LadyGrace

Anyone who has been to the National Zoo is familiar with Woodley Park. That’s because this is where you get off the Metro train for your visit. It is one of those places in DC which is beautiful, a tourist trap, and safe as well. Of course, having the tourists swarming all over the neighborhood can be annoying, but for most residents it is a fair trade for the privilege of living near those beautiful Pandas and other animals. Hey, being able to take your kids across the street to the zoo whenever you want is a pretty cool thing. It wouldn’t surprise me if there are some children who have grown up here and gone on to study animals for a living.
If you want to live here, there are multiple options. One of them is to purchase one of the beautiful single family homes which have been kept up for generations. The other option is to go into one of the fashionable new high rises. Depending on the size of your family, and your financial means, one might be better for your family than another. One disadvantage of a house though is keeping up your yard with the tourists around. However, it is still a great place to be.

If you have a lot of money and like your quiet, Woodland-Normanston Terrace is an attractive option in the District. Driving through, you would swear that this neighborhood is in the middle of the suburbs, far away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Well, it is away from the hustle and bustle, but it is still in the city. A short drive will get you right into the middle of everything Washington. Because it is a purely residential neighborhood, you won’t be able to go to the corner store to pick something up at a moment’s notice.
Never mind that though, it is a tradeoff. People who live here have huge houses, with ample yards. The kids can play ball with each other in the yard, and even on the sidewalk. Because of certain dignitaries who live here, including the Vice President, there is no toleration for mayhem. Woodland-Normanston Terrace doesn’t have the problems you associate with the big city. In general, DC schools are not very good. But if you can afford to live here, chances are you do not care. After all, houses go for over a million dollars here, and most of the neighborhood kids go to private schools.

People live in West End because it is a happening place. Some embassies are there, and it is close to the heart of the DC social scene. Steps away to Dupont Circle and Georgetown, West End is pricey. But it isn’t as busy as Dupont Circle or Georgetown, largely because it is less famous with the tourists. High rise apartment and condo buildings are offset by parking garages, shops, and fine restaurants. If you want a night on the town then West End is a great place to be. Rent is however quite high, so unless you make six figures the chances are you’ll be priced out of the market.
If you’re lucky enough to be able to afford the rent, West End is a pretty cool hangout. You can go steps outside your door, and purchase whatever you need. For many, this is the essence of city life and quite convenient. People here do tend to have cars but they don’t use them much. Instead, they take the Metro to work and back. Due to the embassies, this neighborhood is really safe, because security is of necessity fairly tight. Unfortunately, it might be too busy to make a nice environment for children.

Wesley Heights is another one of those well-heeled neighborhoods located near everything, but not IN everything. An early subdivision, it is made up of very large single-family homes and a few subdivided condos. It is definitely a hideaway for the rich, because the homes are very expensive. These beautiful homes are surrounded by yards on large lots. The streets are lined with trees, and some residents enjoy gardening. Even though it is close to American University, there aren’t any students due to the rents being entirely too high. Furthermore, the neighborhood is quiet. There is a Metro station that serves American University, but it isn’t terribly convenient to Wesley Heights. Some busses go through here, but I would suggest that someone living here have a car.
Because of the affluence and quietness of this neighborhood, there is almost no crime. While Georgetown suffers from some crimes of opportunity, we don’t see that so much in Wesley heights, largely because people don’t normally drive through here without a good reason. In addition, there are usually burglar alarms and a strong sense of community. Political action is important to these folks, as they want to maintain the quality of their lives. As the old saying goes, the squeaky wheel gets the oil.

The National Mall. Just the mention of this lovely part of Washington puts every potential tourist in awe. The Mall is where all sorts of things happen: the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and the White House. It was here that Martin Luther King JR delivered his “I have a dream” speech, and the fireworks rise over the Potomac every year on Independence day. It is also a mecca for tourism every year. Sometimes it gets so choked with people that you can hardly breathe. And, it is a popular protest site.
If you like to be in the middle of everything, to go out your door and be able to get everything you need, and if you have loads of money, you might be able to live on the Mall. There aren’t too many places to live, but for the right person it can be pleasant. Nothing is really big enough for families though, and anyhow with all the crowds I’m not sure I would recommend that anyway. Too easy for a kid to get lost. Nonetheless, there are plenty of services here. The crime rate is fairly low, mostly crimes of opportunity. Any time you have enough tourists, someone will be unable to resist the opportunity to steal things.

Unless you are truly desperate, Washington Highlands is not where you want to live. For a long time it has shared the reputation of being the worst part of the city, and it is the area where there are more rapes and murders per capita than just about anywhere else in the whole country! Seriously, you shouldn’t go here unless perhaps you want to go into the one gated community in the whole area. Personally, I wouldn’t even do that because outside the gates, chaos reigns.
The rest of the neighborhood is public housing complexes. This includes the worst one in the country and it is here that there is a lot of hopelessness. People get killed regularly, and nobody seems to want to do anything about it. Drugs and prostitution are everywhere. To make matters worse, the schools stink to high heaven. Something like a quarter of teenagers don’t graduate high school, and almost none get anything past that. As a result, they need minimum wage jobs. Compounding the probem is the fact that there are almost no jobs available anywhere, not even the minimum wage ones. I guess it is no wonder that so many end up living off the government and selling drugs to get by. Don’t expect the government to fix Washington Highlands any time soon.

Van Ness is the area immediately surrounding the Metro station of the same name. like many in the District, it has a lot of students. This is because it includes the University of District of Columbia, the local community college. On must note that this is going to mean a lower quality of student than you’ll see at American University or Georgetown. Expect the student residents to enjoy a good amount of beer on the weekends. Housing here is expensive, so several students are going to live in each dwelling.
This isn’t all bad though. There are loads of restaurants here, and they aren’t the super tony type you see in Capitol Hill either. Instead, they are the nice homey restaurants you’d take your family to without breaking the bank. Furthermore, the Van Ness Metro station leads to most points in the city, so wherever you’re commuting to, you can get there quickly. In fact, the locals have a shorter commute to work here than in many other neighborhoods. To me, that’s worth paying for, so long as you don’t mind the college students. Another good thing is that Van Ness is very safe. Besides property crimes, not much goes on around there.

Upper Chevy Chase is the quieter twin of Chevy Chase DC and MD. While the other Chevy Chases have a lot of shops and amenities, Upper Chevy Chase is almost like their bedroom community. If you want the amenities of the other neighborhoods but prefer quiet, this is a nice place to consider within walking distance. Due to its being quieter though, and less famous, the real estate prices are somewhat lower than those across the neighborhood boundary. You might say Upper Chevy Chase is a neat place for those who want the Chevy Chase, but can’t quite afford it.
Many of the houses here are detached, and have nice big yards. They aren’t as big as the ones in Chevy Chase, but smaller families will still enjoy them. Warm weather will still see people enjoying time outside the house, gardening, having a cookout, and playing in the yard. Because the neighborhood is just off of the beaten path, there’s more parking and although the traffic still isn’t good, it is better than in surrounding neighborhoods. As I see it, that’s a more than fair tradeoff for not having the grocery store on the corner of your block. Crime is almost nonexistent here, and almost exclusively nonviolent property crime.

