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East Oak Lane and Germantown near La Salle are overlooked because the surrounding neighborhoods are pretty much undesirable. They're needles in the haystacks neighborhoods. East Oak Lane also has the misfortune of having to 'compete' with Cheltenham, so a lot of families won't mind paying higher taxes in order for their children to attend the school district ( which isn't as great as they might think it is, speaking from experience, made no sense when they could've saved less money moving to EOL and sending their kids to Friends or Imhotep if school was the main concern)
I really admire how diverse the housing options are in East Oak Lane. As you mentioned, it combines the characteristics of both the Northeast and Mt. Airy. There are the usual rowhouses, single-family homes, and townhomes, but there's also a unique type of housing that I have no idea how to classify; seems like a hybrid between a townhome and a faux semi-detached?
If we're going to be technical about it, that block's not in East Oak Lane, which doesn't extend east of 5th Street. But it's right next door, so I'll allow it for purposes of this conversation. I think, however, that that block is in Crescentville (Crescentville Road runs up the east side of those blocks next to Tacony Creek Park).
Those are basically Airlite rowhouses done up with mock-Tudor doorways. I lived on a block of houses like those off Oxford Circle for 18 months in 2011-13. You'll find them in parts of the Northeast and "Cedarbrook" built right after the Second World War (the house I lived in was built in 1946).
If by "Germantown near La Salle" you're referring to that pocket of Black affluence that encompasses the 400 to 600 blocks of Locust Avenue and Church Lane plus the cross streets in that pocket, that area is definitely a unicorn, for everything around it is in worse shape and poorer (I lived over that way until a year ago). You might find this 2018 WHYY report on that neighborhood interesting and illuminating.
I do know two of its residents, one a recent arrival. The first is Marc Lamont Hill, who I met when I did a story on Uncle Bobbie's when it opened. The other is Rachel Street, a classically-trained opera singer-turned-house flipper and rehabber who recently bought a gorgeous Victorian on Wingohocking Heights with the intention of making it her residence.
I share Hill's overall assessment of Germantown, which I maintain is perhaps the most eclectic neighborhood in the city. Yes, it's 80 percent Black, but the whites who didn't flee tend to have a whiff of the counterculture about them: I joked to my Black friends that I knew there were progressive white folks living on the westside block I moved to in June of last year because I counted three Black Lives Matter yard signs on the block. Yes, the MHI for the neighborhood is in the upper $20k range, but 6 percent of the households bring home $130k or more a year. And so on down this vein.
I'd only truly consider moving back north to either the Pittsburgh area, or a select few places in New York: Queens, Albany, Syracuse, Binghamton, Buffalo, or Rochester...
Whether these are all truly "great" places for black folk is subjective, and there are objective trends and data that give reasons many of these places aren't great for us. The only one of these places that my employer doesn't have transferability to is Queens, but there's other options if that's the case...
I've recently begun considering a move back north as I started dating a woman from Plattsburgh NY. I wouldn't be moving for at least a year anyway, so we're talking a year to see how this long distance holds up, and it could be longer because obviously my children are here in NC...
Plattsburgh is outta the question, it's only ~4% black, I'm not doing that **** to myself. But I am open to a potential move back to NY in the future, we'll see how this long distance thing goes. But the place I go to has to have a respectable black population...
Right now Albany would be the leader in the clubhouse, and she's also open to a return back to NC down the line or a place elsewhere we agree to, should this relationship sustain despite the distance ..
Quote:
Originally Posted by murksiderock
You probably don't recall as it's been a decade now, but I moved to Guilderland when I left Elmira, before coming back south. I'm somewhat familiar with Albany, though again that was a decade ago and its been since 2018 the last time I visited, so I'm sure it'll be different on a number of levels should I return...
I wouldn't move to the Hudson Valley. Albany is the closest large city to where she's from, and it's also a city I'm comfortable enough in. The other cities I listed, I'm open to, and she is to a degree, but she really would like to leave NY for good (which is how she ended up in Raleigh in the first place). She doesn't have a strong desire to relocate anywhere in NY, but she's leaving the option open as we see how this plays out...
And to be honest with you, I don't have a strong desire to come back to NY, it's probably stronger than her inclination to stay lol. Bit I don't have a strong desire to come back. And if things go well with us I'm going to have to reconcile where I reside with where my kids are and that is a stressful consideration...
So Alb would be my first choice but the other NY cities IL open to as well...
So, those may be a couple of places to look into if you make the move to the Albany area or for others that maybe wondering/interested.
Just to touch on the 5 bolded cities/areas or some of the best bets out of them, I already mentioned a couple of parts of the Albany area, but I'd say that Syracuse's outer East Side(particularly the Salt Springs neighborhood, a working/middle class predominantly black neighborhood: https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0507...8192?entry=ttu , https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0477...8192?entry=ttu (Le Moyne College, a Catholic new to Division 1 is across the street).
There are other areas in each of those cities, as well as Albany where there is a black middle class presence in more diverse neighborhoods. Out of those cities, the only one that I know of where there is a 6 figure black family income is on Syracuse's outer East Side in the east part of the Salt Springs neighborhood and into the Meadowbrook neighborhood to the south, which is about 20%.
In the Binghamton area, I'd say there are some on the city's East, West(south of Main) and SW Sides; with some in West Endicott and in Johnson City south of Floral & north of Route 17.
