I have lived in Starrett City for over 25 years. Here is my honest review.

COST

Living in New York is expensive, and for the money, Starrett can't be beat. Your utilities are included with the rent and you don't have to worry about how much electricity and water you're using. The rent also comes with free central AC and heating. The bedrooms and living rooms are quite big, so you're getting your money's worth if you are measuring your dollar by square feet.

SERVICE & MAINTENANCE

Starrett's big group of maintenance workers is fairly quick to respond to your problems. Whether it is a mold problem, clogged drain, electrical outlet broken, etc. They will get it fixed within a couple of days and sometimes on the same day. If your refrigerator or stove stop working, they will replace them if they can't fix them. I give maintenance a thumbs up on this. They do a good job of maintaining the grounds on Starrett, so you never see piles of trash laying around. I just wish they have all the laundry machines up and running more. There are times when you will find several laundry machines out of order...at least that's the case in my building.

INFESTATIONS

15 years ago and earlier, I used to have a huge infestation of roaches. And occasionally there would be some mice. But in the last couple of years, they have been reduced to almost zero. I don't know if it was the neighbors who moved out or what, but they are gone. But this is speaking for myself though. I know there are people who still have roaches in their apartment while others might have none at all.


TRAVELING FROM STARRETT

Now here comes the big negatives. It is a hassle to get into the city. Quite a hassle to get anywhere really since Starrett is in the middle of no where. If you depend on Mass Transit, you will have to take a bus to get to a train if you work in Manhattan. You will have to give yourself 1 and a half hour when you leave the house to make it to work on time. If you're lucky, you can get to the city in under 1 hour and ten minutes assuming you didn't have to wait too long for the train and bus.

SHOPPING

There's a mini-strip mall with a supermarket located in the middle of Starrett which is nothing to write home about and a big strip mall just outside of Starrett (the next exit off the belt parkway) that includes a BJs, Target, Home Depot, Circuit City and some restaurants such as Red Lobster and Olive Garden.

SCHOOLS

There's an elementary school here in Starrett and a Junior High school. They are okay I suppose since they are not the lowest rated schools in Brooklyn, but they're not the highest ones either. The elementary school is well maintained.


SAFETY

If you walk outside in broad daylight, nothing will happen to you. In fact, you will likely feel very comfortable like you're in a nice park in the suburbs. It is when you're coming home at night that you have to be careful. You might encounter low lives dwelling in the staircases or at the lobby door. Starrett has there own security force, and they help a little I suppose, but you know how it is with crime, the police is never there when you need them. There haven't been any heinous crimes like a gruesome murder that I can recall in the last 15 years and I don't hear gunshots. But you will hear about the occasional muggings from time to time or someone getting their car stolen.

Starrett City is the safest area in East New York, but that's not saying much. East New York is one of the worst places in Brooklyn. There's no denying that. When you take Mass Transit to get into the city or coming home, you still have to go through the rest of East New York. I feel most unease when I have to wait for the train and then wait for the bus in the middle of the night to get back to Starrett.


THE PEOPLE

This might be a sensitive subject, but I will go ahead and address it and not avoid it. The race here is around 70% black and 30% other. The others being white, hispanic, asian, etc. Most of the people who live in Starrett are in the lower class to border-line middle class. The residents here are polite for the most part, who will hold doors for you and say goodnight at the end of the day. It is not a very tight community but the community bonds together when there is a cause. In my opinion, the worst people living in Starrett are some of the bad thuggish kids in their late teens to mid twenties. You might get robbed if they think you don't know their parents, which is a shame, because there are also good kids here who mind their own business and because of the thuggish kids, you end up avoiding these good kids too. As for neighbors, it is the luck of the draw. Sometimes you get good neighbors and sometimes bad.

IN CONCLUSION

Those who say that Starrett started deteriorating lately obviously haven't lived here for that long. It's been relatively the same since the early 90's. Starrett's golden years were in the 70's to late 80's. The upkeep back then was exceptional and the community was tight-knitted. I'm sure if you search hard enough on the internet, you will come across old newspaper articles from that era and all the residents back then saying how great Starrett was. It is still a good place to live in terms of value, but it isn't like what it was before. I was here when it was mostly whites, and I am here now that it is mostly black. How will it be in the future' I have no idea. Starrett is going to be taken over by new owners soon so I really don't know how things will be. Maybe it will be all asians in the future' Haha. Just kidding. I'm asian by the way.

If safety is your absolute top priority, then there are safer places to look at if you can afford to pay a higher rent like in Bensonhurst, Williamsburg, Sunset Park, Park Slope or places in Queens. Starrett City is in a bad area and like one of the other reviewers have said, some of the tenants are no good. It only takes a few rotten apples to spoil the barrel. If traveling time is your top priority, then look elsewhere as well. If you're not making a lot and need an affordable place that will stretch your dollar, then consider taking a look at Starrett. If you are looking for some more information, visit StarrettCityPics.com P0MtU6TIdDkM23RTonAS

