Best Neighorhood for Minority Families

[SpringTX]

This one's inspired by a recent post (below). It got me wondering...

What is the best neighborhood in the Houston area if you you are a minority family?

1. Let's say money is no object.

2. Schools are definitely important.

3. And we're looking for a neighborhood that is WELL integrated, not an upscale "lily white" enclave that receives a token minority on occasion.

You might notice that we tend to label any non-middle class or above neighborhood as one that has either:

1. LOTS of crime

2. TERRIBLE schools

which are both smoke screens for saying "poor minorities" (or in some cases, just "minorities").

[WesternGulf]

That is a hard question actually. This is something my aunt was looking for when she decided to move in the inner loop from Fort Bend. She ended up moving in Third Ward because she found it had a large progressive black population but the schools suck outside of magnate or private schools such as DeBakey. Plus north Third Ward (north of Wheeler) is like night and day from the area I am speaking of.

[VicMan]

That is a hard question actually. This is something my aunt was looking for when she decided to move in the inner loop from Fort Bend. She ended up moving in Third Ward because she found it had a large progressive black population but the schools suck outside of magnate or private schools such as DeBakey. Plus north Third Ward (north of Wheeler) is like night and day from the area I am speaking of.

Yeah - One of my friends lives in the 3rd Ward.

She plans to send her daughter to Poe Elementary and Lanier Middle instead of the local zoned schools.

[Jeebus]

When anyone talks about diverse neighborhoods I instantly think of Sugar Land & Missouri City.

Either way, if you're looking for the best "minority is the majority" neighborhoods, it still depends on whether you are looking for a predominantly minority neighborhood of a certain race/ethnicity/nationality, or just a neighborhood where white isn't the majority.

So which is it?

[WesternGulf]

By the way, Third Ward, south of Wheeler, is actually becoming somewhat diverse. Especially the areas south of UofH. There are also a lot of college students that live in the area.

...and Jeebus is right, Missouri City is actually nice too. The areas directly around Quail Valley Middle School are actually very well kept non cookie cutter older subdivision neighborhoods. It is also extremely diverse.

[SpringTX]

Either way, if you're looking for the best "minority is the majority" neighborhoods, it still depends on whether you are looking for a predominantly minority neighborhood of a certain race/ethnicity/nationality, or just a neighborhood where white isn't the majority.

So which is it?

Let's say African-American for starters. And if we want to add a category for Hispanic or Asian, that would be good, too.

[DJ V Lawrence]

Alief, hands down. There's not one dominant racial influence there. If diversity is what you're looking for, Alief takes the cake:)

[musicman]

By the way, Third Ward, south of Wheeler, is actually becoming somewhat diverse. Especially the areas south of UofH. There are also a lot of college students that live in the area.

...and Jeebus is right, Missouri City is actually nice too. The areas directly around Quail Valley Middle School are actually very well kept non cookie cutter older subdivision neighborhoods. It is also extremely diverse.

My aunt and uncle just moved from Quail Valley cause they said it went too ghetto for them.

[ProHouston]

My aunt and uncle just moved from Quail Valley cause they said it went too ghetto for them.

That's pretty sad because Quail Valley (country club and golf course community) is a very nice older area and everything around it is booming right now. Furthermore, the Fort Bend Sun or Eagle (not sure which local paper) just released last year's crime stats and Sugar Land's stats were shockingly low, but Missouri City was lower if that tells you something.

I agree with the above statements, Fort Bend county has been featured nationwide as being one of the most affluent, diverse suburban areas in the nation. Not to mention the great Ft. Bend schools.

[texas911]

Third ward? So you're self segregating yourself from the "lily white" enclaves? WOW, if that was a white person talking, we'd be all over that.

My answer is anywhere in Houston is a good place for a "minority". Whatever that means. There are no racial restrictions anywhere you want to live.

[WesternGulf]

My aunt and uncle just moved from Quail Valley cause they said it went too ghetto for them.

Maybe she is talking about Quail Valley East.

[DJ V Lawrence]

Is this a question about the best within Houston limits, or anywhere in the Houston area? I'd still say Alief when it comes to a district within Houston. Missouri City's not bad, but I'd consider Alief a better bargain when location comes into play...

[TAK]

Kingwood, The Woodlands , River Oaks

j/k;-)

[jmancuso]

quail valley has gotten pretty sh***y. i lived there from 1984 to 1989 and it was going south back then.

[VicMan]

I noticed that some religious groups are now building new affordable housing in Houston.

