Valley Stream or West Hempstead (New York, Islip: short sales, mortgage, brokers)

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by I_Love_LI_but

So are you saying you didn't imply it in your veiled question?



Right back at ya



The only number I based my "non-recommendation" on was the number of probationers and parolees who submit home addresses in that area.



Typical Long Islander you mean? Substitute "straightforwardness" instead of being afraid to say what I mean. Sorry I am blunt.



Nothing. And where did I say I did?



First, a word of advice on that subject; it seems to be a sore one here. I have had my posts deleted and/or modified when I (negatively) discussed the high rate of segregation on LI. (Hope ya get to read this before it disappears and I get smacked.) Second, I will admit that there were many times while trying to get in touch with a probationer, someone would answer the phone number given and would get very angry and say, "Why does he always give my number and address??? That no good so and so doesn't live here!!!!" So perhaps the higher than average rate claiming to live in Lakeview gave the phone number/address of their relative instead of where they really live and that is where I got the perception? I don't know.



Even if I were, I would never admit to it for fear of being harassed as an overpaid ^#^%%$^ who drains the taxpayers dry and works less than 9 months a year.



We all have a lot to deal with.

My point is this, we are in trouble if communities with numbers like this are not even desirable to people. I'm not just talking about Black people or people of color, but American society as a whole. I'm pretty stright forward on race. So, if I thought some one was racist or whatever, I pretty much would say so. I'm not from there. So, I don't know if there might be an undercurrent of issues going on there as well. I did notice that it had a high Caribbean community and I assume Guyanese because it said that about 1/5th of the community comes from South America, where Guyana is. That also is interesting, because a former mayor of Schenectady encouraged people from Guyana to move there due to their work ethic and business sense. So, who knows?

[sean sean sean sean]

Originally Posted by I_Love_LI_but

Where I used to work by necessity I was privy to a lot of data on convicted criminals, specifically probationers and parolees located in Nassau County. That's why I don't recommend Lakeview compared to other places. Lakeview has a disproportionately larger number of these people than that of Nassau County as a whole and the percentage is similar to that of Roosevelt and Uniondale. However, it is NOT as disproportionately large as that of Hempstead or Freeport, for example, so it's certainly not the "worst of the worst" in Nassau. BUT considering that Lakeview has similar home prices and taxes to many other places on LI that DO NOT have a larger than average convicted criminal population, why should I recommend Lakeview?

Fair enough, seems very strange to me though. I cannot possibly imagine that Lakeview has anywhere near the amount of people on parole and probation as Roosevelt. How scientific is this exactly? Did you just see a Rockville Centre or West Hempstead address and figure it was probably Lakeview? Unless I had a map in front of me, I wouldn't know the streets off the top of my head....especially because the name "Lakeview" doesn't even appear on many maps, and if it does it's usually up by the train station - which isn't even in Lakeview.

Originally Posted by I_Love_LI_but

I don't think it is totally bogus. Where there's smoke, there's fire. However, I do see why you disagree with the list, because I do think it generalizes too much, as it lumps what they consider "substandard" all in together, whether they are districts that may rival the worst of the worst in the inner city or districts that are only in need of improvement to bring it up to an acceptable level for LI, so it makes those districts look "extra bad" when in reality they are not that terrible, just not totally up to par. That being said, I STILL wouldn't recommend any school district that needs improvement considering the high taxes that is charged on LI for all school districts, excellent, good, bad, mediocre, average, etc. Unlike the low cost of living in third world countries (what they now call "developing" or "emerging"), there is no tax break for buying into a "developing" school district, so why waste your money? I am all for the consumer being smart and getting their money's worth, especially in this overinflated housing market.

