[quote=protorio][quote=CA renter] Along with the decimation of the middle class, we’ve seen the decimation of middle class neighborhoods[/quote]
This is absolutely right. But there still the taste culture thing. Over the last 10 years, we’ve been told “luxury for all,” so for a lot of people, its Carmel Valley or nothing. As we’ve seen on recent threads, quiet, diverse neighborhoods like San Carlos are not even on people’s radar. Its about aspiration and homogeniety.
I think San Diego will begin to live up to its potential when people with means move and invest in nice family neighborhoods in places like Clairemont, San Carlos, La Mesa, Serra Mesa, Morena, etc and live a simpler economic life rather than really, really stretching to make some area with perceived status. Then all those neighborhoods become better, and the new residents will have a lot more money to spend enjoying San Diego. Hell, even parts of Linda Vista, National City, & Rolando are ripe for the picking. But you can’t be afraid of people who look different from you – you need to see diversity as an asset especially for your kids. I was impressed by the number of white people who moved their families into SFRs in City Heights during the last 10 years, investing in the neighborhood and committing to diversity. If the boom/burst didn’t happen, and if the bottom didn’t fall out from under a lot of those folks, change might have happened more quickly. I still think it has a lot of potential.[/quote]
Excellent post, protorio. Even 20 years ago, when I worked as an agent in census tracts served by Union Bank’s “Economic Opportunity” mortgage program, some of my first-time buyers would cruise the ‘hoods first and visit the “corner store.” Often the “corner store” was run by families of Middle Eastern descent. This alone would be enough for some of them to shun a neighborhood when they met the criteria for the great rate and terms of the Economic Oppt’y mortgage, were hamstrung by its census tracts and their top price range was about $130K!
These small businesses run by “Middle Eastern” families have been a phenomenon throughout the US since the 70’s and grew exponentially in the 80’s . . . yes, even in the rural midwest and southwest.
Earlier this week I attended a local eve class here in the South County. There were about 30 people in the class and NOT ONE appeared to be of “Hispanic” descent. ALL were locals because it was a local organization. Just because someone has an “Hispanic” surname doesn’t make them “Hispanic.” I think the overall misconception about South County with those are unfamiliar with it is that it is overwhelmingingly “brown people” and/or illegal immigrants and crime is rampant and that couldn’t be further from the truth. It is a melting pot of EVERY race/nationality representative of our county, state and country.
If folks don’t want to move to South County because of their erroneous misconceptions, I could care less. I’ll just enjoy my large house on a large lot (no HOA/MR) with mature tree-lined wide sidewalks and convenience to everything. My roads, post offices, gov’t offices and courts will be less crowded. Thank you for not looking :=]