Also, some suburban school districts in each of these areas like Amherst Central(Amherst), Sweet Home(Amherst), Cleveland Hill(Cheektowaga), Cheektowaga Central(Cheektowaga) and Maryvale(Cheektowaga) in the Buffalo area; Greece Central, Gates-Chili, Rush-Henrietta, Churchville-Chili, Wheatland-Chili, East Irondequoit and West Irondequoit in the Rochester area; Jamesville-DeWitt, Liverpool(covers portions of Clay and Salina), Onondaga Central and North Syracuse(covers part of Salina, Clay and Cicero) in the Syracuse area and Union-Endicott and Johnson City in the Binghamton area are some with a black middle class presence in parts or in general. This is among some others.
I wonder if Pipkins is still around, as he could give a more detailed breakdown for the Pittsburgh area.
I'd only truly consider moving back north to either the Pittsburgh area, or a select few places in New York: Queens, Albany, Syracuse, Binghamton, Buffalo, or Rochester...
Whether these are all truly "great" places for black folk is subjective, and there are objective trends and data that give reasons many of these places aren't great for us. The only one of these places that my employer doesn't have transferability to is Queens, but there's other options if that's the case...
I've recently begun considering a move back north as I started dating a woman from Plattsburgh NY. I wouldn't be moving for at least a year anyway, so we're talking a year to see how this long distance holds up, and it could be longer because obviously my children are here in NC...
Plattsburgh is outta the question, it's only ~4% black, I'm not doing that **** to myself. But I am open to a potential move back to NY in the future, we'll see how this long distance thing goes. But the place I go to has to have a respectable black population...
Right now Albany would be the leader in the clubhouse, and she's also open to a return back to NC down the line or a place elsewhere we agree to, should this relationship sustain despite the distance ..
While watching this interview about an event taking place in Syracuse a few months from now, there is some interesting information in the first and latter parts of the interview that made me think of this post and why some may move to those Upstate NY/PA or Inland Northeastern areas: https://youtube.com/watch?v=OzRtltevaBU&feature=share
Again, for the Basketball heads out there, Scott Burrell(former UConn and NBA baller), his wife(a SNY NY Jets reporter) is from the area and graduated from Beekmantown HS outside of Plattsburgh: https://www.jeanecoakley.com/
Not saying to move there, but just showing there is a visible black population all the way up there and proximity to Montreal’s 340,000 black residents and to a much smaller degree Burlington VT helps to keep it from being completely culturally isolated.
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 07-17-2023 at 06:30 AM..
I'm really having trouble finding 2BD 1Bath for $3,500 or less near transportation in Boston, I seen some scattered around, but I'm not sure if those are area's you'd personally recommend for a middle-class black family.
Yea man idk..sooo many options at that pricepoint. I wouldve thought you meant $2500, then id be rockin with you.
And keep in mind- our street views cute af. And relatively safe.
My good brother, im bumping this because there is an abundance of options at this price point. There's RE available to live in Boston for a black middle to upper middle class family.
My good brother, im bumping this because there is an abundance of options at this price point. There's RE available to live in Boston for a black middle to upper middle class family.
I am a bit confused. Yur example, did both Mom&Dad earn $145k per year? If that's the case and you have the means to make a down payment and cover utilities, wouldn't it make more sense to purchase a home for the long-term as a family with children, instead of renting in Metro Boston?
I'm not sure what else you want me to say about this other than 'I eat crow', lol. I'm actually shocked there are so many options for ≤ $2500 in desirable areas.
I am a bit confused. Yur example, did both Mom&Dad earn $145k per year? If that's the case and you have the means to make a down payment and cover utilities, wouldn't it make more sense to purchase a home for the long-term as a family with children, instead of renting in Metro Boston?
I'm not sure what else you want me to say about this other than 'I eat crow', lol. I'm actually shocked there are so many options for ≤ $2500 in desirable areas.
“Let’s say a middle class black family makes 145k in Boston for a 2 kid family. Maybe dad makes 85k mom makes 60k. Two mid to lower level professionals.
Lets say in this current market they can afford 3.5x their income. So 510k. And they want a 3 bedroom.”
You quoted that and began talking about rentals. I don't know why exactly but I assumed you had your reasons.
As far as ‘what to say’ I just literally did not know how you found it hard to find using the same site as me- and there's 1600+ units in that criteria. I just wanted to make sure you had a more accurate understanding of the market.
As for under 2500 in deairable areas i wouldnt say every place near trasnit is considered desirbale locally. But yea once youre looking at just older 2BRs you cant find many at $2500 in Boston and immediate environs.
The 4th one looks like the project mann... Like nice project but still.
My only gripe with #1 is- if I'm living in Chester PA as a true middle class family- then I definitely want a fully detached house.
Good catch, I didn't notice the two were the same. I'm just trying to bring awareness. A lot of people don't realize there are a lot of SFH options in Chester within good neighborhoods.
I'm not sure why the OP excluded Baltimore. It offers more affordable housing options compared to most of the options and has the richest black culture.
A 2BD 2BA in Upper Fells Point is $1800. The only knockoff I can think of would be the housing discrimination and lowkey racism you might encounter if you were trying to live in the L since that's where all the swanky rentals would be.
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