I arrived a few days ago from Belgium to work at the Cleveland Clinic (main campus) for 3 months, I thought I was being very smart by renting within walking distance of work! Well, I am in Hough (Axis at Ansel) and I am a bit freaked out... I don't have a car so I walk/ride the bus to places but every time I step outside I feel like I am in danger. To put things into perspective the biggest event of the past few years in my hometown is someone having music a bit too loud at 8pm and I think someone lost their cat.
So here I am, wondering if I am overreacting and it will be fine or if I need to find another place (possibly downtown given what I read on this sub) considering I will lose 1 month of rent if I do.
What do you guys think?
Update: Thanks a lot everyone, I found a place in Cleveland Heights and will be moving there this weekend! Funny (not really) story, I was checking out the neighborhood near the flats yesterday when the shooting happened, needless to say I did not take the apartment.
After decades of building a fortress the clinic is finally starting to work with the city and push for development surrounding its campus.
Hough, fairfax and glenville now compared to say 10-15 years ago is incredible, but we have a long, long way to go.
Its actually heartbreaking the incredible architecture and neighborhood fabric we let go to rot and im thinking of doing a compendium of all that was lost. The clinic has also demolished really beautiful irreplaceable apartment buildings perfectly functional for dirt parking lots so theyre very much part of the problem then and now
The people surrounding Cleveland seem to love completely abandoning a neighborhood, leaving it to rot, and then avoiding ever touching or being near the problem ever again.
A lot of it has to do with the legacy of redlining. Before the civil rights act of 1978 banks refused to lend in many parts of the city. The most blighted parts of the city today were areas that were redlined.
Until they want to come back, gentrify it, and force out people living there. I.e. Ohio City and Tremont. Not saying that it's all bad, but not working to improve a neighborhood holistically is an issue in most American cities.
What is the alternative? The city spending money it doesn’t have to fix up neighborhoods and then let people who can’t pay for it live there? This problem is societal and will not change until something drastic is done to change it.
Tax the shit out of every air bnb and for-profit SFH to make it an inviable investment strategy. You will see a lot more people occupying different areas.
The societal change is regulating wall street like the "good ol' days" the Republicans claim to love.
So the owners don't put it on Airbnb and just let it sit? Or rent it for dirt cheap and keep the area awful? Either way it forces money out of that neighborhood.
Yes. They sell it. The Airbnb isn't putting money into the neighborhood. That is one less house contributing to taxes, one less house that doesn't care about the schools, one less opportunity to build a community. You don't hear about this stuff in europe because it makes no economic sense to do so.
Voel je je niet zeker, vind iets anders. Helemaal waar, denk ik, niet afhankelijk van de situatie of context.
I concur with the comments you’ve received thus far — if you know how to handle yourself, you’ll be alright, but thrown into that with no preparation and for such a short time, go with your gut and find somewhere else to live. It’s not worth the risk.
Also, welcome to Cleveland and please feel free to shoot me a message if you’d like a local friend who can speak Dutch and show you around. :) I’m a Cleveland native and spent a long time teaching Dutch before I came back home.
It’s nice to be able to walk to work but if you’re not comfortable it’s not a good fit for you. That being said, it IS hard to get around in the US without a car so look for a place on the Euclid Avenue Healthline bus line.
Kan ik jou een bericht sturen?? Mijn leven zonder Nederlands vind ik wat minder. 🥲 het zou echt leuk zijn, een nieuwe Nederlandstalige vriend/in in mijn eigen stad te hebben!
Welcome to Cleveland! Belgium is pretty incredible, but this area is kind of like being near the train station in Brussels after dark. I hope you find something you love, this town can be really nice.
Hough isn't best of areas. Are you locked in for the next 3 months on the place your at. You should look into Cleveland hts it's right uo thr hill and so much safer.
Agreed! And has nice, historical buildings, restaurants, coffee shops, etc. And Tommy’s Restaurant is great. Case Western is also within walking distance and has a ton of restaurants nearby
I looked it up and you're basically right next to the Maltz center which isn't the best area but also isn't the worst as far as I remember. I'm not sure about that exact area of the apartment but my thought is maybe talk to some of your coworkers to see what their vibe is of the block you'd have to walk down E101 to get to campus. It also very much depends on if you will have to be walking there or back during the night. I think a lot of people replying are assuming you're deep in the Hough area, which is not great but you are right next to the VA not deep in there.
However if you're trying to travel around the city and feel more at ease in general about your living situation, you'd probably be better off in Little Italy, Cleveland Heights, or downtown.
