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Church Hill called 10th Most Dangerous Neighborhood in America?!?
06/22/2009 12:28 PM by John M
WalletPop, some sort of financial services web site, says that Church Hill is the 10th Most Dangerous Neighborhood in the Country in their survey of 25 Dangerous Neighborhoods.
Judging from their map, it looks as if they are drawing data from Church Hill North and part of Union Hill. The article explains that the comparisons are “based on the aggregate crime data for the municipality containing that neighborhood averaged across the most recent three years of non-preliminary (final) data available from the FBI (2005, 2006, and 2007).”
Interesting that they say it’s Church Hill but on the map they just show Church Hill North. Neither of which is really one of the most dangerous neighborhoods on the east end if you ask me.
Church Hill is not half as exciting as it was during the crack cocaine wars of the early 90’s. CSI and Miami Vice all played out on the streets. Who needed cable TV?
Overlay these areas with the types of housing and see where the numbers land.
Being based in Rhode Island, more than likely working in a tidy cubicle in front of a computer screen I can’t see how they, WalletPop, are absolute experts on Church Hill or any of the neighborhoods across the country they commented on. It’s irresponsible.
QUOTING THIS SITE: “My chances of becoming a victim here (Ch. Hill) in one year = 1 in 8”. EVERY FRIDAY, GOOD SUMMER WEATHER PROVIDED, MYSELF & 7+ FRIENDS &/OR NEIGHBORS CONGREGATE TO EMBIBE IN SOME COOLING ADULT BEVERAGES, PLAY YARD GAMES, AND DISCUSS OUR WEEKS TRIBULATIONS & VICTIORIES. HOWEVER, GIVEN THIS NEW – AND SHOCKING- DATA, I WOULD BE REMISS NOT TO EXPECT THE NOTORIOUSLY AGITATING COMBINATION OF ALCOHOL AND HEAT TO LEAD TO MY IMPENDING CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION BY ONE OF OUR GROUP. NUMBERS DON’T LIE PEOPLE. LET’S KEEP AN EXTRA EYE ON OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS DURING THESE TROUBLED TIMES. I SEND A GRATEFUL “SHOUT OUT & BIG UP’S !!” TO THOSE WATCHFUL & WELL INFORMED SOULS AT WALLETPOP.
P.S. “STAY OUT THE GHETTO !!”
Complete bullshit. The city should sue them for libel.
Well, with all of those teenagers running around after curfew, of COURSE it’s the 10th most dangerous neighborhood in America!!!
Does anyone else find it ironic that the First Precinct is located in this area?
Even better HillMilitiaCommander…
Good weather providing of course, YOU could COMPLETELY turn on your fine friends &/or neighbors, mid-reflecting on the weeks triumps & tribulations, mowing them ALL down, AND their tasty beverages, in a fit of inner city rage. Now THAT would make WalletPops statistics pop indeed!
Shocking. I don’t know about you HMC, but I’m planning on hiding behind closed door immediately 😉
I live in that outlined area and I am moving because I am so tired of living in a drug ravaged war zone. I say they are right on. If you don’t live in the middle of it, you have NO IDEA.
Looking at the map, part of Venable stands out as kind of rough. Are there other hot spots?
Posting this on the CHPN website doesn’t nothing good for our community. If was searching for a house and went to this website to check it out before buying here I would look elsewhere. Good job guys, way to promote the area.
*does
God forbid you’re trying to sell your house up here… thanks for all your help John.
Dude, I did’t make this up & CHPN isn’t a realtor’s site. Stuff happens, it gets reported. Folks can google the original article just as easily as this post, only with no context to balance the negativity; here is your chance to dispel the accusation.
Over the past almost 5 years, I’ve certainly reported enough tawdry shit that is both undeniably true and which has also always been a staple of how the mainstream media has portrayed Church Hill. I’ve also done a lot to highlight revitalization and community building that you won’t see on the 6 o’clock news.
