Tell me about this neighborhood in NE DC

[Anonymous]

I don't mind rough around the edges, but is it safe? I don't require #1 schools in the state, but are they adequate?

http://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/1414-Trinidad-Ave-NE-20002/home/10095453

[Anonymous]

I live a few blocks away on the other side of H. That section is definitely rougher but you also get a LOT more for your money. You probably would not send your kid to the zoned school, but you could lottery in for one of the great schools on the Hill. Two Rivers isn't far. But that's luck-of-the-draw.

[Anonymous]

the recent driveby was near by

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:the recent driveby was near by

The one on N. Capitol and M st NW??? You are wrong. Trinidad is not near there.

[Anonymous]

No, and no. You can find crime maps on MPD's website. Also look at schools' test scores for what would be your in-bound neighborhood school to see if that would be do-able for you if you don't do well in charter and out-of-boundary lotteries. Most DC schools aren't very good, but some neighborhoods that are safer and not horribly expensive are Michigan Park, North Michigan Park, Lamond-Riggs/Riggs Park, Brookland, and Petworth.

A couple years ago MPD put roadblocks up around Trinidad in response to a lot of shootings.

After you look at crime maps, walk around the neighborhoods you're thinking of on a Friday or Saturday evening when it's nice out. See if you feel creeped out or like you could comfortably live there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the recent driveby was near by

The one on N. Capitol and M st NW??? You are wrong. Trinidad is not near there.

NOMA shooting?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the recent driveby was near by

The one on N. Capitol and M st NW??? You are wrong. Trinidad is not near there.

NOMA shooting?

I don't know where the boundaries of this so-called NOMA, I hate that silly stuff that DC did to try and be like SOHO NY and all those types of areas. The drive by was near NY Ave/N. Capitol/ M St. Trindad is not in that area.

[Anonymous]

I 2nd the PP who recommended spending some time in Trinidad at night and on the weekend. Althought you do get more housing bang for your dollar, you also don't want to be forced to adopt a "fortress mentality"....good luck!

[Anonymous]

In my work as a social worker in DC, I hear some pretty rough stuff about things that happen around this area. I would not live there, and I have a pretty high threshold for "up and coming" neighborhoods.

[Anonymous]

Dangerous!

[Anonymous]

Define "adequate school."

Among regular DCPS schools, anything west of the park is generally well-regarded, as is Brent (Capitol Hill).

Shepherd from the demographics should be fine as well, unless middle-class Black people scare you.

Trinidad had the police blockade the place a few years ago as a PP said. That's a distinction not many other DC neighborhoods have had.

[Anonymous]

If you have kids and are planning on public school, it would be poor planning to purchase a house in this neighborhood before you are accepted and happy with a charter school. The public schools are currently unacceptable. You have a choice at this point, imagine yourself and how you would feel if you did not get into a good charter or out of boundary DCPS. Spend some time on the DC schools board, observe the charter anxiety.

I do not know about the safety of this neighborhood but it does not sound good.

[Anonymous]

This area is pretty rapidly gentrifying. It depends how you feel about being a first mover and getting into an area that is still rough but improving. We bought on the NE side of the Hill in 2003. It was still a little rough then and we had trouble with petty crime (car break-ins, once our house was broken into) but nothing violent. There used to be people who loitered on stoops and there was more trash on the ground than I wanted. However, we got a huge house with two car parking for a really reasonable price. Flash forward ten years and our house has doubled in value, the neighborhood is very safe, there are tons of kids and the local school is pretty strong, lots of new restaurants and shops, etc. Basically, it is a great neighborhood. I think that Trinidad is on a similar trajectory and it all depends on whether or not you want to be there through the transition years. We didn't have kids until this year (not that we intended to wait quite that long) but I would have been comfortable with kids in the neighborhood five years ago. It is all about personal taste and personal comfort level with things not being upscale for a few years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This area is pretty rapidly gentrifying. It depends how you feel about being a first mover and getting into an area that is still rough but improving. We bought on the NE side of the Hill in 2003. It was still a little rough then and we had trouble with petty crime (car break-ins, once our house was broken into) but nothing violent. There used to be people who loitered on stoops and there was more trash on the ground than I wanted. However, we got a huge house with two car parking for a really reasonable price. Flash forward ten years and our house has doubled in value, the neighborhood is very safe, there are tons of kids and the local school is pretty strong, lots of new restaurants and shops, etc. Basically, it is a great neighborhood. I think that Trinidad is on a similar trajectory and it all depends on whether or not you want to be there through the transition years. We didn't have kids until this year (not that we intended to wait quite that long) but I would have been comfortable with kids in the neighborhood five years ago. It is all about personal taste and personal comfort level with things not being upscale for a few years.

I also live in the area and agree with this assessment. People who say all the decent schools are west of the park (plus Brent) are clearly out of touch. Cap Hill Montessori, SWS, Maury, the Cluster, Tyler...I know I'm forgetting some, but these are all strong schools. And aside from schools, the neighborhood is fabulous for kids. Tons of people outside playing in yards and parks (and Yards Park!), very busy neighborhood listservs, walkability to mass transit and shopping. Not to mention more affordable than most neighborhoods WOTP.

[Anonymous]

9:00, I assume you weren't inconvenienced much by the police cordons?

I'd have said the same thing about the Parkway neighborhood of South Arlington a decade ago. I mean, I was able to shrug off flophouses and a drug bust across the street ... I suspect if I'd have been met with Arlington PD cordons that'd be too much for me.

Or maybe you can ask the young family that bought from us, did $20k of renovations to the place and then moved in less than a year.

I did clearly say "regular DCPS". Which of the ones you mention are "regular DCPS schools" where you don't have to pass a test, win a lottery, etc.?

Maury looks like a regular DCPS school but for some reason it gets a 5 on Greatschools, OTOH it is under 50% FARMS, so maybe it's the ES version of "Yale or Jail." Be interesting to know where they go after there, though.

Tyler is a '4' on Greatschools, 62% FARMS ... maybe not as bad as other DCPS elementaries but not quite there yet.

OP, maybe you'll luck out and you'll get a nice older long-term resident couple on one side that'll even agree to babysit occasionally, and a couple of younger families will agree to stick around. Or maybe you'll move in next to an older woman whose grandson has no discernible income yet drives a nice car.