It's not just that it generalizes, it's that it's using an extremely stupid criteria. Elmont HS got put on this list because it got a "failing" grade from the NYS Report Card in providing services to teach it's ESL students Biology or something ridiculous like that. It passed in every single other category, of which there are over a hundred, and it's showings for academics themselves were very good. Meanwhile, god awful school districts like Hempstead and Roosevelt were deemed "passing" in all areas for years, while they barely graduated a third of their students in any given year and test scores were among some of the worst in the entire STATE. That's not generalizing, it's just stupidity. I'm sure whatever reason Roosevelt finally got put on this list in '08 was just as dumb as the reason Elmont is on it and not anything relevant to the actual quality of the district.

Why not just go directly to the source instead of quoting a very misleading report? The information Newsday based their list on is readily available for anyone to view on the internet. Malverne and West Hempstead are not the best in Nassau, but have a look for yourself.... you'll see these districts really have nothing to be ashamed of:

Accountability & Overview Report: Malverne UFSD '06-'07
Accountability & Overview Report: West Hempstead UFSD '06-'07

...and yes, 2006-2007 is the most recent data published.

Originally Posted by I_Love_LI_but

Regarding all the stats, the other poster provided the link where s/he found the household income for Lakeview on and it is from 2000. When I posted, I assumed s/he was citing current numbers. A household income of approximately $69,000 in 2009 is a lot different than pre-housing bubble 2000. Let's face it, right now $69,000 for a family would not provide adequate housing at current market rates, either rental or buying, on Long Island for an entire family, especially considering all the other expenses a family has. That is why I disparaged that income level because it won't buy much around here, although maybe you could actually afford to buy a house in Houston TX on that family income. There is no sense talking about what incomes people had almost 10 years ago because it is not relevant to what is going on today, especially on Long Island with its extra-inflated home prices and property taxes.

Whether it's $69,000 or $169,000 isn't important, it's the comparisons to the surrounding areas. I doubt any of these places have changed socioeconomic characterstics significantly in the last 8 years, maybe shifted a few spots around on that list but nothing dramatic. I didn't realize that City-Data.com had estimates up, so to prove this I'll do the same places with estimated 2007 figures:

Malverne: $101,940 (1.6%)
North Valley Stream: $91,765 (3.7%)
Garden City South: $91,592 (4.4%)
Nassau County: $89,782 (3.5%)
West Hempstead: $88,822 (3.4%)
Lakeview: $85,305 (6.3%)
Town of Hempstead: $84,362 (4.0%)
Valley Stream: $78,829 (3.5%)
Lynbrook: $77,745 (4.2%)
Uniondale: $76,545 (8.8%)
Franklin Square: $76,031 (5.0%)
Roosevelt: $70,693 (15.0%)
Hempstead: $56,382 (17.7%)

No big surprise, it's exactly the same with the exception of Malverne and North Valley Stream doing a flip flop. Coincidentally, while income has risen around 20% on average....families below the poverty line have also increased sharply. I guess the middle class really is disappearing...

Originally Posted by I_Love_LI_but

Regarding criminal populations, I would like to add that it is a good idea for anyone looking to buy a house absolutely anywhere to run a search on the address on internet websites such as "Family Watchdog" to check for the location of registered sex offenders!

Lakeview has 3, for anyone who was wondering. That seems to be pretty in line with everywhere else in Nassau County.

[mrmoose]

before i get flamed I would like to say I AM AN ORTHODOX JEW. their are sections of west hempstead which have large and growing orthodox communities. Therefore their is a premium on housing prices in those areas to account for people who need ot be able to walk to shul. It seems silly of me for a non orthodox person to pay this premium so a non orthodox person might find better values elsewhere.

[ckhthankgod]

I think this might be a faster site with that information: https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb/Di...t=280212030000

https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb/Di...t=280227030000

and all of Nassau County: https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb/Co...&county=Nassau

[I_Love_LI_but]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

My point is this, we are in trouble if communities with numbers like this are not even desirable to people.

I am just one single person who considers other places more desirable than Lakeview, especially if you are going to pay high Long Island taxes and high home prices. I am sure several people do not have the same opinion.

