Why is Cutler Ridge/Bay so da*n ghetto? (Miami: for sale, insurance)

[eufo]

Ok, apologies for the thread title, but now that you're here...

I remember when I first moved to Kendall and was exploring places to live and discovered this little gem, Cutler Ridge.

I'm used to seeing the average urban community of CBD, ring of decay, ring of suburbia. Well, Cutler Ridge/Bay is well beyond that beautiful suburbia, yet its a HUGE pocket of decay.

I'm curious if someone here knows the reason this came about, as its certainly not the norm from my experience.

[compelled to reply]

Thats why our ghettos are still shrinking in Broward, At least for now...:/

Actually, It's a combination of a lot of racial tension in South Dade in the past and Hurricane Andrew. The poor stayed, the middle class just left.

[HGONZ001]

Originally Posted by fort lauderdale

Thats why our ghettos are still shrinking in Broward . At least for now...:/

It's a combination of a lot of racial tension in South Dade in the past and Hurricane Andrew. The poor stayed, the middle class just left.

After Andrew many residents that had money left to Broward. What stayed behind was not the best of the community. Now more people are leaving, if you drive through the streets in Cutler Bay, you find at least one house for sale in each block. Once again, those that can are leaving the area, and those than don't care stay. The area can only get worse.

[eufo]

Originally Posted by DCFLNC

After Andrew many residents that had money left to Broward. What stayed behind was not the best of the community. Now more people are leaving, if you drive through the streets in Cutler Bay, you find at least one house for sale in each block. Once again, those that can are leaving the area, and those than don't care stay. The area can only get worse.

Oh, I didn't even think about Andrew. All I ever hear about is the damage in Homestead, but I didn't realize it had an impact in Cutler Ridge/Bay. That totally makes sense to me now. Thanks! +1 rep.

[Chelito23]

Before Cutler Ridge/Bay *area* was suburban or exurban, it was a farming community. It had your run of the mill migrant workers and housing for the agricultural industries in the area such as farms and nurseries. It was a logical place to build cheaply due to low land prices (being far from Miami and no access to the water). That is what the community was at the beginning.

Over the years, the sprawl of Miami advanced down US 1...and eventually engulfed Cutler Ridge. As most would imagine, the suburban areas brough money and prosperity, and the core of poverty remained. It evolved into a mixed area with middle class sections and the traditionally poorer areas.

As other poster stated, Hurricane Andrew damaged the whole area. Most houses lost their rooves or were destroyed in this area. People with money generally cashed out their insurance checks and moved north (Broward), a few remained...and that was that.

The housing post Andrew was obviously very affordable with people selling lots, damaged homes etc. The poor areas were as run down as ever. However, this was opportunity for people with limited means to purchase something. So, the area went downhill dramatically after the hurricane.

Fastforward ten years to the Miami land boom, and investors and speculators have jacked up the prices in all reaches of the county, no matter how undesireable. Now, the area is marketed as ideal for the person who works in the area from Kendall to Homestead and *laugh* as a somewhat affordable area.

In short, due t poor planning and overpricing, coupled with poverty, greed and crime, the future is not looking that great for the area. Commerce isn't the best, it is substandard with other "suburban" South Florida areas.

Cutler Bay on the other hand (I am referring to the single family homes east of US 1 north of the turnpike) has potential of isolating and insulating itself from what the main strip in Cutler Ridge has evolved into.

This area is only realistic to live in if you need an affordable place (by Miami standards) and are planning on working at Metrozoo, Redlands, Kendall or Homestead or maybe even the upper keys. Other than that, people in Central and North Miami Dade look at it as a far flung place that is nothing special and has a legacy of Hurricane Andrew, crime and a struggling shopping mall (Southland aka Cutler Ridge).

[stat3man]

As far as I know, Cutler Ridge/Bay has never been one my Dade County's better areas. Even before any demographic changes the neighborhood has experienced, it was basically a white-trash kinda area. The only area down there that seems okay to me is Whispering Pines, which I'm not even sure is a part of the Cutler Ridge officially.

[rogerbacon]

Originally Posted by eufo

Oh, I didn't even think about Andrew. All I ever hear about is the damage in Homestead, but I didn't realize it had an impact in Cutler Ridge/Bay. That totally makes sense to me now. Thanks! +1 rep.

I was born in Whispering Pines, which is East of Cutler Ridge (right next to it) at the same lattitude. Half of the kids in my elementry school when to cutler ridge middle school and the rest went to Centenial (which was a good school back then). Our house suffered a lot of hurricane damage from Andrew so I know houses at Cutler Ridge were affected badly too.
fort lauderdale is correct when he says the middle class left. When I look at Whispering Pines it is not the nice neighboorhood it used to be, although the houses on the lake when I lived still go for $800,000+. The rest of the area has turned into a dump. However, we always thought Cutler Ridge was a bit of a dump.

[rogerbacon]

Originally Posted by stat3man

The only area down there that seems okay to me is Whispering Pines, which I'm not even sure is a part of the Cutler Ridge officially.

My first thought upon reading this was, "We are definately not part of Cutler Ridge". It's funny how I haven't lived in Whispering Pines in half a lifetime but I still felt an instingtive urge to defend it and declare it seperate from Cutler Ridge. I guess it's something engrained from childhood. lol.

[stat3man]

Originally Posted by rogerbacon

My first thought upon reading this was, "We are definately not part of Cutler Ridge". It's funny how I haven't lived in Whispering Pines in half a lifetime but I still felt an instingtive urge to defend it and declare it seperate from Cutler Ridge. I guess it's something engrained from childhood. lol.

Hehe. i guess no one wants to be part of "the ridge." that's probably a big reason why, when the area recently incorporated, they chose the name of cutler bay, to divorce themselves from the negative image associated with cutler ridge.

[compelled to reply]

I actually don't even think Cutler Bay is that bad compared to Naranja or Goulds. Those places are just crazy.