SWF living in Bed Stuy--is it safe??

naomarie4

How safe is living in a Brooklyn neighborhood of Bed Stuy (Nostrand and Jefferson) for SWF in her 20's?
I found a really great Brownstone apartment where Nostrand meets Jefferson and I've gotten mixed responses from people. I have to dress professionally for work and am afraid people will think I'm some rich white girl-but I'm not! I've heard of white people getting really harrassed!! Any opinions?

carmen

Seriously...this thread again??!! I've been out of bedstuy for almost 2 years and this shit is annoying even to me.

carlton banks

Moderator...DELETE. You know where this thread will go.

unrepentant fenian

If you have to ask, then the answer is no. You clearly have no idea what you're getting into. I hear Jersey is nice.

tennisfan

Hi NaoMarie,

I'd suggest that you walked in the neighborhood of interest at different times of the day during the week and on week-ends. That's the only way you can find out.

Good luck!

boygabriel

listen to tennisfan, ignore the other people.

Bed Stuy is a big place and some parts are great and some parts are not so great (crime-wise).

naomarie4

Wow, I didn't realize people would get so worked up about this! I feel great about the particular neighborhood, I just wanted to know if anyone has lived in that area and has any input!

seespaces

Boygabriel wrote: listen to tennisfan, ignore the other people.

Bed Stuy is a big place and some parts are great and some parts are not so great (crime-wise).

No shit, you don't like a thread, don't read it you censors.

That area is pretty cool, I used to work near there and felt safe. I am a white guy tho. I have a white male coworker who lives a few blocks north.

You will be racially hassled no matter where you live, IMO. It's happened to me four times in the Slope.

todd whitney

Basically, if you look like you scared then the chance of being harrassed is a little greater. I am black and my girlfriend is a paler Puerto Rican w/green eyes (looks white) and she doesn't have a problem. My white neighbors don't seem to mind the neighborhood.

How do you feel? That is the only thing that matters in my opinion. You know what you're comfortable with and what you aren't comfortable with.

If you decide to move...welcome to Bed Stuy!

naomarie4

Thanks, Todd! Now that's the kind of response I trust! I feel comfortable just about anywhere, so I'm sure it will be great! I'm just waiting to hear back from the broker to see if I'm approved... crossing my fingers!

denghiscon

If you tell me where you are moving to, I can arrange to have you mugged right away so you can get it over with :-)

arrbecca

I live downstairs from Todd and listen to what he says (Hi Todd).

As a SWF I will say: I had some problems. But, problems happen everywhere and I think my problems were less neighborhood related and more 'teenage angst related'. Be careful, be natural and be nice. 90% of the people I've come across since living here have been incredibly nice and friendly. Be friendly back and it'll feel like your living in a real neighborhood, which for me, is invaluable.

tennisfan

I've been living in the Northern part of BedStuy (close to the G line) for two years.

Never had any major problem. Some of my neighbors are very friendly. For instance we were offered some plants when we moved in. Some others are indifferent when I try to make eye contact and say hi. That's nothing really different from any other neighborhood.

My girlfriend who is latina always gets compliments from some males who seem to look for more than friendship. However she has no problem making them understand that she is not available.

The only thing that sometimes bothers me is the noise coming from late parties. I have no problem with people partying all day long from 7:00am to 10pm. But after that time they should be more considerate and lower/stop the loud music.

naomarie4

Thanks, everyone! I'm curious-what kind of "teen angst" problems have you had? I have never had a problem warding off random comments and cat calls and all that, I just don't want to be physically harassed. Ever happened to any of you women??

arrbecca

Naomarie - I tried to send you a PM but for some reason it's still stuck in pending. Here is what I said:

I'm a SWF on the small side, living alone. I live one subway stop past you (Kingston/Throop). Nostrand can be a teeny bit rough, but I think it's a great location and the buildings around are so pretty. And, for the most part, people are great.

I would say be wary of teenage guys and be careful/use car services at night (full disclosure: I was attacked in January while waiting for the bus one night, doing nothing to 'ask for it', as some ppl on this site suggested). There's a lot of anger/aggression in the kids in this neighborhood, but everyone else has been great and I haven't let that ruin my experience living here - you can't live your life scared of every thing. It's more home than anywhere else I've lived in NYC, which says a lot about a neighborhood.

