Garfield Heights

depending upon where you draw the boundaries, Garfield Heights is a neighborhood of approximately 4,789 residents located in the southeast part of the city. In general, the neighborhood's borders are formed by the Suitland Parkway, Bruce Place S.E., Ainger Place S.E. and Alabama Avenue S.E. The average price for homes sold in the neighborhood in 2010 was $110,311, with only 16% being owner occupied. The neighborhood has some commercial uses, including a D.C Fire Station, but is primarily a residential neighborhood. Most homes are multi-family apartments and condominiums although you will find a few single family attached and detached homes as well. Currently there is a 3 bedroom 1 bath condominium for sale for $79,900!

The only school in the neighborhood is Garfield Elementary School. There are several places of worship in the neighborhood. Residents will enjoy the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum as well. There are no parks or dedicated recreational facilities within the neighborhood. Public transportation is accessible via numerous Metro Bus stops. As with many neighborhoods in the city, shopping and restaurants nearby are few and far between. Residents will need to venture into the adjacent neighborhoods to shop and dine out.

Although there is a Police Station along Alabama Avenue S.E., crime is a problem and recent crime data indicate that crimes against people and property occur. As always, check the most recent crime data to make an informed decision as to the crime risk before moving into any neighborhood.

In contrast to many of the neighborhoods in Southeast, Garfield Heights is relatively safe and has new housing stock. It is hard however to figure out why such improvements are successful in Garfield Heights instead of some other areas: surrounding neighborhoods are the typical Anacostia urban decay and crime traps. Real estate development has helped, for sure, but bad reputations take a really long time to improve. In comparison to surrounding areas, there is a bit more in the way of services. Nonetheless, residents still have to drive out into Prince George’s County in order to purchase many things that are needed. The nearest Metro station is quite a ways out, and requires people to cross some unsavory parts of town to get there.
Any public school in Anacostia as a whole is a poor excuse for an education. All too many young people drop out and succumb to the cycle of violence and drugs. I don’t see any evidence that Garfield Heights has an active neighborhood association, and this is a huge red flag. Those neighborhoods whose gentrification efforts have stuck over time all have this feature. It could be that Garfield Heights will develop such a group however. Otherwise, the problems of the surrounding areas might spill over back into Garfield Heights.

Garfield Heights is a small, primarily residential neighborhood in SE DC. Like many other similar neighborhoods, it features both apartment complexes and single-family homes. Unlike most of its neighbors, however, Garfield Heights has experiences something of a Renaissance over the past decade. Many of its previously neglected homes have been torn down and replaced by new, higher end models. Most of the homes that remain have been renovated and given face lifts that have improved their value and that of other homes in the community.
In addition to private homes, Garfield Heights’ apartment complexes have also been revitalized. Beginning in 2006, investors started buying up the standing apartment buildings, gutting them and recreating them for sale as high end condominiums. During the height of the housing boom, prices on these units were going up daily, and it was not unusual for a condo to sell the same day it was listed. Although the housing market has since tanked, the dwellings have generally held their values about as well as any other property in the area.
Hopefully, Garfield Heights will prove to be just the first a many such renovations that will improve the value and safety of Washington homes.