Susan Whitney/The Gazette Martin Chaslus reads a book on the front porch of his wife's home. He was visiting his wife and son. Beatriz Chaslus has lived in the neighborhood for six months.

It's a city with two colleges, a nationally recognized hospital, a hard-working government, a good school system and a name that means "high up near heaven."

It's also a city with a racially and economically diverse population, affordable housing, easy access to public transportation and a border with the capital city of the United States.

These amenities attract people to Takoma Park, referred to by some as the "Berkeley of the East." Some residents come to participate in local politics and grassroots campaigns. Some come for the small-town atmosphere. Others come simply because the apartment rent is low and public transportation is plentiful, with easy access to the Metro and bus service.

The city has always espoused an inclusive spirit, trying to be all things to all people. Because of that, residents and city officials sometimes struggle when the varied cultures and lifestyles come together.

Takoma Park is one city, but its many faces present challenges for its residents, who have come to the city for so many different reasons.

Maintaining an identity

Takoma Park has always been an economically integrated, liberal city where residents can get involved in the community and have access to elected officials and city staff. It's home to a diverse population where residents don't have to be U.S. citizens to vote in city elections. It's been described as a "sanctuary" city, "Tree City, USA" and a nuclear-free zone.

Takoma Park has had nearly a 100-year Adventist church presence bolstered by two top institutions, Washington Adventist Hospital and Columbia Union College.

The city has Victorian houses, bungalows and buildings, some of which have stood since the city was founded in 1880, and some of which have new solar panels and corn-burning stoves. It boasts mom-and-pop-shops that will never be part of a commercial chain and usually close by 6 p.m. on Sundays in time for a family dinner.

It is home to residents who have lived in the city their entire lives and residents who have recently moved to the city, enchanted by its atmosphere.

Takoma Park is remembered by old-timers as a city where residents knew their neighbors and didn't lock their doors. They recall the days when residents fought to keep I-95 from running through the middle of the city. They remember when residents fought to keep local public schools open when Montgomery County wanted to close them because county officials said they were underenrolled.

And although the causes Takoma Park residents fight for are different today, they're still committed to preserving the city's charms.

Former Ward 1 Councilman Larry Rubin said Takoma Park is unsurpassed in that sense.

"What makes Takoma Park unique has always been the progressive, non-corporate dependent lifestyle -- people who would rather not live in a McDonald-ized area," Rubin said. "The combination of that goal of non-corporate dependence and also having economic diversity is what makes Takoma Park."

Rubin said he attributes that diversity to Sammie Abbott, the late former mayor of Takoma Park, "who brought people into the city whom were interested in quality-of-life issues and economic issues. That's the genius of Takoma Park."

George Leventhal, former chairman of the Montgomery County Democratic Party and a 17-year resident of Takoma Park, said that he was also lured to the city by the charismatic mayor.

Leventhal, who moved to the city in 1985, said he has lived in five residences, moving as he got married and had children.

"I wanted to stay in the city because I liked it so much," he said. "I love Takoma Park. I expect to be here for the rest of my life."

Takoma Park is one of the few places that has managed to retain a small-town identity over decades of change, said William Hussmann, former chairman of the Montgomery County Planning Board, who spent his boyhood days in Hyattsville and Takoma Park.

Councilman Marc Elrich (Ward 5) said that he came to the city because it was a diverse community that "felt more like a town rather than a larger suburban neighborhood."

Elrich, a 21-year resident, moved to the area when he attended the University of Maryland in College Park and said many other students do the same thing because of the city's proximity to campus and inexpensive apartments. The city's rent control laws keep units affordable.

The housing also appealed to Dora Solarzano, 41, a six-year resident. She said she moved to the area because "the rent was cheaper than Virginia" and her apartment was available quickly.

Sergio Cifuentes, 35, and his wife Nora Recivio, 35, three-year residents, said they also moved to the city because of the low rent. And, they said, a friend told them the area was "a nice, quiet place."

"I think a lot of people still come here because it's liberal, economically integrated and diverse with decent schools and a mixed environment," Elrich said. "It's still an extremely liberal community."

