Baltimore's Population Up 1,100 Over Last Year (renting, home, layoffs)

[KLynch10]

Originally Posted by fibonacci

Baltimore should just transform itself into a city totally based on health care. Hopkins practically owns half the city already, just convert already. More people would move here for jobs. I see new projects improving housing that's aimed for middle class all over the place in Bmore. Bmore is in a really good location to be a health and biotech industry hotbed. They should give big tax breaks for new biotech companies that create jobs in the city and cut down on red tape.

I think the last thing you should want as a city is to become a one trick pony as far as industry. Look at Detroit now and look at what happened to Pittsburgh back in the 70s. There will always be a need for healthcare but you never know, it could be turned over to the gov't or other factors could cause a demise.

One of the great things about Baltimore is it's a diverse economy. Healthcare and finance are certainly the two biggest industries, but the Tech world is soaring in this city right now thanks to startups, tech gov't work needed, and everyday needs for companies. Baltimore also has a solid real estate industry, tourism, insurance, port, and more.

[montydad5000]

Originally Posted by KLynch10

Anyone who is very familiar with Baltimore knows there is a ton of positive things going on in this city, and tons of neighborhoods making turnarounds, but as long as the population decreases many naysayers will only point to that. Homicides are down a ton since the days that created The Wire, and population is now had a steady year followed by a year of increase. I'm sure many will find reasons to say Baltimore isn't improving (which is insane if you compare now to the 80s), but now they can't use population decrease... at least for a year.

Couldn't have said it better myself. I was just reading about this on another site.

This city has so many good things going for it. Hopefully, this turnaround is the beginning of a trend.

I'm a little biased having grown up here, but I think this is one of the best cities in the world.

[URL="http://www.baltimorenewsjournal.com/2013/03/14/baltimore-populuation-increases-for-1st-time-in-60-years/"]Baltimore population increases for 1st time in 60 years[/URL]

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by KLynch10

Anyone who is very familiar with Baltimore knows there is a ton of positive things going
on in this city, and tons of neighborhoods making turnarounds, but...

none of that is helped one bit by feel good sop pieces that use spurious statistics;
let alone those that support the fantasy that illegals are immigrants.

[brooklynborndad]

Originally Posted by MrRational

none of that is helped one bit by feel good sop pieces that use spurious statistics;
let alone those that support the fantasy that illegals are immigrants.

1. They are immigrants by the usual definitions - thats why they are called illegal immigrants.

2. If you backed out illegal immigrants from all population data, that would change the data for most localities, and for the US population. But thats not how population data is kept.

[bmorefella]

Originally Posted by JamPilot

Damn, pretty much ALL of the comments on the Sun article are negative...people talking about how this really isn't any good news, talking sh*t about immigrants and how crappy the city is, etc etc.

I consider myself an optimistic person...are these people really that pessimistic or are they correct when they present this news as being nothing to get excited about?

One thing you have to learn about the Baltimore sun and its comments section. 9 out of 10 people on that site similar to this form don't actually live in Baltimore City, they make generalized comments based upon ignorance and fear of diversity.

[bmorefella]

Originally Posted by fibonacci

baltimore should just transform itself into a city totally based on health care. Hopkins practically owns half the city already, just convert already. More people would move here for jobs. I see new projects improving housing that's aimed for middle class all over the place in bmore. Bmore is in a really good location to be a health and biotech industry hotbed. They should give big tax breaks for new biotech companies that create jobs in the city and cut down on red tape.

i thought we did that lol!!

[bmorefella]

Originally Posted by Tinawina

I'm with you here. It's the outcomes that are most important... is the school effective? There are some neighborhoods that are in transition where an improved public school would be a boon and help things along... those should be a priority... and there are some schools that get pretty decent outcomes with low income students but could do even better with more staff and some building upgrades... I say focus on those. For the schools where the building is literally crumbling, well it makes sense to replace those, but in a case where the school is only half full as it is and all the kids are failing, well funding a new approach to teaching (and perhaps adding a social worker and the like) makes more sense than building a brand new building for people to fail in.

While they are not great schools in Baltimore are actually a lot better than they were 5 years ago, unlike most people I think Andres Alonso is doing an excellent job. Plus the city has a lot of highly selective programs that students can apply to.

[bmorefella]

Originally Posted by Mahatma X

Mostly Hispanics and DC commuters.

I agree lots of Hispanics, but I wouldn't be so quick to claim D.C. commuters, everyone says that but the honest trend for d.c. commuters is to live in Virginia, lower income taxes for high salary workers. I think Baltimore population will continue to grow, the hispanic population is continuing to grow and they are opening businesses, and i think its wonderful!! A more diverse Baltimore is a Better Baltimore. I believe a new trend in Baltimore is that a lot of area college grads are actually staying in Baltimore.

The area may not be appealing to a family of four with school age children but a single 20 something can enjoy everything the city has to offer and wont mind a little crime!!

[rudy_d]

Originally Posted by JamPilot

Damn, pretty much ALL of the comments on the Sun article are negative...people talking about how this really isn't any good news, talking sh*t about immigrants and how crappy the city is, etc etc.

I consider myself an optimistic person...are these people really that pessimistic or are they correct when they present this news as being nothing to get excited about?

If the population had declined, the commenters at The Sun be crowing just as loudly.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by JamPilot

or are they correct when they present this news as being nothing to get excited about?

Or worse... maybe something to be embarrassed about?

Is 1100:600,000 (.00183) statistically significant or more like a rounding error?
How many of the 1100 are income & RE tax payers?
How about being known as a welcome place to live illegally?

You make your own judgments on these things.
In my view they detract from the actually good things being accomplished.