Two weeks ago two of my girlfriends were robbed at gunpoint in the Heights on 19th Street. My husband's SUV was broken into that same night, on 18th Street, and they stole his stereo and phone headset. And my CDs! And I can't help but wonder what the heck is going on?!
I mean, all people deserve to live in a safe neighborhood regardless of their income level, but let's face it, the more affluent neighborhoods usually get the most attention. So that poses a very interesting question. Now that our inner city neighborhoods have become more affluent why aren’t the new residents influencing better police security?
Those of us that have always lived in the city used to joke that there was more crime in the suburbs, or in more affluent areas of town, because robbers went where the money was. We used to joke that criminals didn't really steal from one their own. (Think of the philosophy of one of the characters in the movie Crash.)
Gentrification is changing that stereotype. Our neighborhoods in Houston are changing completely. We are basically bringing more money into areas that had been run-down for some time and we’re creating more hot spots for criminals who make a living from robbing. Of course we may have criminals coming from the outside suburbs into the city to steal too. Not all criminals come from inner city either. It just changes the whole dynamic or stereotype that criminals come from the city and go out to the affluent areas to rob.
Crime is crime, no matter what, and the citizens of the city need to do something about it. After my girlfriends were robbed they felt the need to do something. They made flyers and they posted them around the Heights in case someone found their purses. They hoped that the robber discarded their purses and that someone found them, but they also wanted to make the neighbors aware of what had happened to them.
Now that cities are changing the new neighbors should get together with the older neighbors to make some noise. The residents of the Heights and the merchants on 19th Street should work together to make their voices heard. New neighbor’s can help make a difference in their neighborhoods. They can use their affluence to influence change.
Showing posts with label Gentrification. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gentrification. Show all posts
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Guanabee & More on Gentrification
Hey! My blog is NYC famous. Guanabee.com referred to my blog entry on gentrification today. Of course they put a funnier twist to it. I think it's so funny that people have found my observation interesting.
Although when I think about it I must agree that it is an interesting phenomenon. As our neighborhoods in the inner city change so does the clientele of our businesses. I need to ask Matamoros Meat market on Irvington if they too have experienced a change in business.
Usually it's the Mexican restaurants who see it first. Like Teotihuacan, one of my favorite restaurants, on Airline near N. Main. Go there on any given day for lunch or dinner and 90% of the clientele is non-Hispanic. Of course that location is really close to the Heights. I wonder if the Irvington location has seen a difference too.
I personally love what's happening in our neighborhoods. I love the diversity. I do find it sad that it makes areas near town, that were once still affordable, expensive. I also hate it if the property taxes are going up. But that comes with improving the neighborhood.
Something interesting that I've noticed in my neighborhood is that they aren't building any of the 3 story town home complexes that you see all around Houston. I wonder if it's because Lindale has deed restrictions and maybe the civic club isn't allowing that to happen. Which if that's the case, I think it's great.
They are building one of those mini complexes nearby. Actually, it's right around the corner from my friend's dad's house. It was such a shock to see them go up. It looked weird actually.
I think that different groups can move into our neighborhood and make it diverse without having to build. We have some really charming houses in our neck of the woods. Of course this is coming from someone who loves old houses with character, rather than the new suburban homes.
Sometimes I get impatient with our lack of initiative to remodel. I tell Rey that I want to sell and move away. Then I look at my house, really look at it. I look past the needed changes. I look at the neighborhood, and most importantly, I look at the access to every major freeway and to the Hardy Toll Road, and I realize I'm talking crazy.
I LOVE living in the city. I think I would be so miserable if I had to drive any further than I already do each day. I would hate to have to drive into the city to go to the places I love here.
Thank goodness for the Magnet program in HISD because I feel confident that my kids will always have a good education. Besides, like I've said before, it's my job to educate them. Schools are just there to provide an outline for you to follow.
I know there are a lot of people who don't understand this. I remember when I bought my house I had people (especially family) who were surprised, and maybe even looked down, on my buying this house. But now that the city is changing even more I wouldn't trade it for anything. I love these old houses with all their quirkiness.
Although when I think about it I must agree that it is an interesting phenomenon. As our neighborhoods in the inner city change so does the clientele of our businesses. I need to ask Matamoros Meat market on Irvington if they too have experienced a change in business.
Usually it's the Mexican restaurants who see it first. Like Teotihuacan, one of my favorite restaurants, on Airline near N. Main. Go there on any given day for lunch or dinner and 90% of the clientele is non-Hispanic. Of course that location is really close to the Heights. I wonder if the Irvington location has seen a difference too.
I personally love what's happening in our neighborhoods. I love the diversity. I do find it sad that it makes areas near town, that were once still affordable, expensive. I also hate it if the property taxes are going up. But that comes with improving the neighborhood.
Something interesting that I've noticed in my neighborhood is that they aren't building any of the 3 story town home complexes that you see all around Houston. I wonder if it's because Lindale has deed restrictions and maybe the civic club isn't allowing that to happen. Which if that's the case, I think it's great.
They are building one of those mini complexes nearby. Actually, it's right around the corner from my friend's dad's house. It was such a shock to see them go up. It looked weird actually.
I think that different groups can move into our neighborhood and make it diverse without having to build. We have some really charming houses in our neck of the woods. Of course this is coming from someone who loves old houses with character, rather than the new suburban homes.
Sometimes I get impatient with our lack of initiative to remodel. I tell Rey that I want to sell and move away. Then I look at my house, really look at it. I look past the needed changes. I look at the neighborhood, and most importantly, I look at the access to every major freeway and to the Hardy Toll Road, and I realize I'm talking crazy.