But although the city has remained liberal, it has changed in other ways over time, said Volunteer Fire Chief James Jarboe. Jarboe has been a member of the department for 45 years and lived in the city from 1938 until 1964, when he moved a few miles away into Silver Spring.

"I've known Takoma Park all my life," Jarboe said. "The city's changed a lot. In those days you didn't lock your doors, kids played in the streets and people sat on their porches and waved when you went by."

Jarboe said that the police station, then located on the corner of Sherman and Maple avenues, had "one or two cars and a handful of officers." People only called the police when children playing in the street became too loud, Jarboe said.

"I think there's a lot more crime now than back in my day," Jarboe said. "I think in my time, the big thing in the '50s was drinking beer or maybe smoking cigarettes. You didn't hear about people killing people. It was nothing like it is now.

"Those were good days back then," Jarboe said. "People had good relationships and it was a good community all the way around."

With city's growth, crime increases

Most residents say Takoma Park is still a good community, but it's also a large community that continues to grow, with a population of 17,299, according to 2000 census data. Some of that growth, however, has brought on some urban problems.

In particular, property crime throughout the city has increased. In 2001, 910 counts of property crimes were reported compared to 797 in 2000, according to data from the Takoma Park Police Department. Property crime includes burglary, larceny and auto theft.

There were significant increases in auto theft and larceny, said Carol Bannerman, a police spokeswoman, although she noted auto theft has increased throughout the state.

The city has not been immune to violent crime, either. Last year, a pregnant woman was stabbed to death in an apartment complex on New Hampshire Avenue. One woman has pleaded guilty to the murder; another has been indicted.

The city has had one homicide a year since 1997, and had three in 1996.

Crime has become a concern for many residents, who are worried the quality of life is being compromised.

Solarzano said she feels safe where she lives in Ward 5, but "crime in the city is a problem."

"In six years, only one guy was killed around the corner from here. I'm from Guatemala and have seen worse."

Cifuentes said he and Recivio had briefly lived in an area of the city where "there were a lot of drug dealers," but they do not have that problem now.

Leventhal said he's had his car broken into and had break-in attempts at two of the houses where he's lived in the city. He said it is "well-known" throughout the city that there are drug dealers and users on Maple, Flower, Lee and Sherman avenues.

And it's easy for this crime to affect the whole city because it is densely populated, said Police Chief Tom Anderson.

Many of the city's new residents live in the high-rise and garden apartments clustered on Maple Avenue between Route 410 and Sligo Creek Parkway, as well as on Piney Branch Road and the area around Flower Avenue, said Rudy Arredondo, a member of the Montgomery County Central Democratic Committee and 24-year resident of the city.

"It's just so crowded and that creates problems," Arredondo said.

Arredondo said the low-income housing could contribute to higher crime in those areas and Anderson said the density that multi-family housing creates can contribute to crime.

About 60 percent of the city's population are renters and 40 percent are homeowners, according to Mayor Kathy Porter, which leads to higher mobility rates than most suburban areas and a steady influx of a diverse population.

"People who have to live in that kind of condition... something happens. An increase of crime just happens," Arredondo said.

Leventhal said there are a range of economic circles in the city, from upwardly mobile professionals to low-income workers. And, he said, he believes there is a positive correlation between low-income housing and city crime, although he doesn't assume all crimes are committed by financially disadvantaged people.

"Certainly people who have less opportunity and are less secure economically have a greater propensity to hopelessness and criminal activity," he said.

But other city residents don't agree.

Rubin said he believes there is no correlation between low-income housing and crime in the city. Elrich said rent control "didn't attract anything new to the city, just maintained what we have. We don't have different problems than a non-rent control district."

Ed Sharp, who was mayor from 1990 until 1997, said Takoma Park's location between several jurisdictions might be a factor in the crime increase. Criminals from outside city limits may find Takoma Park attractive since it borders Prince George's County and D.C., Sharp said.

"Someone might believe it's easier to come into Maryland and commit a crime and go back into D.C. without getting caught," he said.

Anderson said being near both Prince George's County and D.C. affects crime.

