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Old 04-12-2017, 07:27 AM
 
18,131 posts, read 25,300,410 times
Reputation: 16845

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Quote:
Originally Posted by stan4 View Post
Houston is not ghetto.

The lack of zoning makes it look and feel ghetto.
Are you saying that "less government regulations" and "Free market" make Houston feel ghetto?
Because that's what "no zoning" means

 
Old 04-12-2017, 08:24 AM
 
Location: Willowbend/Houston
13,384 posts, read 25,758,146 times
Reputation: 10592
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dopo View Post
Are you saying that "less government regulations" and "Free market" make Houston feel ghetto?
Because that's what "no zoning" means
I dont find Houston any more ghetto than any other city Dallas included. "Ghetto" is a code word for disorganized and unkempt. I dont want to spend my free time in Sunnyside any more than I want to in Pleasant Grove.

Dallas is a better looking city, but I wouldnt call it more or less ghetto. The demographics of the cities are almost identical (sans Houston proper's larger Asian population).
 
Old 04-12-2017, 08:47 AM
 
Location: Houston
5,615 posts, read 4,947,388 times
Reputation: 4553
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gunion Powder View Post
Houston is 600+ square miles of land without any formal zoning. That's why.
Zoning has zero to do with littering, dumping, and poor signage.
 
Old 04-12-2017, 08:51 AM
 
Location: Willowbend/Houston
13,384 posts, read 25,758,146 times
Reputation: 10592
Quote:
Originally Posted by Casor-Greener View Post
I always figured it was a code word for "large minority population".
That is one way of looking at it, but I think it depends. Most major cities have large minority populations. It would be hypocritical for people from other major cities to call Houston ghetto for that reason.
 
Old 04-12-2017, 08:53 AM
 
Location: Houston, TX
1,659 posts, read 1,243,872 times
Reputation: 2731
If you want me to take you to various white ghettos around the Houston area let me know.
 
Old 04-12-2017, 09:46 AM
 
Location: San Antonio
5,287 posts, read 5,793,991 times
Reputation: 4474
Quote:
Originally Posted by LocalPlanner View Post
Zoning has zero to do with littering, dumping, and poor signage.
...all of which are common in other U.S. cities. What isn't common elsewhere is a lack of zoning. That's what takes the ugliness to the next level.
 
Old 04-12-2017, 10:04 AM
 
2,359 posts, read 1,036,041 times
Reputation: 2011
Quote:
Originally Posted by LisaMesa View Post

Thanks! I still enjoyed parts of a Houston especially the food and just chatting with different people. I realize that Houston is a young city so it's still trying to find its identity, I've heard Houston was really rough in the 80s so it may take time for the city to completely reinvent itself.
Houston found its identity long ago. We already know who we are. We don't need to "re-invent" this city, which is not to say that it couldn't use a few improvements here and there. You may be unfamiliar with who and what Houston is, but most of the people who live here aren't.

If you find Houston "ghetto," for whatever poorly-explained reason you may choose to offer, that is your prerogative. It has been my observation that Houston has about the same level of urban blight issues as its Sunbelt counterparts, and considerably less than places such as New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore.

But we're glad you enjoyed your visit. Y'all come back a'gin, now, y'hear?
 
Old 04-12-2017, 11:20 AM
 
Location: Houston
5,615 posts, read 4,947,388 times
Reputation: 4553
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gunion Powder View Post
...all of which are common in other U.S. cities. What isn't common elsewhere is a lack of zoning. That's what takes the ugliness to the next level.
I'm not following. Traditional cities have houses next to retail next to apartments next to industrial just like Houston. That environment was created pre-zoning. And people (well, a lot of people) find it attractive. Are you implying that it's ugly?

Places with zoning build metal buildings and cheap strip malls too.
 
Old 04-12-2017, 11:40 AM
 
Location: South Padre Island, TX
2,452 posts, read 2,305,438 times
Reputation: 1386
Quote:
Originally Posted by LocalPlanner View Post
I'm not following. Traditional cities have houses next to retail next to apartments next to industrial just like Houston. That environment was created pre-zoning. And people (well, a lot of people) find it attractive. Are you implying that it's ugly?

