Benning Ridge

Benning Ridge is a neighborhood located in the southeast section of the city and is the home to approximately 6,275 residents. Located along the Maryland state line, the neighborhood's borders are defined by East Capitol Street N.E., Benning Road N.E., Southern Avenue S.E., Fort Dupont Park and parts of the Benning Stoddert Recreation Center. Homes here are affordable with the average price of a home sold in 2010 being $139,079, with 42% of the home being owner occupied. The neighborhood is primarily detached single family homes.

Davis Elementary School, Free Gospel Christian Academy and Kipp Leap PCS are the schools within the neighborhood. Public transportation is available by Metro Bus stops. As with most residential neighborhoods shopping and dining options are best found in other neighborhoods. In addition to the Benning Stoodert Recreation Center, you will find the Benning Terrace Recreational Center here and the Fletcher-Johnson Recreational Center adjacent to the neighborhood along Benning Road S.E. Green space can be found in these centers as well as Ridge Playground. Woodlawn Cemetery is also located in Benning Ridge.

Crime will be concerning to many. According to the most recent crime statistics, crimes against property and people occur on a regular basis. As always look at the most recent crime statistics to make an informed decision as to the risk in any neighborhood. Although the low cost of homeownership is appealing, I am going to take a wait and see approach with this neighborhood.

This area has had a very rough reputation for a long time. However, like other neighborhoods in DC, the quality of residents is rising steadily. Housing values and rents are going up, and crime is in decline. This does however lead to considerable tension between the new residents (who are trying to improve the area), and the older ones who are unsure of newcomers. There is now a variety of class and income where once there was only poverty. Some homes are in good repair and sell for a nice price, while others have the classic look of a property in distress. Nice cars and old clunkers are parked next to each other on the streets, creating an interesting hodge podge of scenery. Sadly however, there are plenty of houses for sale under less than ideal circumstances. Neighborhood schools are poor, and there are no middle or high schools in the area. If you can afford it, you'll want to send your child to a private school for the time being. Overall though, a good place to move into if you need a neighborhood to get started in: as the neighborhood continues to improve, you may find either that your house value will appreciate such that you can move to a nicer place, or the neighborhood will become the nicer place. For now, it is an island of relative calm in the middle of lower quality neighborhoods.

Benning Ridge is one of those encouraging neighborhoods that have made serious structural and cultural improvements over the last decade. It shines like a beacon of hope to the areas around it, reminding people that positive changes can be made with a little help and determination.
Benning Ridge was once the home of the infamous Eastgate Garden housing project, one of the most dangerous and crime plagued public housing complexes in the country. However, Eastgate Gardens was destroyed in 2000 and new, affordable private homes were built in its place. Thanks to this and other urban renewal efforts, Benning Ridge now sports many single and multiple family homes the cater to middle and upper income professionals. This attracts money and prestige to the area, and promotes a sense of success and hope to those is similar situations. Benning Ridge residents enjoy their proximity to the quiet Anacostia River and green and clean Fort Chaplin Park.
This neighborhood’s only serious drawback is that it is surrounded by less desirable areas where crime and desperation still reign. Let’s hope that, over time, it’s good example will spread to these area, too.