University Heights derives its name from Catholic University, a very large Christian school which borders the neighborhood. Due it its location, University Heights has a very large catholic population, along with its related commercial concerns. There are several parish churches here, and even a large Franciscan monastery. To say that this neighborhood has diversity in the walks of life of its residents is an understatement. Of course, if you aren’t Roman Catholic you might feel a bit out of place here. Potential residents will need to understand the very homogenous atmosphere here.
In addition to the monks, University Heights does have a large student population. These students will often rent a house and cram in several room mates. Although you might expect there to be a lot of noise as a result, it is actually not too bad. Many of the students are studying to be priests, and this keeps a lot of the chaos of students at bay. After all, if seminarians get into too much trouble, they’ll be kicked out. One sad thing though is that, due to the high percentage of Catholic religious, there are few children here per capita. This really is a shame in my opinion, because University Heights would be a great place to raise your kids.

Truxton Circle has a checkered past and a promising future. It has long been absorbed in the minds of the people by Shaw and some other bordering areas, but recently has regained its separate identity. Like too many places in DC, the rocky eighties didn’t do it any favors. Fortunately however, many of the beautiful row homes have survived, and they make up the bulk of the housing stock in the neighborhood. There are a few condos as well, and these are the result of a bit of redevelopment. For a long time Truxton Circle has been plagues by violence, and fortunately this does seem to be changing. Likewise, the drug dealers and hookers are no longer so prominent on street corners.
Truxton Circle has been a Black neighborhood for a long time, but it is integrating this way as well. This isn’t always well received, because the changing demographics all too often drive up prices in the area. For now though, we do see a return of children playing in the neighborhood. They no longer have to stay inside out of fear for their safety. Overall, this is a decent place to consider, just keep in mind it isn’t perfect yet.

People who like quiet and safe neighborhoods aren’t likely to find it in Trinidad. This neighborhood has one of the worst reputations for crime in the city. To be sure it isn’t the absolute worst (that’s across the Anacostia), but there is nonetheless a lot of violence. In the eighties, when crack cocaine hit DC hard, Trinidad was one of the worst hit. There’s been some improvement in the neighborhood recently, but still it isn’t the world’s safest place to be. Because of housing prices being what they are in DC right now, some middle class people are starting to move in—much to the chagrin of long time residents, who will soon be priced out of their homes.
Nowadays there’s a neighborhood coalition to try and get rid of the violence, both through community policing and by bugging the city government to do something. How long that’s going to take, who knows, but right now the danger isn’t just after dark: people get shot in broad daylight. If you have kids I strongly suggest you think twice about moving here: you aren’t going to want them outside playing at all. If you’re alone however, it might be worth it. Just make sure you have a dog and a burglar alarm handy.

Tenleytown is a really neat place to hang out near American University. A national historic district, Tenleytown is full of beautiful old homes. But unlike many others like this, the neighborhood does have plenty of shops and restaurants. In fact, you can find just about anything you might need here. Multi use buildings combine retail with living space, and a night out on the town is very much possible here. In fact, plenty of people enjoy a nice drink after work before settling in for the night. There is a Metro station, and as a result many residents don’t need a car unless their employment or recreation take them into farther afield or more obscure areas.
Lots of families live here, and it is no wonder: unlike much of the District, the neighborhood public schools are actually quite good. One reason for this I am sure is the strong community in Tenleytown: they have no time for underachievement, and without enough money to pay for private school, these residents can put a lot of pressure on the local politicians. They aren’t as political as their counterparts in Takoma, but that doesn’t mean they don’t serve as the squeaky wheel that gets the oil.

If you like a place where the neighbors are friendly and the politics active, you’ll love Takoma. This is the area that stopped the Beltway from being built closer in, cutting the community in half. It is also a great place to be if you are a vegetarian or a liberal, as there are plenty of appropriate hangouts for those of that persuasion. Notably, there is a farmer’s market which is there every week during the summer months, helping you to eat local and purchase healthy options for your dinner table.
Like Chevy Chase or Georgetown, Takoma has a bunch of really great restaurants. Unlike those neighborhoods however, they aren’t ridiculously expensive, just good hometown cooking. Most things you need will be in walking distance here. In addition, Takoma has its own Metro station, so if you work closer to downtown getting there won’t be a major problem.
Takoma has a really strong sense of community, and is very safe to walk, even at night. In fact, the night life is significant here, due to the bars and restaurants available—and the bars aren’t trashy, either, but a nice place to hang out if that’s your idea of a good time.

Stronghold is another one of those examples of what a community, bent on keeping larger problems out and the good guys in, can do. In the eighties the people of Stronghold were affected somewhat by the crack epidemic. But unlike many other locales, it wasn’t overcome by the problems. Neighbors banded together and patrolled, ensuring that the hoodlums stayed out of the area. This is one of the places where neighbors look out for one another, and where families are able to grow up in peace. In fact, this is such a great place for children that you’ll see the young families out with baby strollers! Need to go out for a “date” with your life partner? Hire one of the local teenagers, or even let a grandmother do what they do best.
Stronghold is close to Catholic University, as well as the Old Soldier’s Home, and as a result there is a considerable amount of community. The grounds of the latter are a great place to sunbathe, or to take your puppy for his…daily outing. Through the neighborhood association you will find there are social events, especially in the summer. In spite of its location, there aren’t too many students here due to the availability of housing.

If you lived in the DC area during the eighties and nineties, you probably remember Stanton Park as one of those “not too nice” areas near Capitol Hill. There were plenty of drugs and crime, among other things to worry about. Now however, this isn’t the case in Stanton Park. Instead, its proximity to both Union Station and the government areas of the city have helped revitalize the neighborhood into a nice, middle-class integrated locale. Apparently, it was once home to Obama before he became President.
In spite of its location though, Stanton Park is still reasonably priced. One reason might be that its proximity to Union Station, along with the paucity of on street parking, keeps some people away. After all, car owners would like to be able to live somewhere without paying an arm and a leg for the privilege of parking it! And tourists tend to be really rude about parking where they shouldn’t, too. Regardless of the reason though, the best reason for living in Stanton Park is its strong sense of community. Many people have lived here for quite some time, and the strong community association was what ultimately revitalized the place. Residents demanded attention from law enforcement and eventually got it. Just comes to show how even a corrupt city government can be motivated.