E.G. The Windsor Village United Methodist Church helped build Corinthian Pointe in Houston.

Are these neighborhoods good for minority families? (most of the people in Corinthian Pointe are non-White)

[ProHouston]

quail valley has gotten pretty shitty. i lived there from 1984 to 1989 and it was going south back then.

I really don't know what y'all are talking about. Quail Valley is still a very nice area. Well manicured, older custom homes with big yards and beautiful trees. There is low crime in Missouri City, I just don't understand where the negativity for this area comes from. The whole area around Murphy and Hwy 6 is blowing up with new retail and restaurants and the schools are quality Ft. Bend schools.

[Houston1stWordOnTheMoon]

The Third Ward areas north of Wheeler and between Dowling and HWY 288 are seeing some interesting happenings....... Developers are moving in and aquiring a lot of property for townhomes. Many of the older homes that are there will probably be gone in the next 2-3 years. If you are a fan of older styled homes that are well keep, you may want to look into that area or even areas of Third Ward south of Wheeler.

[WesternGulf]

I really don't know what y'all are talking about. Quail Valley is still a very nice area. Well manicured, older custom homes with big yards and beautiful trees. There is low crime in Missouri City, I just don't understand where the negativity for this area comes from. The whole area around Murphy and Hwy 6 is blowing up with new retail and restaurants and the schools are quality Ft. Bend schools.

Again, I am sure they are talking about Quail Valley East. I cannot find a reason why someone would say Quail Valley is sh***y. Comapred to what, the Hamptons? I know people that have lived there since the 70's that feel their neighborhood has a better quality now since it is so matured. Quail Valley East is a different story though.

[lilyheights]

The Heights

Sharpstown

Alief is diverse

Downtown

Midtown

?? I don't know what's best, but I see all kinds of people in all these places.

[PureAuteur]

My neighborhood off West Road and Beltway 8 in northwest Houston might be suitable to your needs. It has a nice mixture of every race, about 50% white, 30% asian, 20% hispanic/black/other. The community is good, very low crime, and good access to freeways.

[TAK]

To the people saying "Alief". Am I missing something? Everything I hear about Alief is not positive - especially wrt schools.

I'll agree that Alief is diverse, but if "money is not an object" - I'm not going to Alief. Hell, money is an object and I'm not going to Alief.

I'd have to say Sugarland (Greatwater?) or Missouri City (Lake Olympia, Sienna, etc.) But those are just guesses.

Personally, I don't think there is a "money is not an object" area of town for "minorities". When "money is not an object" everyone starts to look the same.

[Jeebus]

There are pockets of hope in Alief. Its only the apartments and few select subdivisions bordering the apartments that bring the neighborhood down so much. Up around Richmond & Westpark, its not actually that bad. Its just that even if you live in a 200k home in Shadow Court or Ashford Village, you still have to send your kid to Elsik/Hastings - will all the kids from the apartment complex. Maybe if a High School was build off of Richmond, then there might be some hope for AISD.

Not all the kids from the apartment complexes are bad - but they live in the closest thing Houston has to "projects".

[MexAmerican_Moose]

the North Shore area around Uvalde and Woodforest is really diverse. My high school, North Shore Senior high is about

-35% hispanic

-30% black

-25% white

-10& asian

these are based on my observations. this is the same for most neighborhoods in this area, but recetly whites have been moving out.

[VicMan]

There are pockets of hope in Alief. Its only the apartments and few select subdivisions bordering the apartments that bring the neighborhood down so much. Up around Richmond & Westpark, its not actually that bad. Its just that even if you live in a 200k home in Shadow Court or Ashford Village, you still have to send your kid to Elsik/Hastings - will all the kids from the apartment complex. Maybe if a High School was build off of Richmond, then there might be some hope for AISD.

Not all the kids from the apartment complexes are bad - but they live in the closest thing Houston has to "projects".

While I do think AISD should build a new high school, that probably won't matter - AISD randomly assigns high schools to people regardless of location.

Right now, there are three outcomes:

* Elsik

* Hastings

* Taylor

If a kid has a sibling in another school, he or she may request a transfer to that school.

AISD also has a magnet high school called Kerr High School.

[westguy76]

I thought people of Hispanic origin are actually the majority now. Is that wrong?

And what does it say about me if when I go neighborhood shopping I like for areas with a lack of diversity?

Or I guess it sounds better to say less intergrated like the original poster.

