HBCU in University Park (Prairie View: private schools, moving, beach)

[AlGreen]

Originally Posted by ganongrey

The neighborhood kids feel free to use the basketball hoop in front of our home w/o asking (not an east-coast move)

Sounds like a UP thing. I've lived down south my entire life and have never seen anyone get away with doing this.

[GreyDay]

Originally Posted by AlGreen

Sounds like a UP thing. I've lived down south my entire life and have never seen anyone get away with doing this.

It's not a Detroit thing, or a Philly or DC or Boston or NY thing. But go along to get along. I suppose parents have to behave for the sake of the kids and that's not really a bad thing. Kids are free to be kids which is the reason we moved there.

[hamiltonpl]

Originally Posted by ganongrey

After a long search, my family and I are finally about to move into our home in UP.

So being a person of color this is a list of my experiences being in the 'bubble'

Neighbors are a bit nosier than I'd prefer. But I don't really need to say hello every morning.

No one seems amazed that a Black family moved in (they think my wife is white) but they all know what I do for a living.

After closing 6 weeks ago, they keep asking when we're moving in (a long story).

The neighborhood kids feel free to use the basketball hoop in front of our home w/o asking (not an east-coast move)

There's tons of kids on the block, which my daughter loves. She has kids to practice lacrosse with.

UP seems like any other suburb I've ever been to. Nice. More sense of community than some places. It's nice to see groups of young kids playing freely. But I do see where you can get it twisted and think this way of life is normal. We've got trips back to Detroit for my daughter to see how that super massive blue hole is...

What? It's the 21st Century in University Park too? I'm shocked I tell you. Shocked!

I'm also shocked that they know you're a doctor. After all, it was hard to tell after you placed those degrees in the front window. And since you make everyone call you doctor.

But seriously, the playing of basketball in front of your house is kind of weird. I haven't heard of that in UP either. Maybe that's what the previous owner allowed or maybe the kids did that because the house was abandoned? If it's on your property, I'd talk to the parents about it. But I understand if you don't want to make that stand as soon as you move in.

[Squirl]

Originally Posted by hamiltonpl

What? It's the 21st Century in University Park too? I'm shocked I tell you. Shocked!

I'm also shocked that they know you're a doctor. After all, it was hard to tell after you placed those degrees in the front window. And since you make everyone call you doctor.

But seriously, the playing of basketball in front of your house is kind of weird. I haven't heard of that in UP either. Maybe that's what the previous owner allowed or maybe the kids did that because the house was abandoned? If it's on your property, I'd talk to the parents about it. But I understand if you don't want to make that stand as soon as you move in.

I have a property that attracted the neighborhood kids to skateboard down the driveway (long and sloping) that would then dump the speeding kid onto a street that takes a bend right in front of the house so drivers don't have a clear shot of the road as they approach. Recipe for disaster. I talked to parents, kids, the police, posted signs and finally sent certified restraining orders to 2 families. All my efforts helped but have never totally resolved the problem. Fortunately, no one has made me aware of injuries and now cars are often left in the driveway v. using the garage by the present residents. I know I didn't appear to be neighborly. Out of college my first job was as a claims adjuster and I handled these types of claims. If it were a basketball hoop, I might ignore it knowing that once the property was occupied probably the kids will use it less, especially if you make a point of keeping a car in the driveway during popular play times.

[Big G]

Originally Posted by ganongrey

It's not a Detroit thing, or a Philly or DC or Boston or NY thing. But go along to get along. I suppose parents have to behave for the sake of the kids and that's not really a bad thing. Kids are free to be kids which is the reason we moved there.

Yeah, it sounds more like a "self-entitled kids who do whatever they want, and no one ever says NO to them" thing. Hmm, maybe it IS an HP/UP thing. (Oh, was that my outdoor voice?)

I had neighbors who did that at my last house, but 1) I didn't care, and 2) They asked the first 8 or 10 times before I told them they didn't have to come knock on my door every time they wanted to shoot a few hoops. If they had just used it without asking, I probably would have a far different opinion.

OTOH, a few of those kids have gone on to play on the PSHS men's and women's basketball teams, and it's all due to me . Maybe that can be your contribution to HPISD. Seriously, though, if it sticks in your craw, put a stop to it.


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To clean up some other topics in this thread:

The OP has previously posted that he received his MD from Howard U., arguably the most famous and prestigious HBCU in the country.

The closest HCBU to the Park Cities would be Paul Quinn College in Dallas, which no one will ever confuse with Howard, Fisk, Spelman, or Xavier.

[AlGreen]

You can never blame kids. They mean no harm and simply don't know any better; teenagers included. All you can do is ask them where they live and go cuss the parents out.

[AlGreen]

Originally Posted by Big G

The closest HCBU to the Park Cities would be Paul Quinn College in Dallas, which no one will ever confuse with Howard, Fisk, Spelman, or Xavier.

...or Prairie View or Texas Southern, for that matter. PQ is a very tiny school.

[GreyDay]

Nothings in the window. My cargo shorts and t-shirts don't say Baylor or UTSW. It's more that we look young and our bios preceded us. The basketball thing is no big deal. The previous owners kid had special needs and got a permit to place a cemented hoop in front of the house.

Now neighbors camping out on chaises in the front lawn...

[TurtleCreek80]

They probably use it because of that block's "culture"- ie, previous owners may have told kids they were welcome to use it. Growing up, one family on my block had a sports court in their backyard and had a 100% "open backyard" policy, even if they weren't home. Other families had backyards that kid's would cut through to get from one backyard to a friend's backyard a few doors down. It's just how the block worked back then. Most homes have turned over owners in the past 10-15 years, so it wouldn't surprise me if the "rules" that were ok when I was growing up are not anymore, or if there are now different homes on the block with "open backyards."

Regardless- you bought the home and are under no obligation to let them use your facilities if you don't want them to. Tell the kids and if that isn't effective, tell their parents.

[JoycMarr]

I could deal with the kids using the hoop, but folks chilling on my front lawn? Hell no!