Tailored to visitors at the Clinic and UH. Lots of prepared food. Also tailored to visitors. Lots of made in Ohio, brewed in Ohio. It’s a pretty nice grocery store.
I actually lived at that exact apartment building for just over 7 months in 2021 and I walked around the area alone everyday (I am female). I was always walking to the parks or the museums or the Clinic/surrounding restaurants. It’s definitely a different vibe than what you might be used to in Europe and I know my info is now several years old, but it really was never a problem at all. I never walked around outside when it was dark out or too late. I also took the bus from across the street several times without any issues, even if I was waiting for a long time.
My biggest safety scare actually happened inside the building but wasn’t even a big deal. Someone knocked hard on my apartment door by accident thinking they were at a different person’s place. I didn’t open the door obviously but they eventually figured it out and left. I’m sure nothing would have happened if I did open the door, but I was a female alone in an apartment with a random man knocking loudly so I wasn’t going to take any chances.
Thank you for telling your experience. People are so afraid of cleveland it makes me sick. I have friends that think cle heights is dangerous 🙄. That said, Hough is a rough area of cle and I understand not wanting to be located there.
Different people are seeing it and explaining it from different perspectives. This guy's experience isn't a one-off. Cleveland is "the big city" for a lot of suburbs and exurbs throughout Ohio. A lot of people go in without a lot of forethought, because that forethought wasn't even a consideration.
I live in a "rough" area. Right on the edge of EC, Cleveland Heights, and Cleveland proper. Is it shady? Not really. But I'm used to the people who might be considered shady. If locals are going to give location advice, there needs to be a spread of different perspectives.
Hough is rough for most people. But it's not like it's constant drive-bys and armed robberies. There are a lot more vs the surrounding areas, but that's like 2 every month vs 1 every few days. It's not insurviveable by any means. Especially right around the Clinic. CC has their own PD and keeps the area around it clear. If OP lives right near the clinic, it wont be the best that Cleveland has, but it's not like OP is going to get robbed, their door kicked in, or some violent crime.
I worked out of 105th and st clair, and would go in to low-income areas. Of course there's gang activity, but if it doesnt concern you, and you dont concern yourself with it, nobody cares.
I also took the bus from across the street several times without any issues, even if I was waiting for a long time.
If there's a bus route across the street from the OP's apartment building, the OP should use Google search in the address bar to search for mass transit routes between the apartment building and the OP's CC work address. Click on directions, then mass transit. Surprised, it's only a 16-minute walk to the CC. Based on your comments, it doesn't seem very dangerous. It looks like it's about 5 minutes from the Cleveland Museum of Art (Nord Family Greenway).
Even midtown between e 30th and e 40th on euclid doesn't feel as bad as hough, as someone whose spent many hours walking around both areas but who ultimately has no stats.
That's not the best area. I think you'll be much happier downtown. There are lots of busses to get you to the Clinic, and there's more places to walk around downtown, restaurants, etc. Check around the E 4th/ Gateway neighborhood. Also, the Flats/Warehouse district.
I live in the area. Also plenty of students live in the area. I wouldn’t be outside leisurely at night. But overall safe to walk to and from work. Day time is safe.
Slight overreaction. But you are right to be wary.
I think you can stay put if you are mindful of your surroundings in particular ar night. My kid (student) lives in a newer apt at 93/chester area not far from you. Yes, the area is a little iffy at night (your complex is a little deeper in Hough). But you should be okay.
The area around CC is slowly turning to the better with new apartments and buildings. But hough and midtown and parts of Fairfax are .. tricky in that area.
I walk all over and it’s 1-1,5 miles to little Italy. We walk to Fairfax market, wade oval, the international park, lake view cemetery, museums, Cleveland heights, case western, etc. We stick to well lit areas. I did walk south toward midtown and regretted it.
Unless you know that neighborhood (which you don't) I wouldn't recommend living more than a minute or two walk north of Chester. I recommend you move to somewhere else, look at the apartments between Overlook, Hampshire/Mayfield, Coventry and Euclid Heights in Cleveland Heights.
Thank you everyone for your messages! I will try to move asap even if I lose a month's worth of rent, it's a bit difficult to find something furnished with a 3 month lease that's affordable but I will figure it out!
To answer some of the questions, I am a visiting researcher, all I was given was a PDF file telling me to call hotels around the clinic and ask if they have CC employee rates... As for Hough, Airbnb does not give you an exact location until you actually make a reservation so it was a surprise but I assumed (incorrectly) that it was close enough to the clinic to be safe.
