By: Joanna Crell-Arias

Joanna Crell-Arias — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 15:45:20 +0000

When will the neighborhoods nearest to Saint Augustine University get some help? The lovely Oakwood area that is part of the downtown Raleigh goes quickly to Oak-hood with prostitutes doing their thing all over the place, drug trade unhidden and trash-talking, alchohol-fueled fighting and abusive behavior running the blocks? from Oakwood to Jones, North Tarboro rd( upper Rock Quarry) is the DMZ, the worst because of the crappy stores where across from the college and a day-care the action flows in and out. North State St to Dart Lane and Heck st are the beaten path and the nasty actions are sucking the life out of the community where we families live and own homes. The North Tarboro Rd. Community Center is in the heart of a not well lit, reliably DARK, frequent crime area. That is supposed to be the central activity spot for our community children, with a teen center and aftercare programs, besides being the voting place, adult ed. CAC and social gathering place for many people. The fact that we are near the Bus lines , New Bern and Edenton streets and businesses that see a lot of traffic like Bojangles and Cookout as well as small establishments like Handyman hardware and barber shops means that we need a safe clean neighborhood that has zero tolerance for drugs and prostitution. Robbery and assault, should be cut to never for our students and older residents to feel secure,all of us deserve our homes to be valued as the investment they are. This part of Raleigh might not be the worst but it is certainly the closest to the downtown and the areas that Raleigh is proudest of. Having a historic district complete with a HISTORIC BLACK COLLEGE means that we need a plan of development and progress that includes re-working problems within those areas, rooming houses are not acceptable, do not allow houses that need to be torn down to go on tearing the neighborhood down! On the otherhand, do not tear down houses that could be sold and re-stored by families that would keep and add value to our community. College park , Idlewild and the entire area near Oakwood all the way to Hunter Elementary school should be an example of Raleigh re-born instead of mean streets.The tradition of walking crime has got to go, time to push back with help from the City. Make this area a development priority, PLEASE.

Comments on: Raleigh Bans Smoking at Bus Stops

By: Joanna Crell-Arias