I've lived in Port-au-Prince for two and a half years. I live in a poor neighborhood called Jacquet not far from the upscale zone known as Petionville. Most foreigners who come to Haiti are either aid workers, diplomats, UN personnel, journalists or missionaries. Tourists stay clear, mainly because the media tends to make out Haiti to be a violent and dangerous country. It's not true. I've travelled throughout Latin America and I believe Port-au-Prince is probably much safer than most major cities in the region. And if you travel outside Port-au-Prince, there is practically no crime or insecurity. You have to be willing to rough it if you want to travel here, Haiti is after all one of the poorest countries in the world, but it's well worth it if you're looking for adventure. The grassroots group in my neighborhood, the Neighborhood Assembly of Jacquet, has started a program by which families in the area host foreign visitors who want to avoid the posh hotels and get to know the country by living with real Haitians. The cost is very low and 1/3 of the money goes to the grassroots group, which runs a free school for the poorest kids in the neighborhood and organizes other projects for the benefit of the community. Feel free to contact me if you want to know more: