The Washington Post talks about Prince William County's economy and changing demographic makeup this morning, due to both the slow housing market and new rules pertaining to illegal immigrants (the latter finding their bread and butter from the former for the last several years).
Perhaps our blog's anti-bubbleheads' claims that migration to NOVA's inner suburbs would sustain housing prices over the exurbs are becoming more understandable in light of PWs new rules:
Most departing immigrants, however, appear to be moving closer afield, choosing states such as North Carolina or neighboring counties such as Prince George's or Arlington that they perceive as less hostile.(Mr. Ramirez's roommate, who "sneaked into the United States three years ago" was feeling stifled because he could only loiter at the local supermarket in Woodbridge once a week without drawing attention to himself).
In August, Walter Ramirez settled on Alexandria.
13 comments:
I do not believe such migration will help the Arlington market, and PW was already in trouble. I'm not sure if the arrangement of one legal owner (citizen or immigrant) owning a home, who subleases to many people (legal or illegal) is really great for the market. Maybe we'll see some of these people buy in the Van Dorn/Seminary area of Alexandria (Parkside Auction?)
I think its bad for both markets. PW will get a bunch of foreclosures as investors dump homes they can no longer rent at a profit ( or even break even ). And the influx of illegals and crime ( MS-13 ) will lower the property values in Arlington/Alexandria.
If i'am not mistaken, during the past 2 years of lax lending practices (now stopped after the recent mortgage meltdown), some of the illegals have purchased residential real estate uisng the NINJA loan mortgages (no income, no jobs or assets!).
Yes both Arlington and Alexandria have sanctuary policies.
I'm thinking of leaving.
This just does more to confirm that the inner areas are not uniformly "quality."
Sometimes neighborhoods go from bad to good, sometimes they go from good to bad. If large numbers of illegals start moving into Arlington and Alexandria it isn't going to make the locals happy.
An increase in immigration usually brings with it the new blood and vigor that helps a place prosper. Over the years, the US has benefitted greatly from all its immigrants. Prior to the second decade of the twentieth century, there was no such thing as "illegal" immigration since as long as one wasn't bringing some dreaded disease with them (and had a few coins in their pockets ... or the name of a relative already here), ALL immigration was legal. Were the draconian immigration measures in place now in place then, most of us wouldn't be here. Those towns and cities discriminating against immigrants will be all the poorer for it ... while those welcoming them will enrich themselves further. The karma of righteous acts has a way of seeing that good deeds don't go unrewarded. I'm place my money on places like Arlington and Alexandria having ever more prosperous economies. At the least, they'll have more of the decent type of folk I let myself associate with ... vs. the zenophobic types with their hate.
Lance said...
Those towns and cities discriminating against immigrants will be all the poorer for it ...
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Lance, just curious, are there any programs that you're against? I'm all for legal immigration. I work with and am close friends with many citizens who came from other countries and decided that they wanted to share in the American dream. My great grandfather came here with only the money in his pocket. He was an entrepreneur who started with nothing and ended up owning several barber shops in NYC (one of which Babe Ruth frequented which is another story). He learned english by reading the paper and he paid taxes. In other words, he was proud to be a US citizen and worked to become a contributing member of this country.
What I, and most other people, have a problem with Lance, are the people who are sneaking over the borders, who refuse to become a contributing part of society. They pay no taxes, however there are those who push to build work centers and give them health benefits - at our expense. I object to the wholesale condemnation by people such as yourself standing up and pointing the finger saying "xenophobe" (and yes, it's spelled with an x) every time I don't feel like paying taxes to support illegal immigrants. And those dollars that are earned here with no taxes paid, where do you think those go? They go back to their home countries as evidenced by the gentleman trying to return home to his native country with $50K in a bag - of which he admittedly paid NOTHING in taxes. Seems the words "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country," are DEAD. Now it's "Ask what the country you crawled into can do for you, no matter if you deserve it or not."
So keep telling me how much "richer" neighborhoods and towns will be when the tax base declines and you have to pick up the slack to pay for immigrant programs, Lance.
chrisb,
your assumptions are far from substantiated and are illustrative of the prejudices many people are bringing to the table. why do you think these immigrants' ability and desire to be "good Americans" are any different than your great grandfather's ... other than that he could come over here with just the money in his pocket. And incidentally, even back then lots and lots of money was sent back home to the relatives who hadn't yet followed. I don't know you well enough to know if racism is entering the equation for you personally, but I suspect that for many it does.
