Possibly moving to Boyle Heights...good/bad idea? (San Francisco, Santa Monica: homes, neighborhoods)

[hjt123]

Originally Posted by jm1982

When the first Pilates studio opens up there ...it's all over!

This little recent blurb from La Magazine on Boyle Heights mentions the coming gentrification

Guillermo Uribe on the

Its a mini interview with the owner of Eastside Luv a bar in Boyle Heights

"His wish for the area: “That it remain predominantly owned by Latinos. There are plenty of healthy food choices, clean air and water—hell, Latinos in the Eastside of Los Angeles have been growing food and doing free-range chickens in our yards and streets before the labels ‘free range’ and ‘organic’ even existed.” -

Kind of sad though that he wants it to be predominately for Latinos since a while back there was more diversity in Boyle Heights, Jews , Asians ,etc .

And if a non hispanic wants to come in and pay someone a small fortune for their home that they bought for next to nothing decades ago, why is that a bad thing?

I bet a lot of long time residents have their homes paid off in the area or very small mortgages.

Sure it might not be a lot of money for buying another house in L.A..but if you think creatively. $300,000+ can go a long way and create a lot of income if you invest it wisely. Example; investment property in high cash flow cities.

Or buying a business that makes you a lot of money each year.

Eh, it's not so bad for neighborhoods of cultural significance to a group to remain in that group's hands. Why is that people lament the loss of various Little Italys across the country but this statement is offensive?

I don't think he's saying non-Mexicans shouldn't move to Boyle Heights, just that Mexicans should invest in and hold on to a community that has been culturally significant to them for 1/2 a century. Lack of property ownership by the residents results in neighborhoods getting gentrified at breakneck paces and I can see why they would like to avoid that. I'd support a more diverse populace for BH, but I think it wouldn't be right if developers and gentrifiers could take over most of the commercial spaces and Chipotle/Silver Lake the whole neighborhood.

[Gurbie]

Originally Posted by jamills21

all the quotes in that article say everything was fine until it "came out of the blue". This is the problem with the media and people reliance on them when it comes to hyperbole.

Hispanic gangs in SoCal employing terror tactics like fire bombings and random shootings of non-gangster blacks, in an attempt to drive them out of their neighborhoods does not "come out of the blue". There is a history of such acts.

Things may be getting better- they can't change fast enough to suit me. But reporting the facts in context is not "hyperbole". If anything, hate crimes are under-reported. No city wants the bad PR and loss of revenue that follows.

It doesn't do any good to stick your head in the sand about this stuff. If I were black, and thinking about moving myself or my family to BH, or any place else with a notable Hispanic gang presence, I'd want to be informed.

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by hjt123

Eh, it's not so bad for neighborhoods of cultural significance to a group to remain in that group's hands. Why is that people lament the loss of various Little Italys across the country but this statement is offensive?

I don't think he's saying non-Mexicans shouldn't move to Boyle Heights, just that Mexicans should invest in and hold on to a community that has been culturally significant to them for 1/2 a century. Lack of property ownership by the residents results in neighborhoods getting gentrified at breakneck paces and I can see why they would like to avoid that. I'd support a more diverse populace for BH, but I think it wouldn't be right if developers and gentrifiers could take over most of the commercial spaces and Chipotle/Silver Lake the whole neighborhood.

But despite gentrification happening in echo park there is still a large Hispanic population it's still a Hispanic majority and gentrification has been going on for years .

Silverlake also still has a big Hispanic population and wasn't necessarily a historically Hispanic area like echo park or Boyle heights or east la .

The question is can you improve an area significantly economically without the change in ethnic demographics

The people going to the popular bars or living in the new construction buildings are generally going to be outside of the area .

I haven't been to Eastside luv..but I'm guessing not all the patrons live in Boyle heights

Also regarding gentrification ...what is a breakneck speed ? ...again echo park has been gentrifying for years ..but I was just there yesterday and it doesn't look like a Brentwood , Santa Monica or other such area .

I am sure though with less restrictive development and no rent control laws the area would of looked a lot different now

Also regarding lack of ownership ...a lot of people of all backgrounds in all parts of LA lack home ownership because of the expense .

All the efforts by the government and other groups to preserve affordability haven't worked .

They haven't worked in NYC or San Francisco either

Also why wouldn't it be right if developers buy buildings and improve them .. I am against destroying historical buildings but I like the idea of improving buildings that are vacant / rundown .

Hopefully there will be a way to retain the cultural history while also improving the area .

I don't agree though that once nonhispancics move in its all over ...hasn't happened yet in echo park , highland park or other neighborhoods .

