What Is The Worst Neighborhood In Houston?

[musicman]

5. Southeast/Magnolia/Second Ward

Not friendly. . .

WOW if you think this is one of the worst areas of town you must not get around much. I ride my bike through Magnolia all the time and never have problems. I also have some friends in midtown who ride through there regularly and stop at the neighborhood bars. It may LOOK scary but we've never had problems.

[TAK]

You are 100% correct about Inwood. If asked to explain I would specify two areas of Inwood: South Inwood (Antoine & DeSoto) & North Inwood (Antoine & Gulf Bank). Inwood Proper itself is a beautiful neighborhood. Its almost depressing to know that people feel forced to move because of the crime apartment dwellers bring.

Where in Spring Branch did you live? I've found that area to be more of a "country ghetto" with kids doing exactly as you described, causing trouble via mischievousness more than necessity.

I live in Inwood North, which is near Antoine & Gulf Bank. My neighborhood and neighbors are great. The ONLY thing that sucks about Inwood is all of the apartments... Sheesh... W Gulf Bank between Antoine and W. Montgomery is terrible... DeSoto area - terrible. Tidwell - Terrible... all of these are lined with apartments and the people in those apartments don't give a crap about the area.

As for Spring Branch, I lived at Hollister & Pitner... the super apartment ghetto next to Hollibrook Elementary... i think it has gone from apartment ghetto to apartment barrio... My 'upper middle class' Mexican friends call that area "the old country"...

I've also lived in I.H. we were poor and couldn't afford a refrigerator or a stove, but we had a little house we rented and the neihborhood wasn't bad.

The sad thing about these "worst" neighborhoods is that the majority of the neighborhoods are not bad at all. Sure, they all have people who aren't rich. Sure, they all have minorities. But for the most part, the neighborhoods are filled with good people, but there is some part or portion of the neighborhood filled with jackasses, and the jackasses mess it up for everyone.

Inwood is great. The jackasses mess it up.

I.H. could be great - it's in a great spot (except for the flood zone). But the drugs mess it up.

oh, well...

[GhostDog]

The common theme with all the worst areas of Houston I see 2 primary themes: (static things such as low income, below poverty line stuff like that is a given so I do not include them)

Here are my 2:

1- Close quarter living ie APARTMENTS apartments, apartments

[TJones]

Nope ! Woodlands Proper is still the winner.

[77017]

WOW if you think this is one of the worst areas of town you must not get around much. I ride my bike through Magnolia all the time and never have problems. I also have some friends in midtown who ride through there regularly and stop at the neighborhood bars. It may LOOK scary but we've never had problems.

The time of day your riding your bike, what streets, and what bars your talking about are probably why you think that. There's crimeless lily-white subdivisions directly adjacent from fondren as well. . .

The time of day your riding your bike, what streets, and what bars your talking about are probably why you think that. There's crimeless lily-white subdivisions directly adjacent from fondren as well. . .

Oh and yeah, I've been in and used to hang out in every grimey part of every hood in H-town too which is why I said that about Southeast. I think its more the attitude of the gangsters in the neighborhoods than the way the neighborhoods look. That's the thing a lot of people from out of town trip on about H-town. Prime example, Scenic Woods near Homestead. It looks like a nice upkept subdivision, but that's one of the hardest hoods at night, from experience those dudes are all strapped up and crazy over there. . .

[GhostDog]

That's the thing a lot of people from out of town trip on about H-town. Prime example, Scenic Woods near Homestead. It looks like a nice upkept subdivision, but that's one of the hardest hoods at night, from experience those dudes are all strapped up and crazy over there. . .

strapped- translastion dudes with guns...

[Nawfside119]

I think its more the attitude of the gangsters in the neighborhoods than the way the neighborhoods look. That's the thing a lot of people from out of town trip on about H-town. Prime example, Scenic Woods near Homestead. It looks like a nice upkept subdivision, but that's one of the hardest hoods at night, from experience those dudes are all strapped up and crazy over there. . .

