Are blacks leaving East Nashville? (Germantown, Cleveland: sale, real estate, rent)

[0'Farrell]

Are they? It seems like they are at least.

[mcredux]

Yes, blacks are being gentrified out. Property values are increasing, which drives up property taxes and rents, which drives out lower income residents.

Plummeting violent crime rates probably most explain why yuppies and hipsters have moved back into these interior areas. If it were 1993, they would be looking at East Nashville with a telescope from their Green Hills condos.

It is always amusing to hear East Nashvillians talk about "preserving the local historical character of their neighborhoods." Universally, this never includes the black residents whom they displaced.

[DonCorleone]

Granted, I'm not a resident of East Nashville so I can't speak of the ethnic breakdown of the area...and I'll grant it that gentrification has displaced many people who have called East Nashville home for generations.

However, it is not as though the "yuppies" and "hipsters" are coming in with bulldozers and forcing people out at gunpoint. They're paying fair market value for the homes and paying the sellers their asking price (which are still doing quite well in this blaise real estate environment and have done exceptionally well since 1993). So in that sense, it's win-win.

I have several family members who've lived in East Nashville most if not all of their lives. From the 1950s when the area was a historically white, emerging lower middle class/blue collar working neighborhood, through the 1970s-80s era of gritty crime and deterioration, and sold in the late 90s/early 00s gentrification. They don't seem too upset at the displacement because, quite frankly, they made a mint on their home and are quite happy with where they relocated. And let's not neglect the history of the area from pre-industrial development when it was an area of "country estates" for Nashville's elite. It's had a very diverse history over the last 100+ years and focusing on the last 30-40 years is a little myopic.

So, yes, I agree that there has been displacement of the "traditional" East Nashville residents of the last 6 decades...both black and white...but wouldn't necessarily call that a bad thing. The buyers win by moving into their desired area and help supporting its revitalization, the sellers win by profiting on the sale of their home.

[vivelafrance]

Here's a map where you can see how the demographics are changing in Nashville. Just zoom in close enough and you can see individual census tracts. Mapping the 2010 U.S. Census - NYTimes.com

It seems like the white population is exploding in most areas immediately north and east of downtown. Germantown/Salemtown/Hope Gardens saw a 168% increase in the white population. Most areas of East Nashville and even a few of the historically black neighborhoods around Fisk/TSU saw their black population stay stagnant or even decline.

It looks like many blacks are settling in Antioch and Cane Ridge. Some census tracts there saw 900 - 1000% increases in the black population.

[0'Farrell]

Originally Posted by vivelafrance

Here's a map where you can see how the demographics are changing in Nashville. Just zoom in close enough and you can see individual census tracts. Mapping the 2010 U.S. Census - NYTimes.com

It seems like the white population is exploding in most areas immediately north and east of downtown. Germantown/Salemtown/Hope Gardens saw a 168% increase in the white population. Most areas of East Nashville and even a few of the historically black neighborhoods around Fisk/TSU saw their black population stay stagnant or even decline.

It looks like many blacks are settling in Antioch and Cane Ridge. Some census tracts there saw 900 - 1000% increases in the black population.

Interesting. EN by dickerson pike actually had a 7% increase in its black population. From the map what it looks like is that the blacks are just being pushed East into Inglewood and Madison. Madison has many areas that increase over 60% and Inglewood has a 66% increase by Madison border. It also seems that half of EN is still majority black. Didn't know that when I visited a few months ago the shift seemed much more dramatic.

[mcredux]

Originally Posted by DonCorleone

However, it is not as though the "yuppies" and "hipsters" are coming in with bulldozers and forcing people out at gunpoint.

You're right. That's the job of the Sheriff.

Obviously, the merits of gentrification can be relative. If you were a property owner, then you came out ahead. This included many working whites and blacks who called East their home. This also included many more landlords who called West Nashville their home and only ventured across the Cumberland to repair hot water heaters and collect delinquent rent checks.

If you were a renter, it's hard not to view gentrification as being displaced when your rent is being increased 15% annually and the implicit message is: "pay or the Sheriff sets your stuff on the sidewalk." Try explaining that one to your toddler

With so many things in life, one's perpsective depends on whether they're writing a check or collecting one.

That being said, I find it amusing when East Nashvillians use pet phrases like "historical character" (which conveniently excludes minorities who were the historical residents for 40+ years) and "support local businesses" (which means support transplant restaurateurs and ignore minority-owned businesses that have been there for decades.)

[Antioch]

Originally Posted by mcredux

Yes, blacks are being gentrified out. Property values are increasing, which drives up property taxes and rents, which drives out lower income residents.

Plummeting violent crime rates probably most explain why yuppies and hipsters have moved back into these interior areas. If it were 1993, they would be looking at East Nashville with a telescope from their Green Hills condos.

It is always amusing to hear East Nashvillians talk about "preserving the local historical character of their neighborhoods." Universally, this never includes the black residents whom they displaced.

East Nashville is still majority black, depending on what you consider East Nashville. The areas of Dickerson Rd. and west to Brick Church Pk., West Trinity Lane, is still historically considered East Nashville and is majority black... However, as I've stated before, in recent years those areas in East Nashville that are still majority black are now starting to be referred to as North Nashville when reported in the media...
It seems the geographic coverage of East Nashville is getting much smaller to only associate certain people...

[0'Farrell]

Originally Posted by Antioch

East Nashville is still majority black, depending on what you consider East Nashville. The areas of Dickerson Rd. and west to Brick Church Pk., West Trinity Lane, is still historically considered East Nashville and is majority black... However, as I've stated before, in recent years those areas in East Nashville that are still majority black are now starting to be referred to as North Nashville when reported in the media...
It seems the geographic coverage of East Nashville is getting much smaller to only associate certain people...

Thats funny I always thought the freeway was the border between North and East.

[0'Farrell]

Originally Posted by Antioch

East Nashville is still majority black, depending on what you consider East Nashville. The areas of Dickerson Rd. and west to Brick Church Pk., West Trinity Lane, is still historically considered East Nashville and is majority black... However, as I've stated before, in recent years those areas in East Nashville that are still majority black are now starting to be referred to as North Nashville when reported in the media...
It seems the geographic coverage of East Nashville is getting much smaller to only associate certain people...

Here Joseph Avenue in Cleveland/Mcferrin Park is being called North Nashville.

One Person Shot in North Nashville Home Invasion - NewsChannel5.com | Nashville News, Weather & Sports

[BirdieBelle]

It's to distinguish between what Antioch correctly refers to as "historically" East Nashville and the gentrified East Nashville of hipster lore.

Most people who don't live there mean the Bordeaux/Buena Vista/Hadley Park area when they say "North Nashville."

Madison is Madison, and the area you linked to is generally lumped into the "Dickerson Pike" area.

The media around here are notorious for incorrectly referring to parts of town.