Mt. Pleasant, Capitol Hill, Columbia Heights, & Petworth (where to look?)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I posted this inquiry in Real Estate, but thought I'd cross-post here to get the families-with-children traffic:

Hi all,

My family and I are moving to DC this summer from out-of-state for a 2-3 year temporary assignment. Our 3 year old has lotteried into CM, which will be moving to Old Soldiers Home, which is kind of sandwiched between Columbia Heights and Brookland -- as such, we're looking to rent (remember, only here a few years) from the following 4 neighborhoods, in rough order of our initial perceived desirability:

1) Mr. Pleasant
2) Capitol Hill
3) Columbia Heights
4) Petworth

We chose those areas for proximity to the school. We're looking for a 2 BR, in the $2500 - $3000 price range, something walkable with retail options (e.g. Brooklyn/Prospect Heights is our ideal neighborhood), and safe and appropriate for families with young children. From what we read, Capitol Hill would likely be our first choice, but it's probably out of our price range, and is not as close to the other options for the CM school commute. (Please correct me if I'm wrong).

We're doing a real apartment hunting trip in July, but I'll be in the DC area next week for work and will have about 2 free days to check out the above neighborhoods. Not being familiar with DC, I just want to get an idea of what these neighborhoods are like, where the ideal streets/areas are to try find housing, where to avoid, etc. I hear some of these neighborhoods go from safe to somewhat sketchy very quickly, so if you can just give me parameters of which streets/areas I should visit to get a sense of the neighborhood in the short time I have, I would very much appreciate it. I suppose we'd consider Brookland too, though from what I hear it may be too suburban for us....we really like walkable. And again, we're not too familiar with DC so if there's other neighborhoods I should be considering, please let us know. We're set on CM though so living in MD or VA is not an option.

Thanks very much in advance!

You might add LeDroit Park/Bloomingdale/Shaw to your list. They're walkable, with lots of young families (you could bus or carpool pretty easily). They're more downtown flavored than Petworth or Mt. Pleasant, but that's because like the Hill you can actually walk downtown from there.

I agree with this AND I don't think you ar a residency cheater. There has t be a way for people who know they are moving here to participate in the lottery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did you enroll at CM without providing proof of residency?

Yes, good luck renting and apartment & providing DC residency by May 7th. By the way if you are using a lease you also need 2 months proof of utilities.

Congrats to a the family #1 on PreK3 waitlist - you are in.

BS. You can get into a school as a non-resident, but you'd be charged tuition. http://www.dcpcsb.org/Parents/FY2013-Uniform-Per-Student-Funding-Formula.aspx

Won't be a problem as long as residency is established by the start of the school year.

[Anonymous]

If you are to apply without an address - but to accept a position from "winning" the lottery, you need to provide prrof of residency by May 7th. If not, you can not enroll.

but this is Creative Minds and they have a history of bending / breaking the rules for "friends"

[Anonymous]

WHat you are looking for is Bloomingdale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are to apply without an address - but to accept a position from "winning" the lottery, you need to provide prrof of residency by May 7th. If not, you can not enroll.

but this is Creative Minds and they have a history of bending / breaking the rules for "friends"

This implies that non-residents are not allowed to enroll in DC Public Charter Schools, which is simply not true. They can enroll, agreeing to pay tuition, and then provide proof of residency.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are to apply without an address - but to accept a position from "winning" the lottery, you need to provide prrof of residency by May 7th. If not, you can not enroll.

but this is Creative Minds and they have a history of bending / breaking the rules for "friends"

I would check with the school. If she can show them an offer of employment or signed lease, that might hold her over until the 1st day of school. (I know I'm supposed to turn in my kids' medical and dental forms at registration time, but only ever actually get that done the first week of school.) The policy wasn't meant to exclude people who are moving here from going to school here, it's meant to exclude people who don't live here at all (MD residency cheaters).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are to apply without an address - but to accept a position from "winning" the lottery, you need to provide prrof of residency by May 7th. If not, you can not enroll.

but this is Creative Minds and they have a history of bending / breaking the rules for "friends"

This implies that non-residents are not allowed to enroll in DC Public Charter Schools, which is simply not true. They can enroll, agreeing to pay tuition, and then provide proof of residency.

