On being a white familiy moving into an historically Black neighborhood

In My Humble Opinion
1

I’m looking to move to St. Louis in the next decade, and the houses in my budget (example for reference) appear to be in historically Black neighborhoods.

I don’t have an issue living amongst Black folks; I grew up in a racially diverse neighborhood and went to racially diverse schools, and I believe I’m richer for it. But what I don’t want to do is intrude upon what is traditionally a Safe Space for Blacks. Reading up on some history, it looks like most of these northern inner-ring suburbs of St. Louis were built for and purchased by Black families in the 1950s and 1960s, and so it seems like there’s a rich history there that isn’t mine to share in. Long story short, I don’t want to be That Guy.

So should I look elsewhere?

2

I doubt anyone in that neighborhood will really care if you bought a market-rate house in the neighborhood. That’s not really the same thing as gentrification, which is what tends to aggravate people.

3

If you are a good neighbor and involved in the community, I don’t think there is an issue. Gentrification is a problem when wealthier people move in and then start influencing policy to further gentrification. I don’t see you doing that.

4

If you don’t buy the house, someone who offers less money to the (presumably Black) homeowner will buy it, and they will be worse off.

If some white people move into the neighborhood, it will be more racially diverse and the residents, to use your phrase, will be richer for it.

So, go ahead and live whereever you think works best for you.

5

Are people really “involved in the community” any longer? My impression is that in many places, people really don’t interact much with the neighbors.

6

I’ve lived in my current home for 13 years, and I barely know their names.

7

That’s what I mean. It’s a little different if you have young children and so do the neighbors, but aside from that, people seem to keep to themselves.

8

I live in a really white town. Years ago, I used to participate in the online forum for my town on City-Data.

Not infrequently, somebody would start a thread that essentially said, “I’m/We’re a minority (African-American, Latino, LGBTQ+, mixed-race couple, etc.). How comfortable would we feel living in this town?”

The answer was overwhelmingly “You’d be fine. We are the very model of a ‘live and let live’ city.”

But we’re really not. I got to know members of the advocacy groups for a few different minority populations. Each had at least a couple of frank horror stories to accompany their endless stories of what are commonly called ‘microagressions.’

We generally lean blue as a town, but – like many in America – are surrounded by huge rural swaths. This may have something to do with it (or it may not).

My point is … AIUI, the SDMB skews heavily Caucasian. It’s worth considering that we may, collectively, suffer from the same kind of bias.

Meaning: there may be other sources that you should solicit in order to better inform your thoughts on this – IMHO, important and worthwhile – issue.

9

I’m pretty sure we have a Black Doper or two, maybe they can chime in.

10

I believe you just made my point :wink:

11

Some people are. My neighborhood has various block clubs (my own block club hasn’t met since Covid, though). When I have done door-to-door canvassing I have met people who whip votes, organize, volunteer, check up on their neighbors, etc.

I’m not saying OP has to go above and beyond. If most of the neighborhood keeps to themselves, go with the flow.

12

These neighborhoods have likely have changed greatly in the past 70+ years. I doubt you’d be the only white person living there. Consider taking a trip out there and see what they are like. Not only will you get an idea of the racial makeup, but you’ll also learn what the community is like. You can see what the parks look like, what stores they have, etc.

13

Census data is probably available online and should give you an idea of the demographics.

14

In many places, this is how people choose to act. A newcomer can, however, go out of their way to introduce themselves and learn their neighbors’ names, wave or say Hi to them in passing, or even chat with them (always obeying the time-honored restrictions against discussing religion or politics). My experience is that even people who don’t care to reciprocate will appreciate the in-passing recognitions of their existence.

I’m not good at this myself, being a strong habitual introvert, but fortunately my husband is much better at it, and I get some of the reflected good wishes.

15

Moving in yourself is probably welcome. What would be discouraged would be buying it as an investment property with the intention of renting it.

16

Oh I would absolutely be moving in myself and Mrs. H. There is not an amount of money that you could pay me to be a landlord.

17

I used to work at Lambert, although it’s been 15 years now. I also lived in the very mixed Central West End for ~10 years roughly the 1990s. I’m fairly familiar with the towns / neighborhoods near the airport and further east, both north and south. Such as St. Ann, Woodson Terrace, St. John, etc.

At least then that area generally south of the airport was not an all-black monoculture. Plenty of folks of every shade.

Conversely, Jennings, Ferguson, Kinloch, Dellwood were (are?) much closer to 100% black. Further down I-70 towards downtown it gets far more so. And lots poorer.


Speaking to the entire Greater St. Louis region …

There was a lot of quiet background black hostility in the poorer areas to white folks in general. Which is unsurprising since in general the whites were real good at being hostile to the blacks too.

The only way to know the tone of any given town or neighborhood is to visit it. Go to the local grocery store. Talk to somebody in the canned goods aisle and to the cashier while you’re buying some stuff. Etc.

That won’t be easy from where you’re living, but for darn sure you ought not buy an older home in any area without a lot of in-person due diligence on the house itself, the lot’s drainage for rain & snow, the local police & fire service, condition of the streets, etc.

Many of those tiny neighborhoods are actually separate municipalities with their own cops & city hall. Most of those places have seen their tax base implode and are pretty impoverished of city services even if the houses look fairly working class decent. And some of those police forces are corrupt invaders with their boots on the neck of the locals. In fact the cops collecting fines is one of the main sources of city revenue to pay for operating the police force. It won’t be nice for you if the only white people your neighbors ever see is a corrupt local asshole cop or you.

This is a local black-oriented weekly newspaper & website. You may learn a lot about how the world looks to black St. Louisians by following their output for awhile.

18

Always good advice, regardless of the neighborhood. Most of these suburbs, like Bellefontaine Neighbors, are still mostly Black. But they’d hardly be the only white people living there. Bellefontaine Neighbors is about 82% Black, 13% White as of the 2020 census.

19

Can you visit and gently inquire? You can find out a lot in person and live face to face discussions. The way you put your OP, your approach if you visit and inquire would, I expect, be good.

I used to travel to STL MO several times a year for work. I visited and toured around extra a lot. Great people. I really like it there. I even attended some Sunday worship services, one led by the pastor husband of a coworker.

But you never know, there might be micro pockets in some neighborhoods where some of the locals might be too ‘tight’ and exclusionary. Would be good if you could do a quick visit.

Added: looks like @filmore also suggested a visit.

20

Word (and not just the house itself) [bolding mine]:

ETA (comparable information, potentially more relevant source):