Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Thinking of relocating to new and is looking for upper middle class african-american communities. Areas of interest---Organge, Rockland, Westchester & NYC areas
Check out New Rochelle. You will get much better value for your house-dollar vs Mt. Vernon, and Mt. Vernon High School is awful.
New Rochelle neighborhoods are very diverse, and so are the schools. Good luck.
I've been to Harlem. And I see that changes....the investment is mind-boggling. I brought up Maya Angelou's second home on 120th street. I will also point out the fact that 20 years ago, you would have to go to the lone Carver Bank on 125th to get money! Now, banks are all over one-two-five, plus even deep in other areas of Harlem. But to Hustla and his Compstat numbers, every Black neighborhood is still a slum!!!!!
I'm from Brooklyn. To me, Clinton Hill always had a middle class feel to it even 20 years ago!!!!! Of course, it wasn't perfect, but it still was a good neighborhood even back then. Oh, yeah, go down Myrtle Avenue (used to be called Murda Av) and see the complete revitalization of that street. I talked about the Tai restaurants in another thread. There are two on Myrtle Ave!
Read two books:
1) Lance Freeman: "There Goes The Hood: Gentrification from the Ground Up." Freeman focuses on both harlem and Clinton Hill.
2) David Maurasse: "Listening to Harlem: Gentrification, Community and Business."
Both authors hit it right on the head!!!!!
PS: Oh, by the way, I think you are seriously underestimating the economic power of the "Black gentry" (there are more Black folk who can afford property than you think!)
It's NOT a middle class neighborhood...
East Harlem has the largest concentration of city public housing in the United States. The vast majority of people in that neighborhood live in NYCHA developments.
Central and West Harlem also have a large concentration of NYCHA public housing.
So now we have a very large percentage of Harlemites living in low income public housing under the NYCHA program. Okay not good enough?
Now factor in all the people living on Section 8 (and this list is growing). All the people living under special low income housing programs (growing). All the people simply struggling on market rate apartments (growing).
Does not sound like a middle class area to me. Harlem is still considered one of the poorest areas in America. The income disparity in Harlem is horrible. A few people buying up expensive real estate while the rest fight over the crumbs on the street.
Again, Cambria Heights is a true Black middle class area in NYC. Low poverty rate. Low crime rate. Cleaner. Better housing. Better quality of life.
East Harlem has the largest concentration of city public housing in the United States. The vast majority of people in that neighborhood live in NYCHA developments.
Central and West Harlem also have a large concentration of NYCHA public housing.
So now we have a very large percentage of Harlemites living in low income public housing under the NYCHA program. Okay not good enough?
Now factor in all the people living on Section 8 (and this list is growing). All the people living under special low income housing programs (growing). All the people simply struggling on market rate apartments (growing).
Does not sound like a middle class area to me. Harlem is still considered one of the poorest areas in America. The income disparity in Harlem is horrible. A few people buying up expensive real estate while the rest fight over the crumbs on the street.
Again, Cambria Heights is a true Black middle class area in NYC. Low poverty rate. Low crime rate. Cleaner. Better housing. Better quality of life.
We'll agree on Cambria Heights, and agree to disagree on Harlem!
I usually just read these threads, and maybe I should just start a new one. Yes it is true that townhouses in Harlem are selling at prices unheard of before. Luxury apts are all over the place. If you study the history of Harlem real estate these townhomes were always probably out of most peoples range of income. Which is why if most people sort of kind of made it, they usually bought homes in the outer boros, Westchester and LI where sections were more affordable. There are other factors involved much to detailed to go into here, just read the history of Hamilton Heights, St Nicholas, Lenox Ave, Mt Morris, and Strivers row historic areas.
The other sections where the majority live are projects, section 8's and other affordable housing programs. There is a great disparity of income in Harlem. Now more than ever before. The other problem here is that there is also large amount of people that make way too much money to live in any of these affordable apts and they also make way too little to buy a townhome or luxury apt. This is not only in Harlem but probably throughout the city now. These are the people with the jobs that make the city run.
My question is where are these people supposed to go as their apt buildings are being turned into luxury condos? What about the small business owner that has to close up because he/she can't afford the rents any longer? Please don't suggest going to another section in another borough because this is happening all over the place in every boro. As I see people with 6 and 7 figure incomes posting questions about other sections that they want to buy town homes and luxury apts in, and asking about the crime rate.
New York Is Not Like Georgia You Are Not Going To Find Any
Wealthy Black Neighborhooods. Any Black Predomintely Neighboor
Hoods Is Going To Be In The Ghetto. Most Of The Nice Neighboorhoods Is Going To Be Prodominently White.
Not true. I grew up and also raised my family in Lakeview, Long Island a solid middle class predominantly black neighborhood (Malverne schools). You may also try the next town over, West Hempstead, while not black, is becoming very diverse. Valley Stream and Baldwin contain a large black presence (both on Long Island) and are also good choices. Good luck!
What about the small business owner that has to close up because he/she can't afford the rents any longer?
I agree on the commercial front. Commercial renters literally have no rights in this city. At least with residential, you gotta take them to court to get them out, and they still have plenty of rights, although not as before.
This is more of a reason why I give props to Miss Sylvia. Many locals criticize her cooking, but she is one of the few people who owns her commercial property! I've seen too many businesses get put out left and right, but Sylvia is still around!
Fleetwood in Mt Vernon is especially nice north of the Cross County Parkway and has tons of black upper middle class professionals, and a real Caribbean presence.
Catholic or private school is a must above 6th grade, however.
I am African-American and we (myself, husband and kids) live in a home in Fleetwood, NY. It is an integrated, professional, middle-class community with many African-Americans. As someone pointed out in an earlier post, middle class AA communities in NY are not easy to find, especially in Westchester County. We relocated from Texas where such neighborhoods were more plentiful. Also previously stated, for schools in Fleetwood, private or catholic is required above 6th grade. For those of you uncertain about Fleetwood's approximate location...North of Grand, East of Bronx River Parkway, South of Pondfield (which is the Bronxville border), and West of the Hutchinson River Parkway. It is a fairly small area. Keep in mind, there is little to no new construction and right now, updated homes are quite expensive.
Other areas in Southern Westchester with a sizable AA middle class population include New Rochelle and White Plains; and to a lesser extent Eastchester/Tuckahoe area and Mamaroneck. In Northern Westchester (numbers of AA will be significantly smaller than Southern Westchester), try Mt. Kisco, Briarcliff/Ossining area, and Peekskill. In CT, try Stamford and Danbury. In Dutchess County NY, try Poughkeepsie suburbs and Wappinger Falls area.
I don't know much about NJ or the boroughs at all. Happy hunting!
Unfortunately there aren't too many Black middle class communities in NYC. You may find a higher concentration of Black middle classers in certain white middle class neighborhoods, but what you are looking for is really something you'll find in the south and the like. even if you go to areas like harlem, there is enough mixed income for it to make a negative difference. there are NONE in Westchester County. I'm not too familiar with Rockland County but you may find a few more there. However, there are some areas of Westchester County where you may find a few well to do blacks.
My advise is to pick a good neighborhood, make sure you are not the only black person.
You may find something in White Plains as far as Westchester County--- forget about it in Orange and Rockland counties.... like the above poster pointed out-- many neighborhoods like this in the Brooklyn--- not sure about the Bronx---
have you thought about Harlem? I love it there but it is getting pricey and a lot of gentrifcation taking place!
I guess Harlem would be a good answer for now, but it is being stripped of all its African American culture and I think the OP will be back at square one in 5 to 10 years.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
