Is Roosevelt Gardens safe?
Roosevelt Gardens, Florida · safety score updated nightly
Be careful — go in daylight and stay on the busier streets.
VibeLoco rates Roosevelt Gardens as “Caution”.
Gogo's take on Roosevelt Gardens
“Go with care. Roosevelt Gardens is a quiet, primarily residential enclave that experiences higher-than-average rates of property and violent crime relative to the wider Broward County region. While day-to-day community life is typical of an older suburban neighborhood, visitors should maintain good situational awareness, especially after dark.”
Broward Sheriff's Office coverage in the central Broward district regularly focuses on targeted operations addressing property crimes and localized firearm incidents along neighboring commercial corridors.
About the area
Roosevelt Gardens is an unincorporated census-designated community located just west of Fort Lauderdale in central Broward County. The neighborhood is largely comprised of mid-century single-family homes, modest duplexes, and local neighborhood businesses with strong Caribbean-American cultural influences. It is primarily a residential area with few dedicated tourist draws.
- Residential
- Car-Dependent
- Suburban
- Culturally Diverse
Walking and biking in Roosevelt Gardens
Walk score: 48/100 · Bike score: 45/100
There are no municipal bike-share kiosks in the neighborhood, and dedicated bike lanes are limited, requiring cyclists to navigate vehicle traffic on major roads.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Convenient driving access to downtown Fort Lauderdale and major regional highways like I-95
- Roosevelt Gardens Park provides a community hub with organized youth sports and recreational facilities
- Rich local culinary options featuring authentic Caribbean and Southern comfort foods
Cons
- Violent and property crime rates trend higher than state and county averages
- Census data reflects economic vulnerability with an elevated poverty rate exceeding 20%
- Inconsistent street lighting and sidewalk infrastructure on interior residential streets
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is low within the interior residential blocks but can occasionally be observed near bus shelters and commercial shopping centers along Sunrise Boulevard.
What Roosevelt Gardens is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Mornings are generally quiet and safe as residents commute and local school traffic gets underway.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Afternoons remain mostly calm, though traffic and loitering pick up along perimeter commercial thoroughfares.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Evenings require more vigilance due to variable street lighting and decreased pedestrian activity.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Late nights are best avoided for foot travel due to increased statistical risks of opportunistic property crime and street-level disturbances.
Transit, parking and getting around
Public transportation is operated by Broward County Transit (BCT), with primary bus routes 36 and 40 serving Sunrise Boulevard and nearby corridors. The Fort Lauderdale Tri-Rail and Brightline commuter stations are located approximately 3.5 miles to the east.
Free street parking is widely available throughout the residential side streets, and commercial strip centers along the borders offer ample free surface lot parking.
Things to do in Roosevelt Gardens
- Visit Roosevelt Gardens Park to use the playground, walking path, and basketball courts
- Explore the nearby African-American Research Library and Cultural Center just east on Sistrunk Boulevard
- Sample authentic jerk chicken, oxtail, and patties from local Caribbean spots along Sunrise Boulevard
Local favorites
- Dutch Pot Jamaican Restaurant · Jamaican Restaurant · 4.1★ (1820)Popular local counter-serve fixture serving generous portions of jerk chicken, oxtail, and Caribbean staples.
- Snappers Fish & Chicken · Seafood Restaurant · 4.0★ (860)No-frills takeout spot known for seasoned fried fish, crispy chicken wings, and conch fritters.
- Roosevelt Gardens Park · Public Park · 4.4★ (160)County-operated neighborhood park offering computer labs, youth programming, and outdoor sports courts.
Scores are safety-driven — recent reported crime and local news plus Census income, poverty, housing, education, household and access data — refreshed nightly. Walk and bike scores are shown separately and do not affect the safety score. A guide, not a guarantee — conditions change street to street.