Is Chicago Underpopulated? (Detroit: safe, realty, land)

[chicagogeorge]

The Southside is huge. Yes, large swaths of it are war zones, but many other parts are quite livable. Who knows, maybe in 30 years, Englewood will be the next hipster neighborhood to move in to.

[guitarguy1685]

Originally Posted by rparz

From what I've gathered reading articles in the reader and such, when you're in a neighborhood that has a high percentage of parents that are invested and involved, the schools are actually pretty good...Until HS anyway.

I know this is not a thread about education but I have to follow up on this post.

When I was in LA I heard the same criticisms about their public school system. The LAUSD graduation rate is atrocious. The reasons they give are all the same. Teachers don't get paid enough. There is not enough funding. There aren't enough teachers (which I suppose is because of funding), etc.

You can pour all the money in the world into LAUS or CPS but if the parents or students do not value education they will always fail. They act as if these kids are home studying all night but can't understand the material because there wasn't enough attention from the teacher. That's just not the case. Parents just do not get involved in their kids lives, and for many reasons. Some maybe because they have to work too much but in my experience it was always because they just don't give a damn. They expect the school to raise them. And if things go wrong they blame the teachers, racism whateve, it's insane!

If you have a kid all you should expect from your teacher is that they don't give false information and that they cover the required curriculum. If your kid happens to have the teacher who won a teacher of the century award then you lucky as hell. Most kids will get someone who is working for the weekend. It is your responsibility to get your kid excited about learning and about bettering their situation. I've had up to here (hand above head) with blaming funding and teachers.

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by guitarguy1685

Okay I only read a few posts but it appears that many people are leaving the south side. Why is that amazing? It's a dump! I'd leave too if there are better opportunities. The are many places in the US where you may be able to live a better life. If you are still in the south side it's probably not by choice.

You apparently have not read the threads about the new construction of $500,000 homes in Bridgeport, $3,000/mo. luxury apartments in South Loop, or the president's house in Hyde Park, among other things. I know you're in Milwaukee, so I'll cut you some slack, but try not to say "South Side" when you really mean "Englewood and a few other neighborhoods."

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by chicagogeorge

The Southside is huge. Yes, large swaths of it are war zones, but many other parts are quite livable. Who knows, maybe in 30 years, Englewood will be the next hipster neighborhood to move in to.

Englewood once had the 2nd largest shopping district in Chicago outside of "downtown."

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by chicagogeorge

The US Census was estimate slow growth or stable conditions throughout the 2000's and in the end the city had 200,000 fewer people. In the 90's the city grew which also went against census estimates.


What I think will happen to the city of Chicago's population by 2020?

White population will probably grow slightly.
Asian population will grow
Hispanic population might for the first time in the city's history LOSE numbers. During the 90's the Hispanic population was growing at a clip of 25,000 a year (which drove Chicago's growth), however in the 2000's that number dwindled to 2500 a year! Most Hispanic immigrants now how come to the Chicago metro area just bypass the city and head to the collar cities. Elgin, Aurora, West Chicago, Waukegan.... Hispanic population gaining in the Southwest side, is losing in the Southeast side as Hispanics cross over to Northwest Indiana. They are also getting priced out of the Near Westside, as well as many parts of the Northside.
The African American population will continue to bleed out to the south suburbs and to the Southern US. Much of the black communities on the West and Southsides are empty bombed out wastelands...


So my guesstimate at the city's population in 2020 is

+15,000 whites (white gentrification gains in the near downtown areas offset by middle class whites bleeding out of the Midway airport area)
+15,000 Asians (Northside gains)
-10,000 Hispanics (don't be surprised if it's double this)
-75,000 African Americans (I'm being generous)

So 55,000 fewer residents then the 2010 census . 2.6 million. The Metro area on the otherhand, will continue to see slow steady growth with the CSA topping 10 million. MSA will probably top 9.8 million.

I mainly agree here with your sentiment that Whites and Asians will increase, and Hispanics and African Americans will decrease. I'm not sure I agree on the numbers though. It's hard to predict the future, but if I had a guess, the number for hispanics will be what you said maybe, but the white/asian number will be more as will the AA numbers for sure.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by guitarguy1685

Okay I only read a few posts but it appears that many people are leaving the south side. Why is that amazing? It's a dump! I'd leave too if there are better opportunities. The are many places in the US where you may be able to live a better life. If you are still in the south side it's probably not by choice.

There are a good number of OK areas of the south side. Hyde Park, a fair chunk of Kenwood, some of areas around Bronzeville, most of Bridgeport, McKinley Park Armour Square (Chinatown), if you want to count South Loop/Near South Side, Beverly, Mount Greenwood, most of Ashburn is fine, I think a fair chunk of Morgan Park is OK too, etc. Not to mention the areas near Midway like Clearing, Garfield Ridge, West Elsdon. Hegewisch as well..

[mjtinmemphis]

Originally Posted by chicagogeorge

The Southside is huge. Yes, large swaths of it are war zones, but many other parts are quite livable. Who knows, maybe in 30 years, Englewood will be the next hipster neighborhood to move in to.

Lets hope not. It's kind of hard for some to think a neighborhood doesn't have to be hipster haven or yuppieville to be a great neighborhood.

Most of the Southside is not a war zone.

[Larry Siegel]

Originally Posted by marothisu

True, good point, and without the lower class, this society wouldn't even really function as is. There definitely needs to be class diversity in any city in the world.

I may get some pushback on this, but I believe that if poverty could somehow be eliminated completely, we'd all be better off.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Larry Siegel

I may get some pushback on this, but I believe that if poverty could somehow be eliminated completely, we'd all be better off.

Hm, I mean in a perfect world I definitely agree with you, but I think it gets rather complicated after that - which probably has a simple solution anyway.

[nearnorth]

I think George Carlin said it best when he said the poor exist to scare the middle class enough that they keep showing up to their jobs and making money for the rich.