhood, some of which are slowly falling into disrepair. Even being a white guy who's 5'11". No one has said as much as a cross word to me the entire time. The people all seem quite friendly to be honest with you.

Is it a 'safe' neighborhood. No, not compared to others here, but it also isn't anything like what you'll find in other cities.

If someone offered to give me a house in the Hill District (provided I didn't already own a home), I would live there without any hesitation whatsoever.

The crime in the hill is like crime anywhere else for the most part. Its drug or gang related. Unless you join a gang, start selling drugs, leave your doors open, or flaunt your valuables to the neighborhood you'll probably never have a problem. Gang members/drug dealers aren't going to target you in all likelihood because it brings unnecessary attention to them. Its bad for business when the police are patrolling around your corner while you're attempting to sell.

[Uptown kid]

Now woold you really accept the offer to live in the Hill??? Never ending gun shoots, crack heads, gang members always on the block, there's must be too many positives living in blood turf like Terrace Village, Bedford Dweelings, Middle Hill or part of Crawford Roberts... Also gang members who truely don't give a f*** if you die arent the only people to worry about... Kids trying to be thug, crack heads, and not to mention PEOPLE HAVE GUNS IN DA GHETTOE. Sometimes homicides aren't gang related but civil disputes (over trival agruments boiled down to gun fire or a stabb to the chest). I agree a house on the Hill would be dangerous, but livable if one was HAD to. Though even taking an evening trip to the Chauncey Drive, Reed & Roberts Place or Adison Terrace projects could be fatal right now. YET I UNDERSTAND the other point of view... The Westside of Chi-town makes Homewood look like Kiddyland (at Kennywood)!