What did Dearborn do right?

[Bham1982]

Re. Dearborn/Dearborn Heights, I think the fact that it has stable [[or stagnant, depending on perspective) population makes it a big outlier, hence the interest. No other inner ring suburb was really stable [[arguably excepting Hamtramck).

Re. Sterling Heights, I think its population growth was for the same reasons as Dearborn's stability. No one really talks about it, but Sterling Heights has been radically transformed in the last 10 years.

Sterling Heights used to be called "Sterile Whites", and was stereotyped as being super Polish/Italian/German. That's all changed, and those folks have moved to Shelby/Macomb/Washington.

The new Sterling Heights is very heavily Chaldean/Arab/Asian. The Ryan Road corridor, in particular, is extremely diverse. Tons of foreign-born newcomers with growing families.

The Census counts Chaldeans and Arabs as whites, so it won't show up in the race stats, but that city has changed big-time. And even the European population has changed. Lots of Albanians and former Yugoslavians.

And I think this also accounts for the income decline. The former residents worked at GM Tech or in the plants, and have fat pensions. The new residents have lower-income jobs [[often working in restaurants or starting new businesses), hence the income drops. There are also tons of folks being paid in cash [[including folks I personally know). That wasn't the case when Generous Motors was paying the bills.

[Hypestyles]

...how can Detroit city leadership encourage immigration, from various nationalities and global communties?

[Carey]

There's lots of good points on this thread about Dearborn's excellent services and strict code enforcement. When you think of all the suburbs, Dearborn, I think, stands out as sort of a super suburb: In addition to Ford world HQ and dozens of other Ford buildings, it has a huge mall; two downtowns; two colleges, including its own community college; lots of retail and light to heavy industrial facilities; a big hospital; a superb library system; the large ethnic community and a national tourist attraction in Greenfield Village/Henry Ford Museum. On the east and west sides, it looks like Detroit at its historic best, and in the middle, it looks like Troy. There are a lot of jobs in Dearborn, and I think a lot of the city's success has to be traced to the Ford factor and Ford money over the years, both in taxes and philanthropy.

Dearborn, though, like every other city, faces an uncertain future.

[Detroitnerd]

Arabic population has more childrens. Also, extended family[[aunts, grandparents) living in these houses.

So Dearborn has same housing stock as 50 yrs ago, but 3-5 people in each house as opposed to 1-2 for white families.

Not a bad thing, just may explain why they didn't lose population.

Actually, back in the 1970s, it was common to have 3-5 people in a Caucasian family, which is right around where many Middle Eastern families are. But it was bigger families, not extended families. [[And, yes, that's in a 1,300-square-foot house.)

[iheartthed]

...how can Detroit city leadership encourage immigration, from various nationalities and global communties?

Become a hub again. Promote convenience of location. Improve infrastructure and quality of life.

[mjs]

Some excellent posts on here. Detroit Teacher hits it on the head that its quality of service to the taxpayers. I worked for the city and I was always amazed by the services they provide and especially the ones they had once provided. "Orvie: Dictator of Dearborn" is a good read on it.

Szla also has a good point on how renters and owners differ on their commitment to and expectations of the local government. Its why home ownership has been so strongly supported by government. It strengthens communities.

[iheartthed]

Szla also has a good point on how renters and owners differ on their commitment to and expectations of the local government. Its why home ownership has been so strongly supported by government. It strengthens communities.

Not really... If that were the case then Detroit would be one of the strongest urban centers in the country, since it has the highest ownership rates.

[Al Publican]

What are the demographics of Dearborn? Is west Dearborn losing its WASPy population?

[begingri]

Arab newcomers help Dearborn buck trend of population loss in Metro Detroit

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/in...earborn_b.html

[65GTO409]

Ethnic enclave. Imagine if immigrants could move into lower cost areas of the city without getting robbed every week?

Who's living around the mosque in old Poletown that used to be Resurrection Church? Is it Arabs or Southwest Asians or what? As far as west Dearborn being "WASPY", I always thought it was mostly Catholic.

[313WX]

Dearborn was the only large urban city in the state that actually saw its population increase. Every other urban city in the state lost population. With all the factors working against cities like Dearborn, how did they manage to add new residents and what can we learn from that?

First off, Dearborn isn't a large urban city [[well I guess by Michigan's standards, but by normals standards, no).

Second, that's because it's still a destination for middle eastern, specifically arabic, immigrants.

[Gianni]

I'm surprised no one but Danny has mentioned Orville Hubbard. Decades of blatant institutional racism and segregation. That's not what Dearborn "did right." It's what they did wrong. But it still has a lot to do with why Dearborn is the way it is today.

[Detroitnerd]

"keep dearborn clean"

[GUSHI]

Who's living around the mosque in old Poletown that used to be Resurrection Church? Is it Arabs or Southwest Asians or what? As far as west Dearborn being "WASPY", I always thought it was mostly Catholic.