[spikey]

I am in the process of looking for a new home. The only areas I am looking are Riverside Terrace South Macgregor area and Quail Valley, because of the large number of minority professionals in both areas. I am shocked to see some of the comments concerning Quail Valley, which is the area I will probaly settle in. It is one of the most beautiful well maintained areas in suburban Houston. Is it because a large number of African American professionals have moved in, that it is called "too ghetto". Riverside on the other hand is getting an influx of White professionals but is still over 80% African American but no one is calling it "too ghetto". I guess the more things change, nothing really changes!

[Natty]

I am in the process of looking for a new home. The only areas I am looking are Riverside Terrace South Macgregor area and Quail Valley, because of the large number of minority professionals in both areas. I am shocked to see some of the comments concerning Quail Valley, which is the area I will probaly settle in. It is one of the most beautiful well maintained areas in suburban Houston. Is it because a large number of African American professionals have moved in, that it is called "too ghetto". Riverside on the other hand is getting an influx of White professionals but is still over 80% African American but no one is calling it "too ghetto". I guess the more things change, nothing really changes!

I can't comment on Quail Valley think I drove thru there once. I believe you when you say it's beautiful. The reason no one is calling Riverside Terrace /South Macgregor ghetto is because it's not.

Have you driven thru Riverside Terrace/South Macgregor? it is hardly ghetto no matter who is living there. Granted there are many homes in need of repair but still it is nowhere close to ghetto. Everyone, especially African Americans need to wake up, and drop the common held belief that minority = negative/undesirable/unsafe. Good areas = <20% minority Good schools = <20% minority. Hopefully more are staying or moving back. Anglos are realizing the potential of the area - the beautiful trees, its proximity to everything,and its history. If you are very lucky prices are still affordable. Remember: Location Location Imagination. I think Riverside Terrace has the potential to be a truely diverse neighborhood, 80% African American, 20% Anglo.

[VicMan]

I can't comment on Quail Valley think I drove thru there once. I believe you when you say it's beautiful. The reason no one is calling Riverside Terrace /South Macgregor ghetto is because it's not.

Have you driven thru Riverside Terrace/South Macgregor? it is hardly ghetto no matter who is living there. Granted there are many homes in need of repair but still it is nowhere close to ghetto. Everyone, especially African Americans need to wake up, and drop the common held belief that minority = negative/undesirable/unsafe. Good areas = <20% minority Good schools = <20% minority. Hopefully more are staying or moving back. Anglos are realizing the potential of the area - the beautiful trees, its proximity to everything,and its history. If you are very lucky prices are still affordable. Remember: Location Location Imagination. I think Riverside Terrace has the potential to be a truely diverse neighborhood, 80% African American, 20% Anglo.

The RT neighborhood is nice. My Euro Teacher says, however, that many of the upper-middle class people in the neighborhood do not send their kids to public schools. He says that many of the residents, holding elitist tendencies, do not wish to associate with their poor neighbors.

[TheNiche]

The RT neighborhood is nice. My Euro Teacher says, however, that many of the upper-middle class people in the neighborhood do not send their kids to public schools. He says that many of the residents, holding elitist tendencies, do not wish to associate with their poor neighbors.

A former g/f of mine attended elementary and middle schools in the third ward during the late 80's. She was mixed black and got beat up, harrassed, and her personal property stolen constantly because she was a 'yellowbones'. When I was going to school in McAllen prior to the influx of northerners, it wasn't quite as bad, but I still got called every Spanish name in the book, had my things occaisionally stolen, got cut in line in front of, and on a couple occaisions, was spat on. The sad truth is that an imbalanced mix of kids will produce racist behavior. They don't know any better.

If I lived in RT and had kids, I'd send them to private schools (or get them transferred to another part of HISD) too.

[jdbaker]

A former g/f of mine attended elementary and middle schools in the third ward during the late 80's. She was mixed black and got beat up, harrassed, and her personal property stolen constantly because she was a 'yellowbones'. When I was going to school in McAllen prior to the influx of northerners, it wasn't quite as bad, but I still got called every Spanish name in the book, had my things occaisionally stolen, got cut in line in front of, and on a couple occaisions, was spat on. The sad truth is that an imbalanced mix of kids will produce racist behavior. They don't know any better.

If I lived in RT and had kids, I'd send them to private schools (or get them transferred to another part of HISD) too.

And with the money that you would be saving on your property taxes by living in RT, you could easily afford to send a few kids to the private school(s) of your choice.