When did North and South Katy become a "class" thing? (Houston: crime, homes)

[descovy]

I chose to live in Cinco Ranch for the schools, the parks, the 9-11 pools to choose from in the summertime.

I don't care if $40 thousand-aires live near me or $400 thousand-airs live near me.

I live here for the amenities. I don't care if others are offended that I get to afford to live here... and I don't care if those "less affluent" than me get to afford to live here either.

Good people are good people no matter their income. And conversely jerks are jerks no matter their income. I have yet to meet a "jerk" turned "good person" just because they earn a white collar salary.

[Kiovo]

Do you think the schools would maintain their exemplary ratings if more and more "less" affluent people moved into your area? Would the parks and 9-11 pools be able to upkeep the maintenance required to keep it nice?

Take a look at some of North Katy's neighborhoods that were presumably doing great in the 90s. Look at some of the businesses that have gone up/moved in around them. How are some of those neighborhoods and schools doing now? Not bad IMO, but others view that area as not as desirable.

Yes there are pretentious uppity people in Katy, but they have some in Houston and every other suburb. The NIMBYs.

[descovy]

Originally Posted by Kiovo

With all that being said, why did you choose to live in Cinco ranch, with that "class" of people? Probably the same reason why they choose to live in Cinco Ranch..

Before I moved to Cinco Ranch, I lived in a $100k house in a 30 yr old neighborhood.

Before I bought that house for $85k I lived in a cheap apartment complex.

Did I only become a good citizen, a good neighbor, a good parent of 3 good kids once I was able to afford a $200k house in Cinco Ranch? Was I only a low-class heathen before then???

No. I was always a good person. Why is it okay to be my neighbor today in Cinco Ranch... but fear living near the same person I was 12 years ago in a cheap apartment?

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by descovy

I hear you! I live in South Katy and here's how it goes with my neighbors...

Boo! Aldi is bad! Poor people shopping in our neighborhood!
http://www.city-data.com/forum/houst...e-planned.html

Boo! Fiesta Foods is bad! Brown people will shop here!
http://www.city-data.com/forum/houst...ofication.html

Boo! Apartment kids will go to my schools!
Residents voice opposition to low-income apartments - Katy Times: News

Boo! Even fancy apartments... HOW DARE THEY????
http://www.city-data.com/forum/houst...en-blvd-3.html

Boo! Poor people living amongst us!!!! We only want to help them from afar!!! Don't actually move next to ME!!!
http://www.city-data.com/forum/houst...velopment.html

Boo! A Shell Gas Station near my house!!! Oh noes!!!
Cinco Ranch residents fight plan for gas station - Houston Chronicle

Boo! Pine Mill Ranch might be a good neighborhood... but for the cheap houses nearby (yuk!)
http://www.city-data.com/forum/houst...g-lakes-2.html



I gotta tell you... I live in S Katy (Cinco Ranch) I like where I live... but seriously my neighbors really make me shake my head sometimes. They are really, really afraid of "poor-er" people. I live in a $200k house. So its really great news when they build $400k houses near me. But its really bad news if they build $100k houses near me. Why is that??? I am sure the $400k house people are ashamed to live near me. I must look like ghetto trash. What with my 55' lot and sub 3000 sq ft. Its a crying shame that my poor children live in such sad condition. (no media room! oh noes!!!)

This "class" of people is super afraid of their own shadow. Any little thing threatens their almighty property value... a new grocery store nearby, a nearby gas station, a local luxury apartment complex... with those damn kids going to *their kids'* schools!!!

It's one thing to say they like to volunteer, but its another thing to walk the walk.

I live here. So you can't say I'm jealous. It's the truth. Its one thing to pretend to support a charity for low income folks. But when you are afraid to have them live next to you, the hypocrisy stinks.

Holy Crap! I didn't think those articles and forum threads were real! People really get vocal about that and are not openly active against lower income people? I was used to them snidely hinting that they disliked lower income folk but they're actually vocal and write stuff about it? Amazing!

This wing of people have gotten more and more brazen about protecting their property values from lower income "scum" and they have this amazing belief that their way life is protecting the social order of America or something.

I find it even more amazing that Kiovo is apologizing for this attitude! Kiovo, do you have no shame? You just outright said that lower income people are not capable or good enough to keep all the nice events and organizations going that upper income people put into place. AMAZING!

[descovy]

Originally Posted by Kiovo

Do you think the schools would maintain their exemplary ratings if more and more "less" affluent people moved into your area? Would the parks and 9-11 pools be able to upkeep the maintenance required to keep it nice?

Take a look at some of North Katy's neighborhoods that were presumably doing great in the 90s. Look at some of the businesses that have gone up/moved in around them. How are some of those neighborhoods and schools doing now? Not bad IMO, but others view that area as not as desirable.

