/jordan
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Certainly true, for Oakland. But the real question is why?
De-segretation via busing in the 60s, lead to the 70s white middle class flight, plus massive de-industrialization and prop 13, which collapsed the local school revenue base while the city plunged into a crime ridden slum. Now the city's schools struggle with a huge immigrant population of hispanic and asian kids from non-English speaking households. Some of the empty industrial tracks in Oakland look like something out of the deep south from the Thirties, with people and streets that have been in severe depression for decades. Only the grandmothers remember when the old man worked in the warehouses or factories that filled the neighborhoods.
The southeastern tracks of San Francisco, Bay View, Hunter's point, etc look the same way and have the same problems.
On my delivery days, I spend most of my driving time in these areas. And now the real foundation of these families, the grandmothers and occassional grandfathers are moving out to senior assisted living apartments in the downtown areas under urban renewal projects.
CG