Poor or lower Middle Class Whites (South Gate, Compton: foreclosure, work, houses)

[MySecretSelf]

Originally Posted by Prince of Lombards

Also El Segundo and Manhattan Beach, but not in any new homes. The homes they occupy have been in the family for more than 50 years, in some cases directly adjacent to newer homes for 200k+ /yr families.

that's about the only affordable way to live in either of these two towns, inherit property.

[MySecretSelf]

Thanks for grouping these like topics, very interesting.

Originally Posted by Charles

This thread reminds me of another thread on middle class in LA. For example, the dockworker from Willmington...he's pulling in maybe $70K.

Middle class. How do you define it?

Where did the middle class go?

How do the middle class survive in SoCal?

which former Middle class areas of LA in decline

Nice middle class neighborhoods?

Would the middle class mentioned in this thread's posts be middle class in other middle America cities?

[MySecretSelf]

It's the new way, right?

Originally Posted by JTGJR

As a side note, one of the most offensive terms, to me anyway, is "working class." At some point in time it seems to have replaced "blue collar." But if you're at an upper income level and working 60 or more hours per week, how is that not "working class?"

But I digress. You can find poor and middle class in every area of LA from downtown to South Central to Malibu to Manhattan Beach. Yes, many of the residents of the "upscale" neighborhoods are rich only by virtue of having lived in these areas since the beginning of time. But, unless they move, they're also on a limited, fixed income.

I was at a luncheon today where a health care advocacy group stated that they advocate for 10-15 Manhattan Beach residents per month who cannot afford health care or the costs of basic medical services. Are folks of this type better off than the poor? Yes, in relative "house rich" terms. But many have no inclination to cash in on the rich property that they own and live hand to mouth as those in the poorest areas.

For all of you Sociology doctorate hopefuls, seems that would make for a fascinating thesis.

[DontH8Me]

Originally Posted by MySecretSelf

that's about the only affordable way to live in either of these two towns, inherit property.

I don't know if it's so much "inherited" as it is that those individuals purchased their homes in a different time, different era - one when the homes in Manhattan Beach were little bunglows, not the 'nouveau uber alles' monstrosities the builders are so keen on replacing all homes with. I doubt that those little old ladies and gentlemen who are still stuck in MB because they haven't cashed out their equity and skipped town ever really would have believed that their $50K investment back in the day would mature into a little patch of soil worth seven digits.

[karkyco]

Originally Posted by DontH8Me

I don't know if it's so much "inherited" as it is that those individuals purchased their homes in a different time, different era - one when the homes in Manhattan Beach were little bunglows, not the 'nouveau uber alles' monstrosities the builders are so keen on replacing all homes with. I doubt that those little old ladies and gentlemen who are still stuck in MB because they haven't cashed out their equity and skipped town ever really would have believed that their $50K investment back in the day would mature into a little patch of soil worth seven digits.

Exactly - well said. And it can apply to almost all of the more desirable parts of LA (not to mention most of SoCal in general). Up until what, 20 years ago, maybe a little longer, the vast majority of the California coastline was very affordable land-wise. The demand has simply skyrocketed. The population explosion, the big $$$ of the industry, the city/region becoming a top world class desirable location, have all brought us to the point we're at now.

[MySecretSelf]

Actually my grandpa bought a house in dusty little Manhattan Beach because @ $10K, they were $500 less than the much more desirable part of North Inglewood where many of his coworkers lived. When he retired in the late 70's , his friends didn't feel quite the same.

They sold five years ago for $500K. It's now a McMansion. No, most of their neighbors were people who "settled" for MB and came to love it. I'd take a home with a backyard over a McMansion (sunlight is limited much like downtown urban living) so much that moss and mildew are issues.

Originally Posted by DontH8Me

I don't know if it's so much "inherited" as it is that those individuals purchased their homes in a different time, different era - one when the homes in Manhattan Beach were little bunglows, not the 'nouveau uber alles' monstrosities the builders are so keen on replacing all homes with. I doubt that those little old ladies and gentlemen who are still stuck in MB because they haven't cashed out their equity and skipped town ever really would have believed that their $50K investment back in the day would mature into a little patch of soil worth seven digits.

[Texasturkey]

Originally Posted by scottl333

Where in L.A. do they live?

Whittier, Downey, La Mirada, Bellflower, Buena Park, Lakewood, Bellflower, Parts of Long Beach, Parts of the San Gabriel Valley, South Bay and the San Fernando Valley.

The Inland Empire and High Desert is not LA County. That is San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.

[salsa311]

Its so bizzare what is considered middle class out there!

To the poster that said there are only 2 classes in the country now - I must disagree. Again, this seems like something quite particular to LA, at least for the time being. Just my opinion.

[msnorman67]

Originally Posted by scottl333

Where in L.A. do they live?

There is one right here in Los Feliz.

[Texasturkey]

Originally Posted by salsa311

Its so bizzare what is considered middle class out there!

To the poster that said there are only 2 classes in the country now - I must disagree. Again, this seems like something quite particular to LA, at least for the time being. Just my opinion.

I think that poster meant that middle class 30 years ago is lower class now. Houses in South Gate, Lynwood and Compton, CA are modest single family residences, 1000 sq. ft. about $450,000+. Because of the location and demographics anyone living there would be considered lower class. But, the same type of houses in Tulsa, Broken Arrow or Choctaw Oklahoma would be considered Middle class and they would be $90,000+.