People sleeping in the middle of sidewalks in Columbia Heights

I went to the DC Financial Planning Day at Bell HS on Saturday so I had the privilege to spend my day in the District's most overrated, overpriced, overcrowded shithole, Columbia Heights, and I noticed I had to step over no fewer than FOUR people sleeping in the middle of sidewalks. One guy on Irving by BOA, one guy on 16 by the HS, one guy on 14th in front of the mall entrance and one time on Mt. Pleasant (yeah, I know, not CH).

But it occurred to me: We don't have this phenomenon in my beautiful Ward 6 neighborhood, so why do so many people feel encouraged to just plop in the middle of a busy sidewalk and sleep off their buzz/catch a few winks in Columbia Heights? Is CH now too expensive that people can't afford to sleep on benches? Harassment from MPD? A few too many burritos at Chipotle? Not enough shelter space at DC Gen? (Yeah, I know about La Casa).

I thought with the random shootings and bullets flying around in CH this problem would take care of itself. That's what happens when you let the invisible hand of the free market solve problems.

Wait, you live in Ward 6 and yet you consider Columbia Heights a shithole?  :D

More importantly, what is the purpose/value of your post?

1) CH is "overrated" yet there are "random shootings and bullets flying around"?  weird.

and 2) "the District's most overrated, overpriced, overcrowded shithole" = georgetown.

you're welcome.

sweetcell wrote:
and 2) "the District's most overrated, overpriced, overcrowded shithole" = georgetown.

Yeah, this.

TMUL, i think you need to have sex at some point or you'll lose your mind…

really most of dc is overpriced at this point…and a lot of it is overrated

that's what you get when live in warshington.

hutch wrote:
really most of dc is overpriced at this point…and a lot of it is overrated

Fully agree! You pay extra for the distinction of adding 'DC' at the end of you address.

Some Hipster
666 X St.
Washington, Drains Cash
20500

Allow me to introduce you to….

Civil Sidewalks

Actually, what I'm paying extra for, and it's totally worth it, is not having to spend two hours of my life each day commuting to work.    Indeed, I figure since commuting time can actually be considered unpaid work time, it's basically evening out.  I don't give a @#!# about how my neighborhood is rated, or what my address is.  :)

My door to door from Springfield to DC is an hour each way. Are you saying your morning commute time is zero minutes, each way? And while I'm commuting, I'm getting 40 minutes of reading in each day.

How is it "evening out"? Are you paid by the hour?

I know/have known some people who rent/bought in Washington, DC and commuted to their jobs in Northern VA. Now that's dumb.

Doctor wrote:
Actually, what I'm paying extra for, and it's totally worth it, is not having to spend two hours of my life each day commuting to work.    Indeed, I figure since commuting time can actually be considered unpaid work time, it's basically evening out.  I don't give a @#!# about how my neighborhood is rated, or what my address is.  :)

i'd pay a lot to live at 666 x st.

the city doesnt matter though

James wrote:
My door to door from Springfield to DC is an hour each way. Are you saying your morning commute time is zero minutes, each way? And while I'm commuting, I'm getting 40 minutes of reading in each day.

How is it "evening out"? Are you paid by the hour?

I know/have known some people who rent/bought in Washington, DC and commuted to their jobs in Northern VA. Now that's dumb.

Doctor wrote:
Actually, what I'm paying extra for, and it's totally worth it, is not having to spend two hours of my life each day commuting to work.    Indeed, I figure since commuting time can actually be considered unpaid work time, it's basically evening out.  I don't give a @#!# about how my neighborhood is rated, or what my address is.  :)

My commute is 15 minutes each way.   On a bicycle.    So if we assume you work a 50 week year, your two hours a day translate into 20 FULL DAYS of commuting.    My commute is 1/4 yours, therefore I am only spending 5 days out of my life each year commuting, and it's actually fun to ride a bike.   I get my reading done on my deck or at a cafe (which is nearby, since I live in the city).

If we assume we both start work at 8:30 am, I leave my front door at 8:15, by which time you've already been in traffic or on a train for 45 minutes and are probably just reaching the 14th Street Bridge.

as for people who live in DC and commute to VA…   it's definitely a better commute than the other way around, and if you value the ability to walk to restaurants and clubs in your free time, there's nothing dumb about it.  Personally I'd prefer never to take a job in VA, but people don't always have that choice.

