"White Flight" v. "Gentrification"

[ADeadSmitty]

If white people leave an urban neighborhood for the suburbs, that is "white flight" and very bad.  They say this is because whites leave and take their tax dollars with them, which aren't available to support local schools and so on.

But if white people leave the suburbs and return to urban neighborhoods, that is "gentrification" and also very bad. This is because white people drive up rents, making housing unaffordable for other people and destroying the traditional culture of the neighborhood.

So, what should white people do? Live in the suburbs or not? I don't get it. I live on a mostly black block. Am I doing something wrong? Please advise.

[Buddhagirl]

Stay in the burbs. Please.  J/K.

I'm going through this now. My last apartment was torn down to make way for $700,000 townhomes.  Now my bf and I are looking for a place together and we can't afford my current neighborhood thanks to gentrification.

I don't split it down colorlines however.  I think the breeders and yuppies need to stay in the crappy ass neighborhoods and developments that they built out West (the burbs) and let those of us that sat around in the neighborhoods while they were still rough have them.

I HATE the burbs with a passion, but it looks like that's where I'm headed due to all of the yuppies and breeders coming back.  You know? Now that it's safe.

Whatever.

[pintofguinness14]

Since I'm a home owner, I'm a fan of gentrification.  Actually, I'm a fan of good schools and low crime and anything else that will drive up the price of my property.

White flight (in my area) is bad because it might cause me to lose money.

Buddha's right about the renters getting screwed, but, then again, renters always get screwed in the long run. 

[crazy_scar_man]

I'm betting on gentrification in Lake Worth where we just bought a house. I'll be honest, if more white people don't move into this neighborhood I could lose money (certainly not make any). However, it's not the "white" people aspect of it. My favorite neighbors are a family of spanish renters across the street. They are awesome! Not only did they run an extension cord across the street for us after the hurricane, but the wife and I have gone over there and partied with them Salsalito like.

However, as crappy as it sounds, if they were to get kicked out and that house were to get sold to a white family, I would make money.

It sucks that a neighborhood's value can rest on race. The two white people that own the houses right next to mine suck ass. And I bet they don't make any more than the Spanish family. One is retired living off social security and the other works some kind of home based business.

[Buddhagirl]

It sucks that a neighborhood's value can rest on race. The two white people that own the houses right next to mine suck ass. And I bet they don't make any more than the Spanish family. One is retired living off social security and the other works some kind of home based business.

This is why I move into as many white neighborhoods as possible. Just to drive down the property value.  Nice to know I'm good for something.

[crazy_scar_man]

Nice to know I'm good for something.

I think you'd only cause a moderate bump... in order to create a full uproar, you'd need to ghettofy yourself a little more. Less Hally Berry and a little more Wanda.

[bsfins]

I'm going to bring my "redneck " view on this...

HERE,All the hip,trendy,wanna be,fakers,metrosexuals,pay $25 -$40 for a plain T-shirt with a logo,Mall rats,got to have the new Nikes (the day they come out),buy a new car every 2 years,I'm living way beyond my means,college scene,All drive the same car,dress alike,Walk around with thier Cell phones glued to thier ear,type people (I know I left out quite a few people) move to the Southside of town.For atleast the past 20 years things have been moving South.

The Suburbs of Nixa,and Ozark are the big places to live.They are southside,all the above listed people want to live there.People that care more abouy how much thier nieghbor makes,than who they really are.They don't care about the niegborhood,unless it effects thier pocketbook.

I live on the Northside,the poor side,the blackside,the rundown side.Where alot of business have left for the southside,where they're closing schools,and want to build brand new schools on the Southside.The southside Schools, have air conditioning,the Northside schools have leaky roofs,and no air conditioning.

Here,on the Northside you're more likely to be shot at,talk to meth dealers,live next to a meth lab,drug dealer,Prostitute,have homeless guy sleep in your back yard,Have 2 homeless guy's fight in your front yard, get hit by a hit and run.

You're less likely to have your house broke in,be in an home invasion robbery,have thngs stolen form you.
All the thieves know the good stuff is on the Southside of town.

The city is trying to bring things in Downtown by bringing in Loft apartments,downtown business,for a "New yorker" style lifestyle.The money is flowing in bringing back some of the trendy people.

Where I live,it's the Mid-town historic district,the problem is they want people to buy all the old houses and fix them up.Then Raise the rent,where only the trendy people want them.

I find the Northsiders care about thier nieghborhood,they want to do better,help the people around them,and race has less to do with it.

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On a side note to Smitty,you're in Chicago right?
I'm kind of wondering what's happening on the southside,my grandfather's house is in Evergreen park.When my sister's,and mom went up there for the funeral they mentioned that Evergreen Park has kind of gone through a revitalization.They've got rid of alot of the old rundown areas,and cleaned it up,alot of new busnisses have come in.It's sort of looks like it's becoming a sort of trendy place to want to live...is this true? is this a city wide thing? could you give me your view on this?

[ADeadSmitty]

I'm actually in Philly. Sorry B.

[bsfins]

oops...Who is it in Chicago then?

sorry Smitty...

[run_to_win]

Am I doing something wrong? Please advise.

Yes Smitty, after everything your blood thirsty heathen ancestors did, you have the unmitigated gall to live.  Every breath you take is air stolen from the homeless.  Every morsel of food you consume is stolen from the hungry.  Every dollar you earn is taken from the pockets of the poor.  People all over the world are poor and hungry ... and it's your fault.  Your very existence is a nail in their coffin.  Yes Smitty, there is a white devil and he is you.

Okay, that's enough channeling Louis Farrakhan for one day.

[CF DolFan]

I live just north of Orlando in a neighborhood that has a home owners association.  The neighbors across the street are average middle aged white people. On one side of them lives a lesbian couple while the other side is a Puerto Rican Family.Just past the PR family is a Japanese family. Beside me I have an older Jewish couple and depending on how life is going ... some of their kids and grandkids. On the other side I have yet another average american Christian family but within a few houses there is an Indian (from India) family as well as a Carribean (not exactly sure from where) family. My neighborhood is a melting pot of just about everything from laborer types to doctors.  I bought my house in 1999 for 122,000 and it now appraises for about 320,000.  The only real change around me was the black family across the street moved after their kids graduated college and a white couple moved in.  What the heck do you call what is going on in my neighborhood?

[crazy_scar_man]

The only real change around me was the black family across the street moved after their kids graduated college.

There goes the neighborhood!!! Sell now my friend... sell now... or else you'll have a community full of Budha Girls and your house will be worth nothing!

J/K... Your situation is different man. That neighborhood has always been nice - via vi the neighborhood association.

We're talking about city living. We're talking about downtown areas where "lower class" people get pushed out based on higher rent prices due to a surge in the "metro" area.

[ADeadSmitty]

Yes Smitty, after everything your blood thirsty heathen ancestors did, you have the unmitigated gall to live.  Every breath you take is air stolen from the homeless.  Every morsel of food you consume is stolen from the hungry.  Every dollar you earn is taken from the pockets of the poor.  People all over the world are poor and hungry ... and it's your fault.  Your very existence is a nail in their coffin.  Yes Smitty, there is a white devil and he is you.

I was afraid of this. Killing self now.