Another Relocation Post-LGBT Friendly Suburb (Houston: 2015, health insurance, neighborhoods)

[Carolina432]

Originally Posted by travelguy_73

Yes, join HGLP on FB if you want to reach out to people with firsthand experience. We are a gay family in Meyerland (77096), and the nearby 77035 zip (Westbury, Willowbend) would fit what you need. I agree with the other poster who said mid-200s will be tight in this area (and even more so in Austin!), but the elementary and middle school for 77035 (Parker Elem, Red Elem, Meyerland MS) are good. I doubt you need to worry about anything past elementary unless you really plan to stay in the house for many years. Most likely this will be your first house, and you will "move up" way before that happens.

I notice on the HGLP page that there seem to be lots of lesbian families in Cypress and Pearland. Honestly, I don't get it, except that people can have sticker shock by how (not) far their money goes the closer to town you get!

Another area of consideration is the Eastwood area in 77023. While the schools leave something to be desired, you can use the HISD lottery to get into a better school not too far away. And you are definitely among friends there .

Thank you so much for this info!!

[Carolina432]

Originally Posted by timtemtym

I know a surprising amount of LGBT families (two parents and kids) in the North and NW Houston areas (basically within 2-3 miles of 1960 between 290 and 45). I have no idea why that area!

It's also the reason why almost every LGBT centric church is located within a few miles of 290 and 610 (There are 4 at the moment). They want to be close to Montrose (which is no longer the gayborhood it once was), but also close to where most people live.

Southwest suburbs are more popular with latino lgbt, but most of the white/african-american families seem to prefer the NW suburbs. I'm guessing it is just where jobs and housing seem to work. Most of the houston gay community is not as high-earning as you'll find in DFW or Austin. Of course there are the rich folks in Houston, but the majority of the community is nurses, teachers, retail, more middle-income.

Austin has a lot of californians. Teacher pay in metro Austin is awful!

Thank you for the advice! We will definitely look into these areas!

[curbur]

Originally Posted by Thoreau424

^ I wouldn't recommend Pearland.

Surprised no one has mentioned Montrose.

Montrose is a great area, but if you're suggesting it as the 'gayborhood' of Houston, that title is really only in name only other than the fact Montrose still houses most of the prominent gay bars in town on Pacific St, it's just most of the people I've met that are under 40 typically don't live in Montrose, and even those that are over 40 don't either about half the time. Essentially, Montrose has outlived its gay persona somewhat due to gentrification, and really, as tolerance continues to increase across the board, the idea of a singular gay community as a safe space is becoming outdated and passe even.

[jerbear30]

I have often wondered if a liberal suburban area exists in Houston but most people tell me no, there isn’t one area. It would be useful to have some sort of sense of what the most progressive suburban areas would be. To the OP, I would suggest just renting in the Oak Forest/garden Oaks area. The houses are super expensive there, but renting would get you out of the burbs.

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by jerbear30

I have often wondered if a liberal suburban area exists in Houston but most people tell me no, there isn’t one area. It would be useful to have some sort of sense of what the most progressive suburban areas would be. To the OP, I would suggest just renting in the Oak Forest/garden Oaks area. The houses are super expensive there, but renting would get you out of the burbs.

What do you consider suburban? North Katy would be, right? It's very liberal, at least politically. So are most of the middle suburbs, except on the west side, where it's more purple politically. And then there's good chunks of Fort Bend as well.

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by timtemtym

It's also the reason why almost every LGBT centric church is located within a few miles of 290 and 610 (There are 4 at the moment).

Not sure where you’re moving from, but the fact that there are numbers of LGBT churches should give some insight into the local culture.

[cheryjohns]

Oh, for crying out loud - go for the best school district you can for the money. No one is going to try and investigate your bedroom arrangements. If I had two women (or men) move next door and they had a child - I would assume (without really caring) that one was a single parent. If I was informed otherwise, I would shrug. That's Houston.

[Weatherguy]

Originally Posted by snackdog

The site below shows a map of Houston voting precinct results for the 2012 election. The blue surburbs inside 610 are liberal voters with money (Montrose, Midtown, Heights). The red dots inside 610 are fairly wealthy conservaties (West U, Bellaire, River Oaks, Afton Oaks). The blue suburbs outside the loop are poor Democrats (Westbury, Sharpstown, Mission Bend, all of east Houston) . The red dots are poor redneck Republicans (Pasadena, Deer Park, Friendswood, Sugarland, Katy, Jersey Village).

Moderator cut: link removed, competitor site

Westbury poor? Have you looked at prices of homes in that area? That's where I grew up. Westbury, Sharpstown, Mission Bend, east of Houston? Uh...you mean west of Houston. Sugarland poor? Have you even been to Sugarland? It's extremely upscale. Not that poor is a problem...it's just that your misinformation is a problem.

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by snackdog

The site below shows a map of Houston voting precinct results for the 2012 election. The blue surburbs inside 610 are liberal voters with money (Montrose, Midtown, Heights). The red dots inside 610 are fairly wealthy conservaties (West U, Bellaire, River Oaks, Afton Oaks). The blue suburbs outside the loop are poor Democrats (Westbury, Sharpstown, Mission Bend, all of east Houston) . The red dots are poor redneck Republicans (Pasadena, Deer Park, Friendswood, Sugarland, Katy, Jersey Village).

Moderator cut: link removed, competitor site

Is it too difficult to tell people that Houston is different from most American cities?

Based on that page, 60% of people in my area are republican
There’s a gay couple that lives in my neighborhood that also goes to the same church I go to
And there’s also a gay bar a couple of miles from house

[descovy]

Am I the only one who opened this thread wondering what
“post-LGBT” meant???