Spring Valley is one of the lesser-known neighborhoods that you need to make a fortune to live in. And for that reason, a lot of important people live there. Unlike Georgetown, or Dupont Circle, the neighborhood has a quiet, suburban feel. And there are services here in Spring Valley, from gas stations to supermarkets, and even some sit down restaurants. However, these amenities are more your down-home style, rather than the highly upscale and trendy ones you see in places like Georgetown. For this reason, Spring Valley stays rather quiet. There isn’t much public transportation either, further reducing the incentive to just wander over here.
Largely for these reasons, a lot of important people live in Spring Valley. This has included Cabinet members over the years, and several ambassadors live here too. One of these is the ambassador from Syria. With the kind of quiet and exclusivity that Spring Valley affords, we shouldn’t be surprised. After all, there’s plenty of space for him and his security detail to blend in: important if you’re from a volatile country like Syria. Anyhow, residents love to have fun, and will throw parties in those hugely opulent houses and yards of theirs. Just do be careful with the kids playing in the dirt, on account of arsenic contamination.

Southeast Waterfront is a thriving little community south of the Capitol building, but north of Buzzard Point. It is one of the first areas to go through redevelopment back in the fifties. Sadly, DC didn’t do a good job of it the first time, so they’re having to do it again. Nonetheless, this is just a nice place to be. The crime rate is low, and there are some surprisingly fine restaurants: dinner cruises leave port at this point in the city, since the coming together of the Anacostia and Potomac make a fairly wide channel. Better yet, it is close to downtown via public transit, which is abundant in the area. They even have their own Metro stop.
After work, a lot of people go sit on their balconies and enjoy watching the sun set. If you live in a place that’s high enough, you can see the skyline which includes some of the most beautiful buildings in the world. Many of these apartment/condo buildings have parties and other social events throughout the year, and this helps build a strong sense of community. There’s a nice little Marina here too, though many of the middle class residents of the neighborhood cannot afford to own a boat.

South Central DC is a typical DC neighborhood in North East. Like most of them, it is pretty safe: just the occasional theft or burglary take place here, so it is pretty quiet. Of course, quiet is true in other ways as well. There is only one road with significant amounts of retail or food service, and this can be a bit seedy. Houses however are generally in good condition, because residents take care of their homes. Because Howard University Divinity School is in the confines of the neighborhood, there are very high quality young African-American young people living there. Needless to say, there are some students living in the homes here, but not the noisy and annoying type.
A nice park in the middle of the neighborhood makes for a great place to go jogging, or for walking your dog, after work. You might say the place invites an active lifestyle in this way. Because people are proud of where they live, the sense of community is strong. If there’s something they need to get out of city government, the citizens know how to get it. Of course, a closer Metro stop might be nice for the commuters. Unless of course, they want to stay more suburban.

Skyland is one of those white elephants of urban renewal, the results of which nobody really knows. What do I mean? For the last ten years the City has been seizing and purchasing land to build a huge Town Center development. It would be mixed use, with shops, recreation and even residences. If it succeeds, this will be the best place to live in Southeast, since everything will be right there. And I might add, the rents will be sky high. OK, maybe not as bad as Adams Morgan and such, but definitely higher than the rest of the area. Eventually they’ll build this, we hope, but who knows.
For now, Skyland is a typical neighborhood in Southeast. There’s a smattering of houses, and some of them are pretty run down. Not much retail or restaurants exist, as most of it is being moved out for the redevelopment. Not much public transportation is here; surprisingly there’s no Metro station yet. So for now, Skyland is a barren wasteland with little to do. And a punchline on how ineffective DC government has been with revitalizing Southeast. Personally, I wouldn’t consider the area for residential occupancy, until and unless the apartments are built. You might be OK going into here for commercial property.

If you visit Shipley, you will quickly notice something different about it: newer, yet still affordable, homes and apartments. This is because not long ago the worst housing projects were torn down and new complexes put up. With the “projects” all but gone, the crime rate has fallen. Those tenants needing the cheapest housing had to go elsewhere. Yet because of the way city government planned it, one can’t call Shipley Gentrified so much as improved: it remains working and lower middle class. Perhaps the strongest attribute of the new Shipley is the strong sense of community. Neighbors love to help one another out. If you have kids, a neighbor with kids might help you have a night on the town. Instead of being afraid for your stuff if you have a vacation, neighbors will keep an eye on it for you.
Unfortunately, the good parts of Shipley are accompanied by many of the disadvantages so common in Southeast: most notably, the lack of shopping. So far, retailers haven’t gotten the message that Shipley is an improved neighborhood, and so residents still have to leave the area to buy almost anything. There aren’t even so many restaurants! So long as you have a car though, the community is worth it.

Shepherd Park is a nice neighborhood where diversity is the name of the game. It is home to blacks, whites, Jews, Christians, immigrants and native-born citizens. Located up against the Maryland line near Silver Spring, it is a residential community with reasonably priced homes. Probably the biggest asset of Shepherd Park is a very strong civic association, which advocates with the local ANC (city government agency) for what the citizens need. This is the sort of place where people sit on their porches in the evening, where kids play in the yard, and backyard barbecues with a bunch of friends over are the norm during the summer time.
After work, you will see a bunch of people out jogging, or walking their dogs, or walking with a baby stroller. Everyone enjoys the community, and they all strive to keep it safe. Your typical weekend will see the moms running errands, and taking their kids from one Saturday activity to another. Many people work at the nearby Walter Reed Medical center. It will be interesting to see what happens when the center closes next year. My assumption is that, given the strong sense of community, the neighborhood will band together and life will go on.

River Terrace is a small neighborhood just on the eastern side of the Anacostia. It is low middle-class to poor, with plenty of garden apartments as well as cheap houses. Unfortunately it also has some affordable housing. River Terrace isn’t as desperately poor as most of the area east of the Anacostia, and this is largely because some major companies have operations there. Plus, it is easy to cross the river into areas with more business. In spite of this however, there are almost no services in River Terrace, and residents have to leave the area to get much more than a cup of coffee. Not as many transportation routes are here either, because this neighborhood is sort of tucked away between major roads.
Other complaints you hear from residents revolve around an ancient coal-burning power plant. This plant doesn’t have many environmental filters on it, as it was built before such things were required. Although the city doesn’t run it all the time (just when there is higher than normal usage), the soot and pollution are spewed all over the area. Nobody likes breathing this in, of course. One wonders what happens to plant workers when they aren’t needed, too. Overall, this keeps River Terrace less attractive to live in.

