Austin's Changing Population (Spring, Pflugerville, Wells Branch: middle-class, fit in, section 8)

[austin-steve]

Quotes from article from today's Stateman:

Austin's neighborhoods became more diverse in the latter half of the past decade as more minorities moved into middle-class enclaves across the city. But neighborhoods with already heavy Latino and immigrant populations, which also have some of the city's lowest median family incomes, also grew.

...Robinson cited two neighborhoods in Southwest Austin, Circle C and Shady Hollow, which saw 10- to 20-point gains in Hispanic shares of the populations. The most dramatic increases in Hispanic shares, 20 percentage points or more, were in eastern Travis County.


...Non-Hispanic whites continued to dominate populations in areas west of Interstate 35, which also had some of the highest median family incomes. Some of the lowest were found east of the interstate, illustrating a historical divide in Austin.
...

Full article:
Census data: Austin diversifying

I still wonder why mass media so heavily focuses on our ethnic differences. It's sad, in some ways, that we get divided up by skin color and earnings mostly.

Steve

[jobert]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

Quotes from article from today's Stateman:

Full article:
Census data: Austin diversifying

I still wonder why mass media so heavily focuses on our ethnic differences. It's sad, in some ways, that we get divided up by skin color and earnings mostly.

Steve

some more quotes:

"older, traditionally minority neighborhoods in central East Austin now being transformed by development, African American and Hispanic shares of the population fell by up to 20 percentage points or more since 2000."

It sounds like East Austin is becoming more anglo, while the rest of Austin is becoming more diverse:

"Meanwhile, African American population shares grew in suburban tracts in northern Travis County, including in Pflugerville and Wells Branch, by 10 percentage points or more. Gains of 2 to 5 points or more were seen in an immense swath of eastern Travis County, North and Northwest Austin, South Austin, and northern and southern suburbs."

"Circle C and Shady Hollow, which saw 10- to 20-point gains in Hispanic shares of the populations."

"Hispanics saw gains of 5 percentage points or more in neighborhoods in the central part of the city and in substantial pockets of West Austin"

[jobert]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

I still wonder why mass media so heavily focuses on our ethnic differences. It's sad, in some ways, that we get divided up by skin color and earnings mostly.

Steve

Because it drives our decisions, primarily the decisions made by anglos that are fleeing to places like Dripping Springs, Bee Caves, Lakeway, and Marble Falls - then **tching about how they are stuck in traffic for a hour each day at the "Y" in Oak Hill.

It drives sprawl, bad traffic, environmental degredation, and isolationism - mostly on the part of anglos in western Travis county.

[austin-steve]

Originally Posted by jobert

Because it drives our decisions, primarily the decisions made by anglos that are fleeing to places like Dripping Springs, Bee Caves, Lakeway, and Marble Falls - then **tching about how they are stuck in traffic for a hour each day at the "Y" in Oak Hill.

It drives sprawl, bad traffic, environmental degredation, and isolationism - mostly on the part of anglos in western Travis county.

I think affordability, safety and good schools drive sprawl, not ethnic considerations.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

I think affordability, safety and good schools drive sprawl, not ethnic considerations.

I have to agree with austin-steve on this one, based on the reasons I see people moving (which apparently are the same ones he sees in his business).

[mezman]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

I have to agree with austin-steve on this one, based on the reasons I see people moving (which apparently are the same ones he sees in his business).

How many people are actually willing to say "I'm moving because there are too many minorities moving into my neighborhood." Not too many I would venture to guess. I'm not saying that is the reason they are moving but I don't think they'd tell you even if it were.

[TexasHorseLady]

Some would, some wouldn't. However, the reasons actually given for moving (see above) make all sorts of sense and fit into the context of the lives of the people moving.

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, in other words, no matter how much we'd like to make it fit whatever our particular agenda is.

[mezman]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Some would, some wouldn't. However, the reasons actually given for moving (see above) make all sorts of sense and fit into the context of the lives of the people moving.

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, in other words, no matter how much we'd like to make it fit whatever our particular agenda is.

This is true, and sometimes it's not worth speculating because you'll never know the truth anyway.

[Nomadic9460678748]

Is it diversification if the only reason people are moving to outlying communities is because it's the only thing they can afford?

We get "divided up" by earnings and skin color because there is usually (for better or worse) a strong correlation between one's race and their income bracket. Have a look at the way unemployment statistics are broken down in Austin. Who's got the highest rate of unemployment in this town? African Americans. Second highest? Latinos. I'm sure if we dug deeper we'd probably also find that there is a strong correlation in educational attainment (or lack thereof) amongst those unemployed. If I'm not mistaken, per these new projections, is not West Austin still a predominantly "Anglo" part of town? Is it not also where the more expensive real estate is? Does not one have to have a certain level of income in order to live in those neighborhoods?

I have a feeling that if a low-income or Section 8 housing development proposed in Tarrytown the residents there would proclaim their commitment to social justice, but insist that such a development was (to put it euphemistically) out of place.

I enjoy diversity. But I enjoy equality of opportunity more.

[Moekazi]

I don't think you can blame the media for this one. They're just analyzing the Census data that the government tells them to collect. Perhaps the better statement would be, "I still wonder why the government so heavily focuses on our ethnic differences."

The only reason i can think of is because of the racists in the minorities make them do it.