User Responses
From: sugar2th	Date: 08/23/2008
I lived there in the 80's and keep up with Starret to this day, just for nostalgia etc.... This is the most sincere and honest review of Starret I have seen thus far. Positive and negatives its up to you to weigh them out. For me the negatives outweighed the positive and I'd rather spend more to avoid the negatives, but this is an honest review and the most helpful I've ever seen. Thanks!!
From: ambhancock	Date: 09/29/2008
The person moving to D1 - you are lucky..still one of the nicer sections. accross the sreet C section is quite amusing. It is so different from rest of complex. - on the negative end of the equation
From: rose1lily	Date: 10/21/2008
it took me one year. send out application on September 2007, interview January 3 2008 and went to see the apartment on September 9 2008 and my moving date October 10 2008. but my friend applied Jan 2008 and got called for the apartment Oct 10 2008 and moving date is Nov 18,2008.
From: keemie04	Date: 10/25/2008
I sent out application in March 2008, interviewed in June 2008, wnet to see the apartment on October 23 and my move in date is Novemebr 21, 2008
From: Anonymous	Date: 12/12/2008
I sent my application in January 2008, interviewed in March 2008 and was told I was approved, had my home visit 2 weeks later. I was told the wait would be 8-10 months. I called today to see what the status was but could not get a definate time frame. They asked for additional information ( just updates from what i had already given them) and I will be forwarding it to them within the next couple of weeks. I applied for a 2 bedroom I have a 4 year old son. The wait is very hard but I am trying to be optimistic about it. Hopefully I get a call in the beginging of the year.
From: StarBaby09	Date: 01/13/2009
I have my interview this month hopefully i can get in by March...is that realistic?
From: Anonymous	Date: 01/28/2009
To StarBaby09 - I think it has to do with how many bedrooms you applied for. I applied for 2 bedrooms with a balcony in June 08 had my home visit June 8th 2008. I received a call from the agent stating I was approved 12/08 I'm still waiting for the move-in date.
From: Anonymous	Date: 02/06/2009
Well I applied October 2007 home visit 1 week later and moved in August 2008. In total, that was 9 months timing. I could've moved in earlier but I was offered an apartment on the top floor (which I wasn't interested in being that I had a child) I have a 2 bedroom with a balcony my rent is under section 236 so it's 1100, but if I get an increase in salary it automatically jumps to 1500 (which is something I don't like). This review was very helpful, but my encounters seem to be a little different. I live in the G section. In my opinion, the smaller building seem to have a better upkeep or maybe its my building. I really like Starrett, but I feel like the positives outweigh the negatives. Yes, I'm very young in my early 20s and I do see those bad @ss kids, but somethings you just can't prevent. If you go to Bayridge, Bensonhurst etc. you're still gon get bad @ss kids may not be as ghetto but there's muggings. As for INFESTATIONS, I'm a very clean person but I see a mouse from time to time. Why? Because all the apartments have these big slots underneath the doors so the mice are able to easily navigate through the buildings. Maintenance- Is superior if you lived anywhere else and you had a stopped sink I don't think you will get a plumber in your apartment in 45minutes fixing the problem. Management-This is the issue if you want your apartment you call until they get tired of you! Who cares if they get mad you want an affordable apartment with space? Then don't wait until they call you... YOU CALL THEM. Make sure your paperwork is cleared keep calling to make sure you are not missing anything. PARKING- its 28 a month for a rooftop spot and 42 or something like that for a garage spot not on the roof. GOOD LUCK with that because you will probably get a parking spot in a whole another area. Good luck to everyone applying to Starrett I'm very happy with my apartment and remember you can still live in a top notch area and have a rodent or two. You just have to be able to take the good with the bad. Besides for the price, you would only get a studio in other areas.
From: RAE226	Date: 06/06/2009
I live in D! and have lived here fore over twenty years now. Back then I had an interview in Dec. and moved in in June. The review above is a good one but I disagree that it isn't going down hill. The new tenants coming in are just not good people. They don't keep the buildings clean and they are coming in with dogs (which aren't allowed). I still thankfully don't hear gun shots or loud music like you would in other bad areas but I do see the decline happening. The apartments are great for the money and I didn't see any rodents or roaches until about two years ago but I attribute that to the new tenants who just don't take care of thieir apartments. I called maintanence though and had my apartment rodent proofed. So haven't seen one in over a year and don't have roaches either. Travel time to work in Manhattan is long as the poster stated but I'm use to it now. I love having the laundry room on the first floor and the dishwasher in the kitchen. There is plenty of closet space and the rooms are spacious. The three bedrooms have a full and half bath and a dining area (wish I had one of those instead of my one bedroom!)and the usual eat in kitchen. For the money you get alot. So far the good is still out weighing the bad for me but if things continue to decline and crime begins to increase I will be saying so long starrett! I hope it doesn't come to that though because its a great place to live. Maintenance is A when you need them. Oh and parking is incredibly cheap!
From: Anonymous	Date: 11/16/2009
What building are you in?? I've lived in Starrett City for 7 months - yes my building has soooo many dogs - which I thought was NOT allowed. The management office made me get rid of my puppy - or face legal actions.
From: Anonymous	Date: 11/18/2009
In 2011 starrett city will be going up for sale.The new owner will be making the complex in luxury Co Po starting 45g and up.It,s time for me to moved
From: Anonymous	Date: 11/18/2009
TO hummm99, this should be your last option before moving in. And to the rest of buildings from A-H they all same ---- in my book if you ask me keep on looking.
From: rush54	Date: 11/18/2009
I heard the samething about selling starrett city in 2011 rom a staff in my building, I have been living in starrett city for 11 years now, and im looking to move before they make it into a luxury Co-op
From: hummm99	Date: 11/18/2009
Anonymous, Wow...funny because my move in date is in Dec...is this a good thing or a bad thing I wonder ? Does anyone know how C1 building is ? Did someone have to come exterminate your recent home before moving into Spring Creek ? This is what I was told from management they needed an exterminator to visit your recent home before they allow you to move into Spring Creek ?
From: biggie123	Date: 12/15/2009
were did ya'll get this sale stuff from? the gov just sighed a bill for starrett to be afordable for 20 years

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