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

I did notice that it had a high Caribbean community and I assume Guyanese because it said that about 1/5th of the community comes from South America, where Guyana is. That also is interesting, because a former mayor of Schenectady encouraged people from Guyana to move there due to their work ethic and business sense. So, who knows?

I didn't even know that! (See I admit it when I don't know something.) I wouldn't even know that from the stats I used to study, unless someone was actually born in Guyana because it included "country of birth." Interesting fact about Guyana: A lot of Indians make it their home and have for a long time! I know a family whose parents were born in Guyana and whose grandparents immigrated to Guyana from India long ago.

[I_Love_LI_but]

Originally Posted by sean sean sean sean

I cannot possibly imagine that Lakeview has anywhere near the amount of people on parole and probation as Roosevelt.

I did not say it had the same amount. I said the proportion of the population was in line with it. It couldn’t have the same amount (or if it did, Lakeview would be a very bad community indeed) since Roosevelt probably has at least 3x the population of Lakeview.

Originally Posted by sean sean sean sean

How scientific is this exactly?

Not scientific. Just my own findings through data I was routinely exposed to at a former job, which was more than a few years ago so perhaps things have changed. For example, another poster pointed out that they thought there was a large Guyanese population there and I didn’t know that. Looking back on this all, the OP threw out a question about Lakeview and I instinctively answered “not a good area,” because in my mind there were definitely better areas (not to mention with more amenities included in the tax dollars) for her to choose where she could spend a comparable amount for the cost of a house and have comparable tax rates. When I was asked why I would not recommend Lakeview, I had to think to myself, “well, exactly why do you have a negative gut reaction to the name “Lakeview?” Then I thought about how Lakeview was one of those places I remembered as having a bit too much of a share of probationers and parolees, similar to other Nassau towns that I would also not recommend. If it will make anybody around here feel better, there are majority WHITE communities on Long Island I would not recommend to anyone either just on the strong suspicion (as I didn’t have Suffolk data) of a larger than average convicted criminal population.

Originally Posted by sean sean sean sean

It's not just that it generalizes, it's that it's using an extremely stupid criteria. Elmont HS got put on this list because it got a "failing" grade from the NYS Report Card in providing services to teach it's ESL students Biology or something ridiculous like that. It passed in every single other category, of which there are over a hundred, and it's showings for academics themselves were very good. Meanwhile, god awful school districts like Hempstead and Roosevelt were deemed "passing" in all areas for years, while they barely graduated a third of their students in any given year and test scores were among some of the worst in the entire STATE. That's not generalizing, it's just stupidity. I'm sure whatever reason Roosevelt finally got put on this list in '08 was just as dumb as the reason Elmont is on it and not anything relevant to the actual quality of the district.

Thank you for looking into this so thoroughly! Do you know if anyone from the maligned school districts, such as Elmont, wrote a Letter to the Editor of Newsday and protest their inclusion on this list? They should have if they didn’t because the bad publicity negatively affects their reputation.

Originally Posted by sean sean sean sean

Why not just go directly to the source instead of quoting a very misleading report?

I know you as a very fair-minded person, so here is where I sense you will disagree with me. Yes, I do quote that report knowing that it is flawed. Why do I do so? Because Newsday is the major media source on Long Island, so it has tremendous power to affect reputation, whether deserved or not, of a Long Island school district, which in turn affects property values and resale opportunities. I hate the fact that Long Island school districts have high property taxes, whether good, bad, or somewhere in the middle, and I always take the opportunity to encourage consumers to vote with their feet and avoid school districts that are definitely downright bad or that even have bad reputations. I believe that NO school district on Long Island should be bad or should be perceived as bad with the taxes we have to pay, so perhaps if they are shunned that will light a fire under their butts to start doing something better so that they actually deserve the high taxes they are receiving.

