The End of White Flight?
Since 1940, “white flight” has affected the city’s demographics, not to mention its real estate market; every year, the population of white, non-Hispanic residents in the inner city decreased. That is, until the turn of this century. The NY Times reports that since 2000, 100,000 non-Hispanic whites have returned to the city, and half of…
Since 1940, “white flight” has affected the city’s demographics, not to mention its real estate market; every year, the population of white, non-Hispanic residents in the inner city decreased. That is, until the turn of this century. The NY Times reports that since 2000, 100,000 non-Hispanic whites have returned to the city, and half of that increase occurred between 2006 and 2007. Experts call the shift a “harbinger of racial equilibrium” and a testament to “diversity and ethnic heterogeneity.” For some, of course, such shifts signal an undertone of gentrification; it’s not always good news. And some of those folks returning from the ‘burbs work in the financial industry, lured by family-friendly, high-end projects that are sometimes seen as gated communities within the city; no one’s sure if they’ll stay as the economy sours. Still, the census findings reveal a strong city — stronger, in fact than some of the suburbs. The percentage of folks paying more than 30% of income on rent/mortgage dropped in NYC; it rose in the suburbs.
White Flight Has Reversed, Census Finds [NY Times]
Photo by thunderhoof
My last post was in response to A Guest “I feel the opposition to this article is the idea that more white people moving to the city is a bad thing.”
Sorry…
No – the problem is that white people are moving where they’re *not supposed to* and inflicting ills upon non-whites by exercising their privilege. Meanwhile, non-whites that are exercising (admittedly, less historic) privilege are not questioned when they buy a 1-bedroom apartment for $1.7 million…. even though that raises housing costs for everyone, white, black, brown, orange, green, purple.
While it’s not an irrational double-standard… white privilege is real and must be recognized… gentrifying is gentrifying. People are simply moving back to the city because it’s nicer than it was in the 70s and 80s when lots of people ran away (majority white, but also the full rainbow).
Don’t blame the housing market. While it is INSANE in this city – what color a person is doesn’t affect what the *may* buy or rent. The issue is *can* – and that has nothing to do with the houses and neighborhoods. It has to do with the economy, racism in the workplace, inequity in education, and so on. The housing market will continue to be insane as long as there is someone paying ridiculous prices… it doesn’t matter what color they are, they just need a fat checkbook.
^^that was a response to petebklyn.
I think the article is reporting that demographers, city planners and sociologists think that New York City is experiencing decreased fluctuations in the racial makeup of New York City. It also says this is new in New York, and makes New York unique among older cities. Yes, this is news, and yup, you’re reading too much into this.
Petebklyn,
On the contrary, I think the article may point to a DECLINE in bias. IMO one of the most toxic aspects of racism has been the perception by whites that they MUST move out of an area when minority people start to move in. That is why integration has, historically (and cynically) been described as the brief period between the first minority families moving in and the last white families leaving. A very few neighborhoods (like my beloved PLG) have resisted this trend, but a larger scale reversal (assuming this article is correct) is IMO a very desirable thing.
I feel the opposition to this article is the idea that more white people moving to the city is a bad thing.
Intersting Pete. The article did not talk about african americans. It did mention Hispanics. It even notes that long-time Hispanic residents are leaving the city. Why do you jump on African Americans as the reason for white flight?
Many whites left for lots of reasons: bad schools, high crime, dirty streets, unreliable mass transit. But many also dreamed of a house with a white pickett fence and a yard, which is hard to come by in the 5 boros and is/was teh American dream. So they left. Some of them are coming back. And some people, Hispanics in this case, are leaving – probably looking for a house with a yard and a white pickett fence and following the American dream.
And guess what, lots of middle class blacks are doing/did the same. Some moved from Brooklyn to southeastern Queens. (They were smart enough to avoid the high taxes of Long Island.) Soem moved to towns outside the city.
This article is noting a trend. You are reading way too much into this.
(oops… I think I may have fallen victim to hyperbole and sarcasm.)
Can’t we just all get along… I suggest a top-down approach. The city needs to develop and enforce a sort of grid – demarcation of the neighborhoods and areas that are “OK to Gentrify” and those that are “OK to Fill with Minorities”
That should work – there are no wealthy minorities, so that should keep the real estate nice and cheap and the dirty word “gentrify” wouldn’t have to be used. And the “OK to Gentrify” neighborhoods will be 100% white and “heterogeneous” so everyone will be happy. Bed-Stuy will experience a Harlem Renaissance of its own because the whites are preventing their expression of culture and Bensonhurst will finally look like Park Slope because they’ve just been waiting for the green light to gentrify! Hoorah!