James wrote:
I know/have known some people who rent/bought in Washington, DC and commuted to their jobs in Northern VA. Now that's dumb.

if the missus and junior are your life, then the burbs are awesome.  but if you're a young person who likes to go out, all your friends are in the district, etc, living in DC no matter where your work is is a very understandable choice.  after i first moved to DC, i found out that my client was out in reston/sterling.  no way in hell i would live out there.  being able to walk home from shows and sports events, bike to hundreds of restaurants and bars, etc was worth it to me.  i'm sure i'm not the only one.

this week i'm working at corporate HQ in tysons.  this place is oppressive.  my team-mates were excited when they heard we'd be working "in DC" for week.  you should have seen the looks on their faces when they first saw this area… "horror" about sums it up.  they're mostly recent college grads.

At 43, I've discovered there is more to life than restaurants and clubs. I guess when I was 23 I probably valued proximity to them more. Though I didn't have any money to actually partake.

My 20 days of commuting translate to 3.4 days of driving, 13.2 days of reading, and 3.4 days of walking. The latter two which I enjoy. Though I'm sure many commuters have commutes that are less fortunate.

Doctor wrote:

James wrote:
My door to door from Springfield to DC is an hour each way. Are you saying your morning commute time is zero minutes, each way? And while I'm commuting, I'm getting 40 minutes of reading in each day.

How is it "evening out"? Are you paid by the hour?

I know/have known some people who rent/bought in Washington, DC and commuted to their jobs in Northern VA. Now that's dumb.

Doctor wrote:
Actually, what I'm paying extra for, and it's totally worth it, is not having to spend two hours of my life each day commuting to work.    Indeed, I figure since commuting time can actually be considered unpaid work time, it's basically evening out.  I don't give a @#!# about how my neighborhood is rated, or what my address is.  :)

My commute is 15 minutes each way.   On a bicycle.    So if we assume you work a 50 week year, your two hours a day translate into 20 FULL DAYS of commuting.    My commute is 1/4 yours, therefore I am only spending 5 days out of my life each year commuting, and it's actually fun to ride a bike.   I get my reading done on my deck or at a cafe (which is nearby, since I live in the city).

as for people who live in DC and commute to VA…   it's definitely a better commute than the other way around, and if you value the ability to walk to restaurants and clubs in your free time, there's nothing dumb about it.

What i think you're starting to see this boils down to is that what makes sense is different for every person and their circumstances in life. 

sweetcell wrote:

James wrote:
I know/have known some people who rent/bought in Washington, DC and commuted to their jobs in Northern VA. Now that's dumb.

if the missus and junior are your life, then the burbs are awesome.  but if you're a young person who likes to go out, all your friends are in the district, etc, living in DC no matter where your work is is a very understandable choice.  after i first moved to DC, i found out that my client was out in reston/sterling.  no way in hell i would live out there.  being able to walk home from shows and sports events, bike to hundreds of restaurants and bars, etc was worth it to me.  i'm sure i'm not the only one.

this week i'm working at corporate HQ in tysons.  this place is oppressive.  my team-mates were excited when they heard we'd be working "in DC" for week.  you should have seen the looks on their faces when they first saw this area… "horror" about sums it up.  they're mostly recent college grads.

Doctor wrote:
What i think you're starting to see this boils down to is that what makes sense is different for every person and their circumstances in life. 

Well put on both counts, esp. Sweetcell's "f you're a young person who likes to go out, all your friends are in the district, etc, living in DC no matter where your work is is a very understandable choice."

I moved to the District while I was still working in Maryland, and did the reverse commute for six years.

Now I work in the District, and I'm glad that my commute is shorter and doesn't involve driving.  However, if I were married with kids, I'd probably have different priorities.

For the record, I'm 40, married and have kids, and have lived in the city for almost 20 years. The idea of living in the suburbs, especially the D.C. suburbs, has absolutely no appeal. I could go on and on but I don't want the 'burbers to get mad (lol).

Relaxer wrote:
For the record, I'm 40, married and have kids, and have lived in the city for almost 20 years. The idea of living in the suburbs, especially the D.C. suburbs, has absolutely no appeal. I could go on and on but I don't want the 'burbers to get mad (lol).

you being forty . . . not so much, but you having kids somehow intrigues me.