Originally Posted by sean sean sean sean

Malverne and West Hempstead are not the best in Nassau, but have a look for yourself.... you'll see these districts really have nothing to be ashamed of

Agreed that they are not in shameful condition and there are plenty of other school districts in other parts of the country that are probably worse off. However, WHY would you or anyone recommend that a person looking for a house buy there when the same person could get a house at a comparable price with comparable taxes in a much better school district like Valley Stream? Why should people settle when they can do better? I would be all for settling if you could get a “discount” on taxes for being in a less than stellar school district, but we all know you don’t. If it was back in the day when homes were affordable to most of the middle class, maybe I wouldn’t be so harsh, but with today’s prices I advise people to be extra choosy.

Originally Posted by sean sean sean sean

Whether it's $69,000 or $169,000 isn't important, it's the comparisons to the surrounding areas.

Basically you are talking about something else. That is not what the person I was responding to wrote. They said, “So, is the average family income is low for LI?” and just cryptically dashed out the $69,000 and a few other stats with no year cited and that was it. If the person had added the other stats like you did and stated that Lakeview was comparable in income to other places in the same general area, I would have responded differently. As the person was from upstate, I thought s/he was trying to say that a family income of $69,000 should be good enough on Long Island currently in 2009. So I responded that I thought, yes, indeed it was low. In reality we all know that here on LI a total family income of $69,000 could not provide a home for a family here. It is impossible to rent or buy at current market rates and provide for two adults and 1 or more kids on that money here. A lot of people from places other than Long Island do not understand our high cost of living and salaries they think are great just don’t cut it here.

Originally Posted by sean sean sean sean

Lakeview has 3, for anyone who was wondering. That seems to be pretty in line with everywhere else in Nassau County.

Thank you for looking it up! So using the link another poster put up to current info for Lakeview, the population as of 2007 was 5,482. Three sex offenders out of that number equals 0.05%.

[sean sean sean sean]

Originally Posted by I_Love_LI_but

I did not say it had the same amount. I said the proportion of the population was in line with it. It couldn’t have the same amount (or if it did, Lakeview would be a very bad community indeed) since Roosevelt probably has at least 3x the population of Lakeview.

That's what I meant, I worded it poorly....my bad.

Originally Posted by I_Love_LI_but

Not scientific. Just my own findings through data I was routinely exposed to at a former job, which was more than a few years ago so perhaps things have changed. For example, another poster pointed out that they thought there was a large Guyanese population there and I didn’t know that. Looking back on this all, the OP threw out a question about Lakeview and I instinctively answered “not a good area,” because in my mind there were definitely better areas (not to mention with more amenities included in the tax dollars) for her to choose where she could spend a comparable amount for the cost of a house and have comparable tax rates. When I was asked why I would not recommend Lakeview, I had to think to myself, “well, exactly why do you have a negative gut reaction to the name “Lakeview?” Then I thought about how Lakeview was one of those places I remembered as having a bit too much of a share of probationers and parolees, similar to other Nassau towns that I would also not recommend. If it will make anybody around here feel better, there are majority WHITE communities on Long Island I would not recommend to anyone either just on the strong suspicion (as I didn’t have Suffolk data) of a larger than average convicted criminal population.

Ok, Levittown has to be one of those white places. So many people I went to high school with have done jail time. With that in mind, would you not recommend Levittown? I know you might not be as familiar with that area as with Lakeview, but from what you know...? I'm not necessarily saying you're wrong in stating that there are much better areas, Lakeview wouldn't be my first choice either, I just think it's a misrepresentation to portray it as a place that should be avoided at any cost. I could be wrong, but that's not my experience at all.

Originally Posted by I_Love_LI_but

Thank you for looking into this so thoroughly! Do you know if anyone from the maligned school districts, such as Elmont, wrote a Letter to the Editor of Newsday and protest their inclusion on this list? They should have if they didn’t because the bad publicity negatively affects their reputation.

I know the principal of Elmont wrote letters, went on News 12 and whatever but the damage was done. I don't know about any other schools...I didn't think Malverne or West Hempstead were on that list either, where did you get that from?