Randle Highlands is one of those neighborhoods that form a reasonably well-off pocket in the middle of hopelessness. Located in Southeast, it is surrounded by some of the poorest neighborhoods in Washington. Unlike its neighbors however, Randle Highlands is a reasonably safe area, with little more than property crime to worry about—so long as you stay in the neighborhood. Leave the neighborhood, and there’s all kinds of trouble for you to run into. The neighbors however are young and middle-class, making Randle Highlands a place where people start out their adult lives. Unfortunately, they don’t tend to stay very long.
It is interesting that with such a transient population, the neighborhood hasn’t deteriorated. However, this could be because there isn’t any so-called affordable housing there, which keeps the rental prices a bit higher. Another disadvantage to the neighborhood is that, because residents tend not to stay long, the sense of community is fairly weak. There aren’t many public transit routes through here, and very little business (typical of Southeast, unfortunately). For this reason, it is necessary for most residents who can afford it to have a car, and this is the most common way that they get to work. If you can’t do better, consider Randle Highlands. You can certainly do worse.

Queens chapel is a nice bedroom community type neighborhood. It has a few small shops and restaurants, but not many. Mostly, it is just a bunch of middle class families who like to have it quiet and go about their business. Being close to Catholic University, there are plenty of professors who live there. Notably, Queens Chapel is popular among families with kids. And why not? There’s a really nice, state of the art rec center for them to play in after school. The crime rate is very low, almost exclusively petty thefts. Nobody has to be afraid walking around there at night. Of course, there isn’t much to do in the neighborhood late at night, but that’s OK.
Just outside the perimeter of the neighborhood you will find the Fort Totten Metro center. This station has three lines running through it, so with a very small surface commute residents can get many places in the city quickly. That sure takes some of the bite out of being so far away from the heart of town. The Metro center is also why it is good that the neighborhood is safe, as those who might work a later or earlier shift than most don’t need to be overly worried about getting mugged.

Pleasant Plains is one of the best Black neighborhoods in DC. Adjacent to Howard University, it plays home to many Howard students, faculty and staff. In keeping with the tradition of academic excellence, Pleasant Plains has one of the best public schools in the country: Banneker High School. This is a Magnet school for very bright young Washingtonians. Also, there have been recent new developments put up, both residential and commercial. They have a supermarket and some nice sit-down restaurants, among other things. Because of the university, there is plenty of public transportation.
In an interesting twist, Pleasant Plains is almost a closed community. By this I mean that nearly everyone is connected to Howard, and it is hard to break in socially if you are not. Of course, this also keeps gentrification at bay, as there are easier places to move to in the city. Professors and staff don’t really make a whole lot of money, in comparison to their peers in other industries. One thing that is nice here however is that there is very little in the way of drugs or other crime. With the exception of some property issues and alcohol-related problems, the neighborhood is safe.

If you want to be close to everything, and still have plenty of space to escape to, Petworth is a good place to look. Located on both the green and yellow lines, Petwoth is primarily residential. Most of it is single family homes, with a smattering of apartments close to the Metro station. However, in spite of its mainly residential character, Petworth does have a small amount of commercial property. You can buy groceries and medicine here, and as of recently there are some sit down restaurants. These are mostly your down-home, unassuming style eateries that cater to the typical family taking a time out. Petworth isn’t quite up against Rock Creek Park, but from most places in the neighborhood it is within walking distance.
What Petworth is best known for is its overall neighborliness. Residents love to sit out on the front porch and wave at the neighbors as they walk by. Summer brings nice backyard barbecues, and the local teenagers will happily babysit your kids so you can get a night out. Most of the population is professional, but they either prefer more green space or can’t afford more prestigious neighborhoods. Often, families live together in the neighborhood, both in the same residence and distributed over multiple properties.

Penn Quarter is one of those neighborhoods that really defines Washington in the mind of most tourists. Several very posh hotels are there, including the Willard Intercontinental and the JW Marriott. Several museums line its streets, drawing scores of tourists during the summer months. While the tourists are there, you can pick up a quick lunch at one of the famous food carts. Just don’t trip on the tourists in the process. Because it is a tourist area, many of the restaurants are over priced for what you get. Then again, they do tend to be very good as well. Heavy foot traffic means that there are few crimes, mainly pickpocketing and other property crimes of opportunity.
If you like living near the heartbeat of DC, you can live in one of the high quality apartment and condo communities. Do be aware that there is a lot of traffic and plenty of noise, however. If this isn’t something that bothers you, and you like being in the middle of everything, then you may well enjoy Penn Quarter. Also, public transportation in this area is excellent, with a couple Metro stations and several busses running through. You can get anywhere in the city pretty fast from here.

Penn Branch is a highly variable neighborhood in the area east of the Anacostia. As one resident once said, this is a sort of forgotten part of town because few retail establishments are likely to set up shop there. Sadly all recent attempts at attracting major chains have failed due to the poverty of the market. In any event: Penn Branch is a mixed income community, with a combination of public housing and fairly well-kept, large homes. To say that this causes tension is an understatement. Neighborhood hoodlums like to attack the nicer areas and loot them for whatever they can find. Recently a string of burglaries targeting nicer areas has given the police a real headache.
With that said, Fort Dupont Park along its edge gives Penn Branch residents somewhere nice to go for recreation on the weekend. Leaving the neighborhood for most shopping and dining however is a necessity. Fortunately, many in Penn Branch either have cars or are good at finding everything by bus, so this isn’t a huge problem for most of them. Schools are abysmal, and those who can afford to will homeschool their kids or send them to some sort of private schools.

Park View is one of those neighborhoods in DC that has some beautiful old buildings mixed in with the not so beautiful. Some nice brick buildings are so blighted they’re boarded up, but the neighborhood is improving. Nowadays the community organization is very active, and they are pushing the police to get the crime problem under control. You might say that this neighborhood is good or bad depending on the block you’re on. There are however hopeful signs. The neighborhood association is trying to block several liquor licenses, and putting up signs which tout the heritage of Park View. Usually this is a sign that the neighbors want some positive development. Actually, there’s getting to be some, just not enough yet to stabilize the neighborhood.
Park View is best considered lower middle class. Many residents work at the hospital and make a decent living. However, this hasn’t kept Park View from having its fair share of affordable housing. In fact, a new complex is being put up. Hopefully the market rate units which are also being put in will help balance the bad influences. It will be interesting to see how Park View manages to maintain its identity, and improve its reputation.

The Palisades is an older neighborhood in DC, and a nice one. Built before the days of high rise condos and cramped apartment buildings, it was laid out as a beautiful subdivision during the Victorian era. Originally a primarily residential area, it has now taken on the character of an entire suburb. There are plenty of restaurants and retail space, so purchasing what you need on the way home is possible. Unfortunately there aren’t any Metro stops, so you will have to use the busses or private automobile to live here. Not that that is a big drawback: once you get home, you can expect peace and quiet.
In addition to the usual neighborhood amenities, there is even a museum to visit if you like that sort of thing. After school, your children can play outside and not worry about being in danger except perhaps for passing cars. Once rush hour is over though, this isn’t a problem. Perhaps the only drawback of living here is that it is susceptible to the problems with DC traffic. But with such scenic surroundings, who cares. The crime rate is almost nonexistent, and people love to jog and walk their dogs. Nice place to live.

