Homewood

[ree1127]

I live in Homewood and I believe it is no more dangerous in homewood then it is everywhere else. Sure there are drug dealers and gangs but they are everywhere. And as quite as its kept most of the shootings and violence that occurs in homewood, is between the drug dealers and the gangs. Occasionaly there is a innocent by-stander, but 9 times out of 10 the "innocent by-stander" is not so innocent! Statistics mean nothing, thats somebody on the outside looking in and crunching numbers. Its BS!!!!!!!!!!

[captaincroaker]

Originally Posted by Drover

Yet another question that asks me to answer to a premise I have neither assumed nor asserted. Get back to me when you can ask a question that doesn't assume anything about me, my experiences, my assumptions, et cetera.

In fact, don't bother. I'm already tired of this.

If I really need to, I could go back and quote your other posts in this thread to prove that, in fact, I made no assumptions about you. I won't do it, because i'm not going to waste my time for you to once again try to talk your way out of it. Believe me, i'm sick of it too.

[Mermaid77]

Homewood home values surge while bordering neighborhood plummets - My Homewood - post-gazette.com

[Hopes]

Plummet isn't really a word I would use to describe housing prices in Squirrel Hill. I think it's the area is experiencing an adjustment to some previously over inflated prices and the current market demand with fewer buyers. I'm glad to hear that Homewood's property is increasing in value.

I personally think that people should start snatching up property in Manchester. I've noticed that there is a sudden trend for minorities to spread out into the suburban school districts. That means to me that these inner city neighborhoods might become ready for true gentrification in the near future. Buy now while the property values are low!

[BrianTH]

Yeah, an apparent 10% decrease in the median sales price in Squirrel Hill is nothing compared to what has happened in a lot of other neighborhoods nationwide, and that may have something to do with the mix of housing varying (e.g., the first-time home buyer credit is pushing down medians in some places by altering the mix in favor of the lower-end). So I also wouldn't call that a "plummet".

On the other hand, I am quite bullish about the long term future of all our currently underdeveloped but centrally-located neighborhoods, including Homewood. Obviously it is going to be a long climb, but I wouldn't be at all surprise if it has started.

[Hopes]

BrianTh,

Read this thread I started on the sudden migration from the inner city neighborhoods to the suburban school districts in Allegheny County.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/pitts...ing-rapid.html

People don't realize this is happening because it's not showing up in statistics.

I've calculated a 5.5% increase of black students over the past two years in just one suburban high school.

The increase isn't due to displacement, merges or bussing.

This is a spontaneous, rapid migration to the suburbs by inner city families searching for a safer place to raise family.

I think this new trend of natural diversification is going to help prepare Pittsburgh's ghettos for gentrification.

[BrianTH]

I've read the thread although I haven't posted (yet) because I am still thinking about the schools issue.

On the redevelopment end--well, I don't know what to think about that either. My working assumption has always been that Pittsburgh's economically depressed neighborhoods wouldn't necessarily need to see any substantial outflux of population in order for redevelopment to occur because these neighborhoods are already so far down in population from peak. So I in fact hoped that a gradual process of redevelopment could occur with many of the existing residents remaining and participating as new economic opportunities arose.

Now of course what you are suggesting might happen isn't the same thing as the gentrification/displacement effect I was hoping could be avoided. Nonetheless the ultimate effect could look similar.

And I guess I shouldn't care about that, at least as long as the redeveloping neighborhoods remain at least somewhat diverse. I mean, if the relocation in question is really voluntary and prior to the gentrification, who am I to tell those people they should stick around and wait for things in their former neighborhoods to change? But again, I'm still thinking about it, so I am not sure that is my final answer..

[alleghenyangel]

If you really want a cheap house, there are plenty of safe neighborhoods in Pittsburgh with cheap housing. For example, there are a few very safe neighborhoods on the north side that are in need of revitalization, such as Millvale, Spring Hill, Spring Garden, Fineview, etc. There are also some on the south side/ south hills with affordable housing. You really do not need to move to an area like Homewood for any reason, unless you must live on the east end and can't accept other areas.