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Cambridge's population at the last census count rose a minuscule one half of a percentage point but the percentage growth of minorities has sky rocketed, changing the city's demographic patterns dramatically.
Overall in the city the Asian population rose 123.7 percent, the Hispanic population rose 43.4 percent and the Black 24.1 percent.
The white population on the other hand declined 8.1 percent--reflecting similar trends in urban areas ac ross the country.
Much of the minority growth has occurred in East Cambridge, Riverside, Cambridgeport and West Cambridge.
Although other neighborhoods such as the Brattle Street area, neighborhood 9, Agassiz North Cambridge and Mid-Cambridge saw less dramatic changes in the percentage of minorities, they too saw white residents move away from the neighborhood.
Kenneth Basler, chair of the Agassiz Neighborhood Association, says that a good percentage of those whites moving our of Cambridge are children of lifelong residents.
"The kids grew and left, sold the houses, and they became condos. Couples bought them, not couples with children, Basler says.
Even longtime residents of the city are moving away because of the lack of affordable housing, says R. Philip Dowds, director of Cambridge Citizens for Livable Neighborhoods (CCLN).
"Sons and daughters of Cambridge families who looked around for housing in North or East Cambridge where they grew up now have to pay a small fortune," he says.
Dowds says the decrease in the while population can also be attributed to a shift in the size of white and minority household.
"White families are getting smaller and smaller, and minority families are getting bigger and bigger," he says. "It's called loss of the white middle-class,and it's affecting most cities." Dowds says that Cambridge has been lessaffected by the decrease in middle-class whitesthan other cities because of programs such as rentcontrol. "Cambridge is better off than most citiesbecause of rent control, which has been a prettygood middle income housing program," he says."There's little turnover in these properties." But in Cambridge, where the issue of rentcontrol has divided the city for more than 20years, others--like Jacqueline L. Carroll,co-chair of the Area Four Coalition--say rentcontrol has actually contributed to the decreasein white population. Carroll says she believes that continuing urbanproblems have also contributed to "white flight,"pointing in particular to growing drug traffic inthe city. "It's hard to live in a house or apartment whendrug deals are going down outside everyday," shesays. But the often-poor immigrants who make up themuch of the new minority population may be forcedto tolerate the difficult conditions, Carrollsays. Still, it is clearly not just a higherforbearance that is boosting Cambridge's minoritypopulation. Dowds says the high increase in thenumber of Asians and Hispanics is partially due tothe clustering of immigrant groups. "Once a certain group or ethnic community getsa foothold in an area, other families of the sameethnicity tend to follow them and move in also,"he says. And one some minority populations haveestablished themselves in an area the supportgroups that develop can help new immigrants. "More people of color now live in Area fourbecause their support groups were able to findthem housing there." Carroll says. Cambridge Mayor Kenneth E. Reeves '72 says thatit is difficult to account for the high populationof Asians in the city. "It is unclear why therepresentation of Asians is reported so large," hesays. "If you went door-to-door, you wouldn't findthis concentrations." Reeves speculated that local company trainingprograms include a high number of Asians, who stayin the city for only a short time. He also saysthat Harvard and MIT's growing Asian populationsalso may contribute to the citywide populationboost. But others say that the trend is not sosurprising. In the past the immigrants were mostlywhite Europeans. "Cambridge has always been a cityof people migrating in and out," Geer says. "Theonly thing that's changed is where people aremigrating in from--especially Portugal and Haiti." Richard J. Vendetti, president of the EastCambridge Planning Team, says the Lowering of"racial barriers" has led to the growing diversityin his neighborhood. East Cambridge saw a 230.5 percent increase inthe Black population and a 266.7 percent increasein the Asian population. "There wasn't a realpopulation of Blacks living in the area," he says."Minorities working in the area seem to be finebut living in East Cambridge was not always asaccepted." Cambridge's 1981 controlled choice schoolprogram, which allows parents to choose wheretheir children will attend school, has helpedintegrate the area, Vendetti says. "Those kids from the time controlled choicefirst started are now adults," he says. "This hashelped change the situation." While the city's minority population is rising,some city officials--including Mayor Reeves--areconcerned that they are not receiving services. "We will test the theorem whether or notdemocracy is a major element in our system, orwhether elitism will be," he says. Reeves says he fears that institutions mayremain white-oriented even after whites become aminority after the turn of the century. "Theformer majority group will want the system to meettheir needs," he says. Reeves says that the minority community doesnot take full advantage of the city's schools.Minority families are frequently not as aware ofsome of the school system's more innovatedprograms, which tend to be dominated by whitechildren. School Committee member E. Denise Simmons saysthe city has begun to encourage minorities toparticipate in school programs. "We're looking forparticipation by kids who wouldn't volunteer, byparents who wouldn't do this on their own," shesays. In order for minority groups to increase theirpower in Cambridge, the city must hire moreminority employees, Reeves says. "One can'tcontinue major public institutions that don'treflect demographics," he says. Reeves says that the civil service selectionprocess and lifetime tenure for school teachersare a "hurdle" to minority representation. "Itprefers those traditionally involved in thesystem. It is a major barrier. And it's notproducing particularly great candidates," he says. The dismantling of such institutions as teachertenure and civil service may signify the beginningof fundamental changes in the city. But Reevessays that more must be done to ensure thatCambridge's growing minority population receivesthe support to which it is entitled. Says Reeves, "There is significant work to do."