Yeah, because selling a house is so much easier everywhere else right now…
Honestly, we moved due to the violence. I lived on N. 24th between R and Fairmont, which is just off of the area shown, and we had 3 dead kids on our street for the 3 years we lived there. One murder a month after we moved in 2005 and the double homicide in 2007. I saw everything from drug dealers pulling bags of drugs out of babies’ diapers (with the babies in the diapers) to deals happening round the clock. In fact, when we had a showing to sell our house last year, the potential buyer showed up to 11 guys handcuffed on the sidewalk, 2 prostitutes being patted down and one young man who was clearly high as a kite and screaming something while kicking the crap out of the paddy wagon once he had been put in. I loved some of the people I met in Church Hill and enjoyed the comradery I felt with some of my neighbors, but I couldn’t live in fear.
I like the positive stuff you put up, just saying there is no need to bring light to the negative, it does nothing for the homeowners of the area other than deter prospective new residents. Also if you google “Church Hill Richmond, VA” nothing negative comes up in even the first 2 pages. That’s the kind of publicity this neighborhood needs… not a muckraker.
Most of the property owners up here lost tremendous land and home value this year. Drawing more attention to the reasons NOT to live here doesn’t help.
It has been pointed out that the map above corrolates to census tract 207 (map of census tracts in Richmond)(PDF).
According to the data on the Richmond Police Department site, census tract 207 had 1,156 incidents over the 3 year period referred to in the article, including 6 homicides, 5 sex offenses, 25 robberies, 157 assaults, 81 burglaries, 120 vice arrests, 144 thefts, 35 incidents of vehicle theft, and 583 “other”. For comparison, tract 206 to the south had 767 incidents (no homicides), and 203 to the north had 1,586 incidents (4 homicides). Tract 201 (Whitcomb) had a whopping 1,801 incidents (7 homicides).
The 2000 census data gives the population of each of the tracts as: 201 – 1,716 persons, 203 – 1,889 persons, 206 – 1,540 persons, and 207 – 1,276 persons.
For the 3 year span, tract 207 had .90 incidents per person, tract 206 had .49 incidents per person, tract 203 had .83 incidents per person, and tract 201 had 1.01 incidents per person.
*names are approximate
I have to agree with John’s point.
I didn’t like seeing the headline/BS report here on my search for “what’s going on in Church Hill news today” but it’s better here, being discussed and disputed, than out there floating, accepted as fact.
When I decided to buy here CHPN was the first thing that popped up in web my search. You better believe I was all over this site for news and to learn about what was going on in the area.
Not sure how you found it John. I Googled Church Hill Richmond, VA and all the hits were positive. Even when doing a search for Church Hill Crime.
My wallet wasn’t the first thing I thought about when I read this…poverty ,suffering, addiction and how we can improve everyone’s quality of life in our neighborhoods….these things popped up first in my mind.
CHPN brings many things to light….even things we’d rather not hold up for all to see. However, we cannot work on solutions if we hide the problems.
2 cents dispensed.
This is what happens when the neighborhoods are clumped as one and not recognized by their true identities… still steams me how Woodville is in the wrong place…
Simply a reinforcement of what we already know. It’s just painful to see it in print. All of us have moved here with wild aspirations to offset the decline caused by neglect and urban decay. Many have made a differnce: black, white, and otherwise, both long time residents and newcomers. I am just not sure the slow incremental change is enough to turn the tide of generational poverty, lack of ediucation, violence and drugs. Seems like this housing bust may undo a lot of the work of the last deacde or two. I hope I am wrong.
John, #14, I have written so many comments and deleted them all before hitting ‘submit comment’ because your post is so great it bears repeating.
Now, I’m wondering what the so-called mainstream media in Richmond will make of this entire story.
My comment, for now, is that I’ve lived up here in “Church Hill” for a long time (going on thirty years, I think), and it’s always been a block by block thing with renovation, and most probably crime is the same. Unfortunately, projects (Whitcomb comes to mind) seem to foster it, since renovation isn’t a going thing within the projects.
J #16, your post was the most poignant so far, as it details the problems you brave folks face in moving in and renovating block by block. I hope you eventually sold that house, and I hope that the buyers will help in cleaning up the rest of that block.
there is an upside to the story. developer gentrification will reduce pace and slow the increase of come-heres demanding to rule the neighborhood with expert ideas from the unlivable places they ran from. over the long haul fighting the local criminal element is easier.
Church Hill has a veneer of safety, as does downtown. You’re always just a violent assault/murder/rape away from the 6:00 O’clock news. Watch your back. Watch your neighbor’s back too.
