Oak Cliff, Success to Tragedy

    Over the past two decades, Oak Cliff has not experienced any economic growth. More large corporations have left, than have come. Wynnewood Village was once a thriving shopping center anchored by large department stores such as Foley’s and Montgomery Wards. It now consists of dollar stores and vacant buildings. Village Fair another Oak Cliff shopping center, which once was home to Target’s and other similar stores , is only a huge flea market corned by five and dime Asian shops. This area was once a growing and vibrant neighbor hood, full of Some Dallas’s most prominent figures. Homeowners sought this neighborhood because of the high education and teaching level of it’s neighborhood schools. Athletically the schools could boast of some of the best talent in Dallas. Two parent homeowners are now increasingly being replaced by single government assistance parents. 
    In the past ten years, the majority of business to locate to this area has been five and dime stores primarily owned and operated by Asians. The population in this area according to the 2000 Census is approximately 32,500. Out of these 32,500, there were 16,004 Hispanic’s, 11, 285 Blacks, 11, 273 Whites, 230 Asians, and 9570 other races. In the old days, a neighborhood flourished because most businesses were owned and operated by individuals that lived in the neighborhood. This promoted a sense of pride resulting in better up keep of the neighborhood. Shop owners and homeowners would band together to keep the neighborhood safe and fruitful. They had vested interest int he community. The lived here. They raised their children here, they operated their businesses here. The shopkeepers and the employee’s were your neighbors. Due to the construction of larger malls in other parts of town, I believe that my neighbors began taking their dollars outside of the neighborhood thus contributing to the lack of money being kept in the neighborhood . When you look at the majority of the shop owners you realize they are Asian. According to the 2000 Census, the Asian population in Oak Cliff is only 230, this concludes the monies being spent at these new businesses are being taken outside of Oak Cliff. I’ve lived within a five-mile radius for 22 years and I have only seen one new construction being built, yet I’ve seen hundreds that have closed or been demolished. There are no Target’s Wal-Mart's or similar stores located within the Oak Cliff Area. The only construction I’ve seen in this neighborhood is an Albertson’s yet I’ve seen a Maynard's, Kroger’s, and Bud’s all leave. If you’re looking for fine food or a nice restaurant, Oak Cliff is really not the place. The best you will find is one Luby’s which is on the outskirts of Oak Cliff. 
When you look at the entertainment industry, there has been no positive business being opened in this area in a along time. There was a time in Oak Cliff, where we had movie theatres, drive-in movie theatres, skating rings, go karts and bowling alleys. If you were to drive to those buildings now, all you will see now is abandoned buildings. When you have a lack of positive alternatives of entertainment for the youth, the Bible says an idle mind is the devils workshop. With this type of situation, I have witnessed an enormous increase in crime. When we first moved into this neighborhood, we never heard gunshots or saw police chases. Now we see and hear those things frequently. 
    I live across the street from what used to be a vibrant family oriented park called Kiest Park. This park was always kept watered and manicured. Now there is no grass and I have seen homeless people living in the park. I rarely see children and families utilizing the park anymore. On Saturdays and Sunday’s we could the joyful laughter of children playing all day, now we constantly hear profanity and cars racing their motors. 
    My neighborhood used to be 80 percent owner occupied. Now according to the US census bureau, out of 9751 occupied housing units, owners occupy only 5706 and renters occupy 4045. History and the deteriation of neighborhoods have proven an owner occupied neighborhood is better kept than a renter occupied neighborhood. 
    In the 80’s to 90’s, homeowners coming to this neighborhood felt good because of the high education and teaching level of the neighborhood schools. Many of the homeowners were doctors and lawyers or others in professional positions. Now only 9.7 percent of the population 25 years of age and older hold a bachelor degree. Therefore we can conclude that these individuals prefer the suburbs or other parts of town to Oak Cliff.. I’ve always followed high school sports and I remember towns like Desoto, Duncanville, Cedar Hill, and Italy always being predominately white. These teams very seldomely were state champions or contenders in basketball or track. The schools now are a mixture of black and white kids contending every year for championships. Many of these players I know because they used to live in my neighborhood. I remember going to certain parks and being able to play against some of the top athletes in the city. When I venture to these same parks the choices I have now, is playing against gang members and drug dealers. With these choices I’ve chosen just to shoot basketball in my backyard. With these choices I feel like alot of other kids really are losing positive role models in their every day surroundings. Kids aren’t going outside as much as they used to, thus contributing to an overweight and unhealthy society. I remember when it used to be safe to walk to the park when I was young. Now in this neighborhood you have to have adult supervision to play on the jungle gym. The city has put in curfew laws that didn’t exist when I was a child. It is a vital necessity of safety in these days. The neighborhood a couple of miles down which is the 75216, has the highest AIDS infection count in the United States. 
    In concluding you can really see why this part of Dallas has not had any economic growth. This is one reason why I’ve decided to go to college in Houston instead of staying in this same neighborhood. When comparing the statistics of Oak Cliff to Houston, it was really an easy choice. I think this is a common trend with alot of neighborhoods. The good people in the neighborhood, once they get better jobs and money the first thing you will find them doing is moving some where else. Who can blame them? Oak Cliff goes from a potential success to a tragic what could have been. I guess the old people were right in this case, nothing is like the old days.