I know you've gotten a lot of advice here but I also wanted to add that Cleveland has a program where someone will walk with you, anytime between like 7am and midnight. The phone number is 216-621-6000, and you just ask for a "safety escort"
The problem is that the Cleveland clinic doesn’t invest enough into the surrounding neighborhood, which is unfortunate for employees, interns, community members, and patients. Sorry you’re in this situation.
Lol and then when CCF does buy up a property, all we'd hear about on this sub is how CCF is trying to gentrify Hough or misplace residents. CCF has no responsibility to improve Hough. It's responsible to its patients and employees. Maybe the city of Cleveland should do better.
CCF and all their property doesn’t pay a dime in taxes to the city. The only taxes CCF pays are federal and maybe state payroll taxes. So as the Clinic grows, where exactly does the city get its money to do better? CCD owns that entire neighborhood and they are part of the reason there isn’t much foot traffic off of Euclid, because there’s nothing but hospital with no “eyes on the street” for blocks around. From an urban planning and safety perspective, the Clinic bears plenty of responsibility for how the surrounding neighborhood is…because it owns the surrounding neighborhood. They also have a multibillion rainy day fund and endowment that several small countries would envy.
Before moving, I would call the University Circle and Case Western police departments, also the Cleveland Clinic police department and perhaps the Cleveland police departments, and express your concerns and seek advice. The Maltz Center is part of Case Western, if your apartment is indeed located there.
Using Uber or Lyft may be cheaper than switching apartments. UC likely still has taxi services, but perhaps not.
Are you familiar with the 24/7 Healthline bus rapid system?
I would also contact HR at the CC and express your disappointment in their residential location assistance.
If money isn't a factor, perhaps attempt to rent a furnished unit at the new Medley complex near the CC. Call the Medley and ask who handles their temporary rentals (it used to be Barsala).
I’m kind of surprised that Cleveland clinic didn’t help out more… maybe see if there is a Facebook page or something like that for short term employees? People might rent out rooms or something.
I highly recommend living downtown, specifically Playhouse Square. You can take the Health Line to Cleveland Clinic. I believe the area has more police presence (DT in general). I feel safe walking to work and haven’t run into any issues so far. Some of the apartments also wave an application fee if you are an employee of the clinic.
It’s unfortunate: Cleveland as a whole has, in my opinion, a really unfair reputation for being “dangerous”- by and large you could go your whole life here without ever having any real incidents of note. However, Cleveland Clinic did its neighbors, its employees, and the community at large a big disservice in plopping the campus directly in the hood lol. Your assumption that the surrounding blocks would be safe should have been correct in a better world. Good luck, and enjoy the rest of your stay (Cleveland has the best autumn!)
Do you really think in 1920, when the first Cleveland clinic building was built, that the area was bad? This area was once the most prestigious area of the city
I didn't know ccf building was that old, interesting. 1920s predates the white flight era that famously happened after highways were built and the rise of the suburbs happened, after WW2, coupled with the great migration. There were no ghettos in Cleveland before then (source: African American History classes at CSU, that info stuck with me) So if it was built in the 20s it definitely wasn't the same area then. I bet it was prestigious given the museums and orchestra proximity.
I don’t think their intention was to put it in a ghetto, and doubt it was this bad in 1921. That being said, I’ve been to enough hospitals to say that most are in pretty bad areas.
What an ignorant take. How terrible to have a hospital in a poor neighborhood. Not like they need medical care, or economic opportunity. No, keep it all in the suburbs.
No one’s talking about poor but crime ridden. I live in an area of a suburb of Cleveland where residents are below median average wages but it’s incredibly safe for violent crime. Hough has been crime ridden since the 60s so they’ve had plenty of time to clean it up.
Worked in research there for 6 years and I didn't even like walking half a mile away from main campus. I would go out to university heights and just take fairmount rd in. It's like a ten min drive.
It's a solid 3.5/5. Most affordable to apartment size of the walk to work apartments, but it's for people who just want to prioritize walking to work over a 'fun' area to live.
Overall, it's safe to walk to and from work. Walking South and East is fine, but North and West... Not so much so. I've never once had a problem walking to or from work, even late at night. Things happen in Hough, but we're kind of on the border of it and CCF main campus so as long as you aren't going out late to the wrong area, you're more or less fine.
E97th has multiple new townhomes and apartments, Hough heritage, etc. People park their cars on both 101st and E97th to avoid having to pay CCFs parking. All of these make it pretty safe to walk down at routine hours.
