Baltimore City Residents: how is Charles Village?

[Mutley]

My SO and I are looking at this apartment in Charles Village, a couple of blocks from Hopkins. I've heard mixed reviews about how safe that neighborhood is, but the area immediately around the apartment seems okay.

My parents are begging us not to move in there because they say it's a really bad nieghborhood and only getting worse. My stepmother said she knew one guy who lived there who was beat up one day while being mugged, and she knew a lot of people whose houses and cars were broken into. She also says she sees in the news that people get murdered there regularly (which I've never noticed, but I don't watch the local news very often).

Right now we live in "SOBO", the area just south of Fort Ave and this neighborhood sucks, I know that much. How much worse could Charles Village be?

We were originally looking in Mt. Washington, but we have two dogs and every place we could afford there only allows one dog, or no dogs. We'd like a place in the North Baltimore City, or South Baltimore County areas. We've looked at Towson but we didn't see anything there that allows dogs, that we could afford, and that we liked.

Does anyone know anything about the crime in Charles Village, or does anyone have any suggestions on neighborhoods or complexes I can look at?

[MissWaverly]

1. I lived in Charles Village for 4 years

the area near Hopkins is relatively safe, I lived there and walked my dog there w/o problems there are also nice places in Remington which is near the art museum, also Hampden is nice which is behind the Homewood campus (where the Cafe Hon is).

[displacedtexan]

2. Don't know much about Chas. Village, but...

There are tons of inexpensive apartments in Mt. Vernon neighborhood where dogs and cats are welcome. I have 2 dogs and a cat.

I've lived there almost 3 years, and I walk everywhere or take the lightrail. I rarely get the car out.

PM me for more info.

[mdguss]

3. Ok, but like all of Baltimore

Walking two blocks can be bad news. There have been two murders of JHU students there recently (one in an attempted robbery, the other by someone who apparently knew the victim). JHU police seem to be doing a lot to make the area safer. The city police seem to be better since Hamm took over as chief. But there's a lot of work to do for the city still.

[Mutley]

4. I actually took the number 8 bus a few days ago

(its the closest to the apartment in CV i was looking at) and it was rather scary. Whole blocks of boarded up houses! But we actually found a place in Mt. Washington. My parents ended up cosigning, which I was hoping to avoid, but the situation was getting desperate.

[halsaxby]

5. Charles Village

Anything north of 25th street and west of Abell Ave. should be relatively safe. The closer to JHU or UMH the better you will be.

[yanggers]

6. in a few years...

Most of baltimore will only get better as years pass.

[Mutley]

7. I found a place in Mt Washington.

This one has a/c and the other didn't. That was the biggest part of the decision. Thanks for all the input everyone!