Pittsburgh Trying to Attract Immigrants (Penn Hills, Baldwin: crime rate, houses, neighborhood)

[portroyalsound]

A healthy influx of immigrants in Pittsburgh might be the only way to reverse the decline of some of our old blue collar neighborhoods. In the 80's a lot of Brooklyn and Queens were going the way of Carrick and Sheridan. Over the last 20 years, neighborhoods like Sunset Park and Jackson Heights have been transformed into lively communities with relatively low crime. This growth dynamic for Pittsburgh may be a pipe dream. Cities with large immigrant communities tend to have very dynamic economies. Pittsburgh's economic health is steady, but not dynamic.

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Carrick is turning into one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the entire city. Unfortunately it hasn't done much of anything in terms of revitalizing the neighborhood. It is a bit of a left wing dream to fantasize about people from other cultures swooping in and "saving" our blighted American communities. In reality the cultural background of people moving to a neighborhood means quite little in the scheme of revitalization, it's the amount of money they have in their pocket.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

Carrick is turning into one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the entire city. Unfortunately it hasn't done much of anything in terms of revitalizing the neighborhood. It is a bit of a left wing dream to fantasize about people from other cultures swooping in and "saving" our blighted American communities. In reality the cultural background of people moving to a neighborhood means quite little in the scheme of revitalization, it's the amount of money they have in their pocket.

I think it depends upon the group honestly, and how and why they settle there. For example, Asian Immigrants are often held up as "model minorities" - however, if you look at the experience of the Hmong community in the U.S. (who generally come here as refugees) you'll see they tend to acculturate mostly to stereotyped inner-city behavior, have high dropout rates, gang issues, etc.

That said, any immigrants are better than none at all. Take a look at the many small cities in Eastern PA, like Reading and Allentown. They may be rough areas, but the influx of Latino immigrants (in part internal migrants from NYC, but also international) saved them from the sort of abandonment and large-scale demolition we've seen in portions of Western Pennsylvania. I have to think if we could airdrop 1,000 Haitians in Spring Garden or somewhere similar it would be better than the status quo.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by Copanut

There's white people in Nebraska?

Funny you should ask that. DH is from Nebraska. I told a friend once that Gale Sayers (sp?) went to DH's high school and she said, "You mean there are blacks in Nebraska?"

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by eschaton

That said, any immigrants are better than none at all. Take a look at the many small cities in Eastern PA, like Reading and Allentown. They may be rough areas, but the influx of Latino immigrants (in part internal migrants from NYC, but also international) saved them from the sort of abandonment and large-scale demolition we've seen in portions of Western Pennsylvania. I have to think if we could airdrop 1,000 Haitians in Spring Garden or somewhere similar it would be better than the status quo.

Yes, because Haitians are a proven industrious and self-reliant people and Latin American governments and culture leave the First World behind.

[selltheburgh]

Interesting they interviewed Emeka. He's one of Lawrenceville's biggest property developers right now.

[SolitaryThrush]

Not really a news item, it's basically a blog post letting readers know what groups out there exist for internationally-minded Pittsburghers.

There's no indication that Hmong or Haitian groups are even on Pittsburgh's radar. There is a fairly sizable Somalian community in Northview Heights, and a Bhutanese expatriate community in the South Hills.

What would be really encouraging is if places like UPMC and Carnegie Mellon had the ability to turn these temporary researchers and scholars into long-term residents. Internationals in these and other organizations provide a much-needed brain gain, but they're often here temporarily, as their visas dictate.

People allude to trouble-making immigrants, but the problems that can come with, or can be found in, immigrant communities (legal or illegal) are ones mirrored in our own communities, so anti-immigration lines are just ways for people to express their xenophobia and racism more easily. The difference is that immigrant communities usually improve and adjust over generations and represent potential, especially when the hard work and delayed-gratification are to make lives better for future generations . . . can't say the same for other segments of the country.

Immigration and an influx of foreign-born workers is a boon to the region. What's kind of ironic, considering how much Pittsburghers still like to bleat about "lunchpails" and "blue-collar work ethic", is that the immigrants derided by some among us are outworking us and following the example many of our families did a few generations ago: work hard, do what it takes, and help your kids be more successful than you. Whether it's internationals brought in temporarily to work and study here, or those who decide to settle in Pittsburgh and work manufacturing or service jobs, we're better off for them.

[stburr91]

If there are decent paying jobs, why wouldn't Americans come here to Pittsburgh?

I don't see how an influx of foreign-born workers would be good for the already stagnant wages here in Pittsburgh.

[I_Like_Spam]

If Pittsburgh gets a growing economy and thriving industries again, people will move here.

Whether the teeming masses come from Haiti, Poland, Somalia or tax refugees from California, I'm sure that anyone who comes here with the idea of working hard and making their own way will be making a contribution regardless of what their ethnicity is.

[pman]

Originally Posted by stburr91

If there are decent paying jobs, why wouldn't Americans come here to Pittsburgh?

I don't see how an influx of foreign-born workers would be good for the already stagnant wages here in Pittsburgh.

pittsburgh ranked fourth in wage growth over a five year period ending in july