Please let me know if you have any questions, ok? And if you move, welcome!

putnam-denizen

What does the "S" in SWF stand for? Straight? Single? What is the relevance?

kevin_on_putnam

You really have to watch out for the racoons, they're the size of small dogs, and they like shiny things

putnam-denizen

Have you seen any this year? Are they straight or single?

arrbecca

Putnam-denizen is on the prowl for a straight, single...racoon? I don't judge, just observe...

The S could also be for solo. Or...Swedish?

boygabriel

or super. super-white!

kevin_on_putnam

Putnam-denizen wrote: Have you seen any this year? Are they straight or single?

They like to hang out in the basketball courts next to the school (there's open dumpsters in there) and now that you mention it, yes I always see him (her?) alone. So I guess it's single. I guess dumpsters are lonely guy dinners for raccoons

putnam-denizen

Alas for all the lonely racoons reading this board, I am partnered.

naomarie4

Ah, we all need a single raccoon...unfortunately I'm still digging for one.

arrbecca

so did you take the apt?

todd whitney

Hello R'becca...

I haven't been on this site in a bit. I have to agree with everything that you mentioned.

Nao...did you move in yet?

getonmylevel718

I dont get you white people. If you have doubts about your safety, why did you move to bed stuy? Makes no sense.

ohme_ohmy

Let me start by saying that I too am a SWF, I live very close to that area on Madison b/w Bedford & Franklin. I walk down Nostrand all the time when I take the 44 bus.

Since living in this neighborhood I agree with many of the posters who have called this a 'real' neighborhood. There is a community feel here that you don't get in places like Williamsburg or Park Slope and so far (been here almost a year now) I feel very welcome and part of the community. The people here actually take the time to smile and say hello and it's nice.

With that being said, in any place that you live in NYC it's important to be alert and aware of your surroundings. Sometimes it can feel a bit scary walking home late at night because it's so quiet, but I've never gone so far as to say I've felt horribly unsafe. I get catcalled quite a bit and a couple times have had some racially negative comments made (usually from those angsty teens others speak of), but nothing I can't handle.

Most importantly it's about how safe YOU feel. What feels 'safe' to one person may be different from the next. So I would suggest walking around the neighborhood both at day and night and check out the scene for yourself. Good luck and if you decide to move there, welcome to Bed-Stuy!

wherebrooklynat

I've lived in Bed Stuy on Stuyvesant near Broadway for over 2 1/2 years and am a WF.

I've never been mugged or robbed knock on wood, but it's not the greatest neighborhood. I've also lived near Harlem in the 140's which was much worse.

Coming off the J on Broadway is kind of Sketchy, and I always get yelled at and harrassed...

HEY TALK TO ME WHITEY, HEY SNOWFLAKE etc etc

If that stuff doesn't bother you than go for it. I also never feel safe coming home alone past 12. If I do I take a cab or have a roomie meet me outside. Anywhere you live in NYC just be carefull and be alert.

lexie z

getonmylevel......i think it has more to do with being a woman!

carmen

ohme_ohmy wrote:
Since living in this neighborhood I agree with many of the posters who have called this a 'real' neighborhood. There is a community feel here that you don't get in places like Williamsburg or Park Slope and so far (been here almost a year now) I feel very welcome and part of the community. The people here actually take the time to smile and say hello and it's nice.

IN the interest of showing both sides of the coin, I have to seriously disagree wit this statement. I lived in northern bedstuy for 2 years and worked from home one of those years (meaning I was out and about in the hood all day, every day) and I never ever felt a sense of community aside from having rocks thrown at me by my neighbors two small children (while they watched and laughed, I'll add.) I did, however, have most of my mail stolen, my ass grabbed a few times (including once up my shorts) and was the subject of many a catcall in my time there. I didn't feel unsafe, but I didn't feel a sense of "community" either.

I live in park slope now and my neighbors on the block have watched my dog, washed my car just because it was close to theirs and their kids were already washing (i came home to a sparkling car without even knowing who did it!) and have let me borrow household items. My neighbors next door are awesome and invite me to their kids birtday parties in their backyard blowup pool. I would call that a sense of community more than someone hissing at me from across the street while their group of friends laugh and call me a "stupid white bitch" who "dont pay them no mind."

getonmylevel718

Oh yeah, that was me. I'm sorry. , lol