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I've been searching for housing in DC for three months now and I'm getting at my wits end. My budget is pretty low for starters, I have established a cap of $750 after everything for myself, and I have a potential roommate searching with me. I know what the average cost of the areas are, and Trinidad is by far the lowest north of the Anacostia. I'd like to keep it north of the river and be somewhere quite walkable. I know this neighborhood has a troubled past, but what about now? Is it livable? Is it still ridden with gang violence? I guess I'm getting pretty desperate!
Let's define Trinidad: North of Florida Ave, East of Gallaudet, South of Mount Olivet, and West of Bladensburg
Define "good": Would you live there? Would you let your daughter live there? Is it still ridden with gang violence? Do I have to worry about my car getting broken into any more than any other area of the city(with objects of value out of plain sight)? I guess I'd compare it with this certain area of Shaw--I can't stand walking around and being peddled by aggressive homeless persons and ogled (and even yelled at in an acosting type of way) by mannerless people and that's how I felt in Shaw about a year ago when I was walking around in broad daylight.
I guess I already know the answer but I'm just hoping I'm wrong.
Last edited by NikiRey; 07-04-2012 at 09:09 AM..
Reason: got the east/west mixed up
I haven't been in that area in a while but as far as I know Trinidad is still one of the roughest sections of DC. If you're interested in NE maybe check out Brookland. Much nicer (and safer) than Trinidad. Also we refer to neighborhoods relative to the Anacostia as either east or west of the river (not north or south).
I wouldn't live there. You should be able to find a room for 750 (assuming after utilities) elsewhere but you may have to look into places that have 2 or more roommates if you want walkable etc.
Location: the wrong side of the tracks Richmond, VA
585 posts, read 2,014,607 times
Reputation: 794
Wow, have you actually checked out east of the river then or are you just crossing it off your list because someone told you not to look down there?
No one "accosts" me on my way to anywhere. My car got broken into once when I first moved here but it was my fault for having a box on the passenger side floor. I sunk a few hundo into a good Viper alarm and problem solved, I haven't had an issue since.
I actually feel more comfortable here than I do when I'm hanging out in the yet-to-be-but-not-quite gentrified areas of NE. One guy came up to me and a friend from out of town at the bodega and was like "Oh, touring H St?" and I'm like "No, I live here, he's touring H St" pointing at my friend and the guy actually tried to roll up on us until he asked where I lived and I said "Washington Highlands, what about you, OG?" At that point he sulked off, defeated. The benefit I see to living here EOTR is that it isn't hostile from all the gentrification nonsense. People who live here do their thing, almost entirely insulated from the drama that gentrification inevitably brings. No one rolls up on me like that at the store, they know I live here and don't try to come at me.
Yes EOTR isn't "walkable" in that there's nothing to actually walk to - at least where I am - but you can certainly walk wherever you want to go if you need to. I haven't had a single issue and am a single white female.
What's the saying about beggars can't be choosers? Think you need to reconsider living in the city if any of the above bother you that much and you can't afford to be in an area where those issues aren't as much of an issue as they might be in other places.
You can easily get a room in the Maryland suburbs at that price.
If you were uncomfortable in Shaw, I do not think that Trinidad would be the right neighborhood for you.
I would try living in a group house. Aside from the master bedroom, the other rooms in a group house are often cheaper than getting a room in a 2-br. You might also want to consider living out in the suburbs if you cannot find something in DC in your price range that you're comfortable with.
While I don't disagree w/killabunnies that there are some fine neighborhods EOTR, from what little the OP has posted, it seems like she would be more comfortable moving out to the suburbs than moving EOTR if she cannot find anything in DC proper in her price range.
Last edited by movinghere; 07-04-2012 at 09:51 PM..
Wow, have you actually checked out east of the river then or are you just crossing it off your list because someone told you not to look down there?
They probably read something about Barrys Farm and then crossed it off the list, kinda like when I moved here and crossed Trinidad off my list after reading a few articles about it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by killabunnies
No one "accosts" me on my way to anywhere.
Give it time. Anecdotally, I personally know of more people being mugged EOTR than elsewhere.
Quote:
Originally Posted by killabunnies
The benefit I see to living here EOTR is that it isn't hostile from all the gentrification nonsense. People who live here do their thing, almost entirely insulated from the drama that gentrification inevitably brings. No one rolls up on me like that at the store, they know I live here and don't try to come at me.
Also give it time. Actually, I think there's already an anti-gentrification movement brewing EOTR.
Quote:
Originally Posted by killabunnies
Yes EOTR isn't "walkable" in that there's nothing to actually walk to
I think this seals the deal, EOTR: off the list.
Quote:
Originally Posted by killabunnies
You can easily get a room in the Maryland suburbs at that price.
Sorry to disagree with you again, lol, but I'd say VA suburbs. Arlington: Murder free for two years running.
I think Trinidad is an awesome neighborhood (I'm trying to buy a house there), but I agree with the posters that it is not at all right for you. Shaw is pretty ritzy nowadays compared with Trinidad, so if you weren't feeling Shaw, Trinidad will be too much for you. I wouldn't walk around Trinidad alone at night or leave anything in my car. Don't bother looking east of the river, either. You wouldn't like it. I am very open-minded and house hunted there for a while, but I got sick of being stared at everywhere I went like I had three heads (I'm a small, white blonde girl). Historic Anacostia definitely has that H-street-ten-years-before-gentrification vibe, but I'm not going to wait it out and it sounds like you, being a renter, wouldn't want to either. If I were you, I would look at Brookland, around where the Catholic students live, or get an extra roommate or two and look at apartments in Northern Virginia.
Location: Standing outside of heaven, wating for God to come and get me.
1,382 posts, read 3,714,913 times
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Killabunnies,
You got to stop with this over exaggeration. I hang out EOTR too. True it is not Chicago but there are large rough parts still. I go to PSA meetings from time to time and listen.
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