Northeast Boundary has an interesting name drawn from its geography: although it is east of the Anacostia, it is actually the boundary between Northeast and Southeast. The neighborhood is sadly typical of many east of the river, full of blight and crime. In fact, it is one of those places where there is a lot of gun violence. People tend not to leave their houses at night, for fear of their lives. There is also a lot of poverty with its requisite subsidized housing. Generally the locals have a sense of hopelessness, and this doesn’t seem to be changing any time soon.
Public transport is not as good here as in many other neighborhoods. It is a small backwater where nobody goes. There are almost no jobs in the neighborhood, and with the exception of a liquor store and a cheap restaurant, no services. Drug trafficking and prostitution have been intractable problems for years. Overall, the area has been resistant to redevelopment and attempts at improvement. Having most of the area dominated by the projects of course does not help. Nearly everyone has a high school education or less. Outsiders are generally unwelcome. It is safe to say outside capital is also unwelcome.

One might call North Portal Estates a suburb just by driving through. Surprisingly though, it is just inside the DC city limits. It has all the typical characteristics of a suburb: larger houses with decent sized lawns, families with kids, and wide avenues for the cars. Residents are well-heeled and, it seems, politically connected. One time recently they got a city policy waived for their neighborhood because they didn’t like it. There is almost no crime here, partially a result of their semi suburban location and partially because of their political connectedness. Either way, it is quite remarkable.
Not that the place is perfect: residents have to leave the area to get just about anything. There is almost no commercial real estate here, and using the Metro requires that one cross the border into Maryland. Not too many busses come around either. Many residents like it this way, but I am sure others wish they didn’t have to jump into the car for everything.
Another interesting twist: there aren’t that many children. Instead, North Portal Estates is an enclave mostly of empty nesters and retirees. Maybe that is why they are so politically active. Whatever the reason, this is a quiet backwater of a very big city.

North Michigan park is a nice, quiet neighborhood near Catholic University and Fort Totten. The latter is a huge Metro center with three of the four lines going through it, so from here you can get just about anywhere in the city just by hopping a train. Not only is it convenient, it is also safe with little other than some petty theft taking place. Because of the university of course there’s some college-kid related noise, but nothing major: Catholic University students tend not to be as wild as your average state university kid. Besides, they are a great resource for shoveling snow and watching the kids on date night.
There aren’t a lot of restaurants or stores in North Michigan Park itself, but there are plenty in the Fort Totten area as a whole. So while you might not have a grocery store next door, there will be one where you can get to it fairly quickly. Most homes are single family dwellings, with the exception of course of college dorms. Walk the streets in the evening and you’ll see people walking their dogs, or going out for a family stroll (baby carriage in tow). Kids have plenty of space to play, and the recreation center is state of the art.

North Cleveland Park is a unique neighborhood. It has several embassies, including Austria and the UAE, along its streets. Then, it has apartment buildings, condos, single family homes and even some nice office buildings. Needless to say, North Cleveland Park is quite a diverse area. There is a really nice international flavor due to the embassies, and often the ambassador and or embassy staff live in North Cleveland Park. One result of this is that there are ethnic restaurants from nearly every spot on the globe, making this a paradise for the adventuresome eater.
North Cleveland Park is also a really posh place to live, with some of those houses selling for a million dollars plus. Nearly all the cheaper housing is gone, and rents are sky high. The presence of foreign dignitaries means that there is considerable security, because these distinguished individuals have to be kept safe. Needless to say, nobody stays around very long if they are up to no good.
There is a very large Metro station in North Cleveland Park, so if you don’t work in your neighborhood it is easy to make your commute every morning. In addition, plenty of shops and even full sized grocery stores are close by, allowing you to purchase groceries and other needs on the way home.

North Capitol neighborhood is the center of the universe for many public corporations, the Government Printing Office, and a number of veteran’s services. During the work day you will see people bustling about, going from one place to another. Government workers, nonprofit employees and yes, lobbyists run the place. Because of its close proximity to the Capitol, North Capitol is one of those places that you go in order to transact business with the feds. Office buildings mean coffee shops and sandwich nooks for a quick lunch in the middle of the day.
There are a lot of transit routes in and out of the neighborhood, and because of its proximity to the Capitol and White House, both Capitol Police and the Secret Service have jurisdiction. There isn’t a huge amount of housing, but there is some. Most of it is in high rise condo and apartment buildings, though a small selection of single family homes is also available. Surprisingly for the location, prices aren’t too bad. However, you’ll have to wait for a vacancy, which isn’t particularly easy. Getting places is not hard, though there isn’t a grocery store. You will have to leave the neighborhood to get food, so thank goodness for public transportation.

Near Southeast has had a remarkable transformation in recent years. About ten years ago, it was primarily made up of industry and public housing complexes. Along with this came poverty, crime, and overall hopelessness. But, when the Nationals needed a new stadium the city government saw an opportunity. They put a lot of money into building the ball park, and earmarked the waterfront for a nice recreational area. Public housing projects were knocked down, and in its place there are new mixed income housing complexes. A new hotel has gone up, and bars and restaurants are slowly coming into the area. There should be a grocery store soon. Main drawback to living here is its seedy reputation, even though that is a thing of the past. You’d have to leave the neighborhood in order to buy most things at the moment, but with very heavy public transportation coverage, that isn’t so bad. Another concern is that the ball park does make things pretty loud on game nights, and snarls the traffic. Then again, given the ramps onto the interstate are on the edge of this neighborhood, at least everyone will be out fairly quickly. Near Southeast then is a work in progress, but it is nonetheless up and coming.

Near Northeast is one of those neighborhoods with a gritty past that is nonetheless improving rapidly. Once a real ghetto, nowadays there are some increasingly fashionable establishments frequented by young professionals. In an interesting twist, whites come into the neighborhood for these watering holes, but the neighborhood remains primarily black. One side of the neighborhood is actually Gallaudet University, which is the national university for Deaf people. For this reason, a lot of students do live here where they can easily get to classes on time. Do be aware, deaf people may make more noise than they are aware of, but don’t take it personally since they genuinely don’t know. Besides, it probably isn’t much worse than a bunch of drunk frat boys anyway.
Once known as an area with lots of rapes and murders, Near Northeast has become much safer as well and very few such attacks happen anymore. That isn’t to say that it is perfect, but you certainly can do much worse. Anyway, there are two Metro stops into there and plenty of busses serving the area. All kinds of establishments in the neighborhood means you can pick up some groceries on the way home from work, or relax with a beer at the local bar.

