Jennifer's home is a haven in the surrounding not-as-nice neighborhood.

Jennifer is a very accommodating and helpful host, giving great recommendations and actually writing up a full itinerary for a friend and I for our 6 nights in NOLA. Her house is clean, cozy, and secured by a state-of-the-art alarm system. The air conditioning is cold and the shower is hot. The bedroom is comfortable and Jennifer is very respectful of her guests and the shared spaces. There are also a few great restaurants within a 20 minute walk. Plus, while we were inside her home we felt safe.

However, while the house is close to the nicer Bywater/Marigny areas, it is still in the Upper Ninth Ward and close to the St. Roch neighborhood. We asked 5-6 Uber/Taxi drivers (all NOLA natives) about their 'thoughts about the area we were staying in' and were advised almost universally to be careful, especially at night. Before Hurricane Katrina, the area was apparently considered the 'hood' of the city. After the storm, the area improved a bit as new inhabitants came into the neighborhood. From our experience walking around almost everywhere the first half of the trip, the area is fine during the daytime if you are not alone. However, on the occasions we walked home from the French Quarter/Frenchman street at night (before we were told to be cautious), we did encounter some sketchy scenarios including being offered drugs on the street, being asked by people for money, and seeing homeless people sleeping within a few blocks of the house. While luckily nothing bad happened to us, for the latter half of our stay we did make sure to only Uber at night to the front door.

For future renters, as long as you Uber/taxi straight to the front door at night and set the alarm system once inside, you should be fine. Jennifer's home is so nice it still is worth the stay.