Boyle Heights restorelosangeles.com |
Today's topic is a twist on gentrification-gentefication. ¿Que es gentefication? Gentefication is a trend occurring in Boyle Heights, a primarily Latino community in East Los Angeles, where younger more affluent Mexican-Americans are returning to the neighborhood their parents fled. This trend has given the community a much needed frisson and money. In her article for the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com), "Los Angeles Neighborhood Tries to Change, but Avoid the Pitfalls," Jennifer Medina looks at who this new burst of energy is affecting the historic neighborhood while its residents try to avoid all the pitfalls of gentrification and retain its character.
The Mariachi boyleheightsbeat.com |
Before we get to deep into the subject, let's take a look at Boyle Heights itself. For this, we go to the Los Angeles Times neighborhood link. According to the 2000 census, the population is about 92,756 people; the Los Angeles Department of City Planning 2008 estimate places that number at 99,243 people. Boyle Heights is about 6.52 miles with a density of 14,229 people per square mile, making this community among the highest densities for any county. The population is overwhelmingly Latino with the remaining six percent composed of Caucasians, Asians, African-Americans, and other (i.e. Native-American and Pacific Islander. The median income (in 2008 dollars) is $33,235. The majority of the populations has less than a high school education. (maps.latimes.com/neighborhoods/neighborhoods/boyle-heights/)
Map showing where Boyle Height is located latimesblog.latimes.com |
The tensions among the community are a sign
Mariachi Plaza you-are-here.com |
Historically, Boyle Heights, has attracted immigrants from Eastern Europe, Russia,
The original Canter's Deli jewishjournal.com |
Self Help Graphics lataco.com |
Homeboy Industries Mural you-are-here.com |
CicLAvia event la.streetbeat.org |
As a child in East L.A., Mr. Uribe remembered that saving money to buy a home in the suburbs was the implicit goal. Now his bar attracts customers with six-figure incomes looking for homes in Boyle Heights. The residential real estate market has swung back and forth; from boom to bust and back according to Maria Cabildo, the executive director of the East Los Angeles Community Corporation (http://www.elacc.org), which is dedicated to creating low-cost housing and works with first time buyers in the area. The current trend is investors are making cash offers and quickly flipping the homes for almost double the cost of what they paid. Ms. Cabildo bemoans the fact that working class individuals and families can't enter and compete in the real estate market. However, she does see a silver lining in all the college graduates moving into the area.
Several years ago, a number of light-rail stations opened up and the residents welcomed the improved access to public transit, a big change for the neighborhood that was cut off from the rest of the city. Others were concerned that it would prompt large housing developments like the ones created in Hollywood. n fact, current plans to replace a number of low-slung apartments with high-rise condominiums have been met with fierce opposition. For some, like Armando de La Torre and Alfred Frajio, the suburbs were not a good fit. Both were raised to equate suburbs with success but returned to Boyle Heights. Suburbia was not appealing, they wanted access to the places and services that make city living more appealing. While others have fought against the introduction of large retail centers, Mr. Frajio has championed it, reasoning that it would keep people from running to the suburbs to do their shopping.
The Boyle Heights community organizers and residents have yet to figure out which direction they want to take all the changes happening in their neighborhood while retaining the Mexican-American cultural heritage. It should be exciting to watch and hopefully it'll be a model for other ethnic communities facing the same issues.
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