Originally Posted by I_Love_LI_but

I know you as a very fair-minded person, so here is where I sense you will disagree with me. Yes, I do quote that report knowing that it is flawed. Why do I do so? Because Newsday is the major media source on Long Island, so it has tremendous power to affect reputation, whether deserved or not, of a Long Island school district, which in turn affects property values and resale opportunities. I hate the fact that Long Island school districts have high property taxes, whether good, bad, or somewhere in the middle, and I always take the opportunity to encourage consumers to vote with their feet and avoid school districts that are definitely downright bad or that even have bad reputations. I believe that NO school district on Long Island should be bad or should be perceived as bad with the taxes we have to pay, so perhaps if they are shunned that will light a fire under their butts to start doing something better so that they actually deserve the high taxes they are receiving.

You're right, I don't agree with that at all. I would like to think that most people are smarter than what they read in the paper, though I know it isn't true. You know certain areas are going to be perceived as bad no matter what.... you live in Valley Stream, correct? Are you aware that VS is a place that likely has a worse reputation that Lakeview, completely undeserved? The schools are good, the crime is low, the neighborhood is nice - but you will still pay the same taxes to live in a place that many LIers view as an idyllic suburb turned minority infested dumping ground where gang warfare runs rampant and bullets fly through the mall daily. By comparison, Lakeview just seems to be viewed as a part of Rockville Centre that isn't as desireable to live in. Now, in the case of VS - this is an area more people know of, and the consensus is total fantasy....whereas less people know of Lakeview and it's actually true that most people would rather live in the "real" RVC (I would), however I don't think either prevailing opinion is really doing anyone much good, in or out of those neighborhoods.

Why can't we just be truthful? Is that so much to ask? Lakeview is not perfect, however it is not much different than other suburbs on LI. Even without the gleam of a Lynbrook or Hewlett, it would still appear to be a fairly good place to live....especially to black people, many of whom would probably have no problem trading the cachet of attending South Side HS for having their child NOT being the "token black kid" at Malverne. Don't forget, there aren't many opportunities for black families to live in a black community and not have to deal with a myriad of problems on LI. I'm sure someone will say that's racist on my part, but it's just the way it is in a lot of places on LI, unfortunately. For every Valley Stream or Lakeview there are ten Hempsteads. This is a place that does, and should, appeal to certain families - taxes be damned.

Originally Posted by I_Love_LI_but

Agreed that they are not in shameful condition and there are plenty of other school districts in other parts of the country that are probably worse off. However, WHY would you or anyone recommend that a person looking for a house buy there when the same person could get a house at a comparable price with comparable taxes in a much better school district like Valley Stream? Why should people settle when they can do better? I would be all for settling if you could get a “discount” on taxes for being in a less than stellar school district, but we all know you don’t. If it was back in the day when homes were affordable to most of the middle class, maybe I wouldn’t be so harsh, but with today’s prices I advise people to be extra choosy.

Same as above, maybe it doesn't appeal to you, but different families are looking for different things. It would be a fallacy to say that these districts are some of the worst on LI because they're nowhere near that. They're not even much worse, academically, than surrounding areas (including RVC and Valley Stream).

Originally Posted by I_Love_LI_but

Basically you are talking about something else. That is not what the person I was responding to wrote. They said, “So, is the average family income is low for LI?” and just cryptically dashed out the $69,000 and a few other stats with no year cited and that was it. If the person had added the other stats like you did and stated that Lakeview was comparable in income to other places in the same general area, I would have responded differently. As the person was from upstate, I thought s/he was trying to say that a family income of $69,000 should be good enough on Long Island currently in 2009. So I responded that I thought, yes, indeed it was low. In reality we all know that here on LI a total family income of $69,000 could not provide a home for a family here. It is impossible to rent or buy at current market rates and provide for two adults and 1 or more kids on that money here. A lot of people from places other than Long Island do not understand our high cost of living and salaries they think are great just don’t cut it here.

Ahh, I see....I thought you meant that $69,000 was low for anywhere on LI.