"It's called loss of the white middle-class,and it's affecting most cities."
Dowds says that Cambridge has been lessaffected by the decrease in middle-class whitesthan other cities because of programs such as rentcontrol. "Cambridge is better off than most citiesbecause of rent control, which has been a prettygood middle income housing program," he says."There's little turnover in these properties."
But in Cambridge, where the issue of rentcontrol has divided the city for more than 20years, others--like Jacqueline L. Carroll,co-chair of the Area Four Coalition--say rentcontrol has actually contributed to the decreasein white population.
Carroll says she believes that continuing urbanproblems have also contributed to "white flight,"pointing in particular to growing drug traffic inthe city.
"It's hard to live in a house or apartment whendrug deals are going down outside everyday," shesays.
But the often-poor immigrants who make up themuch of the new minority population may be forcedto tolerate the difficult conditions, Carrollsays.
Still, it is clearly not just a higherforbearance that is boosting Cambridge's minoritypopulation. Dowds says the high increase in thenumber of Asians and Hispanics is partially due tothe clustering of immigrant groups.
"Once a certain group or ethnic community getsa foothold in an area, other families of the sameethnicity tend to follow them and move in also,"he says.
And one some minority populations haveestablished themselves in an area the supportgroups that develop can help new immigrants.
"More people of color now live in Area fourbecause their support groups were able to findthem housing there." Carroll says.
Cambridge Mayor Kenneth E. Reeves '72 says thatit is difficult to account for the high populationof Asians in the city. "It is unclear why therepresentation of Asians is reported so large," hesays. "If you went door-to-door, you wouldn't findthis concentrations."
Reeves speculated that local company trainingprograms include a high number of Asians, who stayin the city for only a short time. He also saysthat Harvard and MIT's growing Asian populationsalso may contribute to the citywide populationboost.
But others say that the trend is not sosurprising. In the past the immigrants were mostlywhite Europeans. "Cambridge has always been a cityof people migrating in and out," Geer says. "Theonly thing that's changed is where people aremigrating in from--especially Portugal and Haiti."
Richard J. Vendetti, president of the EastCambridge Planning Team, says the Lowering of"racial barriers" has led to the growing diversityin his neighborhood.
East Cambridge saw a 230.5 percent increase inthe Black population and a 266.7 percent increasein the Asian population. "There wasn't a realpopulation of Blacks living in the area," he says."Minorities working in the area seem to be finebut living in East Cambridge was not always asaccepted."
Cambridge's 1981 controlled choice schoolprogram, which allows parents to choose wheretheir children will attend school, has helpedintegrate the area, Vendetti says.
"Those kids from the time controlled choicefirst started are now adults," he says. "This hashelped change the situation."
While the city's minority population is rising,some city officials--including Mayor Reeves--areconcerned that they are not receiving services.
"We will test the theorem whether or notdemocracy is a major element in our system, orwhether elitism will be," he says.
Reeves says he fears that institutions mayremain white-oriented even after whites become aminority after the turn of the century. "Theformer majority group will want the system to meettheir needs," he says.
Reeves says that the minority community doesnot take full advantage of the city's schools.Minority families are frequently not as aware ofsome of the school system's more innovatedprograms, which tend to be dominated by whitechildren.
School Committee member E. Denise Simmons saysthe city has begun to encourage minorities toparticipate in school programs. "We're looking forparticipation by kids who wouldn't volunteer, byparents who wouldn't do this on their own," shesays.
In order for minority groups to increase theirpower in Cambridge, the city must hire moreminority employees, Reeves says. "One can'tcontinue major public institutions that don'treflect demographics," he says.
Reeves says that the civil service selectionprocess and lifetime tenure for school teachersare a "hurdle" to minority representation. "Itprefers those traditionally involved in thesystem. It is a major barrier. And it's notproducing particularly great candidates," he says.
The dismantling of such institutions as teachertenure and civil service may signify the beginningof fundamental changes in the city. But Reevessays that more must be done to ensure thatCambridge's growing minority population receivesthe support to which it is entitled.
Says Reeves, "There is significant work to do."
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