Quote Originally Posted by swingline View Post
The NYT article mostly sidesteps the question of is there anything wrong happening in these racially changing neighborhoods. A complex question indeed. To the extent anyone might complain about the neighborhood changes from an economic perspective, contrast the recent essay in Curbed Detroit. https://detroit.curbed.com/2019/4/26...ng-home-values Lots of valid points made in that article. But in the currently changing neighborhoods described in the NYT article it would now appear that a long absent potential for inter-generational transfer of wealth in African-American families is actually possible. That's a good thing, no?

Obviously another potential problem with the changes coming to these neighborhoods occurs when the existing history and culture is ignored and/or disrespected by new residents. Avoiding this is 100% within control of the new residents and shame on them if they can't or don't see this. But neighborhoods change racially and demographically all the time so there doesn't seem to be anything inherently wrong with the trend discussed in the NYT article.

One interesting question left unexplored is whether middle and upper-middle African American families are seeking out these new "bargain" neighborhoods close to city centers. If not, why?

This. I love the NYT and am left-of-center and also white, so, "PRIVILEGE ALERT" or whatever is en vogue now, but I always questioned this. Some of it is way, way, way too bleeding heart.

Detroit has a high-proportion of owner-occupants, I would imagine moreso than someplace like Chicago or certainly NYC. My neighborhood in Detroit was overwhelmingly owner-occupant, and all of my neighbors, black or white, would literally cheer when new families moved in the neighborhood.

With owner-occupants, folks can either sell for a profit or stay put. The Headlee amendment prevents their taxes from increasing as long as they stay there. So the problem is...less...vacancy?

Now, I feel for the renters. So how about rent control?

And I don't want other places in the country to become like that godforsaken hellhole San Francisco [[I mean, cool place if you like living in a city of childless, soulless tech billionares). I think people should at least be able to live somewhere near where they [[often have to) work.

Then there is a measure of, yeah, you can't just live anywhere just because you're a very special boy. I'd like to live on Central Park but it ain't gonna happen. Times change and people move. That is history.