So has anyone done any research on the eastside and possible overarching themes for this project? I've been looking up stories published in the Statesman on the east side in the last five years, and here are some of the things I found that seem significant:
According to the county appraisal district, property values for an average-priced house in the area, now about $120,000, have increased more than 100 percent from 2000 to 2007
Development and gentrification are driving up property taxes and driving out longtime Latino residents and businesses. Couple that displacement with disturbing education barometers - some East Austin schools are low-performing; Johnston High School closed; Latino students drop out of school at higher rates than all other students
one of the bluest districts in the state
near downtown and Lady Bird Lake; cultural and economic diversity
"I work for the county," Casarez said. "I can't afford my taxes anymore. That's scary."
I think its safe to say that the area is in transition, though I'm not sure if that's a tight enough theme for this project. Thoughts?
2 comments:
This can be timely issue. Especially on the current financial crisis caused by sub-prime mortgage problem.
According to an email from the list I subscribe, "The unemployment rate for Hispanics rose from 5.5 percent in April 2007 to 6.9 percent in April 2008. The Pew Hispanic Center reported that the unemployment rate for Mexican immigrants was 8.4 percent in the first three months of 2008, up from 5.5 percent in 2007.....A combination of plentiful jobs and subprime mortgage loans allowed the share of Hispanics owning homes in the US to rise from 41 percent in 1994 to 50 percent in 2006. However, half of the loans issued to Hispanics in 2006 were subprime. As jobs disappear, many of these new homeowners risk losing their homes, threatening local businesses that cater to them"
There might be some aspects of the impacts placed by the current economic issue (Gas price too, maybe). Just a thought on Kelly's post.
Researched a little bit...and it seems the economic turmoil put greater pressure on the Hispanic communities. 1) housing 2) employment 3) business (media too, declining of AD from Hispanic businesses) 4) School drop out ...
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