Benning

Benning is a neighborhood of approximately 2,259 residents located in the northeast section of the city. In general the boundaries of the neighborhood are defined by East Capitol Street N.E., Benning Road N.E. and the Anacostia Freeway. Homes here are affordable an the neighborhood is a mixture of attached and detached single family homes. In 2010 the average price of a home sold here was $130,727 with 34% of the homes being owner occupied.

Nia Community PCS is the sole school here. Residents will enjoy restaurants and shopping opportunities including a Safeway grocery store here Public transportation is nearby with the Benning Road Metro as well as numerous Metro Bus stops throughout the neighborhood. Some may find the railroad tracks along the Anacostia Freeway noisy. Thee are only 2 places of worship here. Although there is no dedicated recreational facilities, residents will find the Benning Stoddert Recreation Center close by. Green space is also available just outside of the neighborhood at Fort Mahan Park.

Recent crime data indicates that the neighborhood is relatively safe. As always check the most recent crime statistics to make an informed decision as to the crime risk in any neighborhood. I think that Benning has lots to offer. Affordable with shopping, what more could you want?

Many of the houses are in disrepair, and the apartments? Well, if you don't mind section 8 and housing projects, you'll be fine. Benning is one of the cheapest and most dangerous neighborhoods in the city. And of course, with cheap you also get loads of noise and hanging out on street corners. This area isn't really safe even in the daytime, and at night, then forget about it. There are plenty of abandoned and foreclosed houses, and the purchase prices are below 200K--barely the cost of their materials. As if this is not bad enough, the entire ward is known for being a ghetto. Even the local politicians admit this and seem to have no desire to do anything about it. So, Benning remains a place full of dirt, grime, and rats. Police presence is minimal because nobody seems to care about the residents of Benning.

Probably the saddest thing of all about Benning is that the residents can barely afford to live there. They are just trying to survive without any education and few job opportunities. Truly the neighborhood is one of the most hopeless places to live. Vagrants, crime and drugs are on every corner. Not where you want to live

Unfortunately, there is very little good that I can say about this neighborhood. It still shocks me that in a nation as prosperous as ours people still have to live this way. Benning is in one of the more desperate parts of Washington, D.C. It is characterized by residents living the classic “live of quiet desperation.” Survival is the order of the day, so there is very little time for community building or socializing. Also, since here are no quality shops or restaurants, people have very little motivation to leave their homes except ot go to work or to spend their meager earnings in some big box store in another part of town. Not surprisingly, there are also no parks or schools in the immediate area, which is probably a good thing since they would not be safe places for children anyway.
The most positive observation that I can make is that the DC Metro does allow those who can to leave during the day for work or other pursuits. However, the streets, once you arrive home, are pretty dangerous, and you certainly don't want to be out after dark.