Does anyone live in Downtown? (Houston, Dallas: condo, crime, townhomes)

[Vicman]

Originally Posted by detachable arm

How much of that is "halfway housing" nowadays, meaning people who are fresh out of jail? It used to be a very high percentage and kept most normal people out.

Our downtown has gotten better but has always been weak... people have always preferred to go slightly to the west.

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

Most of it is actually regular market-rate housing. Thousands of apartments were built in the last 15 years. Yes, when analyzing population stats for Downtown, you do have to keep in mind the jail; some population measures include inmates, others don't ("household population" excludes inmates and shelter residents FYI).

Nevertheless, at this point, Downtown's population is more dominated by people living in households.

https://www.houstontx.gov/planning/D...1_Downtown.pdf

Shows 3,151 households with 889 family households as of 2015, compared to 1,385 households with 249 family households in 2000.

https://web.archive.org/web/20060904...1_downtown.htm

States that in 2000, out of 12,407 people, 10,437 were in group quarters, with 9,394 in correctional institutions, 259 in other institutions, one in a college dormitory, and 783 in other non-institutions.

[mingna]

Hmm, I wonder if all those facilities housing ‘non-traditional’ renters helped reduce the homeless situation downtown? I didn’t notice any around the Market Square area when I visited on a Saturday night a few weeks ago. I did notice many homeless around the upscale apartments/condos directly across from Minute Maid Park and vicinity when I visited almost a year ago.

Regardless, whether downtown becomes and stays a vibrant residential and commercial area will depend a lot on the crime rate. Nobody wants to be victimized just carrying out their normal routine.

[lotophage]

Originally Posted by Vicman

https://www.houstontx.gov/planning/D...1_Downtown.pdf

Shows 3,151 households with 889 family households as of 2015, compared to 1,385 households with 249 family households in 2000.

Found a slightly more updated version:
2017 Downtown Super Neighborhood

Two things jump out at me there:
1. Downtown went from half the population making under 25K to half making over 100k.
2. There is still a very low percentage of college graduates relative to other nearby core neighborhoods.

The super neighborhood data is combining Downtown with East Downtown, which I don't really think of as part of Downtown. Do people in East Downtown consider themselves to be living in Downtown? East Downtown has, undoubtedly, changed a lot in the past twenty years. I'd be interested to know what % of new households was in East Downtown vs. the other part.

[Achilles765]

I actually love that I live just outside downtown in second ward in greater east end. I’m 5 minute drive or a 10 minute bus ride from downtown but without having to deal with the traffic and noise.

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by lotophage

Found a slightly more updated version:
2017 Downtown Super Neighborhood

Two things jump out at me there:
1. Downtown went from half the population making under 25K to half making over 100k.
2. There is still a very low percentage of college graduates relative to other nearby core neighborhoods.

The super neighborhood data is combining Downtown with East Downtown, which I don't really think of as part of Downtown. Do people in East Downtown consider themselves to be living in Downtown? East Downtown has, undoubtedly, changed a lot in the past twenty years. I'd be interested to know what % of new households was in East Downtown vs. the other part.

Again, check to see whether the college graduate stats include the total population (includes inmates and shelter residents) or the household population, which is only folks living in their own unit.

[lotophage]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

Again, check to see whether the college graduate stats include the total population (includes inmates and shelter residents) or the household population, which is only folks living in their own unit.

It doesn't say, but that is what I was pointing out. With 50%+ of the population making >100k you'd expect 70%+ college grads, at least. With it listed as 34% suggests less than half the population are being counted for income.

[Liljo22]

Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag

Check out the Phoenicia. That's my go to when I'm downtown.

I like Phoenicia but it still is a specialty grocer and doesn’t have the selection of a big box store.

[AcresHomes44]

Originally Posted by mingna

Regardless, whether downtown becomes and stays a vibrant residential and commercial area will depend a lot on the crime rate. Nobody wants to be victimized just carrying out their normal routine.

The chances of someone being a crime victim downtown are very slim to none. Downtown has triple the police force of other areas of the city. It's rare that you hear of a murder or shooting in Downtown Houston.

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by AcresHomes44

The chances of someone being a crime victim downtown are very slim to none. Downtown has triple the police force of other areas of the city. It's rare that you hear of a murder or shooting in Downtown Houston.

I think people equate visible homeless people to crime. It's not true, but perception is hard to shake.

[mingna]

Originally Posted by AcresHomes44

The chances of someone being a crime victim downtown are very slim to none. Downtown has triple the police force of other areas of the city. It's rare that you hear of a murder or shooting in Downtown Houston.

Yes, and didn’t Houston increase the police budget recently? Wonder how that will play out, along with the new police chief, in addressing crime not just downtown but throughout Houston in general.