Nobody likes seeing their neighborhood maligned in the media, but the top ten distinction for Church Hill helps to clarify Richmond’s reputation. While we’ve the homicide rate has more than once been our city’s claim to fame, the fact is that the violence is as segregated as Richmond’s racial and socio-economic isolates poor blacks and insulates middle and upper class whites. In other words, depending on who you are or where you are in Richmond, you’re odds of being a victim are much more or much less than that 1 in 8 stat. Sure, the article mischaracterized a revitalized a historic neighborhood, but it’s a distinction of a handful of blocks, and concerning an inhumane situation that goes beyond managing perception as Ian suggests. Ultimately the whole city is stigmatized. If Church Hillers don’t like the attention, elect someone to represent you who will fight for lasting solutions, instead of sweeping the issue under the rug.
TO BE CLEAR: I do not condone, espouse or generally recommend ANYONE listen in earnest to ANYTHING someone else says about the blocks, streets, yards, decks, porches or alleys YOU know best. THIS IS (Y)OUR HOME. Recession, Depression, Aggression be DAMNED ! I don’t have the old school roots (and great “round the keg/fire/porch”) stories of some of my good friends and neighbors, BUT, I LOVE IT HERE. If you are (easily) swayed by “bummer press”-STOP READING NOW ! I know enough about the Hill’s past to know we are light years away from it’s scariest days. TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBORS. BE VIGILANT AND ALERT. PICK UP(SOME)TRASH. SPEAK TO THAT PERSON THAT ISN’T EXPECTING (EVEN) A SIMPLE HELLO. GET TO KNOW YOUR OLDER NEIGHBORS-THEY’VE GOT EXPERIENCE TO SHARE.
“That’s all I have to say about that.”
– F. Gump (The Master Of Simplicity)
The “my property values are going to go down” argument only applies to those that have already decided to move out. Those of us who bought our house so we could live in this neighborhood are not affected by fluctuating house prices. The value of our house goes up and down, but since we are staying in our homes, it mostly just impacts the amount of our property tax.
John, good reporting. Thanks.
Those damn M Street Hooligans…
Folks don’t let any of this dissuade you from staying/moving into the area. My sister and I were mugged, robbed, and abducted at gunpoint over three years ago. That was BEFORE I decided to move into the neighborhood. The only way situations like this change is when people commit to staying in the neighborhood and take an active role in what’s going on in their immediate surroundings. I live in the area that WalletPop has profiled, and I feel safe. Sure, I’ve seen some suspicious activity going on every so often, but I think the area is getting much better. As John pointed out, organizations such as Better Housing Coalition have done a TREMENDOUS job transforming the area. These transformations have and will continue to lead to changes in our so-called 10th most dangerous neighborhood in America status. Plus, their evaluation of the safety of neighborhoods fails to consider other factors such as proximity to fire and police stations and hospitals which are huge assets in our neighborhood. Many of our suburban counterparts are at a significant disadvantage when you consider factors like that. I think HillMilitiaCommander makes a great point in Post #27.
I LOVE CHURCHILL AND WOULDN’T LIVE ANYWHERE ELSE IN RICHMOND! The good outweighs the bad everyday for me…and it hasn’t been a perfect ride mind you.
I wonder if “aggregate crime data” has the city jail down the hill included?
A true journalist tells the negative, even when it hurts and the positive, even when it’s not shock filled. Thanks, John for keeping it well balanced and honest. As for the Hill, it’s got its good and bad, as any inner city does. I’ve lived here for most of my 40 some years. . . I’ve seen a lot. On a whole, I have seen improvement, but like one reader said it’s a block by block endeavor. Let us endeavor to do whatever we can to improve safety, schools, community revitalization, hope for those in despair, as well as beautification. PLL, C.
