What is Lakewood doing to attact more minorities ?????

[ryan costa]

I hesitate to resurrect this rather distasteful topic, but I did find something interesting today.

The annual school report cards are out, as the PD reported Monday.

Interesting to note that Lakewood's non-white student poulation has grown from 9.3% four years ago to 16.6% today.

So whatever the city is doing or not doing to attract more minorities, Lakewood is clearly becoming more racially diverse.

Ironically, the percentage of ESL kids seems to have peaked and is now trending down.

Most black kids in the suburbs have white mommies anyways. For that reason it is best to include 'multi-racial' on the census forms. It is better for property values. This isn't my thinking: it is the Market, which isn't accountable to anyone.

In this sense Lakewood doesn't have to do anything to attract more blacks: it succeeds at this merely by being next to Cleveland. For example, Maple Heights or the West Side didn't have many African Americans 30 years ago. But they improved through diversifying.

[Joan Roberts]

Most black kids in the suburbs have white mommies anyways. For that reason it is best to include 'multi-racial' on the census forms. It is better for property values.

.

[Thomas J. George]

Observers,

I learned at Horace Mann Jr. High back in 1966 that statistical data must be compared to other statistical data to gain perspective. Otherwise numbers are just numbers.

According to Realtor.com suburban Cleveland single family homes for sale (as of Aug. 17, 2006)

In order of population:

Parma-1045
Lakewood-349
Euclid-814
Cleveland Hts.-1268
Strongsville-298
Westlake-182
Garfield Hts.-1033
North Olmsted-187

Clearly, Lakewood has among the very best ratio of fewest homes for sale per population.

In addition, Northern Ohio Multiple Listing Service just released first half 2006 average sale price data which showed Lakewood having an average sale price of a single family home to exceed $156,000 which is higher than Fairview Park, North Olmsted, Parma, Euclid and many other suburbs.

On top of this good news, the County Auditor last week released housing appreciation values for the past three years showing Lakewood with a increase of over 13%. This increase far exceeds other suburban communities.

As Lakewood continues to experience the largest building boom in the city's past 50 years, (Lakewood Hospital just today pulled a permit for over $1,000,000 in improvements), a key to this success has been the fact that the cooperation among the key institutions in the city has never been greater.

TJG

[Joan Roberts]

On top of this good news, the County Auditor last week released housing appreciation values for the past three years showing Lakewood with a increase of over 13%. This increase far exceeds other suburban communities.

Obviously, the mayor doesn't read all the threads here.

[Kenneth Warren]

I learned a little Latin at Holy Ghost in New Hyde Park: Caveat Lector.

While I get the Mayor's general sense of how the numbers sort, with Lakewood in a relatively favorable light, which I do not dispute, I was struck at the high numbers for Cleveland Heights. So I probed the Realtor.Com site more deeply. It appears to me that Realtor.Com includes some properties in Cleveland, East Cleveland and South Euclid within the Cleveland Heights sort.

To get a more accurate picture, a closer sort inspecting all the listings by actual boundaries would seem necessary.

Of course, I do not expect the Mayor to do so. I respectfully point out my findings and my own elementary school learning: Caveat Lector.

Kenneth Warren

[Thomas J. George]

Ken,

Realtor.com gives the user the option of using a zip code or city name...I used the city name "Cleveland Heights" for my findings (I'm a regular user as real estate data is a excellent benchmarking tool).

You are correct, the city of Cleveland Hts encompasses several zip codes including 44118 and 44121 which also include other neighboring cities.

TJG

P.S. and yes Joan, as one of the few public officials who participates on community forums, I read the posts and based upon the emails I've received, can determine when someones views are a distinct minority.

[David Anderson]

Dear Mayor George -

In order to understand and accept your assertion (and I'm not necessarily disagreeing) that "Clearly, Lakewood has among the very best ratio of fewest homes for sale per population" you must give more than population rank and number of single family homes on the market.

In my opinion, the statistic needed to prove your point is the total number of single family homes that exist in Lakewood, and these other communities, divided by the number of single family homes on the "For Sale" market. This would likely give a true ratio that can be compared.

Another statistic that would help with your point would be the percentage of Lakewood residents who own homes compared to the other cities you listed. Does it really make sense to link the number of single homes on the market with a composite population when a significant portion of Lakewood's residents are renters? What percentage of Parma's, Euclid's and Cleveland' Heights' residents own homes?

Again, I'm not necessarily disagreeing, I just don't think your statistic supports your point.

Thanks

[Joan Roberts]

Ken,

Realtor.com gives the user the option of using a zip code or city name...I used the city name "Cleveland Heights" for my findings (I'm a regular user as real estate data is a excellent benchmarking tool).

You are correct, the city of Cleveland Hts encompasses several zip codes including 44118 and 44121 which also include other neighboring cities.

TJG

P.S. and yes Joan, as one of the few public officials who participates on community forums, I read the posts and based upon the emails I've received, can determine when someones views are a distinct minority.

So Mr, Mayor.

Are residents telling you they're happy with their new assessments?

[Stan Austin]

Joan-- If a primary asset is one's home and it appreciates in value, it would be the assumption that this would be more attractive than the alternative.
Stan

[Jeff Endress]

Stan

I'm sure every homeowner is happy that the value of their home has increased, but equally unhappy that this increase also translates into additional taxes.

On the other hand, while every homeowner would be delighted to see a decrease in the tax burden, if the value of their homes had DECREASED by 15%, the hue and cry would be deafening. But you can't have it both ways.

For my money, I'll accept the additional tax burden, recognizing that those additional amounts are quite small when compared to the return on the real estae investment by way of appreciation. THe couple of bucks in taxes I'd save in a devaluing market would pale incomparison to a drop of 15,000 in the value of my house.

Jeff