Best Neighorhood for Minority Families

[Vertigo58]

I wasnt concerned at all about race or good schools when looking for our home. I needed a nice home, in a nice area, located in a gated community, thats close to shopping and the Bush airport. We found all of those things in Champions. We are a black family. Most of our neighbors are white. The only other non whites in my little community are 2 interracial families. One with white husband and black wife 2 kids. The other one, hispanic husband and black wife, 4 kids. We dont have any racial hang ups here. Maybe that is because it is a small community and we all know each other. The only problem i personally have here is that everyone around me, including my family, is into all the political party crap.

Now as nice as we have it here, that isnt always the case. You would think that the only color that mattered these days is dollar green, but reality proves that not always to be the case. Some people still have racial hang ups Keep reading these boards and it will not be hard for you to figure out what i and some of the others are talking about when it comes to race.

You are correct on all points mentioned. Society has focused so much on skin color, gender, religious differences as a whole. One thing people forget is a person can be weeded out or be an outcast because of political views. A person can be at a table having dinner with 5 people. One person is a Democrat and the others Republican. Guarantee you the Democrat will be sneered at maybe not in person but once the others walk away. Same goes for a newcomer to a neighborhood. If the present residents are more of one politcal affiliation and you are not then that give them more reason to consider you "not one of them". This has been going on since before our time. Same goes for religion. Consider the fact that many new people to Houston (not all ok) are from parts of the country where they have negative stereotypes deeply ingrained in thier conscienceness. There are many ignorant people that think because a person has a Spanish surname that "they must be from Mexico" or "they must read & write & speak Spanish all the time". If a person is of Asian decent they think that he must know how to make Chinese food or runs a laundramat. Luckily as a long time Houstonian I attended schools and lived in areas of the city that was a fine mix of folks. I mingled with everyone maybe thats why I see things differently. Personally, I would do anything not to live in a "Desperate Housewives" type of neighborhood any day! I won't mention which hoods they are but those are mostly up 45 north/1960 areas near that overrated mall. Perfect people, perfect marriages, pristine homes, all the men play golf, best award-winning schools in the northern hemisphere you get the picture. Ok, time to duck here come those tomatoes again!

[ricco67]

Well, I recently came upon a community on TC Jester north of BW in a nice neighborhood. The homes seemed to be over the 120k and from what I have seen, it was mostly owned by minority families.

[TAK]

I think Ricco is talking about Lincoln Green something or other... It's a small neighborhood. Very cookie-cutter. Not quality. My grandmother lives near there, in Rushwood. I actually lived near there for a while as a kid. That area kinda sucks. (Let's say bordered by: Beltway, TC Jester, Veterans Memorial, Spears) There is some nice stuff sprinkled in with some older stuff. Schools aren't great. Pass.

I'd say go to Pearland, Sugarland/Missouri City if you're looking for suburbs and fast (relative) access to the city. That's where we're going this year... or so we say.

[HTOWN357]

WOW...I am surprised no one has mentioned FRESNO.

Fresno is right next to Missouri City where the Fort Bend Toll Road and Highway 6 meet. It is the fast growing African American Community in Houston right now. The Area around Hightower High School in fort Bend County is growing at an alarming rate. And almost all the homeowners are professional African Americans and a few hispanics. Muy neighborhood (Winfield Lakes) is not even two years old and my whole subdivision is practically African American. My neighbors are doctors on both sides.

Teal Run, Winfield Lakes, Estates of Teal Run, Villages of Teal Run, Andover Farms, and Cambridge Falls and Lakeshore Harbour (its actually in Mo city but right next door to Fresno) are all predominantly African American in an unincorporated area of Fort Bend between Missouri city, Houston and Pearland. The schools are good, the houses are new and I have not seen any crime.

The houses are anywhere from $140,000 to $500,000.

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...

Fort Bend County is WAYYYYY better than Alief.

Alief is a war zone. Literally. My wife teaches in that district. Reminds me of South Central LA.

[nytransplant]

WOW...I am surprised no one has mentioned FRESNO.

Fresno is right next to Missouri City where the Fort Bend Toll Road and Highway 6 meet. It is the fast growing African American Community in Houston right now. The Area around Hightower High School in fort Bend County is growing at an alarming rate. And almost all the homeowners are professional African Americans and a few hispanics. Muy neighborhood (Winfield Lakes) is not even two years old and my whole subdivision is practically African American. My neighbors are doctors on both sides.

Teal Run, Winfield Lakes, Estates of Teal Run, Villages of Teal Run, Andover Farms, and Cambridge Falls and Lakeshore Harbour (its actually in Mo city but right next door to Fresno) are all predominantly African American in an unincorporated area of Fort Bend between Missouri city, Houston and Pearland. The schools are good, the houses are new and I have not seen any crime.

The houses are anywhere from $140,000 to $500,000.

Fort Bend County is WAYYYYY better than Alief.

Alief is a war zone. Literally. My wife teaches in that district. Reminds me of South Central LA.

[nytransplant]

Sorry about that last post, the baby hit the return key before I had a chance to write a reply to the comment re: Fresno.

Something about the expression "growing at an alarming rate"...alarms me. How much of this growth is due to Katrina? I'm asking b/c I've heard that the SW area is best to avoid due to recent crime rates increasing. I can't help but wonder if Katrina's to blame. But then again, I'm not from Houston. Does anyone know anything about this? Also, how doeas Pearland fare as far as crime and flooding?

[hbcu]

I grew up in Briargate.....Teal Run, Teal Lakes, etc. is what my old neighborhood used to be in the 70s and 80s and I see things over there now that points to signs of decay....those little, too close homes they threw up off Trammel Fresno is embarrassing and the developers should be ashamed of themselves...you'll barely get 20 years out of those houses..

when I settle down in Houston....I'm looking for location first, school system second, amenities third...I grew up in an area that turned minority and saw too many people leave for dumb reasons...as long as the area is presentable and not run over with crime in addition to a house that's worth the cash with reasonable square footage I'm game..

[TAK]

Sorry about that last post, the baby hit the return key before I had a chance to write a reply to the comment re: Fresno.

Something about the expression "growing at an alarming rate"...alarms me. How much of this growth is due to Katrina? I'm asking b/c I've heard that the SW area is best to avoid due to recent crime rates increasing. I can't help but wonder if Katrina's to blame. But then again, I'm not from Houston. Does anyone know anything about this? Also, how doeas Pearland fare as far as crime and flooding?

1. Do not be alarmed by "Katrina". If the area is growing because of home ownership, and the OWNERS are going to keep it nice, then it's good growth - period. Most of the "problems" you hear with regard to Katrina are people who own, pretty much, nothing.

2. Fresno isn't really southwest, and it's nowhere near the "southwest" you hear about on TV. (Don't watch too much TV - it will give you a sensational impression of the sensational truth, and no impression of the real truth.)

Pearland fares well with regard to crime and flooding. Pearland is very much a family-oriented suburb from what I see (which is why my wife wants us to move there, where we both have friends who have kids who can play with our kids, etc.)