It appears that families, not just the young and skilled, have been moving away from Rustbelt cities like Cleveland, according to this story in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, based on a new report from the Brookings Institution.
“White flight” described the rush of white families to the suburbs in the 1960s and 1970s. By the 1980s, observers talked of “middle-class flight” to reflect black residents who had joined the tide. A new pattern may demand a new label. Research shows that an exodus of moms and dads of all races and income levels — family flight — is reshaping Cleveland and its region. Cleveland lost nearly 10 percent of its people this decade and married couples with children led the stampede, a study released today reveals. An emptying city, meanwhile, drew few of the immigrant families replenishing communities elsewhere, resulting in swift decline.
May 10th, 2010 at 11:33 am
It has been ingrained into our culture that suburbia is the only place where one should raise their families. Our government gives reinforces this notion through its policies, giving tax credits to families in the suburbs. So it is inevitable that African Americans who lift themselve out of poverty immediatley move to the suburbs, rather than reinvesting in these communities.
One of the main reasons why families leave to the suburbs is schools. 10-15 years ago, when the University of Pennsylvania decided to redevelop West Philadelphia, they hard time enticing faculty and staff with families to stay in Philadelphia. As a result they started the Penn Alexander school, a high performing elementary school that was completely designed by Penn’s dept. or education. The Penn Alexander School is a part of the School District of Philadelphia, and anyone who lives in the school’s catchment area can send their children there. As a result more families can live in the city without worrying about schools.
May 10th, 2010 at 2:23 pm
I’m originally from Cleveland, I left to find a job. Cleveland’s public schools are notoriously bad, Colin Powell’s education non profit did a study a few years ago that said the high school graduation rate (4 years or less, GED not included) was 33%. The only sort of decent schools are in the richer Cleveland neighborhoods (University Circle, West Park), there are drastic differences in which schools offer AP or honor’s courses based entirely on the income of the neighborhood around the school. It seems that cities are for the childless or empty nesters and suburbs with their better schools and recreation centers are for families.
May 10th, 2010 at 6:01 pm
I don’t know if Mr. Florida will ever respond directly to Joel Kotkin’s various invectives against him, but I feel like some of Kotkin’s arguments, if not his vitriol, deserve repeating here. Many families move to areas that best reflect their values. Access to safe, affordable housing, economic opportunities, and good schools for their children are very important for families. Cleveland does a poor job on all of those measure, but so do the “luxury cities” of the creative class. I love big cities, but, with the exception of Chicago, housing and rent prices are really expensive there. It would be wonderful if housing were more affordable in creative class centers, but without building more housing, demand will so far outstrip supply that it will not make sense for most families to live on the coasts. Families do care about experiences; perhaps that is why so many are moving to cities with affordable housing and expanding job markets, like the great plains or Atlanta. I understand that Mr. Florida thinks that the reset will bring more people into cities; however, it might just be that more people will move to certain cities, as Mr. Kotkin is predicting, precisely because they value experiences, but cannot afford them in the more densely populated and expensive regions of the country.
May 11th, 2010 at 12:07 am
Are these families moving out of the city of Cleveland to its ‘burbs, or are they leaving the region altogether? Big difference.
A couple of things happened in Portland and some other cities in addition to the Black middle class moving to more affluent neighborhoods (not always suburbs)in the ’80’s. Many African American families moved to the ‘burbs for safety in the 90’s as the crack epidemic and gang warfare took the lives of so many young Black men. Then in the 2000’s as Portland got its creative class reputation, lots of artists & later more affluent educated people moved into historically Black and low income neighborhoods, rents and house prices escalated, and poor people moved to the lower cost suburbs. Portland’s “inner city” Alberta and Mississippi “arts districts” used to be the heart of the African American community. But mostly people are staying in the region.
This artist-driven gentrification has gone on for decades. Northwest Portland where I live was mostly working class, middle & low income mixed, until the ’80’s. Then slowly houses got bought and fixed up and while many artists stayed, the working class mostly left and with the exception of a few pockets, so did low income people. But again, people mostly stayed in the city or the region.
May 11th, 2010 at 8:09 am
In response to Michael’s question, burbs or other regions, I think the answer is both. I moved to Cleveland for a job as a single, bought a great old house in the Kamms/West Park neighborhood and loved it. I walked everywhere, was close to everything, tons to do…I was rah-rah Cleveland, any urban grittiness didn’t phase me. Then I had kids.
Getting panhandled with kids in the stroller started to wear on me. Having to arrive at the t-ball and soccer field extra early to clean up glass and many other “unmentionables” from the field started to take its toll. Unreturned phone calls from the local public school, 1:36 ratios at the local parochial school, no gifted or enrichment programs, no response to several attempted break-ins at my neighbors…it took years but I finally just wanted a break, I wanted a community that cared about my family, I wanted my kids to someday play in the front yard alone and so it became easier to move a couple of miles west to one of the best school districts in the state. It was something that I never thought I would do.
I love the city and will move back when I can. We also have many artists and singles moving in but my family of five moved out…there lies the difference. I also don’t think that this is a purely Cleveland issue…
May 11th, 2010 at 11:26 am
JC:
In every case, you’re talking about money. They city doesn’t have any, and when people like you leave, it has less. Repeat until done.
May 11th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
BP Beckley:
I would disagree. At the time that I chose to leave, Cleveland was not in the situation that it is now. I lived in one of the more stable and middle income neighborhoods relatively close to a new community center. Money is always an issue but I moved more in response to the lack of resident services and what I perceived to be complete and consistent apathy. The community center was well-staffed…could they not clean up the needles and used condoms from home plate per my multiple requests prior to the game? I expect immediate police response to a break-in in progress. I expect a return phone call from the principal of the neighborhood school. I lived in the city for some time prior to starting my family so I get it. I don’t believe I am incredibly demanding but where my kids are concerned…
May 11th, 2010 at 12:28 pm
JC:
I’m a Cleveland resident myself, and I feel your pain. But, to me, “resident services” = money.
Not that I blame you, I’m just pointing out the pattern.
I expect immediate police response to a break-in in progress. Yeah, so would I, but…. Seriously, do have any reason to think that the police are wasting what funding they have, that they could put more people on the street but just won’t? Maybe it’s really like that, it’s hard to tell.
May 11th, 2010 at 1:24 pm
I’m curious about these numbers; they seem, at least in the short term, to run counter to the creative class premise:
http://innovationandgrowth.wordpress.com/2010/05/10/a-bad-business-cycle-for-the-creative-economy/
May 12th, 2010 at 11:35 am
I have said it for YEARS, “cities are a poor environment for families”. A healthy environment is one with green space,very low crime, roomy dwellings, good schools , and lots of peace and quiet. None of these things are available in cities….. The most creative places I know, Silicon Valley, Microsoft, Disney, and “Hollywood” are in suburbia.
June 29th, 2010 at 9:19 pm
Big rust-belt cites are not the only ones losing families – small markets like my Owensboro, KY are losing them, too – mainly because of a lack of opportunity.
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