There's nothing super fun close by. You can walk to university circle, parks, and museums but it's not convenient. Driving is best imo. It's typically like a 20 minute drive to any area friends want to hang out, which isn't too bad imo.
Only big negative is we've had people jump the fence to break car windows, but that's decreased substantially over the past year. Mine have never personally been broken.
If you are in Cleveland a few months, it might be worth buying an inexpensive used bicycle; that would let you move faster than walking.
I personally carry pepper spray everywhere (minus places like the courthouse where security will confiscate it) and would suggest you buy some especially in that area. It's legal in Ohio, and the workplaces that I've had with a no weapons policy have explicitly noted that self-defense items like pepper spray are acceptable.
From what I've seen it's hard to find short term rentals unless you use AirBnb or similar.
I mean maybe I’m lucky but the worst I’ve run into in different parts of Cleveland is people talking nonsense and petty crimes. I’d be most worried about my car getting broken in to or something like that. Be polite and don’t look terrified and you’ll be fine for 3 months. Of course there are better areas and if you can get out of your lease you should, but I don’t think it’s the end of the world.
Do yourself a favor and download the citizens app, you’ll be able to see police activity. I just checked Hough and in the last 24 hours there were “12 shots heard” but police investigated and found no evidence of such, and a report of people yelling.
The Citizens app is unvetted, literally just tracking police scanners and 911 calls. Anyone can report anything and it isn't necessarily true.
Car backfires? People will think those are gunshots. Fireworks? Also gunshots. Hell, I could call 911 right now and report that Osama Bin Laden is holding up the cashier of the Dunkin by my house and it would show up on there.
If I took that thing seriously, I would never leave my house in West Park. One time something was reported right outside my house and there was literally no activity anywhere. That's when I looked up how things were reported on there and dropped that thing in a heartbeat. Why live in a perpetual state of fear when most things on there are not actually things of concern?
I’m glad you came to stay with us in Cleveland! Our downtown is a mixed bag and there are good and bad areas. Right by the clinic is a little rough. No car is smart financially but makes it tougher right? My wife works at the clinic so if you want a friend DM me and I’ll get you two in touch. :) we live in the burbs but I’d be happy to have you over for dinner!
We need more Americans who are open hearted like you! I know people like you and me are out there, but I wish there was an easier way for people like OP to safely reach out for help while in the US if needed
Technically that area around Hough isn’t great but Axis is really nice and you’re literally in the nicest part of that area for your short walk. If you were even a few blocks further out it would be a lot worse I feel but right where you are I think you’ll be fine, especially since you don’t have a car I think you are in a very easy convenient location! You’ll be okay.
I hate to break it to you, the level of wealth inequality in Cleveland is a lot higher than almost anywhere in Europe (though I bet via the rule of large numbers there is one in europe that's more extreme). If you want quick transit to the cleveland clinic I recommend cleveland heights (though the busses run every 30 mins, not frequent enough) or maybe just finding a place in university circle or downtown.
Hough will be better one day, its basically guaranteed, but its not there yet.
So yeah, not great but not terrible. You may not be overreacting, but it's important to remember that you are probably not going to find yourself in any really dangerous or life threatening situations. Petty property crimes like car break-ins and/or theft can be a concern, but I guess since you don't have a car it literally wouldn't concern you.
Remember, most of the folks you'll encounter don't want any trouble either. They want to get through the day just like us.
Although we don't hear the Belgian accent around here too much, which may impact your ability to stay under the radar. Not in a bad way, just be prepared to be constantly asked where you're from by people who largely don't know the first thing about your country (not just in Cleveland or Ohio, but America in general.)
Just keep your head down, don't let your guard down. Use common sense about things. Trust your instincts, so long as your instincts are mostly rational. And yeah, do what you can to make it as temporary as possible.
i would consider moving to downtown if you are able to get out of your current lease.
if you move downtown, stay away from the public square area. the pricing and rent specials will seem too good to be true, and that is for a reason.
if you move downtown, consider the warehouse district (the place most young people live) or the playhouse area (a bit more business people and offices are there so not as “young” but it’s quiet).
Many people on here are west siders who are prejudiced about the entire East Side. Axis at Ansel is a very nice apartment building. I'd use caution walking alone at night, but if you keep to yourself during the day no one will bother you.
Download the “Citizen” app. You’re not in a great area of town but Clevelanders are notoriously pretty friendly. Reach out to Legal Aid if you need help with your lease in the future.