Yes there are pretentious uppity people in Katy, but they have some in Houston and every other suburb. The NIMBYs.

Why wouldn't the schools be as good? Lemme tell you, when Stanley Elementary opened in Cinco Ranch, it opened with the same principal from Mayde Creek Elem. Do you think she did a "better" job just because she moved to a Cinco Ranch school?

The schools are "better" because they test better. Make no mistake. My kids are doing great in their Cinco Ranch Schools. But they would be doing great at a Mayde Creek school too. They're smart kids. Mom and Dad care about their learning and grades. The curriculum isn't different. My Cinco Ranch neighbors will pay for tutoring for no less than a B grade.

My oldest went to elementary school in a school that was 75% economically disadvantaged. Her Kinder teacher had 20 yrs experience in the same school. Her First grade teacher had 30 years experience teaching. That school was rated exemplary.

We moved to S. Katy to a brand new shiny school. For 2nd grade her teacher was a 1st year teacher. Her classroom was a partition of the LGI (Large Group Instruction classroom) with a shower curtain for a door. It was so overcrowded that they didn't have enough classrooms so that they split the LGI into classrooms. But hey! The kids were also upper middle class, so the school rated exemplary.

Both old school & new school rated exemplary (one was 75% econ disadvantaged with a 20 yr experience teacher vs the other... a rich school with a new teacher with a shower-curtained classroom in crowded school) Would you say her education is "better" just because she is amongst the S Katy kids???

The teaching & curriculum in N Katy and S Katy is the same.
The perception is different.

If you care about your kids' education and can afford it, you are told to move to S Katy.

The kids aren't smarter in S Katy. the teachers aren't better in S Katy. But perception becomes reality.

[jr1038]

Originally Posted by descovy

I gotta tell you... I live in S Katy (Cinco Ranch) I like where I live... but seriously my neighbors really make me shake my head sometimes. They are really, really afraid of "poor-er" people. I live in a $200k house. So its really great news when they build $400k houses near me. But its really bad news if they build $100k houses near me. Why is that??? I am sure the $400k house people are ashamed to live near me. I must look like ghetto trash. What with my 55' lot and sub 3000 sq ft. Its a crying shame that my poor children live in such sad condition. (no media room! oh noes!!!)

I wonder if you'll still be this self-righteous not if but when - probably in a decade or two - your new(ish) neighborhood follows the inevitable cycle of decay and your already cheap $200k house is worth $100k because the South Katy area public schools are 50%+ ESL and gang-ridden. Then perhaps you'll realize what your neighbors' hullaballo over "luxury" apartment complexes and low-end grocers was all about.

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by jr1038

I wonder if you'll still be this self-righteous not if but when - probably in a decade or two - after your new(ish) neighborhood follows the inevitable cycle of decay and your already cheap $200k house is worth $100k because the area public schools are 50% ESL and gang-ridden, you'll realize what your neighbors' hullaballo over "luxury" apartment complexes and low-end grocers was all about.

LOL. It just keeps on coming. Good lord, you people have no shame. Some of this stuff said in here would make Neal Boortz blush.

With attempts like the yokels trying to block apartments and low income housing into areas near them, the "*******s" are blamed for "class warfare". PLEASE, get off your high horse.

[jr1038]

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

LOL. It just keeps on coming. Good lord, you people have no shame. Some of this stuff said in here would make Neal Boortz blush.

With attempts like the yokels trying to block apartments and low income housing into areas near them, the "*******s" are blamed for "class warfare". PLEASE, get off your high horse.

I'd rather have no shame than no sense.

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Most of the area south of I10 is now developed, or planned, so that leaves only the north side of I10 for development, especially the areas close to the Grand Parkway. I see much more master-planned communities that will undoubtedly out-do the south just as the south out-did the north. There is more growth potential south of I10 towards Brookshire, but the same is true for the north side, plus the north side also has the airport which will also develop and include passenger service at some point in the future.

And it is true that with the higher density/affluence in certain areas inside Loop 610, and reverse white-flight, the displacement will cause those people to move out to Katy where the kids will attend the "better" schools. What will happen is that all that is "good" in south Katy will become diluted... housing and schools. It's just a cycle that repeats itself in every city after decades.

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by jr1038

I'd rather have no shame than no sense.

And those structural problems are of course because of the poor right and their shiftless ways? Apparently, they lack that moral ethic that upstanding people in good communities have, eh?

Gimme a break. No wonder nothing can get done in this country when we have yahoos such as yourself that the problems are mostly cultural, moral or because of a lack of personal initiative.

Go listen to Glen Beck.