MA population growth has been slowing - its declining now (Boston: section 8, apartments)

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by msRB311

Sure, but how do they afford it? By shoving 10 working family members in one space?

Idk but clearly they afford it somehow. Maybe 3 working adults 2 kids in an apartment?

By vetted selection they are entrepreneurial, determined and resourceful folks

[btownboss4]

Originally Posted by msRB311

I’m not sure why so many immigrants come to Boston. Unless they are educated and will make a high salary they aren’t going to have a very good life here. Seems like immigrants are attracted to cities but they’d be just as well out by Worcester or Springfield. The cost of living in the Boston area is just so high.

I noticed people leaving Boston more often around 2014. People realized they could move to lower cost of living cities and still make a good salary. Plus a lot of people hate winter.

Beyond culture (eg Cape Verdians seeking out Cape Verdians) since the unskilled get in basically through family reunification if you’re moving from Cape Verde you’re probably going to end up wherever you Aunt or cousin is. Especially if they’re the only people who you know in North America. In that case it’s Boston. Which is also why Boston doesn’t really have a growing Mexican population.

The US immigration system really incentivizes clustering.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by msRB311

Sure, but how do they afford it? By shoving 10 working family members in one space?

They’re not living in a Back Bay brownstone or a single family home in Hingham. They’re living in tenement buildings in neighborhoods with lousy schools where the rent is far lower. A family of four living in a, gasp, 2 bedroom apartment where the kids share a bedroom. With the lousy schools, they’re largely trapped there in generational poverty.

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

They’re not living in a Back Bay brownstone or a single family home in Hingham. They’re living in tenement buildings in neighborhoods with lousy schools where the rent is far lower. A family of four living in a, gasp, 2 bedroom apartment where the kids share a bedroom. With the lousy schools, they’re largely trapped there in generational poverty.

I know a lot of Haitians live in Hyde Park, Cape Verdeans in Dorchester in these types of situations. It doesn't seem like the best quality of life which brings me back to my question of why do so many keep coming here. I guess it's better than Haiti or Cape Verde but not sure they are helping make Boston a better place.

[mdovell]

Originally Posted by btownboss4

The US immigration system really incentivizes clustering.

Sort of but it can get deeper than that. In western mass many immigrants differed except in religion. Many Catholics so the churches were fuller longer. In Eastern mass to be frank no one really cared about what the churches said or did when I was growing up. Western mass still has sway. They still own buildings and land. It's like going back in time 45 years.

Generational poverty has to be broken.
https://ips-dc.org/report-the-road-to-zero-wealth/

It isn't that people aren't buying assets technically but they buy things that drop in value. You can flip a house but you can't exactly flip a car. They drop in value, require maintenance and you finance them. Constant instant immediate gratification leads to short term thinking and survival.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by msRB311

I know a lot of Haitians live in Hyde Park, Cape Verdeans in Dorchester in these types of situations. It doesn't seem like the best quality of life which brings me back to my question of why do so many keep coming here. I guess it's better than Haiti or Cape Verde but not sure they are helping make Boston a better place.

Umm..you check out the alternatives?

I’d rather be a bit crowded and have amenities and cleanliness as opposed to Waterbury CT, Irvington NJ, Bronx NY, Woonsocket RI, Lawrence MA etc etc? You checked those “cheap” places out? They’re not that cheap and they’re not worth it. That’s why those cities are not growing (except Lawrence).

[msRB311]

Right it seems like Lawrence does have a large immigration population as well. I am not familiar with the other places. There is life in other states though.

[btownboss4]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

They’re not living in a Back Bay brownstone or a single family home in Hingham. They’re living in tenement buildings in neighborhoods with lousy schools where the rent is far lower. A family of four living in a, gasp, 2 bedroom apartment where the kids share a bedroom. With the lousy schools, they’re largely trapped there in generational poverty.

Isn’t kids sharing a room like totally normal?

[masssachoicetts]

I know thres a family in Dorchester who has a 9 bedroom Victorian. They rent out the Victorian to three family (Each 2 bedrooms) and split the rent 3 ways (~1800 for 2 beds each family). If you two working adults in one bedroom and 2 kids in another bedroom.

I think 1800 is manageable for working 45 hours a week at ~15 an hour. Its not ideal especially in a place like the Dot. But its there.

Most Dominicans, Haitians and Cape Verdeans I know work for about 16-20 an hour who are new to the country. Not terrible.

[CaseyB]

Originally Posted by btownboss4

Isn’t kids sharing a room like totally normal?

It can be, depends on the ages and sexes and how many to a room.