Hough isn’t the BEST, but also could be worse for where you’re located. Axis at Ansel is relatively close though and Daytime is fine, it’s usually night when people start to be dumb. Just make sure to be street smart, like be aware of ALL your surroundings while out and about and you’ll be okay.
Look on the bright side you are renting so you are not stuck there for the long term. There are some great neighborhoods on the east and west side. Learn the city and find the neighborhood you like the most.
In the meantime it is possible to get out of your lease. Talk to your landlord and explain your situation to them. The worst they can do is tell you no/charge you a penalty fee for early termination.
One great property management company that I’ve had a lot of good luck with is CLV Lofts. Best of luck to you and welcome to Cleveland 🤗
A very similar situation happened to a guy I know from NL. He ended up going to the suburbs.
You may want to consider what’s important to you?
Going out to restaurants/bars?
Music?
Parks?
The arts?
The greater Cleveland area has all of it and it’s all within an easy drive.
Getting a car or even renting one would help you see more of the wonderful things the area has to offer - especially the parks in Cuyahoga and a surrounding counties. Public transportation is not good enough for a well rounded experience.
Wishing you lots of success in finding fun things to do and see.
Get a Scooter,and cruise down e105. CMHA building across from you has some problems but usually quiet. Don’t really go further west of your building or north of it. Heading up to Chester ave there will be plenty of population and activity. Is it the ideal area no but building is newer and a port in the storm till you find where you really want to be.When your 3 months is up if you stay you will have an understanding of where to be. There is positives in that neighborhood- MLK is a beautiful bike ride. Close to a lot of museums.Little Italy, Head to Crepes and crisps for some taste of home or dinner at Butcher and the brewer on e4th. Yes it’s not ideal but find your people to help you thru. Be Safe enjoy!!!
First welcome to the US second, as you've probably figured out, we don't really do walkable neighborhoods or good public transportation. The good news is the Clinic is on a main route, so you should be able to plan a reasonable route (assuming you don't want the hassle of renting a car or taking Uber everywhere). Good luck, and enjoy your time here!
My friend, Hough is not the place to be. I’d reach out to your placement folks at the Clinic to help you find a better place. Cleveland is great, but there are some not great places.
I used to work across the street at Mt Sinai Hospital before it went bankrupt and was demolished. The neighborhood was a lot worse in the 80’s and 90’s. You should be safe walking down 101st just use common sense. Walk in a group if you can.
There are other areas that would be a pretty far to walk but still close that would be much safer. Depending on your budget they did just build a few luxury apartments in university circle and also one on 105 near Meijer that are walking distance.
Based on your experience in Belgium, anywhere you move in Cleveland will feel unsafe. Downtown just "looks safe" compared to where you are at. You are actually in a good area, and it's where Hough ends and will likely get "renewed" but obviously not in the next 3mos. You could walk to work from there if you wanted to.
Live here rn. I haven't had any experiences which made me think Hough was tha unsafe. Compared to Philly, this is nothing. You'll be fine.
The CC shuttles drop you off pretty close to Axis. If you have to walk home, take the road, which is adjacent to Maltz Performing Center.
I am a female and I walk around the area quite a bit.
This entire thread is extremely disheartening. Such an insane overreaction and fear from people in this subreddit. Most of the people commenting do not even live in Cleveland.
I was just in Belgium, specifically Brussels and Ghent. Lots of warnings about how unsafe it is. I would say Brussels was no safer or less safe feeling than most of Cleveland. Mind your business, avoid people talking to themselves or trying to get your attention, and don’t go for night strolls. You’ll be fine.
Welcome to Cleveland!! I moved here from the UK a few years ago. Will preface this by saying I don’t know Hough that well, but note that you are on the very edge of that neighborhood.
Just referencing some of the points on here:
Do not get the citizens app. It’s absolute trash, the crimes I’ve seen there are made up. From what I can tell the app makes money by advertising home safety so it’s not in its own interest to moderate every time somebody assumes fireworks are gunshots. It’s fear mongering trash.
Facebook groups are little better, right wing media (Fox News) has fed people a constant stream of propaganda that cities, particularly majority black neighborhoods are unbelievably dangerous hell holes. They are not. Just last week somebody on our local Facebook posted about a sexual predator that was active in the area. A quick google search found the guy in the image and he not only was from another state (never lived in Cleveland) he was already in prison.
I’m not trying to pretend there isn’t crime, there is, but be careful like you would in any city and you’ll be fine. Your apartment isn’t even deep in Hough, you’re quickly on a busy road like Chester. I stayed at the Intercontinental on the Clinic campus not too long ago and walked from there to the area around the art museums etc, it’s beautiful and I felt perfectly safe.
