A tour of the "no speakie English" ghetto (Miami: house, neighborhoods)

[Leovigildo]

Tallrick

Just the same thing is happening in Havana's once luxurious residential areas that had very strict zoning laws in the past. Miramar, for example.

One family occupies a nice house, they subdivide it and call their family in the countryside. They raise chicken and pigs, they build awful illegal additions and they keep breeding, divorcing and subdividing the house until it becomes a "solar".

A "solar" is a former mansion transformed into a "project". Yes, hair saloons, manicurist, dentists, whatever. Then a "politico" drives around, falls in love with the house and kicks them all out to their town.

Yes, they cut trees and pour cement over the grass, transform garages into houses. But then, don't you have a City Hall there?

[Leovigildo]

A typical example. There was a tree there, long time ago.

[tallrick]

Originally Posted by Leovigildo

A typical example. There was a tree there, long time ago.

That even looks like a high-quality, historical building there. What a shame to be in such sad, sorry shape. You would never find such a place in a relatively new area like Miami. As for city hall, you cannot expect Carlos Alvarez to help with Team Metro abuse could you? Even his secretary is rude. The county likes to pick on the most helpless in what is refered to as "selective enforcement".

[EnjoyTheSilence]

Originally Posted by crisp444

You're correct that there is a "ghetto" mentality, but this is not particular to Miami. There are plenty of trashy, ghetto, obnoxious people in middle class suburbs in Southern California, Atlanta, North Carolina, metro NYC, etc. In my experience, these people make up only a small minority of Kendall's residents.

I'm not saying there aren't. Personally, I wouldn't live in Los Angeles either, but I might choose it over Miami, simply for the weather.

As for Kendall, I lived in West Kendall for 2 years and that was my experience of the place. Aside from a few exceptions, people were generally pretty "ghetto" to me. While it's by no means ugly or poor, it is not my favorite part of Miami.

[EnjoyTheSilence]

Originally Posted by tallrick

That even looks like a high-quality, historical building there. What a shame to be in such sad, sorry shape. You would never find such a place in a relatively new area like Miami. As for city hall, you cannot expect Carlos Alvarez to help with Team Metro abuse could you? Even his secretary is rude. The county likes to pick on the most helpless in what is refered to as "selective enforcement".

I agree - that's a beautiful old building. Did Miami ever have buildings like that? The city hall in Coral Gables looks fairly old (by Miami standards), but there isn't much here over 30 years old.

[cuba libre]

Originally Posted by crisp444

You're correct that there is a "ghetto" mentality, but this is not particular to Miami. There are plenty of trashy, ghetto, obnoxious people in middle class suburbs in Southern California, Atlanta, North Carolina, metro NYC, etc. In my experience, these people make up only a small minority of Kendall's residents.

Yes but this "small minority" of ghetto people living in Miami Dade's middle/lower middle class areas is much larger than in similar areas in other parts of the country. Just look at our radio stations, that will tell you about the demographics. Raggeton, Rap, Hippity-Hop and other jungle rhythm music dominates the airwaves in Miami. People in Kendall listen to the same crap as in Liberty City.

[crisp444]

Originally Posted by cuba libre

Yes but this "small minority" of ghetto people living in Miami Dade's middle/lower middle class areas is much larger than in similar areas in other parts of the country. Just look at our radio stations, that will tell you about the demographics. Raggeton, Rap, Hippity-Hop and other jungle rhythm music dominates the airwaves in Miami. People in Kendall listen to the same crap as in Liberty City.

The difference between the radio stations in Miami, New York, Boston, Seattle? Miami has more music in Spanish. That's honestly about it. WASP kids in Naperville, IL listen to rap too, nowadays. It's more of a young person thing/teenage thing. And honestly, the average person in Kendall doesn't listen to gansta rap and the average person in Liberty City sure as hell doesn't listen to salsa... I admit that there are plenty of wannabe thugs in Miami, but I really have been around and it just doesn't seem to be any worse in Miami than in most other places.

If you want to see ghetto Latins, please come to NYC. Brooklyn and the Bronx are packed with them.

[burgler09]

Kids in high school either choose to go through emo stage or ghetto stage, either way you can't win.

[crisp444]

Originally Posted by burgler09

Kids in high school either choose to go through emo stage or ghetto stage, either way you can't win.

Let me guess.... you were emo?

[crisp444]

Originally Posted by Leovigildo

Tallrick

Just the same thing is happening in Havana's once luxurious residential areas that had very strict zoning laws in the past. Miramar, for example.

One family occupies a nice house, they subdivide it and call their family in the countryside. They raise chicken and pigs, they build awful illegal additions and they keep breeding, divorcing and subdividing the house until it becomes a "solar".

A "solar" is a former mansion transformed into a "project". Yes, hair saloons, manicurist, dentists, whatever. Then a "politico" drives around, falls in love with the house and kicks them all out to their town.

Yes, they cut trees and pour cement over the grass, transform garages into houses. But then, don't you have a City Hall there?

Wow... that is very sad to hear. And Vedado? If Miramar has gotten bad, I fear that Vedado is probably worse. What a shame.