What if Chicago was desegregated ? .

[Walkaboutcreek]

South loop is a hidden gem relatively and to stay on the thread topic the most diverse neighborhood I have lived in 26 years of various neighborhoods. Was surprised actually, Hyde Park often gets touted as best represented working class diversity area, I think we are close if it matters to some. Getting unaffordable though these days for many which will drive some of the economic diversity out like gentrifcation always does. Number of strollers and familes here is best indicator of that. South Loop Elementary is one of the better rated public and the biggest Catholic school, can't think of name but neighbors kids go there. Though with Covid 19 shutdown, time will tell how trend continues but that's not unique to here. The 78 development will be a great addition, proximity to lake, transit, museums, theatres, tourist stuff, downtown work and tree lined streets surpised it took so long. Gentrification really took off around 2001, cooled a bit in 2009, recovered and until recently was booming. Best commute ever getting on at Roosevelt Orange or Green and heading to Loop.

Driving thru now is not best representaion of pre covid vibrancy of area but that is the case in any neighborhood right now.

South Loop seems to mean different things to different people but clear the realtors these days carry it down to McCormick place corridor now and I would agree based on subjective criteria but certainly real ground level daily observation. Rt55 on south seems to me new "boundary".

Curly, yes the Burger King is still there but not for long. Literally every single one of the buildings on that block of Michigan is under development. Restoring the cool old motor row facades with new additions and everything in between.

[WestSideMillennial]

Originally Posted by Master Jay

I have seen more blending in the city:

The West Ridge area that I have known as Pakistani/Jewish is showing more evidence of African.

The Armour Square area that I have known as Croatian and Sicilian has more of the Chinese (I would assume) moving south form Chinatown.

The Pilsen area that was beginning to have White individuals I recently noticed had Black/African-American individuals, and I never noticed this before (walking, riding bikes, in residences).

Understand, I have NO problems with any of this. I am just stating my experiences and observations.

Examples of Chicago being "desegregated" in more areas than maybe some may know.
Anyone else have the same observations?

That makes two of us! I have definitely noticed those type of changes as well. The sad part is, the south side of the city still hasn't been blessed with such diversity. Abviously neighborhoods like Woodlawn & Bronzeville have a growing diversity population of Asians & Whites but it seems to be the only two neighborhoods in all the south side.

[Master Jay]

WestSideMilenial, good morning. And good looking out!

I thought that south side neighborhoods like East Side and Beverly WERE diverse?

And aren't there neighborhoods on the south west side that have mixture of Hispanic and White, as well.

As you say, Hyde Park and Woodlawn are examples of diversity...

That said, including what I wrote about Pilsen and Armour Square which are technically on the south side of Chicago, it would seem to me that there is quite a noteworthy south side that IS diverse! Am I right?

[ChicagoMeO]

I guess President Trump vetoed some kind of bill that wanted the low cost housing to be extended to suburbs, and this was rejected. so that is one way i would not want to desegregate. already section 8 renters have a bad reputation - some deservedly and some not. some people want to escape the stuff that comes with living in a city and also this bill would certain drive property values down and some people's feeling of safety - but that's another topic about when you have been harmed by someone and then unfortunately you wont feel safe if you happen to come across more people who look like the person who hurt you.


then again, people in the city who live in the expensive $2,400 a month rent, do not appreciate when someone comes in as section 8 and pays $300 or $100 for the same apartment.


this is not a good idea to desegregate based on income.


Let people live where they want. Some prefer to be around people like them, for comfort and for feeling like someone else is like you, i.e. could be where people speak your language, & share your culture, provide restaurants and shops that share your culture and sell things you would especially want to buy, that's a great help, or people you feel safe around because they look like you and/or have same kind of income. i.e here's one example of cultural differences -. i do not feel comfortable in a church in a north shore fancy schmancy neighborhood, one church i visited had bible classes in the country club which was very weird sounding to me. i did not feel comfortable there and would hate for me to live in that town. so no to segregation for me. I live where i want and can afford and where I'm welcome. .with the BLM movement, i don't want to invade someone's neighborhood where they wont like seeing my face there.. so theres too many other good choices for everyone to want to live in. its not racist either for having these thoughts.

[ben young]

No diversity unless 51% black. Black Lives Matter

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by ChicagoMeO

I guess President Trump vetoed some kind of bill that wanted the low cost housing to be extended to suburbs, and this was rejected. so that is one way i would not want to desegregate. already section 8 renters have a bad reputation - some deservedly and some not. some people want to escape the stuff that comes with living in a city and also this bill would certain drive property values down and some people's feeling of safety - but that's another topic about when you have been harmed by someone and then unfortunately you wont feel safe if you happen to come across more people who look like the person who hurt you.


then again, people in the city who live in the expensive $2,400 a month rent, do not appreciate when someone comes in as section 8 and pays $300 or $100 for the same apartment.


this is not a good idea to desegregate based on income.


Let people live where they want. Some prefer to be around people like them, for comfort and for feeling like someone else is like you, i.e. could be where people speak your language, & share your culture, provide restaurants and shops that share your culture and sell things you would especially want to buy, that's a great help, or people you feel safe around because they look like you and/or have same kind of income. i.e here's one example of cultural differences -. i do not feel comfortable in a church in a north shore fancy schmancy neighborhood, one church i visited had bible classes in the country club which was very weird sounding to me. i did not feel comfortable there and would hate for me to live in that town. so no to segregation for me. I live where i want and can afford and where I'm welcome. .with the BLM movement, i don't want to invade someone's neighborhood where they wont like seeing my face there.. so theres too many other good choices for everyone to want to live in. its not racist either for having these thoughts.

My issue is that the white upper middle class progressives in our City and region talk a big game about black and brown lives mattering. But then they segregate themselves from those areas while attacking the officers who must police them, decry businesses for not investing in them when they themselves aren't willing to invest, and complain about segregated and underfunded schools when they themselves are not willing to send their children to those schools to fund and desegregate them.

So given the clearly demonstrated lack of desire to rectify these concerns issues with affirmative moves, I personally have no problem at all with encouraging Section 8 housing in wealthier areas in blue regions. This was definitely one of the things that the Obama Administration was doing that I strongly agreed with.

[ChicagoMeO]

Originally Posted by ben young

No diversity unless 51% black. Black Lives Matter

total diversity would be a neighborhood made up of various races, various classes (middle class, poorish class, rich class) and also a mix of gay/straight. and all the people who fall in between several of these types, and age groups, old and new housing, and talents - artsy types vs stay at home watching tv types, seniors, and senior housing, disability housing, disabled and abled-bodied people, various shops and restaurants, like having Mexican restaurants, Italian restaurants, soul food, Polish food, also stores - Macys and Walgreens, Pier 1 and home made crafts stores, imported items/food stores, American made stores, cowboys, fishermen, aircraft pilots i.e. various types of jobs, different kinds of schools, i.e. high schools, colleges, schools that teach a skill like a craftsman, computer, art, music, dancing. Oh also political - BLM, conservatives, liberals, etc.


THAT would be a totally diverse area, you think everyone would get along? Would everyone like it?