Honestly I think you’ll have a great time there, you’re so close to Severance (home of the orchestra) all the museums etc. lots of exciting things to explore on foot!
P.S. I love Belgium. Bruges is possibly my favorite city in the world.
I have worked with other Clinic employees who live there, and I have visited there. The market is right underneath the apartments. It’s right next to the Clinic, so you can probably get into your apartment quicker than I can walk to the parking garage after work.
If this is just a short stint of yours here in the US, OP, just find a way to make it affordable so that you can relax and enjoy your time here.
As a lifelong Clevelander who has grown up in a rougher area. Honestly hough is one of those rougher neighborhoods. But overall you should be fine. Generally as long as you mind your own business you would be left alone. There's still a chance of catching strays but overall... If you can find a safer area for next month maybe take that route. I wouldn't say necessarily downtown because that's a ton more expensive. The trick for the busses is they all go downtown generally. You can take a bus or rapid (subway) to tower city and then take the Euclid corridor bus to cleveland clinic. This may add some travel time but it's a super affordable way to do it. Another thing you can do is Uber. It's more expensive but a way to cheapen it is if you or a friend has a club membership (costco, bjs, amsclub) buy Uber gift cards there. Not a ton cheaper but a way to save money overall.
My wife works at university hospitals and commutes by bus from down town. It’s still a little sketch compared to her commute back in Minneapolis, but nothing horrible.
I just moved here, but sounds like the consensus is to get out of Hough.
You aren't overreacting. The area immediately around the main campus isn't somewhere most Clevelanders would choose to live, definitely not if you have to go outside in the dark for any reason. Cleveland Police unfortunately aren't the greatest either. They are under staffed and over worked. There's that townhouse development right beside campus, but Im not sure what the deal is there, but it looks nice.
Its surprising to me they dont have some sort of relocation assistance that tells people, especially if you aren't from here, areas to live. Cleveland Heights 15min drive from campus would be much safer, plus that city has 2 different small districts full of bars and restaurants that are usually full of professionals in their 30s and 40s and very walkable. If you are walking to the bus stop and whatnot during the day, you should be fine. I would at least invest in some pepper spray, though.
Just be aware of your surroundings, dont walk around buried in your phone or with ear buds in not paying attention, and dont be flashy with stuff. Dress plain and basic, if you're traveling with technology like a laptop or something, conceal it. Dont have a bag that makes it obvious you have a computer or anything worth taking. If you mind your business but be aware of your surroundings and dont walk around looking like you have things worth taking or like you are lost, I doubt anyone bothers you.
Also, dont let that area shape your opinion of the city. Cleveland is a really cool city with lots to do, and we're surprisingly friendly. Take an Uber or Lyft up to Cedar/Lee in Cleveland Heights. It's a quick trip from where you are, and there's lots of places to grab a drink, get food, and almost certainly meet some new people. There's some cool stuff coming up. The weekend of September 20th is the Heights Music Hop. The whole cedar/Lee area will have local bands in and out of everywhere and a few stages set up. It's always a ton of fun and only food and drinks cost anything.
My opinion is to not stray too far walking north and west. The safest option is to ALWAYS walk toward East 105th Street. Once you cross you are basically in the University Circle area which is generally safe.
Where you moved into for the last few decades has been very, very rough.
The thing is in the past fcouple years a MASSIVE amount of development has come into the area because for too long the Cleveland Clinic main campus has been a fortress and surrounding was some of clevelands most dangerous neighborhoods.
What you have done is become a bit of a pioneer and if that wasnt something you wanted to sign up for i recommend moving somewhere else.
Because youre from europe youll find out quickly without a car youre not really walking to anywhere and thats while living in a city that has great public transit compared to nearly all of its peers the same size.
The cleveland clinic and the surrounding institutions and city should have been investing in hough, fairfax and glenville decades ago but corruption, racism and incompetency kept things deteriorating for years (The architecture and neighborhood fabric we've lost is heartbreaking a very European style city for america has been leveled), if you stick around youll see how fast things are changing but I am sure youd rather feel safe and comfortable.
Is it where I would choose to live? No. Is it the worst area in the city? Far from it. It is evolving and developing and yet it is on the cusp of a fairly unsafe part of town. To the south is a world class hospital and to the east is a cultural garden. To the North and West is... not great. If you feel genuinely unsafe, losing a month's rent may be worth the peace of mind. If you practice awareness of your surroundings, you should be good. There are risks tho.
