Oak Lawn/Evergreen Park/Mount Greenwood's future? (Chicago, Berwyn: section 8, apartment complex)

[CCrest182]

So recently I've been doing a bit of research on some south suburbs, and in terms of location, Evergreen Park, Oak Lawn, and other 'burbs in that general area seemed to have stuck out to me, in that they have sizeable white populations, in comparison to other south 'burbs, and these being "inner ring" suburbs, have always made me even more surprised they haven't seen white flight. So, I've done more research, and it appears that in the mid 90's, Evergreen Park was at about 85% white, and Oak Lawn was like 95% white. In the year 2000, EP was about 83% white, and OL was about the same. But what shocked me was that, in 2012, EP had a 68% white population, and Oak Lawn had somewhere in the 80's.

That may not seem like much, but in reality, that's about 20% of it's white population leaving. It looks like those demographics will continue to change.

My question is, will white flight further occur in the areas? Both don't appear to, for the most part, have that big of housing prices/ lot sizes, and both seem vulnerable to white flight, like what's happened in much of Ashburn. My friend who lives there also said he saw gang graffiti on a stop sign on the north side of the village (In EP). So, do you think these demographics changes will continue? And, do you think these places will be more like Ashburn in the future? EP is, right now, still predominantly white. But, my honest prediction is that in the year about 2020, it will no longer be majority white. And you know what happens when a place is not majority white. ..

[urza216]

How did you know it was gang graffiti and not just plain old graffiti? Did you recognize what gang made the graffiti?

BTW - Those are actually southwest suburbs not south suburbs. They don't stick out that much.

[Lud Kissel]

I would say that if you notice a trend (good or bad) in any town that you can expect that trend to continue if not excelerate as time goes on.

[flamadiddle]

If they border bad areas, have cheap housing and schools that do not rank very high, the writing is on the wall.

[Hickory patrick]

Im west of Oak Lawn and in the last 10 years have noticed more Ghetto people in my area (store's n local gas station ,ect,ect ) and the main culprit is the Huge apartment complex we call the trace that is section 8 friendly on our 87th street border. I blame Rich Daily,He spreed them like **** roaches when the kitchen lights go on, once he knocked the projects they scrambled in all directions, before you knew where they were with in a 3 block radius.... not so today

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Hickory patrick

I blame Rich Daily,He spreed them like **** roaches when the kitchen lights go on, once he knocked the projects they scrambled in all directions, before you knew where they were with in a 3 block radius.... not so today

You and everyone else within 500 miles of Chicago blames the demolition of the projects for their growing populations of poor African Americans (who I'm sure love being referred to as cockroaches), but studies show that most of the former CHA residents actually stayed in the city.

Here's are some stats for you: The Chicago metro area has about 9.5 million residents, and the African American population makes of 18.6% of the population. That means there are about 1.8 million African Americans in Chicagoland, and the vast majority live on the South Side, West Side, and South Suburbs. At peak population the Robert Taylor Homes had 27,000 people, and Cabrini Green had 15,000 people. This is a drop in the bucket compared to the total number of 1.8 million African Americans, and the loss of these units had very little impact on surrounding areas.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

You and everyone else within 500 miles of Chicago blames the demolition of the projects for their growing populations of poor African Americans (who I'm sure love being referred to as cockroaches), but studies show that most of the former CHA residents actually stayed in the city.

Here's are some stats for you: The Chicago metro area has about 9.5 million residents, and the African American population makes of 18.6% of the population. That means there are about 1.8 million African Americans in Chicagoland, and the vast majority live on the South Side, West Side, and South Suburbs. At peak population the Robert Taylor Homes had 27,000 people, and Cabrini Green had 15,000 people. This is a drop in the bucket compared to the total number of 1.8 million African Americans, and the loss of these units had very little impact on surrounding areas.

Exactly. This has been a myth every since those projects were torn down.

Empty nester white people + middle class aspiring minorities = lower white %.

Young white American people who grew up in Oak Lawn and Evergreen Park are going to want to live in either a more urban environment than Oak Lawn OR a newer suburb if they have a family with kids. Brick ranches from the 50s are less desirable.

Conversely for African Americans or Hispanics that lived in rough areas of the south and west sides are likely to see Oak Lawn or Evergreen Park as a paradise for raising kids.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Exactly. This has been a myth every since those projects were torn down.

Empty nester white people + middle class aspiring minorities = lower white %.

Young white American people who grew up in Oak Lawn and Evergreen Park are going to want to live in either a more urban environment than Oak Lawn OR a newer suburb if they have a family with kids. Brick ranches from the 50s are less desirable.

Conversely for African Americans or Hispanics that lived in rough areas of the south and west sides are likely to see Oak Lawn or Evergreen Park as a paradise for raising kids.

This is exactly true, and is a problem in many of the early post-war suburbs with aging housing stock. These areas just don't attract many well-off families any longer, and the older white population is dying off.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Exactly. This has been a myth every since those projects were torn down.

Empty nester white people + middle class aspiring minorities = lower white %.

for African Americans or Hispanics that lived in rough areas of the south and west sides are likely to see Oak Lawn or Evergreen Park as a paradise for raising kids.

Exactly true. One of the things I massively underestimated about Berwyn when I lived there was how appealing the schools were to aspiring families leaving the west side of Chicago. Enrollment ballooned between 2003-13, while CPS enrollment plunged. If you read most of the comments about them here, particularly about Morton West, you'd be stunned any family moved there at all. Priorities are a lot different.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by BRU67

Exactly true. One of the things I massively underestimated about Berwyn when I lived there was how appealing the schools were to aspiring families leaving the west side of Chicago.

Are you now feeling burned by that decision?