Yemans I grew up on Miller, was a alter boy when it's Closed in 89

[GUSHI]

Who's living around the mosque in old Poletown that used to be Resurrection Church? Is it Arabs or Southwest Asians or what? As far as west Dearborn being "WASPY", I always thought it was mostly Catholic.

That neighborhood use to be. Polish then Albanian, still some Albanians there and some old Poles, my old stomping grounds when I was a teenager, now mostly yemans

[DetroitPlanner]

Dearborn was the only large urban city in the state that actually saw its population increase. Every other urban city in the state lost population. With all the factors working against cities like Dearborn, how did they manage to add new residents and what can we learn from that?

1. Accept immigrants.
2. Build lots of senior housing.
3. Build condos where you can.
4. Keep your current residents happy so they don't vote with thier feet and leave.

[Carey]

It might be useful to point out that, while relatively stable and prosperous, Dearborn is still significantly below its peak populaiton. In 1970, it was Detroit's most populous suburb, with about 114,000 residents.

[laphoque]

Dearborn is still significantly below its peak [population].

This.

Metro Detroit has never surpassed its 1970's peak. The growth in the nineties didn't make up for the decline of the eighties. We haven't been alright for a long time. Not since the street cars, the vibrancy of Downtown, and a strong manufacturing sector.

[gazhekwe]

Keep your current residents happy so they don't vote with thier feet and leave.

Corollary to that is: If current residents are happy, new people will want to move in.

It seems to me that is Detroit's problem, and has been for well over 30 years. I seem to recall in the 70s it began with poor police community relations, declining police response time, cavalier police response to crime incidents in the neighborhoods.

[Zacha341]

Danny made many good observations in his comments. I was working at Ford [[late 80s) when and noted the change. For Dearborn citizens it was bitter sweet. I overhead many racial remarks re. the incoming middle-eastern population. About how 'their kind' was taking over, etc. Yet, many had stable positions at Ford and other companies tri-county.

Many were working and middle-class and some had backgrounds or adapted to the business of food service and other mercantile businesses. However, the bad economy has hit everywhere and there are business in E. Dearborn that are closed.

I'm surprised no one but Danny has mentioned Orville Hubbard. Decades of blatant institutional racism and segregation. That's not what Dearborn "did right." It's what they did wrong. But it still has a lot to do with why Dearborn is the way it is today.

[Danny]

"keep dearborn clean"

It means keep blacks out!

[Zacha341]

LOL! That ghost has been given up [[Keep Dearborn Clean). More blacks have move into Dearborn along with the middle-eastern pop which I sure is over 60% in E. Dearborn...

Yep, that was the code phrase [[KDC). My parents knew what it meant and stayed out of Dearborn as they did not want to be hassled. My generation found it a bit more palatable as time went on...

It means keep blacks out!

[Zulu Warrior]

Dearborn would be what Southfield is, had not Orville Hubbards Racist policies existed....

A strong Black Middle class lives right across Tireman Avenue...

[65GTO409]

Dearborn would be what Southfield is, had not Orville Hubbards Racist policies existed....

A strong Black Middle class lives right across Tireman Avenue...

A strong black middle class may live on SOME streets across Tireman, but not many. Oakman, sure. Indiana or Kentucky? No way. Still, middle class north of Tireman notwithstanding, I'd feel a lot safer where the police response time is measured in minutes [[south of Tireman) vs. hours or days [[the other side of Tireman.)

As far as when Detroit's decline began, it was a lot sooner than the 60's or 70's. It goes all the way back to VE and VJ days. When the war contracts ran out, the jobs started to run out and all those southern whites and blacks who came to Detroit with no intention of staying, started to leave. That opened up neighborhoods to those who stayed and race relations started to go downhill faster as block busting started. It also opened up a lot of cheap housing that was never meant to last past the war. Housing that was thrown up to house war workers. Add cheap housing to no jobs for people who never planned on staying and you get apathy, broken windows, blah blah blah.....Oh...and Coleman Young, affirmative action.......all a recipe for disaster in Detroit.

[Zacha341]

For certain that's the truth! Detroit is so crazy now that one side of the road can make a difference. I live near Rosa Parks [[12th street) yet I am in the WSU zip code and by virtue of living east of Rosa Parks policing is vastly different. Having a major hospital nearby helps [[Henry Ford). Yet, two blocks north, by Clairmont and all hell breaks out again!

I have noted some housing development near Dearborn along the Southfield service drive by Tireman. What's up with that?

A strong black middle class may live on SOME streets across Tireman, but not many. Oakman, sure. Indiana or Kentucky? No way. Still, middle class north of Tireman notwithstanding, I'd feel a lot safer where the police response time is measured in minutes [[south of Tireman) vs. hours or days [[the other side of Tireman.)