Professional African American family seeking diverse community (Chicago, Evanston: real estate, credit)

[thankful1]

I am an African American attorney (my husband is also a professional) with two young boys. We live in a nice home we built approx. 7 years ago in the south suburbs before we had children. We now want to live in a more culturally diverse suburban community where our children will grow with children from other races and ethnicities. Additionally, our $10k+ annually in property taxes does not seem justified given the mediocre performance of the local schools. We're looking to pay b/t $400-$450k for our new home. Needless to say, we want to live where we believe we will feel welcomed: after reading several posts here about white flight to Frankfort, Tinley Park, etc., I'm alarmed that these communities wouldn't be very welcoming. Of course I am prepared to be the minority in a new community, I just don't want to feel as if we don't belong. Any thoughts?

[oakparkdude]

Don't know your geographic requirements, but Oak Park and Evanston are the traditional favorites for diverse communities without white flighters.

[thankful1]

Thanks much. We have thought about Oak Park and are also considering relocating out of state.

[oakparkdude]

Definitely houses in your price range in Oak Park. Obviously, whether they fit your needs only you can decide.

[bulldawg1594]

west aurora

[Avengerfire]

...

[MrsBradley]

My husband and I are African American and we live in Mokena. We have had no problems. We do get the occasional "look" every now and again, but mostly people are friendly. Be forewarned! Our son was one of the only minorities in his school (about 200 kids) initially. I know some parents would have issues with that. If you guys are South Sider's, I highly recommend Mokena, Frankfort, and New Lenox areas. Your price range fits in a bit better with these area's than say Oak Park or the Northern Burbs.

[kindrakindra]

Another vote for Oak Park. Great schools and plenty of diversity.

[BRU67]

You could get something in your price range in Oak Park in this market, though I still think you're still going to be on the smaller and cheaper end of the scale. Though not popularly mentioned in the same breath as Evanston and Oak Park, a lot of people who like the Oak Park area are looking to neighboring Berwyn. A lot of expatriate Oak Parkers end up there (like myself!) because it's diverse, young and vibrant, has great and affordable housing stock, and is 15 minutes from the Loop.

You could get a huge house for substantially less than $400-450k in this climate. And with the $6k you'll save per year in property taxes, you can send your children to the Children's School of Oak Park (North Berwyn), St. Leonard (South Berwyn) or St. Mary (Riverside). The public schools don't get a lot of credit but Emerson elementary on the south side actually outscored 3 of Oak Park's 8 elementary schools on the '08 ISAT. So if you can find a house served by that school (or Irving), you'll have a viable public school option as well.

[edsg25]

Evanston and Oak Park have always been two peas in a pod. So much in common throughout their history: first cities either north or west of Chicago with similiar housing mix, urban/suburban mix, downtowns, schools, etc.

They differ, of course. Evanston has a lake and a university. Oak Park has Frank Lloyd Wright. Evanston has had an African American community from the start. Showing the inequities of prior eras, this community began largely for domestics who serviced the large homes on the North Shore. It has always been apart from the rest of Evanston.

Oak Park, on the other hand, faced a growing black population on Chicago's west side, heading westward to Austin Blvd. The village knew it either had to plan for effective integration or follow the sad white-to-black conversion that too many suburbs experienced. So Oak Park, far more so than Evanston, is about real attempts to integrate and do it right.

What does that mean for diversity today. Sadly, at least in Evanston, I see real pressure on real estate in the more heavily black neighborhoods around ETHS. Yes, it's more economic than racial, but lower income blacks may easily get hurt by rising Evanston real estate that has been spiked by the dynamic new nature of a city whose downtown area is as hot as it can be. Our new economy and the need to rely on public transportation further puts Evanston real estate on the most desirable list, fueled by its proximity to Chicago, of course, as well. These factors remain true for Oak Park, too.

So the question is: can Evanston keep its diversity. Perhaps not. Again, I blame that more on economics than race, but that land in west Evanston will need to be protected in some way to prevent the type of conversion that already happened with a major, expensive town house development on Church, a block west of Dodge, without shouting distance of the high school.

Evanston will have to work its ass off to maintain diversity. I hope it is up to the task.