I LOVE living in the city. I think I would be so miserable if I had to drive any further than I already do each day. I would hate to have to drive into the city to go to the places I love here.
Thank goodness for the Magnet program in HISD because I feel confident that my kids will always have a good education. Besides, like I've said before, it's my job to educate them. Schools are just there to provide an outline for you to follow.
I know there are a lot of people who don't understand this. I remember when I bought my house I had people (especially family) who were surprised, and maybe even looked down, on my buying this house. But now that the city is changing even more I wouldn't trade it for anything. I love these old houses with all their quirkiness.
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Gentrification at the Neighborhood Bars
Last week my sisters were angels and they took my kids for me. One sister took them for a couple of hours while I went to a reunion planning meeting. The other sister then offered to take them overnight so me and hubby could have some quality time. It was VERY NICE of them!!
So Rey and I went to a restaurant down the street that we really like. I had already had dinner at my meeting, but I had another margarita while he ate dinner. When he finished eating and we had listened to the mariachis, we just sat there looking at each other. It was funny. We are both such social creatures that we were craving the company of others too. So Rey said, "I'll fix that," and he calls the king and queen party animals, his parents.
It turns out that they are at the neighborhood bar down the street from our house. The same place I met them for the first time 12 years ago. That was the same night I learned what a "set-up" was. This is the kind of place where they play pool and darts and you're allowed to bring your own bottle of liquor. They only sell beer. (You have to understand my surprise- I grew up in a very conservative religious home.)
They go there at least once a month with a group of friends who they've been going there with for 20 years or more. So, we go meet up with them and we had a really nice time. I danced with Rey's dad, Rey danced with his mom and Rey and I danced a couple of songs too. It was fun! That's the thing about Rey's parents. You are always guaranteed a good time when they are around.
The funny part about the night was what Rey and I saw (apart from the Mexican Elvis wannabe, complete with long sideburns and pink tinted sunglasses) a table of non-Hispanic people. YES! At the neighborhood corner bar. The kind of place that Hispanics like Rey's parents, older multi-generation Hispanics, have been patronizing for over 20 years.
These small neighborhood bars in the Hispanic parts of town have always had the same crowd visiting. Many of the people live in the neighborhood, or like Rey's parents and their friends, used to live in the neighborhood. They drive across town from near Missouri City, Katy and other suburbs, just to visit their old bar. And now as the demographics of our inner loop neighborhoods are changing so is the clientele.
At the end of the night we saw these new patrons standing by the door looking very pleased, with their tamales in hand. A lady comes by around 1:30 and sells some great tamales. I know because my mother-in-law buys them.
"Look," Rey said, "they just came for the tamales. Now that they have them they're going home." I cracked up.
I wondered if now that our traditionally Hispanic neighborhoods are changing, and more non-Hispanics are moving into their 3 story townhomes, if our bars are going to be changing too. It seems so.
I imagined them telling all their friends about the fun little bar they found and the wonderful tamales they bought from a lady who goes to the bar specifically to sell them. I could imagine their friends saying, "REALLY??"
Even the bars in the barrio are experiencing gentrification.
So Rey and I went to a restaurant down the street that we really like. I had already had dinner at my meeting, but I had another margarita while he ate dinner. When he finished eating and we had listened to the mariachis, we just sat there looking at each other. It was funny. We are both such social creatures that we were craving the company of others too. So Rey said, "I'll fix that," and he calls the king and queen party animals, his parents.
It turns out that they are at the neighborhood bar down the street from our house. The same place I met them for the first time 12 years ago. That was the same night I learned what a "set-up" was. This is the kind of place where they play pool and darts and you're allowed to bring your own bottle of liquor. They only sell beer. (You have to understand my surprise- I grew up in a very conservative religious home.)
They go there at least once a month with a group of friends who they've been going there with for 20 years or more. So, we go meet up with them and we had a really nice time. I danced with Rey's dad, Rey danced with his mom and Rey and I danced a couple of songs too. It was fun! That's the thing about Rey's parents. You are always guaranteed a good time when they are around.
The funny part about the night was what Rey and I saw (apart from the Mexican Elvis wannabe, complete with long sideburns and pink tinted sunglasses) a table of non-Hispanic people. YES! At the neighborhood corner bar. The kind of place that Hispanics like Rey's parents, older multi-generation Hispanics, have been patronizing for over 20 years.
These small neighborhood bars in the Hispanic parts of town have always had the same crowd visiting. Many of the people live in the neighborhood, or like Rey's parents and their friends, used to live in the neighborhood. They drive across town from near Missouri City, Katy and other suburbs, just to visit their old bar. And now as the demographics of our inner loop neighborhoods are changing so is the clientele.
At the end of the night we saw these new patrons standing by the door looking very pleased, with their tamales in hand. A lady comes by around 1:30 and sells some great tamales. I know because my mother-in-law buys them.
"Look," Rey said, "they just came for the tamales. Now that they have them they're going home." I cracked up.
I wondered if now that our traditionally Hispanic neighborhoods are changing, and more non-Hispanics are moving into their 3 story townhomes, if our bars are going to be changing too. It seems so.
I imagined them telling all their friends about the fun little bar they found and the wonderful tamales they bought from a lady who goes to the bar specifically to sell them. I could imagine their friends saying, "REALLY??"
Even the bars in the barrio are experiencing gentrification.
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