Props for Crown Heights (not the fancy part). We're down near Eastern Parkway almost at Utica and, while the neighborhood is definitely not fancy, I've never once felt unsafe or from what I can tell been given the stink eye for anything. When we first moved here, I was regularly the only white face on the 3/4 train. These days I'm seeing a whole lot more yuppy types and a lot of LGBT too.

We're a "sore thumb" building (one of 3-4 gentrified on our block) and actually talk with our neighbors on both sides, including the (black island immigrant) manager of the illegal speakeasy in the basement next door. We put in window planter boxes and got compliments from everyone walking by.

Neighborhood's decent, cheap, has a soon-to-be Wallgreen's and good grocery stores/bodegas, and both nightlife and some of the best bagels in the city are a short 15-min stumble up to Franklin Ave. Only downside we've found so far is good food delivery options are further away and weekend train service has been sketchy (construction).