Places with zoning build metal buildings and cheap strip malls too.
Yep. And also, zoning wasn't even a thing until the early 20th century, when NYC first adopted it. So all the urban fabric of the country built before that time (including charming historic areas of the nation's oldest cities) was built without zoning:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...oday.html?_r=0
 
Old 04-12-2017, 12:07 PM
 
4,087 posts, read 3,247,654 times
Reputation: 3059
Quote:
Originally Posted by Texyn View Post
Yep. And also, zoning wasn't even a thing until the early 20th century, when NYC first adopted it. So all the urban fabric of the country built before that time (including charming historic areas of the nation's oldest cities) was built without zoning:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...oday.html?_r=0
Philly's core as its Center City with many areas his plan 300 yrs go. Already had his planned court-yard squares. With quaint row-homes designed so ALL could have a small garden too. Calling it his "Greene Countrie Towne".

But the city STRAYED to more dense rows even. But DID BUILD CURBED STREETS LOL.

Some cities had a re-do in the 1800s like a Chicago. IT SET IN MOTION A CITY OF ALLEYS, SETBACKS OF HOUSING FOR GREENSPACE and virtually BANNED TENEMENTS as NYC HAD.

So its GUIDELINES WERE A ZONING of ----> HOW IT WANTED A NEW CITY DEVELOPERS THEN WOULD BUILD. That they did.

The city even raised its streets from the swampy aspects it had.
The city set GUILDINES AND DID ITS PART TOO----> put in fully CURBED STREETS and many times the sidewalks.

HOUSTON STILL DOESN'T. It gave you the ditch-system and the developer can build a curb and drains put in. Some do , but most do not.

** Any city that PLANNED ITSELF TO BE BETTER AT SOME POINT? GENERALLY SAW POSITIVE RESULTS IN STEERING ITS DEVELOPERS TO A BETTER PLANNED ---> less haphazard development. That some of their oldest parts had BEFORE ASPECTS OF ZONING.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Milton Miteybad View Post
Houston found its identity long ago. We already know who we are. We don't need to "re-invent" this city, which is not to say that it couldn't use a few improvements here and there. You may be unfamiliar with who and what Houston is, but most of the people who live here aren't.

If you find Houston "ghetto," for whatever poorly-explained reason you may choose to offer, that is your prerogative. It has been my observation that Houston has about the same level of urban blight issues as its Sunbelt counterparts, and considerably less than places such as New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore.

But we're glad you enjoyed your visit. Y'all come back a'gin, now, y'hear?
You CAN SEE OLD HOUSTON REPLACED IN STREET-VIEWS ALONE LOL.

Sure Y'all come back a'gin, now, y'hear.... ----> they SEE THE NEW INFILLED HOUSTON.

So Houston IS re-inventing itself with ---> no zoning developers chosen complexes like mini-gated complexes with HOA's in its desire to gain density.
Cases in point examples. NEW HOUSTON out of the older ranches neighborhoods of loop neighborhoods.
Maybe I'm wrong to see these infill developments as a RE-INVENTING of Houston? LET ME KNOW.

A little older yellow ranch on left here. To NEW HOUSTON next to it and on right in the distance HEADING ITS WAY.

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.8088...7i13312!8i6656

ANOTHER Old Houston ranch on left New INFILL REPLACING THEM on right

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.8047...7i13312!8i6656
How about this WAS old Houston.

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.8077...7i13312!8i6656

What IS a New Houston in its place.

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.8077...7i13312!8i6656

Old Houston.......

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.8113...7i13312!8i6656

now DRUM ROLL THE UNVAILING OF NEW HOUSTON. Complete with HOA's

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.8113...7i13312!8i6656

Old Houston

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7988...!7i3328!8i1664

NOT PRESEVED but re-invented to this

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7988...7i13312!8i6656

Old Houston ranches

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7996...!7i3328!8i1664

Re-invented to

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7996...7i13312!8i6656

Old Houston again here.....

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.8066...!7i3328!8i1664

New Houston there today.

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.8066...7i13312!8i6656

Old Houston

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.8006...!7i3328!8i1664

New infill in its place today

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.8006...tQ!2e0!7i13312!

Old Houston

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.8077...!7i3328!8i1664

Replace by this

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.8077...7i13312!8i6656

OLDER NOTHERN CITIES DON'T HAVE INNER LOOP AREAS COMMON TO REPLACE WITH A NEW CITY LIKE A HOUSTON.

They are already dense. A CHICAGO WOULD NVER ÄLLOW this 1920's bungalow block replaced. Too expensive too also

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9412...7i13312!8i6656

A city with this already built 120 yrs ago. Get similar infill alone.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9588...7i13312!8i6656

New complexes are more confined to main streets.

BUT HOUSTON HAS PLENTY STILL IN THE CITY RIPE TO RE-BUILD A NEW DENSER HOUSTON.

Last edited by DavePa; 04-12-2017 at 12:29 PM..
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