[sean sean sean sean]

Originally Posted by sean sean sean sean

Ahh, I see....I thought you meant that $69,000 was low for anywhere on LI.

I should clarify this: I thought you meant that even knowing the data was from 2000, $69,000 would be low back then and it's likely that surrounding areas had improved in the time since while Lakeview hadn't.

[I_Love_LI_but]

Originally Posted by sean sean sean sean

Ok, Levittown has to be one of those white places. So many people I went to high school with have done jail time. With that in mind, would you not recommend Levittown?

I don't recall an excess of parolees and probationers in Levittown. However, I would recommend surrounding areas above Levittown. Maybe though with the new blood coming in, particularly new blood that can't afford homes in areas their parents lived in, and the old blood moving out, the general "dirtbag" ratio in Levittown is growing smaller.

Originally Posted by sean sean sean sean

I know you might not be as familiar with that area as with Lakeview, but from what you know...? I'm not necessarily saying you're wrong in stating that there are much better areas, Lakeview wouldn't be my first choice either, I just think it's a misrepresentation to portray it as a place that should be avoided at any cost. I could be wrong, but that's not my experience at all.

I never said it should be avoided at all cost, but I think there are better places to spend the same money. I was curious so I ran a search on "Lakeview" on these forums and there are major differences in point of view. Look how amazingly these two contrast:

Someone recommended Malverne, but I would not for you. I lived there and my parents still live there. The entire town is almost all white, but the school district incorporates a town called Lakeview. The school is almost all African American (most of the white families send their kids to private school). Lakeview is not middle class at all...it's more along the lines of the poverty found in the Roosevelt area. When you drive through Lakeview, you see gangs and houses boarded up. Quite a few Malverne residents are still bitter over the integration of the schools so it may not be the most welcoming place or type of area you are looking for.

I live in the community nieghboring Lakeview and know many families from there. There are many very nice parts and some run down parts as well although you will find that in most communities. Lakeview has a great park, a beautiful library and a nature preserve. The downside is there are not many commercial businesses there. Many families shop in Malverne and West Hempstead. All the people I've met through the schools are wonderful. They are caring parents and civic minded residents. There is a group of elder men and school coaches that do a wonderful job at keeping the children engaged in sports and a watchful eye on kids at risk. The schools have improved dramatically in the last 10 years. I've been to several homes in Lakeview some with properties 300 feet deep, tennis and basketball courts as well as inground pools.

Originally Posted by sean sean sean sean

I don't know about any other schools...I didn't think Malverne or West Hempstead were on that list either, where did you get that from?

Malverne, yes; West Hempstead, no. I don't understand the question "where did you get that from?"

Originally Posted by sean sean sean sean

You're right, I don't agree with that at all. I would like to think that most people are smarter than what they read in the paper, though I know it isn't true.

No people are not smarter.

Originally Posted by sean sean sean sean

You know certain areas are going to be perceived as bad no matter what.... you live in Valley Stream, correct? Are you aware that VS is a place that likely has a worse reputation that Lakeview, completely undeserved?

Yes I do and no I didn't know that. A "worse reputation" among who? White people? So if it's viewed as worse than Lakeview, proportionately, do more white people move to Lakeview than Valley Stream? I know white people are still moving to Valley Stream. If it had that bad of a rep, they wouldn't, especially ones that already live on LI. Long Island has a major history of segregation as we all know and it is still going strong to some degree. There was a NY Times article written in 2002 about how it is actually the most segregated suburb in the entire nation. Whenever I quote this article, it gets taken off for alleged "copywrite violations," so here is the link: Study Calls L.I. Most Segregated Suburb - New York Times.

Originally Posted by sean sean sean sean

The schools are good, the crime is low, the neighborhood is nice - but you will still pay the same taxes to live in a place that many LIers view as an idyllic suburb turned minority infested dumping ground where gang warfare runs rampant and bullets fly through the mall daily.