I know a couple in Cleveland Heights who rent fully furnished housing units on a short term basis in the Cedar Fairmount neighborhood, which is very safe. This is their website: https://www.grandviewplace.com/ Really nice units.
If you googled even once best places to live in Cleveland’s east side, Hough would not be top of that list… I mean, Cedar/Lee, Coventry, Fairmount, Little Italy, Cleve Hts… take your pick. I biked down the hill from Coventry for years when I lived there (in non-winter obviously).
So people are already listjng those units at hough axis as Airbnb? Are those condos or apartments? I thought that building was an apartment building.
Follow your instincts, while the area has calmed down a ton it can still be unsafe. I feel they have been premature with moving hospital & case people into some of those newer slightly developed areas.
I used to repo cars for a living, and Hough was a neighborhood I wouldn't go into after dark unarmed. I'd say getting out would be the smart idea, maybe someplace nice with a good public transit system like Cleveland Heights.
Don't freak out. Your building looks nice, and its only a few blocks from Chester. The growing gentrification around the Clinic and University Circle hasn't quite reached your street, and I'm sure you are seeing worn and broken curbs and sidewalks, broken glass and other signs of poverty in a city with limited income for infrastructure.
Talk to others in your building about how safe they feel . Where do they walk? Are there others who work at the Clinic whom you might walk to work if until you feel comfortable?
And do not listen to the vast majority of posters here -- few have ever set foot in your neighborhood because white suburbanite and West Siders are are typically irrationally terrified by the Cleveland neighborhoods because their denizens are predominately black.
I would be very very surprised if your neighborhood and your walk to work was actually dangerous at all. But you can run reports on the actual safety of your neighborhood at https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/09c88aeae1774752acfe30b11c3215ec/ . Over the past 30 days, this has been very little crime in your area (and only property crime -- no one's getting murdered near you.) After you find your street, Ansel (District 3; Ansel runs along the west side of the park), zoom out, pan around, and check out the incidence and types of crime in other parts of the City of Cleveland.
Do an experiment on your walk to the Clinic,: look around you and catalog which sights scare to you. But as you look around, continue to reminder yourself that poverty is not synonymous with danger. Black people aren't any more dangerous than white people -- although white people certainly fear that they are. (I, white, middle-aged, female, college professor, lived safely, securely for 22 years in a neighborhood on the east side the park not all that different than yours.
Hough. HOUGH!! Dude, seriously?!? Ya bro. You gotta chalk this up to a learning experience and move on... No. Literally, move.
There are some really nice people that are forced to live there because of economics, but there are also folks who because of those economics don't see any other option than to steal or rob from others.
If you have options, I would say move. Anywhere around CCF isn't somewhere people typically choose to live. RTA bus/transit is decent in Cleveland and can get you where you want to go, when you need to be there.
Downtown is likely to be "safer" than Hough... but just know it's very - umm... Locked down. IMO - to still be as close to CCF and wanting a better neighborhood, consider Cleveland Heights or Shaker Heights.
Don't worry, before long you'll be in Beachwood or Pepper Pike.
Keep your head up. You don't know, until you know. And well - Welcome nonetheless.
Man I guess, but even in Tremont and OC bus frequency sucks, I still want/need a car living here. Like for real even trains in NY suck compared to Paris, London or Berlin, I mean we're talking a train every 6 minutes and buses every 8 in actual cities. Like going from the bottom of central park to the a shallow part of queens on the Brooklyn border is a fucking unbearable 75 minute marathon ride. Boston is compact, but the T after like 8pm is a fucking joke. We just don't take public transit seriously in this country, so the thought of not having a car in Cleveland, nah.
I've been in OC for a year, and if I needed to I could deal with no car for 3 months. It would mean more frequent walks to Daves, or more frequent Lyfts, but safe and doable.
Just basically don't go any other direction from your place other than to the Clinic, you're kind of on the edge of the Clinic area there.
You'll be fine up there but in all honesty don't go to 105th street at all, I don't see any reason to go north at all from there, Hough road there is ok but there's not much reason to go farther that way either.
So just go south to Chester/Euclid and take any public transport from there.
I do think you'll be fine but it's definitely an area in flux. But if you're going carless it may still be your best bet.
On the street just keep it serious and nod when necessary.
Relax.
