The Alameda neighborhood: surprising diversity trends 2000 – 2010
2010 Census Tract analyses published recently in the Oregonian compare the change in diversity (from 2000 to 2010) of Portland’s inner city census tracts and offer the observation that ‘Black flight’ has been a reality in many of the city’s core tracts for the last decade–aided and abetted by the city’s Urban “Removal” (Renewal) policies.
Alameda Spring 2010
Putting those arguments aside, it’s worth noting that within the overall sweep of that argument, notable exceptions arise. The Alameda community in which I live (Census Tract 25.01) has nonetheless experienced measureable change in diversity using not a “diversity index” formula, but taking a look at the data ittself.
Alameda falls “roughly” in Census Tract 25.01 whose boundaries are NE 18th Ave on the West, Fremont Avenue on the North, N.E. 33rd on the West and N.E. Thompson on the South–1.1 mile Tract in breadth from East to West. A Northern boundary of the neighborhood itself extends all the way North to N. E. Prescott into Census Tract 33. For the article which follows along with the accompanying analysis, I’ve limited myself to Census Tract 25.01. Here are the comparisons between Portland and Alameda that prove interesting.
Alameda: A Backyard Bonanza of Beauty
Year 2010, Portland Census Data vs. (Alameda Census Data, Tract 25.01): Selected Ratios of Total Population/Sub-Populations: a) White alone: Portland=85.2% (Alameda=88.41%), b) Black alone: Portland=3% (Alameda=2.12%), American Indian Alone=1% (Alameda=.15%), Asian Alone=6% (Alameda=2.6%), Hispanic alone=10.9% (Alameda=3.70).
In general we can say that Alameda is “measureably less diverse” than Portland as a whole (note particularly the Hispanic and Asian comparisons), but while Portland’s diversity is trending down, Alameda’s data show’s an increase in diversity (summing all subpopulation %tiles: Black+Asia/PIslander+Black+Hispanic+NAmer=Multiracial+Other ) from 9.48% in 2000 to 11.59% in 2010! There appears to be a 2.11% net in-migration of total minority people into the Alameda neighborhood over the decade.
Alameda: Snowbound
Alameda livability arguably stands among the best in the city with vibrant shopping on all borders of the community, a developed transportation infrastructure (MAX Lolyd/Hollywood; TriMet buses 9, 15, 12 etc serving downtown), good park access (Irving, Grant, Wilshire) and excellent schools (Alameda: K-5; Hollyrood/BevCleary:
K-8, Madeleine, K-8 (Catholic), Beaumont, 6-8, and Grant 9-12).
Regarding school population data for 2010, the diversity of our Alameda Neighborhood Schools substantially ‘outpaces’ the diversity of the neighborhood in general because of the effects of Portland Public School’s transfer policies and provides the young people in the community with a laboratory for learning how to live in a multi-racial and multi-ethic world particularly in Middle and High School.
The breakout of multi-racial/ethic enrollment data and thus the diversity of the Alameda/Grant neighborhood schools mimics or exceeds the diversity of the entire neighborhood at all grade levels by substantial margins particularly at the Middle and High School levels. : Alameda: K-5=(14.1%), Hollyrood/BevCleary: K-8=(19.4%), Beaumont: 6-8=(41.8%) and Grant H.S. 9-12=(35.5%). If one compares the enrollment data for the Alameda neighborhood schools over the past decade (2000-2010), the trend shows a move toward greater diversity.
In another way, the quality of the neighborhood schools acts as a ‘magnet’ for families seeking a good education for their children and powers the increasing Median Home Values that the Census reveals have trended up in Census Tract 25.01 from 2000 to 2010, notwithstanding a downtrend in Home Values for Portland in general according to a recently released Case-Schiller Price Index published by Standard and Poor (Dec. 2010).