Back in my home state I had moved into a neighborhood like Church Hill in college – the crime rate was a statistic to be aware of and guide my general behavior but it wasn’t going to dissuade me from choosing to live in a historic area with a sense of community, good coffee within walking distance, and neighbors whose interests went beyond golf and the Dow . MAlthough bohemian college days passed a good decade ago, my attraction to places like Church Hill has not. I am only renting because my work project in Richmond won’t keep me here more than a couple of years (although I wish I could commit to a house here), but choosing Church Hill was a no brainer after a couple of mind-numbing trips to look at condos in the suburbs. There had been a guidebook in my hotel that raved about what it referred to as Richmond’s prestigious West End; I just marveled at how monotonous driving to and through it was and how much it looked just like every other affluent suburb in the US. Target, Walmart, Lowe’s, Cathy’s Nails, Cathy’s Tanning, Cathy’s Hair Salon, Cathy’s Whatever-else-people-do-when-they-could-be-reading-or-walking-instead… I have been here for almost half a year now and I am still just as thrilled at every evening walk I get to take down Broad Street. The homes are stately or beautiful or run down and ripe with potential, but they are never cookie cutter. Folks are sitting on their porches talking to friends and neighbors, and they say hello when you smile at them, and I can never get enough of all the soaking green everywhere and the flowers and their attendant fragrances and fireflies, well – you get the idea. I love this place.
This has hit the news, BTW: http://www.nbc12.com/global/story.asp?s=10584054
So, yeah, it may hit our pocketbooks too.
Someone mentioned “gentrification” earlier in this thread. Man. if there is one word I’ve come to hate during my 20 years in Richmond it’s “gentrification.” Who was it who came up with this concept that restoring homes, repairing sidewalks / streets / potholes, planting trees, and reducing blight / poverty / crime is a BAD thing?
Gentrification. pfff. I’ll bet you a dollar to a dog biscuit that some pencil pushing suburb dwelling academian came up with that one.
But arguing semantics won’t get us anywhere. What we need to do is – as a community – we need to let the city management that we are OUTRAGED that Church Hill has ended up on this national list, and demand that Richmond’s most historic neighborhood be better cared for and looked after by the city’s “leadership.”
Magneto…
I like your reference to…..”situations like this change when people commit to staying in the neighborhood and take an active role in what’s going on in their immediate surroundings”
#27 I like your “getting to know your neighbors” attitude. You make a great point.
I’m curious how many people take an active role in helping their immediate surroundings especially when it comes to our schools.
For example, how many mentor or volunteer in the local schools? Chimborazo, Woodville,and MLK,(just to name a few) educate and empower the current residents of this neighborhood. The children are the foundation of this neighborhood. We need to make a difference in their lives in order to see positive change in the future.
I encourage all of you to donate some time to one of our neighborhood schools. You will give back in a positive way. You will also see how great the “need”is in our own backyard. Step outside of the “real estate value” bubble and contribute to something that will have a positive effect on “our” neighborhood.
Poster #30 Can specify more on M Street Hooligans? I am intrigued to see what you have to say?
The neighborhood boundaries may have been misrepented here but let’s look on the bright side: More street cred for the 30th street hustlaz
Anyone here heard of “WalletPop” prior to this? I don’t think they’re exactly tastemakers. Let them say what they will.
Everyone who lives here knows what goes on, and we live here anyway. It’s no worse than what I’ve seen in NY, DC, St Louis, Chicago, or any other old city.
I work and live in Church Hill, and am sadden by this interpretation of Church Hill.
It’s bad enough I have to defend my reasons for living in this part of the city, but come on.
I know there’s a bad crime rate, believe me, I live next Chimbo Elem. where there was a shooting earlier this summer at the ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. But if people keep on down grading Church Hill, there wont be a continuing struggle of new couples/families moving into the historic homes help this neighbor-hood become what it really could be.
Church Hill is trying to survive this beating of what an awful neighbor-hood it is, they only thing people hear when I bring up where I live is HOOD. Yes the Police should be more involved, but since there announcement earlier this summer about getting more involved, I literally see a police car pass my home at least twice daily (Even more so on weekends). No, I don’t live with the yuppies on Libbie Hill Park I live between Clay and Leigh and love it.
The steps this neighborhood needs to take are getting done gradually. There is the CHAT; Church Hill Activities and Tutoring, which is wonderful for the kids. There are crime watchers, new businesses (that are legal), lovely new restaurants popping up everywhere. I even got married in Church Hill.
Bottom Line, bashing this neighborhood doesn’t do anything good, but neither does bashing these headlines.
