Cleveland Heights area - safe? (Lakewood, East Cleveland: crime rates, neighborhood, school district)

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

I'll never understand the concern about safety in Cleveland Heights. People look and see the border with East Cleveland and think it must be a scary place. I lived in Cleveland Heights, walking distance from Cedar-Lee and never bought a security system. My security system was locking my door. Cleveland Heights, in my opinion, is one of the best places to live in Ohio.

Start reading the Sun Press police blotters regularly, and then you'll understand the concern.

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by andrew61

Start reading the Sun Press police blotters regularly, and then you'll understand the concern.

I do. I'm just saying that if you want a place that is a happy, fake, little suburban bubble, maybe you shouldn't live in Cleveland Heights. That's why God created Solon. But for anyone with half a brain and a bit of common sense, they would be fine in Cle Hts.

[Clevelander17]

Originally Posted by andrew61

Start reading the Sun Press police blotters regularly, and then you'll understand the concern.

And someone reading the Sun Post-Herald would get the same impression of Lakewood. It's a meaningless subjective way of analyzing crime and safety of an area.

[Marty711]

Originally Posted by andrew61

Start reading the Sun Press police blotters regularly, and then you'll understand the concern.

That's very deceiving. I'll admit CH has its share of petty crimes. No doubt about it. But you can't compare it to many burbs as CH is significantly larger and more urban. The only larger Cleveland burbs are Parma, Euclid, Mentor and Lakewood. According to City-Data's crime index, CH has a lower crime rate than the average US city. In fact, CH's crime index has been lower than Mentor's and those other cities I mentioned until 2011. The 2012 numbers aren't listed yet, but traditionally CH has been very low, even outpacing Beachwood, Shaker and University Heights most years. In fairness, CH did see a crime spike in 2011 but so did Beachwood. CH and Beachwood's crime index numbers are almost the exact same. CH's crime perception is purely from demographics.

[Peregrine]

I just checked the numbers, too.
Let's not forget the original intent of this site:
https://www.city-data.com/city/Clevel...ghts-Ohio.html
Yes, there was a spike in Thefts and Assaults last year. And Murder if you consider 0 in 2010 and 1 in 2011 a spike.
Car thefts down.

I know 2 people that live in CH. South Taylor (15 years in CH, married couple 12 yr old kid goes to Priv School) and an older single lady on Slyvania by *gasp* East Cleveland (20 years, quiet street) Neither of them have been victims of crime.

When I give advice here I am not just making things up.
I wonder how many people Andrew knows in Cle Heights?

I am going to send my friend on Slyvania an email and tell her I know someone considering CH. See what she says.
BRB.


.

[Peregrine]

From my friend on Sylvania. Not from someone living in Chicago supposedly reading police blotters in the Sun News. You need to quit, Andrew. You are not the expert you think you are.
Even I didn't expect an email THIS positive:
My friend (who, coincidentally is from Chicago originally) is not the forum type so I told her a friend of a friend was considering the Heights.
For full disclosure, here was my email:
________________________
Subject: Friend of a friend considering Cle Heights
If you get a few minutes could you just give me a few thoughts about your city?
A friend of a friend (married couple) is moving here from Chicago and is surprised how inexpensive some places in the Heights are (of course compared to many parts of Chicago, what isn’t?). But she is nervous because someone else is telling her that it is NOT a safe place to live.
So my friend and I are asking some real Heights-ians how they feel about the city they live in.

Reply:
T: I have lived in Cleveland Heights for over 20 years. I am surrounded by a stable neighborhood full of caring neighbors. I walk outside at any hour. I think that Cleveland Heights is a fine place to live. What area are your friends looking at? I am in the northeast corner of Cleveland Heights, but I know people living in many different neighborhoods.

Some of the reduced sale price opportunities are amazing right now. There are some great houses available for low prices.

The 20-year crime history of our neighborhood is: (1) about 15 years ago a kid's bike was taken from the driveway and (2) about 12 years ago someone messed with the steering column of a convertible with the top down, but the car wasn't stolen.

My porch is unlocked and I have my original porch furniture. My family from Chicago says I am living in Mayberry.

I would be happy to speak with your friends or meet with them when they are visiting and house hunting.

M
_______________________
So, HK94, if you want some help from my friend as you get closer to actually moving, send me a PM and I will hook you up. She's an attorney, too, so she could be very helpful.

[L2DB]

I live just around the corner from Sylvania. Never had any issues myself, but I know someone that was robbed (and punched in the face) on Noble (and up the hill from Monticello). Still, in 9 years in this neighborhood, that's not bad.

Overall, if you don't want to be within short walking distance of Cedar Lee or Coventry, the neighborhood(s) between Monticello (south of), Belvoir (west of), Mayfield (north of), and Taylor (east of) is a really good option IMO. Aim to be further away from the intersection of Monticello and Noble, though. It's older with fewer families with young children, but good overall.

Full Disclosure - We are planning to move because of the schools and wanting a bigger house, but other than that, where we are is great.

[Peregrine]

I replied to my friend with the area that HK94 is considering.
Her reply:

I know a couple of young people who have just bought homes in that area. One was a transplant from New York, who couldn't believe the prices and is just loving her new home and neighborhood.

[tribecavsbrowns]

Originally Posted by Clevelander17

And someone reading the Sun Post-Herald would get the same impression of Lakewood. It's a meaningless subjective way of analyzing crime and safety of an area.

OK, since you prefer objective facts, and you apparently missed my Cleveland Heights-Lakewood comparison earlier on this thread, I'll just post it again:

Robberies per 100,000 population
2011 Cleveland Heights 221, Lakewood 67
2010 Cleveland Heights 152, Lakewood 77
2009 Cleveland Heights 155, Lakewood 66

2012, more of the same, Lakewood with a 50,000 population had 35 robberies through November. Cleveland Heights with 45,000 population had around 100:

Cleveland Heights Police Make 70 Arrests in 97 Robberies - Cleveland Heights, OH Patch

My position on this is not that Cleveland Heights is unsafe. It's not unsafe, for its demographics or for my personal taste (the neighborhood I live in is more dangerous than Cleveland Heights). It's also probably safer than Oak Park or Evanston, to stay with the theme started by the original poster.

But I also despise the fingers-in-the-ears mentality in Cleveland Heights, a mentality that I have heard actual Cleveland Heights residents complain about (usually jokingly, but still). I also despise when people think they're entitled to their own facts. And I think all of that is in particularly poor taste on a relocation forum. That's not to say there hasn't been a lot of really good info on this thread, but I'd really like to see Cleveland Heights do away with the fingers-in-the-ears stuff for good.

[bjimmy24]

I don't see anyone using their own facts. I just think that in general, in my personal opinion, people are quick to look at Cleveland Heights as East Cleveland South. It's just not accurate at all.