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by hjt123

Eh, it's not so bad for neighborhoods of cultural significance to a group to remain in that group's hands. Why is that people lament the loss of various Little Italys across the country but this statement is offensive?

I don't think he's saying non-Mexicans shouldn't move to Boyle Heights, just that Mexicans should invest in and hold on to a community that has been culturally significant to them for 1/2 a century. Lack of property ownership by the residents results in neighborhoods getting gentrified at breakneck paces and I can see why they would like to avoid that. I'd support a more diverse populace for BH, but I think it wouldn't be right if developers and gentrifiers could take over most of the commercial spaces and Chipotle/Silver Lake the whole neighborhood.

Thanks for expressing this so well. I read that most of the BH residents are renters, so they are especially susceptible to being kicked out of their community if the hipsters and yuppies start buying up the properties. I still don't see why the average white anglo would want to live there.

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by jm1982

But despite gentrification happening in echo park there is still a large Hispanic population it's still a Hispanic majority and gentrification has been going on for years .

Silverlake also still has a big Hispanic population and wasn't necessarily a historically Hispanic area like echo park or Boyle heights or east la .

The question is can you improve an area significantly economically without the change in ethnic demographics

The people going to the popular bars or living in the new construction buildings are generally going to be outside of the area .

I haven't been to Eastside luv..but I'm guessing not all the patrons live in Boyle heights

Also regarding gentrification ...what is a breakneck speed ? ...again echo park has been gentrifying for years ..but I was just there yesterday and it doesn't look like a Brentwood , Santa Monica or other such area .

I am sure though with less restrictive development and no rent control laws the area would of looked a lot different now

Also regarding lack of ownership ...a lot of people of all backgrounds in all parts of LA lack home ownership because of the expense .

All the efforts by the government and other groups to preserve affordability haven't worked .

They haven't worked in NYC or San Francisco either

Also why wouldn't it be right if developers buy buildings and improve them .. I am against destroying historical buildings but I like the idea of improving buildings that are vacant / rundown .

Hopefully there will be a way to retain the cultural history while also improving the area .

I don't agree though that once nonhispancics move in its all over ...hasn't happened yet in echo park , highland park or other neighborhoods .

well, it HAS happened in Venice & Sta Monica.

[jm1982]

Venice and Santa Monica were historically Hispanic areas before ?

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by wehotex

Thanks for expressing this so well. I read that most of the BH residents are renters, so they are especially susceptible to being kicked out of their community if the hipsters and yuppies start buying up the properties. I still don't see why the average white anglo would want to live there.

If they are in rent controlled buildings ...probably 99 percent of the apartment buildings in bh they can't get kicked out ..I think the rules on SFH is different though to be fair ..

In a country with private property rights though like USA this is pretty impossible to stop.

If you own a house and can rent it for a lot more will you give up that opportunity ?

Also the average white Anglo migh not want to to live there

But a white Anglo might because , it's more affordable than downtown la and other parts of city , the subway is nearby , they have an appreciation for Latino culture , they want to be part of an area that seems to be changing,etc .

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by jm1982

Venice and Santa Monica were historically Hispanic areas before ?

I know that Venice used to be. IN fact, it had sizable gang activity in the 90s.

[jm1982]

There can be gangs in an area without the area being a majority of the ethnicity of that particular gang or gangs .

I would be surprised if Venice was ever majority Hispanic in the past .

[RudyOD]

Originally Posted by jamills21

I knew a couple black people who have lived there in the past couple years. They didn't seem to have any problems. I really think people overblow certain racial issues between Blacks and Mexicans because they only apply to gang members. Even then, If you not in a gang, in any part of the city, then they wont harass you. People really like to project the insecurities they have onto whole neighborhoods.

Well, I didn't claim to know, just that they should check with other black folks who have lived in BH to see if they had any issues due to their race.

Also, it isn't about projecting insecurities, it is about being realistic. L.A. is known for its black on Mexican (and vice versa) tension, violence due to gangs. Hopefully what you say is representative of the experience of the average black person in Boyle Heights, and the whole thing is overblown media hype...hopefully. Still, I would investigate that before moving into a neighborhood where I feel my life might be endangered.

Personally, I think BH is a cool place, but I wouldn't live there. Too homogeneous for me. It lacks the diversity of people I crave and love about L.A. The same goes for any all white, or all black or all Asian etc neighborhoods...my comfort level isn't the same as when I'm living in a diverse community. If I was the OP, I would look into Northeast L.A. nabes.