While most neighborhoods in Southeast are plagued by crime, blight and overall neglect, Naylor Gardens is an exception. For sure they have some crime issues, but compared to most other neighborhoods in the area they do really well. Mainly theft of various sorts. Most of the neighborhood is controlled by a unique apartment complex of that name. what makes it unique is that it is a coop: a cross between traditional apartments and condominiums. For the most part the neighbors love their complex, and as a result the neighborhood is incredibly stable. This in turn keeps crime largely in check, and about the only thing that happens, happens along the street.
Rent here is quite low for what you are getting, and it is very convenient to everything you might need. For one thing, there’s a nice little shopping center on the corner which everyone likes to use, and for another the Metro busses are plentiful. Lots of government workers and retirees live here. Because of the coop there is a very strong sense of community: rent and fees are put into a common pot to keep things maintained. Furthermore, the board makes sure that everyone is happy with how things are going. If you want a stable neighborhood with adequate amenities then, this is a place worth checking out.

Navy Yard is primarily commercial and industrial, although this is changing. Recently some apartments and townhouses have gone up, but before that nobody lived here except military personnel. It is served by a direct Metro stop, so access is pretty easy. Before there was any general housing, the Navy Yard area was just a bunch of nightclubs and bars. Many of these establishments weren’t exactly the sort that “respectable” people would want to visit, but mostly catered to clientele on the margins of society. Along with these bars, prostitution and drugs were rampant.
Like many neighborhoods however, the Navy Yard is being redeveloped and taking on a new life of its own. Professionals are beginning to move in, especially those with government jobs or who do contract work in the area. Many of the old bars are disappearing too, because with the revitalization a lot of the crime is no longer tolerated. That isn’t to say however that this is a great place to live. Because of the industrial character of the surroundings, you’ll still have to deal with a lot of pollution. Also, two highways come together not far from there, so there’s a lot of noise. Lastly, traffic from the Nationals Baseball stadium can make for some interesting times during the summer.

Not long ago Mount Vernon Square was a forgotten neighborhood. And it is no wonder: it sits at the corner of two wards and three police districts. In such a no-man’s land, you would expect there to be problems with vacant lots and prostitution. For a while this was true. Yet in recent years, Mount Vernon Square has been shedding such a reputation. One by one the vacant lots have been cleared and had buildings put up in their place. Nice condos have replaced blighted, boarded up bungalows. The neighborhood association is doing quite a bit as well, getting the local police to increase patrols and rid their area of prostitution. Apparently, they have had considerable success.
Of course, Mount Vernon Square still doesn’t have a huge amount of services, and a few vacant lots still remain. But with the neighborhood groups as strong as they are, there’s good reason to believe that this will not be the case much longer.
Two other things bear mentioning: the new DC convention center just opened up in Mount Vernon Square, and with it a lot of jobs were added to the area economy. Because the neighborhood has been neglected so long, many people can afford to live and work here. Also, there are two Metro stops close by, so commuting out of the neighborhood for a job is quite easy.

Mount Pleasant is a neighborhood with a lot of diversity. All races are represented in significant numbers, though whites are about half. Rich, poor and middle class live here, which is quite unique for the DC area. Beautiful old row houses line many of the streets, with some condos and apartments mixed in as well. Mount Pleasant Avenue, the commercial district, has a wide variety of shops and services catering to each of the constituencies in the neighborhood. In fact, walking up and down there will give you quite a view of the diversity that is our country as a whole.
Because there are so many services, residents can pick up groceries on their way home from work, and get to walk several places. In fact, there are even several churches in the neighborhood for those who are so inclined. Metro busses and trains take residents all over the city to their jobs and doctor’s appointments. When they come home, there isn’t much to fear about walking to the house, as the neighborhood is pretty safe. During the early evening hours you will see people walking their dogs in the park, and mornings often include the local joggers taking advantage of the same scenery.

Michigan Park: a nice, middle class neighborhood with reasonably priced housing and quiet streets. It is close to the Maryland line. While many nearby neighborhoods are primarily residential, that is not as true with Michigan Park. The Roman Catholic Church has significant influence, because there is a religious community in its boundaries, with the requisite chapel. At certain times of day, you can hear the church bells. Catholic University is close by, giving you many options for quality child care courtesy of the students. Also a result of the university, there are plenty of restaurants and grocery stores near the school, which are a long walk or a short bus ride away. Additional shopping is just on the other side of the Maryland line.
One advantage of having the Catholic Church having such a presence is the really low crime rate: in fact, even petty theft is fairly rare here. Like much of the surrounding areas, Michigan Park is made up of a lot of single family homes with yards. There is also a good deal of green space. Schools are reasonable, though many residents can afford private school. Lastly, if you get sick here it is a short drive to the hospital at the center of the neighborhood.

McLean gardens: a posh, postwar development where the doorman keeps the bad people out and the good people safe. Near a Metro station, it has access to whatever you need quickly and easily, even though you will be leaving the development to get them. This is an area which isn’t outrageously expensive, but nonetheless very nice and quite safe. Part of this of course is that a large proportion of he neighborhood is made up of condos, which means that many residents are also capable of home ownership. It is a bit farther away from American University, so there aren’t so many students here. There’s also a sizeable buffer from the noise and craziness that accompanies many universities. Many of the people who live here are singles and young married couples. Children, however, would be welcome here as there is space to play and breathe. Goodness knows a safe neighborhood is a great one for a family. Even though few students actually live here, they are close enough that you could hire one to babysit the kids while you go out on the town. Overall, this is really a great place to live as a young professional, with or without kids.

Like many places east of the Anacostia, Mayfair is low income and primarily Black. In fact, there is a huge public housing complex right in the middle of the neighborhood. With such establishments come drugs and crime, along with a very low level of education. And these residents are largely forgotten, as they don’t have any shopping or restaurants in the area. About the only good thing about this neighborhood is the fact it is close to two different Metro stations. Normally Metro stations attract revitalization and commercial areas, but that doesn’t seem to be the case here in Mayfair.
I’ve heard people say that Mayfair is sufficiently unsafe that there is no reason to go there unless it is where you live. From what I’m seeing, living there isn’t worth it either. If you have very little money, then go ahead and live there. However, I definitely would recommend a burglar alarm, dead bolt locks, chains, and a large dog. Just might save your life and/or property. You might be able to purchase free standing homes and renovate them, but to expect a huge profit is unrealistic. The park is pretty, but not always safe after dark, because it is a good place for druggies and prostitutes to hang out.