Hey! I use to stay in Scenic Wood on. I lived on Lakewood Dr. Actually Homestead has quite a few neighborhoods that look "nice" but aint really all that "nice". Rosewood (which dont really look "nice" but it dont look like a slum or anything) is a good example. My aunt still stays over there actually. I remember when we use to go to her house when I was little my mom would always tell us to sit on the floor (Im sure some of you who grew up in "less than perfect" neigborhoods probably remember doing that) so things aint always what they may seem to be.

But honestly I think many people look at neighborhoods and base their knowledge off a what they may have heard from a random guy or maybe seen in the newspaper or something. Me and my wife recently bought a house in the Cranbrook subdivision (off rankin rd/ella blvd near greenspoint) and honestly its a very nice place despite me hearing less than stellar things about the area (even on this website). I really dont see whats so bad about it...

[musicman]

The time of day your riding your bike, what streets, and what bars your talking about are probably why you think that.

What streets and bars would you consider good on the east side?

[77017]

What streets and bars would you consider good on the east side?

Apparently whatever bars and streets you said you ride your bike through, cuz I really cant imagine anyone creepin through magnolia on harrisburg and down broadway and thinkin "Hey, this is a nice neighborhood."

[musicman]

Apparently whatever bars and streets you said you ride your bike through, cuz I really cant imagine anyone creepin through magnolia on harrisburg and down broadway and thinkin "Hey, this is a nice neighborhood."

i'm simply referring to YOUR quote "5. Southeast/Magnolia/Second Ward

Not friendly. . ." I personally have had no problem with people not being friendly. I"ve had more problems at the Roll In on San Felipe with racists than i have on the east side.

[TAK]

a kid got shot at Antoine and DeSoto yesterday... move Inwood up the list a bit...

I'd like to give Inwood South to Candelight Plaza and Oak Forest.

[MarthaG]

a kid got shot at Antoine and DeSoto yesterday... move Inwood up the list a bit...

I'd like to give Inwood South to Candelight Plaza and Oak Forest.

Nope... you can keep it ... or at least keep it out of Oak Forest.

[TJones]

You know, although I think The Woodlands is way overrated, IMO. I have to say the absolute worst neighborhood I can think of right now, in terms of crime, would have to be either Mission Bend or Townewest by Sugarland. If their are any Back to the Future fans, think of part 2 when Marty goes back to 1985 and the his neighborhood is in shambles with the burglar bars on the windows of his house.

[ricco67]

You know, although I think The Woodlands is way overrated, IMO. I have to say the absolute worst neighborhood I can think of right now, in terms of crime, would have to be either Mission Bend or Townewest by Sugarland. If their are any Back to the Future fans, think of part 2 when Marty goes back to 1985 and the his neighborhood is in shambles with the burglar bars on the windows of his house.

I was talking to a lawyer who has been working out in the 'burbs and his biggest thing is how many kids get into trouble because of disposable income and lack of parental supervision.

My daughter who lives very close to the woodlands is amazed on how much of a drug problem the woodlands schools have.

Kinda' made me do a little dance when I told the ex "I told you so."

[Jeebus]

I was talking to a lawyer who has been working out in the 'burbs and his biggest thing is how many kids get into trouble because of disposable income and lack of parental supervision.

For Mission Bend it is the lack of parental supervision, but not the disposable income that is the problem. Latch key kids who raise themselves 12 hours of the day their entire childhood. I don't think its the parents' faults though. Especially if they are both working and trying to make a better life for the children & family. Its just the way it is - the facts of life.

My daughter who lives very close to the woodlands is amazed on how much of a drug problem the woodlands schools have.

Everyone knows that the most affluent & safest neighborhoods are where you will find the most spoiled kids who have the least amount of parental control, and do the best drugs. Again, its just a fact of life. Edited July 20, 2006 by Jeebus

[TJones]

Everyone knows that the most affluent & safest neighborhoods are where you will find the most spoiled kids who have the least amount of parental control, and do the best drugs. Again, its just a fact of life.

