I live in the area you are describing. Been here 3-4 years. Love it. The trails are great. No more riff/raff than other places. Great location in Columbia. Close to 29 and Merriweather and Lake Kit. LA Mart is a good option for cheap food and Latin/Asian ingredients. I will say the village center is kind of crap though. Doesn’t have the investment in it it needs. There is a fine liquor store. But, most of the shops there are not the best In their class. That being said, best In Class options (pizza, bagels, grocery, food trucks,Chinese carryout) are easily reachable with a short drive. Overall love the area and highly recommend it.

Edit: riff/raff not riff/raft lol.