someone at work was saying Mattapan used to be nice, what happened??????? Options

[Kevin Youkilis]

it sure isnt nice now

This post has been edited by Kevin Youkilis: Jan 23 2008, 11:05 AM

[DanPM]

Hi TOPPER!

[the other dave]

Supposedly it used to be a good middle class Jewish neighborhood. Some say it was crooked politicians who redlined the area, displacing the Jewish population, and others say crime encroached on the area and the original inhabitants left more voluntarily...

[JohnnyBlack]

The weird thing is how it borders Milton, one of the richest and whitest communities in the area.

[Dan from providence]

First time I ever drove down Blue Hill Parkway, I was blown away at how great the area was...

Then it became blue hill AVE and shit got hectic with the quickness.

[CalGal]

Supposedly it used to be a good middle class Jewish neighborhood. Some say it was crooked politicians who redlined the area, displacing the Jewish population, and others say crime encroached on the area and the original inhabitants left more voluntarily...

My grandparents lived there. Not really middle class-maybe lower middle class. Most Jews moved out to better neighborhoods i.e. Brookline, Newton. I think it was more a matter of upward mobility. Poorer people moved into the homes. Neighborhoods change.

[Mister Shhh]

It was the blacks.

[TOPPER]

The flip answer is that the Jews moved out, and blacks moved in. A more scholarly way to assess it is to look up the govt. program known as BBURG. It was set up in response to the race riots of the '60's by do gooder bankers that thought it would be great for blacks to own homes. So, Mattapan was picked to be the test area, and blacks, who were largely unqualified, financially and otherwise, were given loans that they could never pay, and most of the homes were lost to foreclosure, boarded up, and became shitholes. There were also numerous incidents of Jewish Lightning as well. The parallels to the whole sub prime crisis now is remarkable. You'd think the banks would've learned from the 1960's, but no, they didn't. News flash, a black nursing assistant, single mother earning $38,000 a year, with 3 kids probably can't afford a $500,000 mortgage.

[khan]

mission hill is still 90% irish

[TOPPER]

mission hill is still 90% irish

Calumet Street, bra, that's where Gramps lived, before moving to Annunciation Road.

[the other dave]

mission hill is still 90% irish

Where'd you get that stat?

When I lived there it was a mix of black, hispanic and young students/professionals. And I don't think you can count dude-bro college students from Abington as "Irish".

[Harvey Mushman]

I think it is interesting how places change.
Hell, Braintree was nice once.

[khan]

Where'd you get that stat?

i lived there around in the early 90's and we were drinking at Flans and some old time told us

[smcd]

Mattapan has been a shithole for 40 years.

[EricDoberman]

A fantastic book on the subject.

[Unchained]

I think it is interesting how places change.
Hell, Braintree was nice once.

Braintree still isn't nice? East Braintree seems a little sketchy but the Highlands and South Braintree seem okay to me.

[DanPM]

Calumet Street, bra, that's where Gramps lived, before moving to Annunciation Road.

I used to work at the parking garage at Brigham and Womens. We had a lot up on Calumet and I would go to relieve the dude that worked there every day at lunch. He had 9 fingers and everyday would say "Ahhh .. I gotta take a wicke leak" and then take off.

[Harvey Mushman]

Braintree still isn't nice? East Braintree seems a little sketchy but the Highlands and South Braintree seem okay to me.

Actually, its always been that way....although I'd say East Braintree is even worse these days (I still work here)

A friend that I still see on a regualr basis, who also grew up here, is always laughing, reminding me that even now, when the paper says something about "Braintree youths" it is ALWAYS kids from East Braintree and NEVER kids from the Highlands.

[khan]

monatoquat village looks like a prison

[TOPPER]

A fantastic book on the subject.

Yes, everyone here should read this book before commenting on matters of race and mortgages etc.

[DanPM]

monatoquat village looks like a prison

designed by Mike Brady

[Harvey Mushman]

monatoquat village looks like a prison

I couldn't help but notice they changed the name to "Braintree Village" a few years ago.

I assume no one could spell "Monatiquot".



Er...uh...um...I mean....

Nothing.

[khan]

I assume no one could spell "Monatiquot".

i was typing fast. i is next to a o. so chow it!

[Harvey Mushman]

i was typing fast. i is next to a o. so chow it!

I'm gonna start telling everyone to "chow it"

Truth be told...I had no idea how to spell it either...I'm a product of Braintree public schools.