Their is a movie with Matt Dillon made back in 1979 about a California suburb, where the kids just went nuts, and took over the school. I will have to look it up in a minute. It reminds me of The Woodlands.

The movie is called "Over The Edge".

Edited July 20, 2006 by TJones

[Jeebus]

a kid got shot at Antoine and DeSoto yesterday... move Inwood up the list a bit...

I'd like to give Inwood South to Candelight Plaza and Oak Forest.

No, the city just needs to wall up the Desoto drive entrance at Antoine. Poor Inwood-proper.

[PureAuteur]

I just wanted to say this thread has been very informative for me. Even though I am a native Houstonian, I was never familiar with anything but the northwest side of town and the nicer neighborhoods at that. I guess I just never hung around any rough people to take me into the scary parts of town.

I have a few questions as I try to piece together all this neighborhood geography. Where is Magnolia in relation to East End or is it a part of the East End? Would Wayside and Harrisburg be considered Magnolia Park? Also, which of the neighborhoods we've discussed have Telephone Rd. as a border? I've heard that Telephone Rd. is pretty shady, but have never driven down it.

Oh, btw, if they ever redevelop the apartments in the Inwood area, it will be a nice area. The neighborhoods are solid: Inwood proper, Candlelight, Ella Lee Forest, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest, etc.

Edited July 22, 2006 by PureAuteur

[Trae]

Katy is becoming pretty bad. There are gang signs everywhere, and some people were stabbed at Denny's.

/sarcasm.

[PureAuteur]

If anyone saw the funny photos of the "white gangsters" from that Katy thread, I'm pretty sure someone just did a Google image search of a certain word that begins with "w", and copied the photos that came up. No way there are actually white teens walking around Katy that look like that. They would be ridiculed daily by the hardcore Republican residents.

I'd agree that Katy has some of the worst neighborhoods, but I'd be basing that assessment on aesthetics, not crime or ghetto-ness.

[Trae]

Some do walk around like that. They try to walk like they from the hood, too.

[TheNiche]

I just wanted to say this thread has been very informative for me. Even though I am a native Houstonian, I was never familiar with anything but the northwest side of town and the nicer neighborhoods at that. I guess I just never hung around any rough people to take me into the scary parts of town.

I have a few questions as I try to piece together all this neighborhood geography. Where is Magnolia in relation to East End or is it a part of the East End? Would Wayside and Harrisburg be considered Magnolia Park? Also, which of the neighborhoods we've discussed have Telephone Rd. as a border? I've heard that Telephone Rd. is pretty shady, but have never driven down it.

Oh, btw, if they ever redevelop the apartments in the Inwood area, it will be a nice area. The neighborhoods are solid: Inwood proper, Candlelight, Ella Lee Forest, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest, etc.

Well I'm glad you got something out of it.

Magnolia Park is part of the East End. Wayside and Harrisburg is Magnolia Park. There are many neighborhoods with Telephone Road as their border, but as seedy as parts of Telephone are, there are many nice neighborhoods along it. None are really standing out as profoundly ghetto in my memory. Mex American Moose? Any comment?

I think that the best way for you to discover the gems and the rough is just to drive. Take a day and enjoy yourself. Don't forget to roll down your windows as you cross over onto the other side of the tracks...lots of smells and sounds that you'll miss with windows up.

[musicman]

I just wanted to say this thread has been very informative for me. Even though I am a native Houstonian, I was never familiar with anything but the northwest side of town and the nicer neighborhoods at that. I guess I just never hung around any rough people to take me into the scary parts of town.

Oh, btw, if they ever redevelop the apartments in the Inwood area, it will be a nice area. The neighborhoods are solid: Inwood proper, Candlelight, Ella Lee Forest, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest, etc.

Antoine, Mangum, Ella, Shepherd, etc are just as "shady" as some of the streets mentioned on the east side. Some good friends of mine live near Ella and 43rd and always tell me of action happening around there. But like I say, there are "shady" places all over town. That's just life in the big city.

