Washington Heights is located in the northern area of Manhattan, ranging from around 157th street up to 193rd street. Its population is mostly comprised of Latinos, with many diverse businesses being run by people of Latin origin. As is the case with many other neighborhoods in New York City, it is currently going through a period of gentrification.
I chose Washington Heights because I know the area very well as a result of having grown up there, and I still have ties to the neighborhood that keep me informed of events occurring in the area. It would be interesting to focus on the effects of gentrification, as people that have been living in the area for a long time have to deal with rising rent prices despite some economic instability. Some small businesses also do not last very long in Washington Heights, or sometimes they have to shift their business model to stay afloat.
Crime has been somewhat of a problem in the neighborhood, with an emphasis on gang violence and youth related crimes possibly due to multiple public high schools being located in the area. Getting an opinion word from a police officer out of one of the multiple precincts based in the area would be beneficial to know if the area is progressing in terms of reducing its crime rate, as it fluctuates from year to year.
One thing is certain, people from Washington Heights love to talk about living there, as there is always something happening that people in the neighborhood know about. There is a large sense of community in the area, since so many people spend time outside hanging out or walking around their nearby streets. I’m sure that the people I come across in the neighborhood will have more than enough to say about Washington Heights.
