Just to get serious for a minute, I think these neighborhoods are likely, through lurches and many ups-and-downs, to end up on the improved side of the scale. They will slowly start to be absorbed by neighboring Hillcrest and University Heights, with the eastern fringe the last hold-out with the City Heights connection.
Ironically, this process has been set on its ear by the horrid roll-up of prices, which priced out the natural buyers (first timers, married with baby, single urbanites, young childless couples, hipsters, gays…) and tried to replace them with flippers and in-over-their-heads teaser-rate-dreamers. These smaller homes have a natural demographic and scale that are perfectly suited to become some really nice neighborhoods to live for those folks… except for the prices.
Count me in as someone who (notwithstanding my personal loss of bubble “equity”) hopes for a soft landing to realistic prices that will bring these neighbors back.