Edited July 22, 2006 by musicman

[MexAmerican_Moose]

Well I'm glad you got something out of it.

Magnolia Park is part of the East End. Wayside and Harrisburg is Magnolia Park. There are many neighborhoods with Telephone Road as their border, but as seedy as parts of Telephone are, there are many nice neighborhoods along it. None are really standing out as profoundly ghetto in my memory. Mex American Moose? Any comment?

I think that the best way for you to discover the gems and the rough is just to drive. Take a day and enjoy yourself. Don't forget to roll down your windows as you cross over onto the other side of the tracks...lots of smells and sounds that you'll miss with windows up.

well i would suggest going east on harrisburg and then turn north on Wayside, basically this is Magnolia....there are a lot of businesses, or you could keep on driving on harrisburg until you hit broadway...

check out this website...it will define the boundaries better

Check it out

[PureAuteur]

Well I'm glad you got something out of it.

Magnolia Park is part of the East End. Wayside and Harrisburg is Magnolia Park. There are many neighborhoods with Telephone Road as their border, but as seedy as parts of Telephone are, there are many nice neighborhoods along it. None are really standing out as profoundly ghetto in my memory. Mex American Moose? Any comment?

I think that the best way for you to discover the gems and the rough is just to drive. Take a day and enjoy yourself. Don't forget to roll down your windows as you cross over onto the other side of the tracks...lots of smells and sounds that you'll miss with windows up.

I've actually done that on a few occassions. Sometimes I cruise around in nice areas, sometimes I cruise around in not so nice areas. I remember in 2001, I drove down Breen Rd. with a map in hand. I went east and somehow got to Montgomery Rd., drove straight through the heart of Acres Homes, then down Shepherd, and then I did some zig zagging across some east/west streets like Tidwell, Parker, Little York, crossing over I-45 onto the east side. It was pretty fun.

I also drove around in that neighborhood directly east of I-45 from the Norhill section of the Heights area, I don't know the name of it (NMainGuy, help me out here), and somehow or another I got lost and ended up on Jensen Dr, right off I-10. I just decided to drive straight up north on Jensen until I found my way home. I gradually began to get an uneasy feeling, and for some reason I rolled up my windows and locked my doors. There were people staring at me, but not in a friendly way. People just hanging on on the street corners. Everytime I got to a stop light, I was like "hurry up, turn green, turn green." I finally got out of that area once I hit 610 loop and quickly got back in the NW side of town.

Some do walk around like that. They try to walk like they from the hood, too.

I think it's just because hip hop style and culture is the new pop culture thing. It's all over MTV and everything else. Back in the early 90s, teens were dressing like people in Seattle, because that's what they saw on tv, and they just wanted to imitate it. I wouldn't take these white wannabe gangsters too seriously. It's a phase that will pass when America moves onto the next thing. The thug style is easy for whites to copy when they have all these music videos showing a bunch of youths all huddled up on their city block in Atlanta or Memphis or wherever and you can see vividly the clothing style that they sport while they're chilling and representing in the music video.

[TheNiche]

There were people staring at me, but not in a friendly way.

If you think that was bad, you should've tried driving around on the tiny neighborhood streets. Now that can be scary. Its one thing if you're out in the middle of an intersection and everyone can see you. Lots of witnesses...too many for any half-decent crook. But if you're back on those low-traffic side streets...be careful.

[PureAuteur]

But I heard that HPD keeps their distance from 5th Ward, which is a shame, since SW Houston apartments around Fondren and Braeswood is just as dangerous as 5th Ward, yet the cops have no problem going in there to investigate a murder.

I wasn't afraid of being killed so much as carjacked for being a white guy who probably has no business driving down Jensen Dr. and I heard that residents are bitter toward whites in general. I wasn't afraid while I was driving, but only when the lights were red, so I had to stop at the intersections. You say there would be too many witnesses??! The only people I saw while driving looked like they were coming down from their crack highs. They looked pissed off and defensive. I doubt their presence on Jensen Dr. would deter anyone from robbing me at an intersection or shooting at my car.