You can only enroll if there are spots available AFTER any resident who wants a spot gets one. YOu mean to tell me you don't think CM can fill up their spots w/ only DC residents?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are to apply without an address - but to accept a position from "winning" the lottery, you need to provide prrof of residency by May 7th. If not, you can not enroll.

but this is Creative Minds and they have a history of bending / breaking the rules for "friends"

This implies that non-residents are not allowed to enroll in DC Public Charter Schools, which is simply not true. They can enroll, agreeing to pay tuition, and then provide proof of residency.

You can only enroll if there are spots available AFTER any resident who wants a spot gets one. YOu mean to tell me you don't think CM can fill up their spots w/ only DC residents?

No, I mean to tell you that if proof of residency isn't offered by the start of the year, that family will pay tuition or give up their spot.

[Anonymous]

So CM holds the spot until they provide cash or proof of residency?

That people who have been tax paying DC residents for years do not have priority over someone willing to pay tuition?

[Anonymous]

In the OP case, I don't think they would need to provide proof by May. Maybe by the start of school. There are many people moving in and out of DC over the summer, so why should they not be able to play/miss the lottery if they aren't in town yet?

[Anonymous]

The OP should note that getting into CM is a big status anxiety trigger for many parents here.

So CM holds the spot until they provide cash or proof of residency?

That people who have been tax paying DC residents for years do not have priority over someone willing to pay tuition?

They hold spots for lottery winners. Obviously, residency is not a barrier to entering the lottery, accepting a spot, and enrolling. And it shouldn't be, as the OP's situation exemplifies. But when it comes to attendance, they either give up some cash or give up the spot.

It may be different for DCPS, where address makes a huge difference and priority rightfully goes to neighborhood families.

[Anonymous]

I would definitely go for Columbia Heights, because you'll be very close to Soldier's Home, but close enough to other places in DC that you'll be able to walk anywhere to many places in downtown DC. like a PP said, look around 11th street, where there are more and more families. if you go to the coupe (restaurant) on a weekend, it will be full of families with young kids, also at bloombars, an arts center with things for kids on 11th. We rent near the metro, where there is crime occasionally, but it is quieter toward 11th street. you just have to choose your block carefully.

Petworth is great too but you said you wanted walkability, and you have more walkability in CH.

I don't know why people are suggesting bloomingdale, I would not want to drive from there to Soldiers' Home 2 x/ day, in traffic, when you have the option of living much closer in petwroth or CH. the handful of cool coffee shops and restaurants there aren't worth it, and there are just as many families in petworht or Col heigths.

[Anonymous]

I would echo the looking at Brookland. Things are changing with walkability with the addition of MSM. It's a quick 7 minute drive across Taylor/Fort to the Old Soldiers Home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would definitely go for Columbia Heights, because you'll be very close to Soldier's Home, but close enough to other places in DC that you'll be able to walk anywhere to many places in downtown DC. like a PP said, look around 11th street, where there are more and more families. if you go to the coupe (restaurant) on a weekend, it will be full of families with young kids, also at bloombars, an arts center with things for kids on 11th. We rent near the metro, where there is crime occasionally, but it is quieter toward 11th street. you just have to choose your block carefully.

Petworth is great too but you said you wanted walkability, and you have more walkability in CH.

I don't know why people are suggesting bloomingdale, I would not want to drive from there to Soldiers' Home 2 x/ day, in traffic, when you have the option of living much closer in petwroth or CH. the handful of cool coffee shops and restaurants there aren't worth it, and there are just as many families in petworht or Col heigths.

Soldier's home is straight up North Capitol, takes less than 5 minutes by car, and unless they want to live in Petworth right next door, they'd be driving anyway. It' also a much more walkable neighborhood and much more urban and centrally located. Also, much more desirable overall than Petworth. Columbia Heights has a lot more racial tension and is just a less pleasant place to live. Someone else suggested Brookland, which has a lovely neighborhood feel and lots going for it, but isn't as urban so probably not what OP is looking for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The OP should note that getting into CM is a big status anxiety trigger for many parents here.

So CM holds the spot until they provide cash or proof of residency?

That people who have been tax paying DC residents for years do not have priority over someone willing to pay tuition?

They hold spots for lottery winners. Obviously, residency is not a barrier to entering the lottery, accepting a spot, and enrolling. And it shouldn't be, as the OP's situation exemplifies. But when it comes to attendance, they either give up some cash or give up the spot.

It may be different for DCPS, where address makes a huge difference and priority rightfully goes to neighborhood families.

She won't need to give up any cash, she'll be able to establish residency by the beginning of school.