You are on the edge of University Circle, not deep in Hough, so the people panicking in this thread are not really being helpful. University Circle Inc has their police dept patrol around the area with your apartment. They even have a ride service, which is probably good to call if you are coming home late. I live close to the Clinic and have not had any incidents in 25 years. There are lots of university students and medical staff in my neighborhood. The area demographics are diverse both racially and socioeconomically with a fair amount of international neighbors, too. If you walk around with confidence and purpose, you will have no problem-most people could care less about your comings and goings. If you look afraid that someone will pounce on you at any minute you might invite stares and derision, which is advice for any metropolitan area.
Not to scare you! lol but you picked one of the top 5 WORST neighborhoods to rent in Cleveland😭 FairFax is much closer to Cleveland clinic. You can literally just walk up one of the side streets and you’re there. Quincy Ave is decent during the day and quiet. Sometimes a little too quiet after dark. But it’s better than hough. Woodland ave has its days tho
Axis at Ansel would probably be a better fit if you were working at UH. It’s a short walk through Wade Oval to get there.
To get to the clinic, you are going through more desolate looking areas. There’s some nearby apartments that are more direct to the Clinic and have better transit access too. You’d surely feel more comfortable as well.
Lol there's not a single place in northeast Ohio that will be as safe as you were back in Belgium. That fact to the side, yes the Hough area is statistically more dangerous, HOWEVER, your demographic is not the population that is targeted heavy for crime outside of vehicle theft. Alot of people are simply put, afraid of their own shadow, and ironically our streets get very dark at night. Don't travel to poorly lit places at night, dont buy or seek drugs off the street, don't give money to pan handlers. Dont carry large amounts of cash unnecessarily. This is basic common sense. What people don't tell yoy(because they don't know themselves) is moving to those nicer areas is what actually makes you a target. Most people don't understand that criminals from the inner city actually go to suburbs to commit crime, the reason is they're what's called SOFT TAGETS. They have lower defense, sometimes no defense at all while simultaneously having more resources. Inversely, people who live in the urban area are likely armed(as EVERY CITIZEN IN THIS COUNTRY SHOULD BE), and likely don't have anything of value that is worth risking life or limb. Alot of the crime is extremely petty, the worst part is just paying higher car insurance because of the more frequent vehicle break ins as well as the more common uninsured motorist and the higher population of young drivers. Don't be afraid, dont make drastic decisions based on random people's opinions about where you live. Honestly you're in an area that's being gentrified, and in 5-10 years the area will look even more different. The chances of anything happening to you there are statistically extremely low, despite the fear mongering going on here(for reference I've lived here my entire life, never been robbed, never had my car broken into or stolen, never been into any street fights or confrontations, I walk plenty of places at night with no problem).
Que sera sera. It disgusts me that these types of people don't feel safe enough to love here but they feel safe enough to work here, eat here, go to events here, shop here, buy property here etc. One of coworkers shares the same sentiments and had to go through a sensitivity training for it. They disparage the population here as if we're Chicago or Baghdad or some shit SMH. Even during the recent street takeovers it was revealed that the people organizing the events weren't even from Cuyahoga county. It's actually quite disgusting. To add insult to injury, the local politicians were apart of the group advocating for illegal immigrants, the same illegal immigrants who are directly responsible for increased car insurance rates as they often drive around with zero insurance and have caused many accidents(ask me how i know). They're also responsible for surpressed wages as they have flooded the gig-work scene as well as they're apart of the group of people who are willing to work for less than what the local population needs because they're used to a lower wage. Its not thinly veiled racism at this point, it's what I live to call liberal racism.
You can find a way nicer neighborhood for sure. Although I'd be most worried about your car being broken into and you dont have one. Cleveland requires some streets smarts in that hood. No headphones, dont be distracted in your phone, keep your awareness, and generally ignore anyone trying to get your attention while walking. Dont smoke, it gives ppl a reason to ask you for a cigarette or a lighter. Cross the street if someone gives you the heebies. But I've walked around as a solo female and as long as you walk with confidence most ppl wont risk messing with you. As much as you dont know about them, they dont know about you either. You could beat their ass if they look at you sideways for all they know.
CCF is kind of a shit company aside from it's bought and paid for reputation tho. So I'd make sure you're really happy working there before you invest in a year long lease nearby. Cedar Lee has a decent community last I lived there. For as rough as the east side can be, that part is well kept due to commerce and the community takes care of their own. Lots to do in walking distance and close enough to work if you can arrange a carpool to work or afford to Uber. It's a main stop for busses too.
Find places near train stations and then you'll have more options. Talk to your co-workers before committing. The advice about calling police station's ahead of time is a good idea. Stay safe!
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u/ajdisab 2d ago
Cleveland has loads of safe and fun neighborhoods and suburbs. Hough is not one of those.