Just to make sure I'm not giving the wrong neighborhood name, that is 5th Ward on Jensen Dr. between I-10 east and 610 Loop North, right?

[TheNiche]

Just to make sure I'm not giving the wrong neighborhood name, that is 5th Ward on Jensen Dr. between I-10 east and 610 Loop North, right?

The one and only.

I do think that you're exaggerating the threat a bit, though.

[Jeebus]

But I heard that HPD keeps their distance from 5th Ward, which is a shame, since SW Houston apartments around Fondren and Braeswood is just as dangerous as 5th Ward, yet the cops have no problem going in there to investigate a murder.

I would say its the opposite. I've heard of HPD cops being nervous about repsonding by themselves into those huge apartment complexes on the SW side. Many of the cops working that area as part of the Mayor's new overtime neighborhood protection plan are coming from slower beats from other parts of the city. Most of them don't even know the area.

Honestly though, I doubt there's any neighborhood that HPD is truly afraid of. Those guys are hard.

[RedScare]

But I heard that HPD keeps their distance from 5th Ward, which is a shame, since SW Houston apartments around Fondren and Braeswood is just as dangerous as 5th Ward, yet the cops have no problem going in there to investigate a murder.

Yes, you heard wrong. A friend of mine works the "Zero Tolerance Unit" in the 5th Ward. Far from shying away from it, HPD works it hard. I wouldn't be surprised if many of the tactics used in the 5th are now being tried in SW.

[KinkaidAlum]

People amaze me.

I've walked the streets of the Near Northside as a high school social worker for C.I.S. at Jeff Davis. I'm as WASPy as they come and never ONCE felt nervous.

I used to ride my bike through Midtown and the Third Ward to get to graduate school at UH during the mid 1990s. Nothing bad ever happened.

Every thanksgiving, my family heads out to pass out food, soap, toothbrushes, school supplies, etc... in random neighborhoods. We used to hit the 4th Ward before it became full of townhomes. We now hit the Cuney Homes project by Texas Southern. We're always welcomed and people even tell us which doors to knock on where there is the greatest need.

Now, I wouldn't go alone to certain places and I'd avoid large apartment complexes at night, but I've always found that if you treat people with dignity and respect, they'll usually do the same.

It's part of why I want Houston to have better public places so that the different races and classes can interact more. Familiarity can breed some good results.

[MiDTOWNeR]

Ashton Oaks is definately the worst. What a bunch of yahoos! Middle Class rednecks...GROSS

[5thwardboi]

5th ward is tha baddest neighborhood out there here is a list of the worst hoods out there:

1.5th ward

2.MLK

3.Sunny side

4.acres home

5.studewood

6.south park

7.kashmere gardens

8.trinity gardens

[77017]

But I heard that HPD keeps their distance from 5th Ward, which is a shame, since SW Houston apartments around Fondren and Braeswood is just as dangerous as 5th Ward, yet the cops have no problem going in there to investigate a murder.

I wasn't afraid of being killed so much as carjacked for being a white guy who probably has no business driving down Jensen Dr. and I heard that residents are bitter toward whites in general. I wasn't afraid while I was driving, but only when the lights were red, so I had to stop at the intersections. You say there would be too many witnesses??! The only people I saw while driving looked like they were coming down from their crack highs. They looked pissed off and defensive. I doubt their presence on Jensen Dr. would deter anyone from robbing me at an intersection or shooting at my car.

Just to make sure I'm not giving the wrong neighborhood name, that is 5th Ward on Jensen Dr. between I-10 east and 610 Loop North, right?

Man, aint nobody gonna attack you over there. If you look how you say you do, they either thought you were a clucka or an undercover.

