Stepford Drones versus Athiest Commies? (Austin, Round Rock: to rent, house, neighborhoods)

[achtungpv]

Originally Posted by lastdavidbaldacci

I've heard a lot of horror stories from Christians about home owner's associations in certain neighborhoods (to be specific, Hyde Park and Barton Hills/ Zilker area) being virulently anti-Christian. In Hyde Park, the Hyde Park Baptist Church and it's congregation (and people who come and park there for Bible studies, Weds night singles events, etc.) get harassed, signs are put on lawns, etc.

Well, the Hyde Park Baptist Church situation goes back a long ways and it's not anti-christian but it's anti-sprawl. HPBC wanted to put in a very large parking garage to help them reach their goal of turning into a SuperJesusDome (get closer to god by sitting in the nose bleed seats) ...the neighborhood HOA balked at and wanted them to manage their size to fit the surrounding neighborhood. A handful of the HPBC members have been inconsiderate when parking in the neighborhood, blocking driveways, walking through yards, etc. They like to say poor-us getting ostracized for being christian, but no they're ostracized for being a-holes.

[S6Sputnik]

LASTDAVID,

I don't believe my HOA required any religious verification? Nor do I think it is a requirement to be an athiest to live in town?

MAYBE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD YOU ARE REFERING TO JUST DOES NOT WANT THE TRAFFIC!

I have lived in a neighborhood elsewhere that was RUINED by a church! Well it ofcourse was not the Church, but the congregation that became a major burden on the neighborhood because of the traffic, and it lowered property values and made people want to move.
Even though some Christians are good people they don't all follow the SPEED LIMIT as my old neighbors dog SPARKY can attest to since he was plowed over by a lady who was in a hurry to church...She didn't even appologize!

So when a neighborhood does not want your Church, or someone elses for that matter, in "THEIR HOOD" it might be for other reasons than your mind is allowing for! Broaden your horizon, there are others who live in this city!



Strange question!!!!

[lastdavidbaldacci]

You both make a good point. I think Christians have done many things to earn a poor reputation and there are good reasons many in-town folks are skeptical. I'm sure some of that dates back to people's own childhoods, how they were raised and how they were treated by religious folks. Now, they are adults and they're making their own choices about how they will treat others.

Sputnik, would your broadened mind allow for the possibility that not all Christians are inconsiderate a-holes who run over dogs and lower your property values? You said that some Christians are good people, and I hope you really think that.

I have to think that if these HOAs just don't want the traffic (understandable), they'd be opposed to other things, too, that will increase traffic.

[Trainwreck20]

Most HOAs are opposed to other businesses, but the churches get a lot of publicity for a variety of reasons:

• The church has very high peak traffic, usually on the weekend when everyone is home (or at least not at work)
• Churches can build just about anywhere. I am sure there are some restrictions, but they have more latitude than, say, a convienience store.
• It makes sensational press - "The HOAs hate churches! The churches are trying to destroy property values!". The strip clubs are probably the only other building that gets as much attention.

My old HOA was fighting a through-street that would connect us to an apt. complex (Riata, which would be a huge increase in traffic). A mile or so away, another neighborhood was fighting a church that wanted to expand their school. Guess what ended up in the papers day after day?

As for artists in the burbs, there are probably quite a few, but they all have 'regular' jobs. My wife is quite the potter and could do a nice little business, but she spends her days designing the next generation of computer chips. The guy across the street makes some REALLY good beer (is that an artist?). One of the 'Biscuit Brothers' lives down the street (an entertainer if not an artist). There is a guy that builds furniture in his garage...don't know much about what he is doing, but he appears to be quite good at it . All these people are not artist by profession, but have artistic outlets. If my wife ever 'retires' to be a SAHM, she will probably do more pottery than she gets to now.....

[twange]

Originally Posted by atlanta hope

I can't afford much in Central Austin and I'm not going to do the East Austin thing.

The "East Austin Thing" is over. The area's already over-priced like the rest of central Austin. You'd have a hard time finding anything lower than $250 there, even for a total dump. You have to go further out towards the toll road, where there's...NOTHING

Originally Posted by southdown

Just my two cents, why is there so much reticence about moving to East Austin?

When I lived in London waaaayy back in the 70s/'80s it seemed the people with a bit of creativity and real love of the city, (but not enough cash to live in the nicer parts of the centre) moved to other central urban areas which were less attractive and a bit rough, but housing was cheaper - and MADE it their community. It took a little guts, and the area took a while to become cool, but those brave folks now own some very valuable properties, and they deserve to because they took the plunge.

I guess it happened in Austin before, but it seems the courage is wearing off???

Yea, I think it's a bit overblown. There are certainly pockets of really crummy areas but it's nowhere near as bad or as large people think. I go there all the time and there's some pretty amazing houses. SoCo was a crappy area 10-15 years ago. Now look at it.

People with a lot of equity still do it, but the price just isn't worth it anymore for the average person looking for a good investment . Why pay $250k for an 850 sq ft broken down hut, when you can pay the same for something 3 times larger that's move-in ready? There's been a lot of reference to "jumping the shark" on this forum...that's what's happened to all of the central neighborhoods in terms of getting in while it's affordable.

Personally, I would still do it if I could afford it because I like living in cities. The only real option is foreclosures...or maybe old apartment conversions.

[orngkat]

I have lived in Allandale for almost twenty years and it is about the most accepting yet "leave it to beaver" neighborhood one could imagine. Kids playing outside, old people, young people, couples walking and biking, Girl Scouts, boy Scouts, several large churches, very strong neighborhood association etc...I have very religious people on one side and a gay couple across the street. If someone feels out of place, then that is their choice since everyone I know lives peacefully here without judgement of each other. It sounds hard to believe that neighborhoods anywhere would be so exclusive based on things like one's religious beliefs.

[achtungpv]

Originally Posted by orngkat

It sounds hard to believe that neighborhoods anywhere would be so exclusive based on things like one's religious beliefs.

All the old Westlake ordinances ban Jews from ownership. A Jewish friend of mine was having to go through all of those records for her job a few years back. She was totally getting pissed off that back then they were so intolerant of other religions. I told her they were probably just racist instead.

[twange]

Originally Posted by achtungpv

All the old Westlake ordinances ban Jews from ownership.

Wow. Just when I think we haven't made any progress, I hear something like that and I realize that we have indeed.

[redpanda]

Interesting thread. I personally have similar concerns, not because I want to raise my son in a religious way but more because we're pretty priced-out of the downtown area. I'm sure we'd fit in nicely with the creative agnostic/atheistic types there, but I can't afford it if we want to have time to spend pursuing creative endeavors and raising the aforementioned son.

I find it curious that you say "in your industry", people judge you by where you live. That seems a little high school to me. If it were me confronted with that kind of thing, I'd try rolling my eyes scornfully and saying "Living downtown is so OBVIOUS. I'd MUCH rather be a creative pioneer in the suburbs."

Or you could try just not caring so much what other people think. There's similar judgment across the board of professions (i.e., I'm sure a CEO would get eyerolls for NOT living in a giant suburban McMansion...), but you have to put what's best for you and your family above what makes the people you work with feel most comfortable.

[jread]

As I've said to everyone else who asks this question: nobody will even notice or care what religion you are, etc.......

Originally Posted by achtungpv

All the old Westlake ordinances ban Jews from ownership. A Jewish friend of mine was having to go through all of those records for her job a few years back. She was totally getting pissed off that back then they were so intolerant of other religions. I told her they were probably just racist instead.

..... except those self-righteous ******* in Westlake.