Seminary

So let’s begin with what has to be one of the central concerns for anyone living in the area, violence and gang activity. There simply is no way of sugar coat it here. The six thousand residents experience about four murders a year in this neighborhood. So every year residents have a one in 1500 chance of dieing violently. That said however, most of the violence does center around gang members—so if you can avoid being pulled into to a gang or looking as if you have been you are much safer. (Though not completely given the fact that bystanders are sometimes the victims of stray bullets.)

Much of the neighborhood looks much as you might expect given what I have already told you. There are lots of older homes—lots of bungalows of course but other buildings as well. The buildings look very weather beaten here. Lawns are unkept, piles of debris sometimes fill empty lots adjacent to homes, cars have discolored patches where panels have been replaced, and graffiti tags unattended walls at every turn.

The neighborhood is home to Hugh Taylor House, a low-income housing project that is meant to serve those who cannot afford housing elsewhere. In 2004, however, the non-profit that runs this complex came under fire by homesless advocates because they were charging tenants who qualified for government assistance more than those who did not receive assistance—in effect fleecing the public and not really delivering lower cost housing. (This according to an article in the activist newspaper Street Spirit.)

Besides low income housing, the neighborhood also has some churches like New Faith Chapel, Praises Zion and St. Johns Community Church.

Perhaps the one positive of this neighborhood is the local elementary school, Greenleaf. Despite the problems with the neighborhood, Greenleaf has managed to remain a solidly average school. The school has managed to make positive improvements to student test scores in the last three years and continues to improve by leaps and bounds year after year. Much credit is given to the local principal and the new standards she has imposed. The school is not perfect, but given the difficulties it is operating under can definitely be seen as a reason for hope in a place that doesn’t seem to have many other sources for it.

Overall, however, this is not a place that I could recommend to anyone.