DC demographic changes in miniature
Well C moved out this past weekend. She and her kids. I guess the last tax assessment was the last straw. I never saw the house up for sale. There was never a sign out front. Our neighborhood handyman, mentioned it and said 'everyone has a price.' It must have been a pretty good price because C had a strong reason to stay. Her parents lived just a couple of doors down. Really. Kids would run from her house to their grandparents house in a matter of seconds. Can you say free babysitting? Her kids seem to play well with the kids already on the block as they would all tear up and down the sidewalk, throwing the ball around, rough housing, doing what kids do. They were good kids. Now she's gone. One less black family. Fewer kids on the block. Fewer playmates for the kids who remain.Her replacement, from what I can tell, is European-American, has no kids, but does have a dog (I tell you this block is going to the dogs), and didn't see a significant other. 1 replaces 3.
posted by Mari @ 29.4.05
5 Comments:
I worry about changing demographics and especially if there will be any kids in the neighborhood. But, I often feel looking at it one house at a time can skew results and perspectives.
For instance a rental house near us just got switched to a couple with a kid on the way. But other properties go to condo and youngsters or empty nesters.
I believe my roomate is selling the house I live in and rent due to the rising due to the tax assessments as well. That and a 3-story half of a duplex is just too much for an unmotivated person without renovation skills. His salary, which is about the same as mine, does not allow him to afford to renovate the 1st floor, which could be used for rental space as well, but is only storage space now. He's moving to a smaller, more manageable condo which will be easier for him to clean up.
The detached Addams Family-like house on the north side of T between 5th and 6th (just East of the church which was also sold), NW just sold for a whopping $1.625 million! Granted, it has a yard, parking space, and a guest house that has two, 2-bedroom rental units in it. Realtors on Crack.
MM,
What exactly is a "European-American"? Anyways, rather than focus on race, I think the focus should be on affordable housing and a solid school system. Without BOTH, many more C's with their children are going to be forced to move.
In my case, I'm involved in a longterm relationship with a someone who has a child who is close to high school age. I own a house and the simpliest solution would to appear to be her and the child moving in with me at some point in the future. But even with one child and a combined gross income of 100K; we can't afford good descent private school in the district. This scenario is based on cold hard facts. One, the public school system sucks. Two, Charter schools are a joke. Three, you gotta go to college. College Education is a requirement if you wish for your children to be free and independent of the man. One simply cannot own a house in the district and expect to save enough to get your children through college.
So, despite already owning and both of us being college educated, we're probably going to be moving to the burbs in the future.
See my next posting for comments on the neighbors here.
I hope this doesn't sound bad but when I think of the older nieghbors on the block, it makes me rather sad. The older neighbors on the block are like the trees in the back on our houses. Whizzen, weathered, they have held on in the city for decades. Now redevelopment threathens them all. When I moved in, the backside of the block was overgrown with old trees. Some grew with electrical lines through them. Others seemed completed dead except for a patch of leaves high in their canopy above the houses. But now nearly all the trees on the backside have been cut down. Only three trees remain including my own. I try to help whenever possible. I now cut my neighbors lawn by jumping the fence with a weedwhacker. When I first moved in, she used to cut it herself. I sure hope those remaining trees hold on.
i think that there is a program that allows those that graduate district high schools to attend state universities at in state costs.
also, why are charter schools a joke?
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