I deeply appreciated my time in Kiela's apartment. The apartment is what it is, in the most New York fashion. Small isn't the word, but quaint is, because the space is charming, thanks to Kiela herself.
Convenience:
It's about a 10-minute walk to the 2 and 3 trains (125th st.), which, I've you've come to NYC as a tourist, will take you to a reasonable majority of the places you meant to visit. A Whole Foods stands right beside the 125th st. subways — a thing of convenience to note.
Neighbourhood and safety:
The Harlemites I bumped into were courteous and well... cool. As for the homeless situation, If you're approached by a homeless asking for some change, they won't get problematic if you decide not to entertain them.
Having been there for 13 days, I didn't have any problems walking to and from the 125th st. station entrances both day and night. I felt relatively confident walking through the area. I suspect that if you're a lady of smaller stature, you'll not run into any problems so long as you walk confidently and keep your senses engaged (I myself still avoid walking through the area real late at night though). It's a rough-er neighbourhood relative in New York, but it's not dangerous.
Notes:
It's quite a procedure to obtain the keys and get into the apartment itself. It's not a deterrent, but just bare that in mind, especially during the winter and if you have large luggages. My only main comment is that, it being a very DIY experience and all, having had a few questions during the course of my stay, I found some replies from Kiela taking longer than expected, even despite her availability windows (might be because of the holidays). All in all, the best experience I could have had staying in New York.