I'm walking distance to El Arlandria or Chirilagua. I trade there.
The hispanic 24 hour mini-mart has great fried potatoes and chicken. A lady from El Salvatore cuts my hair, $15. I tip the $5 change from a $20. The hispanic restaurants complement Nan Viet (Vietnamese), T.J.'s (Southern), Po Siam (Thai), Chez Andree (French), you get the picture.
Here's a funny exchange:
Reston, VA:
What do you think of Chesecake Factory? I absolutely love it. My second favorite place is probably IHOP, with Five Guys and Potbelly tied for third. We're blessed to have so many wonderful places to eat here in Washington.
Todd Kliman:
Reston, Reston, Reston ...
You forgot Panera and Red Lobster and Olive Garden!"
This explains why BH's think close in and the District aren't worth it and prices will fall.
I don't like the fact that there are 5 or 6 "Check Cashing Stores" or that the city turned a lane of Mt. Vernon Ave into additional "free" parking.
But it's the city, not as alive as the district but not bad. Lance gets it. (gets it? He's been saying it for years!) BHs don't and so it goes.
Lance... your summary of immigration history is simply completely wrong.
You need to visit your local library and do a bit of reading before trying to lecture people on something you are clueless about.
Prior to the second decade of the 20th century there was no such thing as illegal immigration?
There were numerous formal and informal efforts made in the 18th and 19th centuries to limit or prohibit immigration. There was also tremendous discrimination against immigrants at numerous points during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Also, the idea that not welcoming thousands of illegal immigrants will somehow make an area poorer is just silly.
As a group, illegal immigrants are poor, poorly educated, and every single one of them is breaking multiple US laws just being here.
They may think that it is their "right" to move wherever the heck they want and try to live on the fringes of society ducking taxes and labor laws, but I disagree.
"I don't know you well enough to know if racism is entering the equation for you personally, but I suspect that for many it does."
Bah, everyone wants to throw out the racism card because they think that somehow shields them from the actual debate here.
Are we going to enforce our laws?
If we are going to enforce them then we need to enforce them uniformly.
My family is one of immigrants. They came here legally. They did the paperwork. They learned the language. They took their citizenship tests, and they became US citizens.(or in one case keeps renewing a green card)
They came here to stay, become Americans, and yes, pay taxes.
The illegals have convinced themselves that they can ignore whatever law says they can't do something they want to do and sadly, they seem to have convinced some of you that that is true.
If you want to immigrate but don't want to mess with any paperwork or a potential wait? Just sneak in! Don't want to pay taxes? Just don't! Don't want to be a full participant in your "new" country? Don't bother, demand everyone else accommodate you by speaking your language and catering to your needs.
Why do you think there is so much resistance to the US building a fence along the border?
Because that will inconvenience the people breaking US laws?
A sovereign state has a right to set its laws and control its borders. These rights are fundamental to the idea of what a "state" is.
What we need to do is enforce our laws. Secure our border, enforce our immigration laws, and get rid of the attitude that just because you don't like a law that you can ignore it.
Once we have some control again we can decide as a country what sort of legal immigration we want to have. This is a big country and I think we will see immigration here for all of our lives, but I don't see any reason those immigrants shouldn't have to play by the same rules as everyone else.
@Lance
I'm not sure if the 100 or so people that loiter every morning by the Glebe Market are great for property values.
By the way, the limousine liberals in Ashton Heights freaked when they considered sending the elementary age kids to Barrett (predominantly hispanic) instead of Long Branch (predominantly white). I guess the xenophobes of Ashton Heights are fine with illegal immigration as long the illegal aliens stay out of the neighborhood.
Leroy said,
"This just does more to confirm that the inner areas are not uniformly 'quality.'"
Because Arlington is so small, there can be huge changes by simply crossing a road. Cross Glebe Rd. at Pershing sometime.
Bill said:
"I'm not sure if the 100 or so people that loiter every morning by the Glebe Market are great for property values."
I agree. Note that the loitering only occurs because we don't have legal mechanisms in place for accepting this labor pool into our country like we had back in past centuries. Imagine how fast (or slowly) our manufacturing firms would have grown had the then foreign labor pool been forced to operate under the same rules we have today. Most of us (the children of immigrants) wouldn't be here today had the rules been back then what they are now. And this country wouldn't have become what it is. The problem isn't the immigrants, it's the way they are accorded their "welcome" into our economy.
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