There are plenty of crashpads in Kew Gardens and some in South Ozone park. There isn't squat to do in Ozone but the rent is a little cheaper and you can walk (~12 minutes) to the Airtrain and take it for free to JFK.

If you're going to be commuting into LGA, Kew is the better choice. There's a lot more to do there too.

I think the surroundings in both areas are relatively safe considering it's New York city.