5th ward is tha baddest neighborhood out there here is a list of the worst hoods out there:

1.5th ward

2.MLK

3.Sunny side

4.acres home

5.studewood

6.south park

7.kashmere gardens

8.trinity gardens

Nah kid, statistically Southwest/Fondren is the worst by far. . .

Edited August 4, 2006 by 77017

[TJones]

The Woodlands, DAMMIT !

[BayouCityGirl]

Scott St

Fondren Southwest (Even Houston Press made fun of that neighborhood!)

maybe?

Edited August 5, 2006 by BayouCityGirl

[westguy]

The crime isn't bad in TW, but I thought the waterway was a really bad idea. This is the Gulf Coast, bayou swamp area - not Venice. What happens if the gators decide to live there?

Edited August 5, 2006 by westguy

[TJones]

The crime isn't bad in TW, but I thought the waterway was a really bad idea. This is the Gulf Coast, bayou swamp area - not Venice. What happens if the gators decide to live there?

They will Wrangles those bad boys out of there as soon as some lady loses her chihuahua dressed in Prada. >

[VicMan]

Fondren Southwest (Even Houston Press made fun of that neighborhood!)

I would love to see the article! All of the Press articles are online.

[RedScare]

Man, aint nobody gonna attack you over there. If you look how you say you do, they either thought you were a clucka or an undercover.

[Jeebus]

5th ward is tha baddest neighborhood out there here is a list of the worst hoods out there:

1.5th ward..

Your list seems a little biased doesn't it? As of late, I would have to say Westwood is getting alot of coverage on the news: shootings, assaults, arson fires, etc. Welcome to the Wild Wild West(wood), right?

[VicMan]

Your list seems a little biased doesn't it? As of late, I would have to say Westwood is getting alot of coverage on the news: shootings, assaults, arson fires, etc. Welcome to the Wild Wild West(wood), right?

You mean the apartments across Stella Link from the Westwood homes, right?

It looks like the apartments zoned to Westbury (west of Stella Link and south of West Bellfort) and Madison (east of Stella Link) fare worse than the apartments zoned to Bellaire (west of Stella Link and north of West Bellfort)

[4thWardBoy]

i'm pretty familiar with southeast. living and working in the area for years, i am totally comfortbable in this side of town, and will probably make it my long time residence for the foreseeable future. the side of town i fear most is by far southest/bellaire/fondren areas. it seems most of the time i see a shooting or violent crime in the newspaper it is from the southwest side. but one thing is true, there are bad areas on all sides of this great city of ours, all sides. the least dangerous maybe the straight west side, not southwest or northwest, but straight west down memorial, i-10 area all the way to katy. just my 2 cents.

[Jeebus]

You mean the apartments across Stella Link from the Westwood homes, right?

It looks like the apartments zoned to Westbury (west of Stella Link and south of West Bellfort) and Madison (east of Stella Link) fare worse than the apartments zoned to Bellaire (west of Stella Link and north of West Bellfort)

No no no no no.. I meant Westwood, between Beltway 8 & US59, south of Beechnut.

[BayouCityGirl]

I would love to see the article! All of the Press articles are online.

I wish I could find it. In this week's press they were talking about the Mayor on Myspace.com and the Press mentioned how he would love to fix all the Houston neighborhoods excluding Fondren SW...but don't take my exact words on it. I wish i could find it!

[The Great Hizzy!]

The thing with the so-called SW "ghettos" is that they're relatively small in size and are concentrated in apartment complexes lining four or five blocks of some main artery:

Fondren SW - Fondren Road from about Creekbend to Airport Drive

Gulfton - Gulfton/Glenmont Drive from about Chimney Rock to Hilcroft

Westwood - Bissonnet from Gessner to Bltway 8 or Gessner from Beechnut to the SW FRWY

This is important, because the better HPD and the COH can work together to 1) patrol and 2) pressure complex management regarding these properties, the sooner these "hoods" can stablize and show some sort of "return."