"If there's an issue in one district, it can spill over into Takoma Park," he said. "However, that goes in both directions. An issue in Takoma Park can spill over into another jurisdiction just as easily."

And they do, Anderson said.

Bannerman said according to police reports, there is a "broad spectrum" of people who commit crimes and are arrested within the city limits, or directly outside the city limits. Some are youth and some are adults. Some have little education and some have master's degrees. Some live outside the city limits. And some are residents.

The city's hot spot --or spots?

There are people in all parts of the city who commit crimes and the city is not immune to crime, Anderson said. But Bannerman said there is a perception among residents that there is a "tough part of town," an area slightly more prone to crime than the rest of the city.

Some perceive the New Hampshire Avenue corridor to be a "tough" area, and others put that label on the Takoma-Langley Crossroads, Anderson said. These areas are part of Ward 6, and were part of Prince George's County before unification of the city took place in 1997.

However, Anderson said this perception is not necessarily correct. "That area is as safe as any other area of the city," he said.

Bannerman said it is hard to pinpoint where crime in the city is the worst because some areas of the city are more densely populated. Some areas are more residential and others are more commercial.

"During my tenure, we've always been interested in Maple Avenue, Flower Avenue, Piney Branch Road and the Takoma-Langley area," said Anderson, who has been with the department for five years. "These areas are densely populated and have a lot of folks. They just have a different dimension than other portions of the city. We've always tried to place an emphasis on those areas and we continue to."

Jim Johnson, a Long Branch resident, said Flower Avenue in both Silver Spring and Takoma Park, as well as Roanoke and Houston avenues in Ward 5, have "significant" drug problems.

He said most drug trafficking goes on "behind closed doors" and most times it isn't visible. However, he said, he has seen adult drug dealers and the youth they employ.

He said the Takoma-Langley area also has some problems that concern residents but he "know[s] the Takoma Park police are doing the best they can over there."

Many nations, one city

Ward 6 is probably the most diverse area of the city with a high number of immigrants, said Upkong Udo, a 13-year city resident from Nigeria, who ran for Ward 6's council seat in 1999. He said the city is a "magnet for immigrants."

Specifically, the Takoma-Langley area in Ward 6 attracts mainly immigrant Hispanic men seeking a day's work. Many day laborers from both Takoma Park and the surrounding area loiter at the 7-Eleven parking lot at the Takoma-Langley Crossroads Shopping Center, using it as an informal labor market.

Gustavo Torres, executive director of Casa of Maryland, a workers' advocacy organization, said Takoma Park city officials have been concerned about the continued use of the 7-Eleven lot.

City Manager Rick Finn said he believes there is some "unease and concern" expressed by some of the neighbors and nearby businesses because of the handful of laborers who continue to loiter, even though a temporary facility has been provided for them by the city on New Hampshire Avenue.

"There's a sheer number of people just hanging out," Finn said.

"A number of months ago, we were in a crisis situation in the 1300 block of University Blvd. where large crowds of people were looking for employment at the 7-Eleven," Anderson said at a recent council meeting. "It was really getting to be a dangerous situation and the property owner was very concerned."

But many of those day laborers whom residents say cause concern are also Takoma Park residents.

Udo said when he campaigned, he wanted immigrants to be included in the city's activities. He said he has not seen city officials working to bring the immigrant community into the city.

But Councilwoman Share Maack (Ward 6) said this ward has a "diverse assortment [of residents] that hasn't been real involved" with city issues.

"My circumstances are similar to Marc Elrich's in that our particular wards are very diverse," she said. "Take the voting record in our last election. Other candidates got two times as many voters because most of their constituents are a homogenous middle-income group."

Udo agreed that there is some apathy in the community. But, he said, in Ward 6, "they don't know there's government."

And it's unfortunate, he said, because "one of the good things about the community is you don't have to be a U.S. citizen to vote. That's generous."

Reggie Chavez, a 20-year city resident and former Ward 6 councilman, said little immigrant outreach has been done in Ward 6.

"[Residents in this ward] need to have more information because of the cultural diversity," Chavez said. "People need to know what's going on in the city."

Next week, The Gazette will look at some of the outreach measures city officials and others have taken to bring residents together.