Don't forget the infamous DeathMart incident when it comes to gossip! Basically, I don't care about the gossip. If people want to be racist and stay away, good for them because we don't want them here. We don't want white kids that will go out and attack (beat and/or kill) someone just because they are a minority. Racist parents will produce those kinds of kids, so they can stay away. Stay far away.

Originally Posted by sean sean sean sean

By comparison, Lakeview just seems to be viewed as a part of Rockville Centre that isn't as desireable to live in.

A lot of people think it's part of West Hempstead. Curious that it shares the same zip code as RVC, yet doesn't go to the RVC school district. School district borderlines are so confusing all over Long Island, so I should not be surprised by anything.

Originally Posted by sean sean sean sean

Why can't we just be truthful? Is that so much to ask?

I am telling the truth from my point of view. Just because we don't always share the same point of view doesn't mean I am not telling the truth as I see it.

Originally Posted by sean sean sean sean

to black people, many of whom would probably have no problem trading the cachet of attending South Side HS for having their child NOT being the "token black kid" at Malverne.

South Side already has black kids, so s/he would not be the token black. There are black families residing in RVC proper.

Originally Posted by sean sean sean sean

Don't forget, there aren't many opportunities for black families to live in a black community and not have to deal with a myriad of problems on LI. I'm sure someone will say that's racist on my part, but it's just the way it is in a lot of places on LI, unfortunately. For every Valley Stream or Lakeview there are ten Hempsteads. This is a place that does, and should, appeal to certain families - taxes be damned.

Okay then the best person to advice them as to whether Lakeview is desirable or not is someone who is also black. I don't say it's "racist" to mention this on your part, yet I say it's foolish and short-sighted in general for people to want to raise their kids in a segregated community in this day and age because they will have to interact with other races, colors, and creeds unless you lock them in their rooms their whole life after they graduate from their segregated high school! The world is becoming more and more of a global village and I think kids that live in a mostly segregated community are being done a disservice because eventually they will have to face the world and all its inhabitants. That's what I like about Valley Stream. It has integrated through choice, not racist real estate policies like Roosevelt and some other towns did. People who live here also understand they are getting a multi-racial, multi-ethnic community and that's what they want, so it's about "our community" not about racial divisions and seeking segregation. As an aside, when white people state that they want to live in an all-white or majority white community they are attacked as "racists." Why should blacks be allowed to be "separtists" then without being complained at? The doublestandard is there.

Originally Posted by sean sean sean sean

They're not even much worse, academically, than surrounding areas (including RVC and Valley Stream).

My point is, why accept anything that is "worse" for the same tax dollars? There is global competition now for slots in good colleges and for jobs!

Originally Posted by sean sean sean sean

Ahh, I see....I thought you meant that $69,000 was low for anywhere on LI.

Speaking of money, I don't believe that you can judge a community just by the average income anyway. Being poor does not automatically equal being a criminal and being wealthy does not automatically equal being law abiding. Take a look at India, which has a very large percentage of people living in utter poverty. The poor are not running around like wild animals committing crimes, assaulting people and stealing. Now take a look at an American dynasty, the closest thing we have had to a royal family, the Kennedys. Guess how they became so rich that they have been effortlessly wealthy for several generations and still have enough to support their decendants for more decades to come so that it might as well be a perpetuity (word means an annuity that has no definite end, or a stream of cash payments that continues forever)? THE MONEY WAS EARNED THROUGH CRIME. Bootlegging. Supplying an illegal mind-altering substance to the public during Prohibition when alcoholic beverages were illegal. Although most Kennedys these days appear to be law-abiding citizens, there have been instances throughout the years that showed some of them have a disturbing propensity towards criminal behavior. I wonder if in the years to come the descendants of major drug traffickers will turn out to be the new "Kennedys?"

[TeaFor2]

Malverne school district is not very good, VS schools are better. Looking at the prices of housing you can see this because a Lynbrook address with Malverne schools is significantly cheaper.