The residential areas (that is, the homes and actual subdivisions) surrounding these complexes are actually still in solid shape. In fact, Sharpstown, for all the jokes that have been levied upon it during the 90s and early 21st century, appear to be a prime example of this type of "turnaround" that could take place with better management. Crime in the greater Sharpstown area is down, home values are up and there are a handful of community improvement projects underway. The question might be, how did they go about helping to stablize things and can those tactics work in a Fondren SW, for example?

I hate to label a "worst" neighborhood but a neighborhood that has severe problems, in my view, is Sunnyside: lack of retail, lack of economic investment and a prevailing since of rural detachment, as if its annexation was mere window dressing. I have a serious problem with that, and I think it's high time that COH does a better job of encouraging larger scale economic and retail investment in these former rural enclaves that the city annexed back in the 60s and 70s.

[Jeebus]

The thing with the so-called SW "ghettos" is that they're relatively small in size and are concentrated in apartment complexes lining four or five blocks of some main artery:

Fondren SW - Fondren Road from about Creekbend to Airport Drive

Gulfton - Gulfton/Glenmont Drive from about Chimney Rock to Hilcroft

Westwood - Bissonnet from Gessner to Bltway 8 or Gessner from Beechnut to the SW FRWY

I agree, but you missed a few areas. You have to start around Beechnut when talking about Fondren. You've got Kingsgate Court just north of Bissonnet, and then St. Charles, and St. James just south of Bissonnet before Braeswood.

You also have Gessner to consider: Rockport, Woodscape, Concord, etc. These are all between US59 & Bellfort. Of course this is not counting possibly the worst ghetto of them all: Gustine & Sapling Way, which is also accessable from Gessner, just south of Bissonnet.

Often forgotten, but just as full of crime, are all the apartments off of:

Corporate between Beechnut & Bellaire,

Ranchester between Bellaire & Town Park,

Sandpiper between Dumfries & Creekbend,

Cinnamon between Beechnut & Spice.

These are all high concentrated apartment complexes sitting on top of one another with high crime rates.

The thing with the so-called SW "ghettos" is that they're relatively small in size and are concentrated in apartment complexes lining four or five blocks of some main artery:

I'll try and make a map later today with all these apartment complexes highlighted just to see how much of the SW side they actually take up. The problem is that even though all these people may live behind the walls of a handful of complexes, they still have to shop at the same stores as the neighborhood homeowners. This is evident by all the empty shells of former Randall's, Kroger's, and HEB's that are left standing on the SW side.

[The Great Hizzy!]

That's a good point. It's not like they merely stay inside those complexes. The riff-raff who might live in there (and I'm more than willing to assume it's a low percentage of the overall) have no problems getting outside and causing trouble elsewhere.

[TheNiche]

I hate to label a "worst" neighborhood but a neighborhood that has severe problems, in my view, is Sunnyside: lack of retail, lack of economic investment and a prevailing since of rural detachment, as if its annexation was mere window dressing. I have a serious problem with that, and I think it's high time that COH does a better job of encouraging larger scale economic and retail investment in these former rural enclaves that the city annexed back in the 60s and 70s.

I'm with you all the way on Sunnyside. Its scary out there.

Having said that, I haven't explored much of the Kashmere area.

[sevfiv]

I'm with you all the way on Sunnyside. Its scary out there.

Having said that, I haven't explored much of the Kashmere area.

i wouldn't call sunnyside scary, but maybe more on the depressing side - i end up driving through via bellfort (e/w) or mlk (n/s) most of the time, though

city of houston has an interesting neighborhood summary:

Sunnyside is the oldest African American community in south central Houston. It was originally developed to provide homes outside the city, but close enough for residents to commute. It now includes a number of tract home subdivisions on typical suburban streets, as well as the original frame homes interspersed with small churches of the original neighborhood. It has endured a number of detrimental land uses, including a major land fill which dominates the center of the community, a now-closed garbage incinerator next to the land fill, and a number of salvage yards. Recently, new developments have revived parts of the community, especially along Cullen.

Edited August 7, 2006 by sevfiv