Massachusetts Avenue Heights is a place where residents can watch the happenings of our great nation, as it is measured through weddings, funerals, and special events. You see, it borders the National Cathedral, and our Vice President has his house here too. If you are the type who would rather not get traffic jams on the weekends or during special events, you might consider somewhere else. But then again, you’ll get a front row seat for a lot of things. In addition, the crime rate is essentially nonexistent, and you can walk the streets without any real fear. Be prepared for a scenic walk, too: there are few private residences, but with the Cathedral and the Naval Observatory here, plenty of trees and grass can be found. Expect security to be tight as well, due to a heavy Secret Service presence.
To purchase groceries and other necessaries, you will have to go to neighboring communities. But since Massachusetts Avenue Heights is in the middle of everything, this is not a major drawback. Furthermore, the Metro is close by. It is a nice place to live, if you can get or afford housing there: prices are about the same as Adams Morgan or American University Park.

Marshall Heights is a neighborhood with a lot of poverty and crime, but one which is fighting for better things. They have a really good community group, the Marshall Heights Community Development Corporation. This group provides many services, but most notably it helps first time homebuyers purchase their first home, helps current homeowners get help so that they don’t lose their homes, and assist with job placement. In addition, MHCDA holds GED, or High school diploma by exam, classes. The view of the entire community is that the high illiteracy rate has got to be reduced, because with the ability to read comes more jobs and higher salaries.
On other factors however Marshall Heights doesn’t do too well. There is still a high foreclosure rate, and the rate of violent crime is very high. They’ve had two homicides this month, and several sexual assaults. For this reason, gentrifiers are afraid to move into the neighborhood. Improvement is going to have to come from the inside, as efforts to get GED’s, improve education and get better jobs pay off. Perhaps some development will do the neighborhood some good, especially if they tear down blighted houses and build some retail, providing jobs. Otherwise, Marshall Heights won’t be safe anytime soon.

Manor Park is one of the middle class neighborhoods backed up to the Maryland state line. It is filled with lovely detached housing and duplexes which house single families and provide a decent sized yard. Like many neighborhoods in the area, there are few services for residents unless you drive across the state line, but this doesn’t deter most of them. Being close to Catholic University, there are a few students, but Manor Park is far enough away that there shouldn’t be too many of them. On the other hand, professors do live there along with their families. This is a great place to raise your children, as they love to play in the yard after school, or go to any of the several parks in the area. Summers will find residents indulging in backyard barbecues and overall neighborliness.
Manor Park did fall on hard times in decades past, but the residents are eager to put that behind them. So, they are fixing up the houses and settling in for long term residency. In fact, this is something of a tradition in the area. Of course, location does work in their favor pretty well since most of the surrounding area is middle class or even well to do.

Logan Circle is one of those historically black neighborhoods that, except for a brief period in the seventies, has remained that way. Like many, it has experienced ups and downs, but right now the trend is definitely up. Although Logan Circle itself is largely residential, with little retail and few restaurants, this is not the case everywhere in the neighborhood. Rather, the area we refer to more as Shaw is home to plenty of jazz clubs, night life, restaurants and even a Whole Foods! Needless to say, there is something for almost everyone in the area, except for the most trendy people. That constituency is better off with Dupont Circle or Adams Morgan, where the trendiest, most upscale establishments are. Overall, Logan Circle is a middle class Black neighborhood, although since it is close to Howard University there are some students. That wouldn’t stop ME from living there, but if you like your quiet then as a total package Logan Circle may not be your thing.
A lot of the big old houses became apartments and even boarding houses. Although many of these have been renovated back to their original use, nonetheless those smaller units are great for singles and students. Any way you go though, Logan Circle is a nice historic neighborhood to consider.

For dog lovers the Lincoln Park neighborhood might as well be paradise. Before work and in the evening the whole park area is full of dogs, who are freely allowed to run and play. Neighborliness reigns supreme with joggers taking the perimeter of the park and enjoying their leisurely exercise. Long considered to be the border between the nice areas of Washington and the ghetto, Lincoln Park is fast losing that distinction in the wave of redevelopment. Condos are going up, and single family homes are also being revitalized. One thing about a nice park though is that it serves as a community gathering place, helps strengthen those ties and if well used, there isn’t much opportunity for it to be used as a place for crime.
On the down side, there is a public housing project on the far side of the park; this will discourage too much more gentrification. Then again, from what we are seeing, perhaps the low and middle income communities will be able to coexist here for the sake of walking the dogs and taking a jog in peace. Because it is close to the Metro, Lincoln Park is a great place to commute from if you don’t mind the diversity of the neighborhood.

Lincoln Heights is another one of those poor communities east of the Anacostia, where a lot of hopelessness reigns. You see, it has been blighted for a long time, and the crime rate is sky high. Several homicides were reported there in the past week, and burglaries are abundant. In a down economy, people will do whatever it takes to survive. In addition to the more violent crimes, Lincoln Heights has a lot of issues with drugs and prostitution; one local park was facetiously called “needle park,” because of all the junkies who hang out there. The city has tried to clean it up, but who knows how long that will last. Lincoln Heights is also unfortunately full of public housing projects, although the city is trying to change that too by having “mixed income” developments. The few other examples of this I’ve heard of however, did not work out well due to the differing lifestyles of the groups and a mutual mistrust. Lincoln Heights is home to a lot of single mothers and high school dropouts. I know the district is trying to change this by building a new school. However, it isn’t as much the building that matters as the people inside it. Overall, not a place you want to hang out.

LeDroit Park is a neighborhood with lots of character and quite a history. It was an early subdivision and, even though it was outside Howard University, restricted to whites only. Nowadays, it is a lovely, middle-class black neighborhood, full of both professionals and students. Since the neighborhood was planned as a subdivision, there isn’t much commercial property there. However, it is quite picturesque, with unique row homes. You’ll be within walking distance of nearly everything, including a Metro station. Naturally, because of its proximity to Howard University, there are some homes occupied by groups of students, which has its disadvantages.
Some famous people have lived in LeDroit Park, including Duke Ellington (famous jazz musician) and Jesse Jackson, the social activist of recent years. Now a historic district, the neighborhood boasts some interesting murals depicting Black history and community togetherness. This is quite a change from its past in segregation!
To live in LeDroit park then is to live in the middle of history, especially the history of desegregation and racial equality. Being next to Howard University, the neighborhood is quite convenient for professors and students alike, and it draws some of the best and brightest young Blacks from around the country.

Lanier Heights is an historic neighborhood with a strong sense of community and an activist neighborhood association. Recently the activists have fought a war over the potential to make Lanier Heights an official historic district, with varied (and much debated) results. One can easily understand why such a battle is being fought, however: development is going on all around the single-family homes of Lanier Heights, and not everyone is going to be happy about that. The declaration of an historic district would essentially stop most development, including the construction of new condo or apartment complexes.
Regardless of the outcome of this campaign however, Lanier Heights does have some important advantages. Being right next to the amenities of Adams Morgan, residents can walk to any sort of restaurant or shop they desire. And close by you will find both the National Zoo and two Metro stations. While this does mean an uptick in tourism during summer, there is plenty of space for everyone. Like surrounding neighborhoods, Lanier Heights has decent public schools. Because housing is more reasonable, it is mostly occupied by young professionals. For those fortunate to have children, there are plenty of private schools in addition to the public ones. In short, Lanier Heights is a nice place in the middle of the city.

