Luis a texted us several days before we arrived giving us directions to their place from both major airports. Though she and her family were not home when we arrived, they live downstairs, she left a key box and ensured we had the combination to enter. There was a chilled bottle of wine waiting for us.
At first glance the neighborhood appeared a bit concerning, but after 4 days there, which included many walking excursions to locally eateries, markets and of course the subway station we realized it was a safe place in residential Brooklyn.