# 36 But arguing semantics won’t get us anywhere. What we need to do is – as a community – we need to let the city management that we are OUTRAGED that Church Hill has ended up on this national list, and demand that Richmond’s most historic neighborhood be better cared for and looked after by the city’s “leadership.â€
I completely agree, call the cops every time you here fireworks (I DO), be friendly with your neighbors – get to know them. I sit on the porch all the time with my elderly neighbors as they drink 40’s and I drink my wine. They are a hoot, I just recently got married and went away for my honeymoon. My brother was kind enough to stay at my home at watch my pets, but I for got to tell the OG’s next door. As soon as they saw him walk up they integrated him with, who are you, what’s your business here. It was great, once they knew he was my brother they were fine, but they looked out for me. Just as I look out for them. That’s what we need. A Friendly neighbor-hood that gets involve in keeping Church Hill as a Whole SAFE.
90 percent of statistics are made up.
i’m a real estate agent and I work with a lot of people in this area. Yes, there are some rough spots, but I wouldn’t say it’s near the top 10. You can’t tell me that there is a “magic street” that cuts off crime right there on broad 3 blocks away. It’s like they looked for the most reported crimes, and zoomed in to a couple block radius to magnify the results… oh well, no news like bad news right?
It is sad that Richmond is portrayed in that Richmond is portrayed in this manner. In my opinion, most of the crime committed in Richmond is not from Richmonders, but from that damn 95 corridor from New York to Florida.
I moved to VA from Florida 3.5 years ago, and when I visited Richmond I thought it was a great city. The Civil War history, cultural diversity, colleges, and the neatest Crispy Kreme shop I have ever seen. I am fascinated by watching those doughnuts go through machine from bake to glaze.
I will say however that for newbies like myself, it is nice to hear some of the negatives, because I dont know any better. 3.5 years ago I could have mistakenly wondered off where I should not have.
The true issue is crime. Crime is a consumer that consumes finances, family, and quality of life. It is much to easy in this country to enter it, it is much to easy to bring drugs in, and it is much to easy to ignore inner cities and their problems.
When my wife was in college, I lived in a very bad neighborhood in Florida. My neighbor was drug dealer, and well I was the only white guy on the street.
However as a prior service Army Veteran, and a former Bosnia Peacekeeper, I have been around many different cultural backgrounds, and I am here to tell ya that color means nothing.
I have been in places were the bad guy wanted to kill me not because I was black or white, but simply because I was an American.
I think the city of Richmond is great. Keep in my mind that if you go into a city, there will be crime. It does not matter if it is Church Hill, or St.Louis.
If the police were actaully able to do their job, then the crime rate would drastically drop. How do I know? Look at the Vietnam Era. If the military was allowed to fight insted of the politicians, the outcome would have been much different. Take Care All.
-Steven R.
There are a lot of great points made here on an issue that I’ve grown up with. Post #27 hits home the most for me although the caps lock is a little much. I’m glad this forum doesn’t have colored text.
It really is all about the kids. I came up in the same schools and on the same playground as a ton of other kids that didn’t turn out quite as well as I did. I used to play cards and dodegball with two of the four kids who sexually assaulted the suburban girl having a good time in Libby Park. My best friend’s father coached them. They were just kids who made stupid decisions because they weren’t taught not to and they didn’t think about the future.
The people that are committing these crimes don’t appear out of nowhere and then disappear in to the shadows. They are the sons of Church Hill. Boredom, lack of aspirations, and a poorly developed connection to the people around them ease them towards really stupid life choices.
They need fathers, they need dreams to work towards, and something to do at night and in the afternoon.
Obviously, the first is the hardest to provide if it’s not there organically. However, we can all be mentors and after school tutors. For everyone that hasn’t tried it, I highly recommend that you do. It will make you feel like superman!
They need dreams i.e education and maybe even some community specific scholarships. Donate a percentage of your next home sale to establish a community scholarship fund?
They need something to do. Jobs are hard to come by, so then is money. In our culture, money is required for most entertainment. So you either go do something stupid for a thrill or you get some money illegitimately to live a piece of the dream. Maybe after hours community centers? A playground that is open after dark and well lit with a heavy police presence? I’ve been run off of basketball courts many time at night and been bored until I remembered I could go home to video games. Not everyone has a good home or video games.
These are obviously not the only reasons for our young people committing crimes but I think they are big ones with fairly straight forward solutions. Take it or leave it. It comes from the heart and someone who knows the plight of the now drug dealers better than most.