You’d think Langston, being home to some important amenities, would be stable. But it isn’t. Just outside its borders you will find the stadium where the Washington Redskins used to play, but don’t anymore because of Langston’s bigger attraction: the golf course. To say that this golf course is in an unlikely location would be an understatement: normally, we consider golf courses something that you would only find in posh suburbs as part of an exclusive country club. But this is not the case: Langston Golf Course is in one of the more crime-ridden parts of the city, to the extent that the management is obliged to provide heavy security even during daytime. It is even more astonishing to think that the presence of a golf course has not attracted any gentrifiers at all: the golfers come in from elsewhere in order to play a game. Sure, there are some jobs, but this is about all that the course lends Langston.
Housing is extremely cheap, and also run down. Loads of homeless people and drug activity plague the area, and it is dangerous even during the day time. If you leave anything inside your car, expect it to be stolen. Going there for golf? Travel in a group and don’t take unnecessary things with you.

Like many communities near the Arboretum, Langdon is full of low income people. There are subsidized housing units, although there are also a number of single family homes as well. Langdon might be said to have a split personality, with both industrial and residential sides. In addition, it is backed up to the biggest park in the city: the national Arboretum. It is hard to see why such a beautiful place is full of so much blight and sadness, but that’s the way things are.
Apparently, Langdon attracts a lot of unsavory influences: in addition to being full of drugs, it is also a sort of red light district. Single females without such intentions would be wise to stay away from there at night. Schools are really bad, with many of the kids dropping out of high school. Teenage motherhood is way too common. Good role models are few and far between. Needless to say, this isn’t a place I would recommend for raising children, and unless you work in the area and want really cheap housing, there isn’t much to commend living here. If you must live there, make sure that there is tight security in your home, and I would recommend getting a dog.

Imagine a place where middle class families purchase homes, and after three generations it is still in the family. Where the residents care about their community, and strive to make it better. Grandparents watch their grandkids during working hours, and after school the older ones play ball in the streets and community centers. Everything that the community needs is very close by, and the crime rate is really low. A neighborhood that is both suburban, and yet so close to the city that a short Metro ride will get you just about anywhere to work. Somewhere that is preferable to the suburban community just across the state line. Imagine that, and you’ve described Lamond Riggs.
The residents are known for one of the most active community associations, and this shows. In fact, they have gotten developers not only to come and build things, but to do it in such a way that preserves community while meeting important needs. Taken together, you can see that the neighborhood is extremely stable, and probably will remain that way for the foreseeable future. Surprisingly, the housing isn’t that expensive by DC standards, and yet it is in pretty good condition. This is probably an outgrowth of Lamont Riggs’ strong sense of community: you take care of what is yours.

Kingman Park is a place where class warfare is very much in evidence, where people who want to be left alone like to live. In essence, you can’t do much of anything in the Kingman Park neighborhood because they will protest, and they have carried this so far as to create a disadvantage to themselves and others. One might say they are part of the reason DC has such horrible traffic.
Economically, they are middle class blacks, and the neighborhood is still fairly safe. Schools are decent: there are two charter schools which in turn improve the public schools around them due to competition. Activism has kept the neighborhood safe, because less desirable influences have been unable to gain a foothold here. Housing prices are reasonable, making this a reasonably good place to live without the sky high price.
As much as activism can be good, it has come at a price: there is little retail or food service in Kingman Park, in spite of its proximity to a major stadium and multiple parks. Yet there is a nice place to walk along the river bank. Walkability, it seems, only goes so far. Residents have to leave the area to purchase most things they might need or want.

Kenilworth is a very poor neighborhood, and has a lot of public housing. Normally I would consider that to be mostly or completely bad, but not this time. Why? Because there is a magnet school in Kenilworth, and because the residents are more empowered than most in this area. In fact, there was an attempt back in the eighties to have residents own their own condos within the public housing units. There was a lot of organization, but politicians being who they are it didn’t work. Nonetheless, these residents are not the type to be resigned to their situation: they are trying to better themselves. They get their high school diplomas and work hard; in a rare combination of factors there isn’t much crime. This makes the private housing options worth purchasing and living in, and you could safely raise a family in this area. Real estate is nonetheless reasonably priced. An added bonus is the aquatic gardens run by the National Park Service. Because of the influx of tourists during the summer there are a few more services than in many neighborhoods east of the Anacostia. Nonetheless, residents will have to drive into Maryland to purchase many of their needs.

Kalorama Heights is a unique neighborhood bordering Embassy Row, the Naval Observatory, and Adams Morgan. Full of stately urban mansions and posh condominiums, it is home to the powerful and also serves as an overflow for Embassy Row: because there are so many lovely mansions and not enough space in Embassy Row, many countries have set up their missions in Kalorama Heights. In fact, the Ambassador from France lives here. Others with influence do as well: over the years five US Presidents have lived here, and Senator Feinstein, one of the most influential legislators at the moment, has her home in Kalorama Heights.
Although the neighborhood is close to Adams Morgan and Dupont Circle, Kalorama Heights doesn’t have much in the way of restaurants or retail. But this doesn’t bother the residents: they like it that way, and anyway Adams Morgan is within walking distance. Real estate here is expensive, and has little turnover in general, so anyone who can find and afford it is indeed quite fortunate. There are plenty of trees and loads of vintage charm in Kalorama Heights, which is unlikely to change since the area is on the National Historic Register. Public schools in the area aren’t too bad.

For a long time Ivy City has been one of the most dangerous and poorest neighborhoods, arguably one of the worst north of the Anacostia. Situated near the Arboretum and abutting Gallaudet University, the national school for the Deaf, it is full of blight and crime. Apparently, it was hit especially hard during the Crack cocaine boom in the 1980’s and never recovered. It was so bad that not even Gallaudet students really liked to live there. However, this seems to be changing: because land in DC has become so expensive, many middle class people are moving into the area. They have taken advantage of cheap mortgages and are rapidly revitalizing the area.
Ivy City nonetheless has much low income housing remaining, as developers see the advantage of preserving some. Because it is so close to Gallaudet, there are businesses which cater to students. Be aware however that because the students are deaf, you will have to be careful as they can’t hear you coming. Having students in the area will probably keep property values down a bit. Anyhow, if buying run down properties and revitalizing them is your cup of tea, it might be worth looking at Ivy City. Just don’t expect it to be particularly safe at this time, or to send your kids to the DC schools.