Interesting Time Article (Detroit: rent, how much, houses) - Michigan (MI) - City-Data Forum

Eman91 · 02-03-2011, 10:14 PM

I'm not sure if this belongs here or if it's better off in the Politics and Controversies Section, but about two months ago Time Magazine published an interesting piece title, "Detroit's Unlikely Saviors."

Arab-Americans: Detroit's Unlikely Saviors - TIME

rdub1968 · 02-04-2011, 07:48 AM

I would also say Hispanic and the gay population could also do a lot for Detroit.
Since gay people usually don't have kids, I would think the city would be perfect for them. Beautiful architecture, cheap rent to open clubs or other businesses, and a few other things I'm sure.

Eman91 · 02-04-2011, 10:19 AM

I agree, a lot of our new immigrant groups have potential to revive this wrecked city.

Indentured Servant · 02-04-2011, 11:40 AM

RE: Comments made

If 90% of African Americans left the city.......and 400,000 immigrants (or whites) replaced them.....this city would be more abandoned and devastated than it is now. You cannot have a city that currently houses around 820,000 people, have a net loss of over half the population.....and expect there to be an improvement.....unless one is arguing that AA are "THE" problem.

rdub1968 · 02-04-2011, 11:51 AM

What does this have to do with black people leaving the city? Your comment doesn't even seem to fit this thread.

Indentured Servant · 02-04-2011, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rdub1968

What does this have to do with black people leaving the city? Your comment doesn't even seem to fit this thread.

Its because Detroit, as it is now, is hardly dead. Even with over half its population gone, the city is still one of the largest in the nation. People are ignoring and disrespecting, in my opinion, the peolple who currently live and have businesses in the city. Someone has to be knocked out to be revived. Someone has to be dead to be brought back to life. Hence, such words said about Detroit treats the people and businesses currently there as not adding value, which is the logical conclusion from looking at the city as if it is dead. Therefore, if what is already there is dead.....then lets see what would result from all the dead leaving and see how much success the immigrants or anyone else has in bringing the city back to life when the population is cut in half again.

rdub1968 · 02-04-2011, 01:45 PM

Hmmm... I didn't gather that at all. I think it would help with the diversity of the city to have different immigrants move in and bring the best they have to offer. Quite frankly, Detroit is lacking in diversity. In 2000, it was over 81% black, it might be more or less now - I have no idea.

I think your reading into this thread more than is there though. You are right that happens in a lot of other threads, but this one it hasn't happened (yet).

Indentured Servant · 02-04-2011, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rdub1968

Hmmm... I didn't gather that at all. I think it would help with the diversity of the city to have different immigrants move in and bring the best they have to offer. Quite frankly, Detroit is lacking in diversity. In 2000, it was over 81% black, it might be more or less now - I have no idea.

I think your reading into this thread more than is there though. You are right that happens in a lot of other threads, but this one it hasn't happened (yet).

I am all for diversity but I would not link that to vibrancy. Vibrancy can be had without diversity as it simply refers to activity. Vibrancy is a goal AND diversity is a goal....but they are not really linked.

scenic · 02-04-2011, 04:05 PM

Yes I've heard that dead demographic put another way on other threads, as in; nobody lives there anymore. Nobody that matters that is...

Funny how Detroit needs immigrants to fill the void and save the city. On the one hand youve got a small US contingent in Afghanistan saving that country's people from themselves at little or no cost to said USA, but somehow Detroit needs a whole new influx of arab immigrants so MetroDetroiters wont need to get their hands dirty. That's the fasttrack to diversity! Sheesh, them ayrabs aint dumb, they seen that kinda booby trap befowah...

ForStarters · 02-04-2011, 04:23 PM

Detroit needs to add new residents. It doesn't matter where they come from or what race or ethnicity they are. The current residents do not need to be displaced but supplemented overall with new residents. With half the population, you only have half the tax base and half the amount of people needed to fill homes, businesses, and buildings. The AA residents of Detroit are critical, as is every warm body that remains in the city. Foreign immigrants just seem to be the most likely to relocate to Detroit, as is common in most large cities.