Far from it, but is Chicago heading to turn into Detroit 2.0? (Lincoln: real estate, rentals)

[InternationalWaves]

This should be major news. There is indeed a problem with the city in a variety of angles that must be corrected,before is too late.

While the city have seen improvements in certain areas and weather can be blamed to an extent since there is seemingly a pattern of heading south,the gangs, schools,crime, corruption is obviously taking a toll.

Does declining population 2 years in a row and appeal can translate into declining economy? It is indeed an indication!

How can the city save itself.

Chicago area leads U.S. in population loss, sees drop for 2nd year in a row - Chicago Tribune

[chicago0311]

When you are the 3rd largest city and you lead the country in population loss it basically just means more people are leaving here than NY and LA. Also, I bet a lot of these people are just moving to the suburbs.

[LeotheOrangeCat]

Originally Posted by InternationalWaves

This should be major news. There is indeed a problem with the city in a variety of angles that must be corrected,before is too late.

While the city have seen improvements in certain areas and weather can be blamed to an extent since there is seemingly a pattern of heading south,the gangs, schools,crime, corruption is obviously taking a toll.

Does declining population 2 years in a row and appeal can translate into declining economy? It is indeed an indication!

How can the city save itself.

Chicago area leads U.S. in population loss, sees drop for 2nd year in a row - Chicago Tribune

No. Poor people are leaving and upper income professionals are moving in. I'd rather no one left, but it's not a crisis for the city. See this article.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/artic...ng-in-new-ways

The map in this article also shows the population changes in the individual community areas since 2000. There is a large decline in the African American population.

https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/2016...st-century-map

[Maintainschaos]

Originally Posted by InternationalWaves

This should be major news.

The city of Chicago has posted population losses 5 of the last 6 decades; the metro has contracted in at least a few census estimates (although it's never posted a population lost). I'm not sure these observations are novel.

[chicagobear]

Try to buy a single family house in Lincoln Park. Hint, bring lots of money. Demand for real estate in Chicago is high in many areas.

[LeotheOrangeCat]

One more article. This one blames Chicago's gun violence for a decline of 20% (200,000) in Chicago's African American population. Calls it a reversal of the Great Migration.

https://www.thetrace.org/2016/05/chi...pulation-loss/

[prhill]

let the population drop. less people means less problem, less congestion. The last thing I want Chicago to be like would be New York or LA! Those places are bad because they have too many people

[InternationalWaves]

Originally Posted by LeotheOrangeCat

No. Poor people are leaving and upper income professionals are moving in. I'd rather no one left, but it's not a crisis for the city. See this article.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/artic...ng-in-new-ways

The map in this article also shows the population changes in the individual community areas since 2000. There is a large decline in the African American population.

https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/2016...st-century-map

Interesting valid points!

But based on some of those reports,then the Southside is what is turning into Detroit 2.0. Keep in mind all the development is in the Northside,Downtown parts of the Westside etc. There are some areas in the Westside and Southside where this "affluent" people won't move in into. At least yet
That translates into despair vacant lots in those areas which should be concerning.
The prosperity of some areas is a great thing,but there's a disparity that should be addressed.

[IrishIllini]

Originally Posted by InternationalWaves

Interesting valid points!

But based on some of those reports,then the Southside is what is turning into Detroit 2.0. Keep in mind all the development is in the Northside,Downtown parts of the Westside etc. There are some areas in the Westside and Southside where this "affluent" people won't move in into. At least yet
That translates into despair vacant lots in those areas which should be concerning.
The prosperity of some areas is a great thing,but there's a disparity that should be addressed.

We've discussed Chicago's population at length around these parts.

Leo's post is accurate. We bleed our poor and working class populations but have decent growth at higher income levels. I'm talking 10%+ for households earning 100k+ and 10%+ for households earning 200k+.

There are many reasons we lose poor and working class residents, but the two biggest reasons are a lack of jobs for the less educated and habitual violence in Chicago's poorest neighborhoods on the south and west sides. Income inequality isn't unique to Chicago whatsoever. It's a national issue that we'll have to address sooner rather than later.

As for Chicago turning into Detroit 2.0, the answer is no. It isn't as if the entirety or even most of the south and west sides are uninhabitable ghettos. There are pockets of pure hell, but there are many stable, working class/middle class neighborhoods. These neighborhoods aren't growing at leaps and bounds, but they aren't being abandoned at anywhere near the rate they were in the latter half of the 20th century.

Chicago just isn't a blue collar town anymore. All the jobs created these days are for educated professionals. The cranes all over the north and near west sides with signs advertising luxury rentals/condos supports this. It'll be interesting to see where rock bottom is for Chicago's south and west sides, as well as some suburbs, but apparently we aren't there yet. If Detroit can post even moderate population gains, you know Chicago can turn it around, lol.

[flamadiddle]

As noted, much ado about nothing. There are some demographic shifts occurring... and I'd add this to IrishIllini's comments above regarding the Southside. As a kid, I lived in the area around 79th and Crandon, which you would think by the news today has turned into a war torn third world country. Thanks to google maps, one can drive through the area now from the comfort of their living room, which I did recently. I was actually shocked at how well kept the homes were! It actually looks like a pretty damn nice place to live!

So nope, not Detroit 2, just some ebb and flow.