There was a time when the gay community was not welcomed into neighborhoods. The common mindset of the masses was that we would be a negative addition and that we would even bring property values down. However, over the last several decades, this mindset has slowly changed. Not only is our community welcomed in most metropolitan cities, but we are now given well deserved credit for the revitalization of many neighborhoods throughout the country.
It is not uncommon that in time cities and neighborhoods throughout the country decline. This has typically been a part of real estate history. What was once the fashionable, thriving neighborhood often becomes the old and less desirable area. Locally in San Diego, there are many areas that at one time were the more desirable locations to shop and live. But over time, new neighborhoods and shopping centers were built and the old ones became run down and less than desirable. For example, most all of the metropolitan communities like Hillcrest, North Park, University Heights, Normal Heights and South Park were once “The” places for shopping and residing. But as the neighborhoods started to age and as new neighborhoods were built, these metropolitan communities became run down. Another contributing factor to the decline of the metropolitan areas in San Diego was the development of Mission Valley, where major new shopping centers, restaurants and malls became available to shoppers, leaving the old businesses in the dust. This trend is very common for many cities throughout the country and beyond. But there have been success stories in revitalizing many of the old and rundown neighborhoods, which the gay community has largely been a part of.
Hillcrest is one of many neighborhoods where the gay community has come in and fixed it up. Just over two decades ago, Hillcrest was showing its age and it wasn’t looking pretty. There were many run-down homes, businesses and apartment buildings. But over the years, it has transformed into a vibrant village where people come from all over San Diego to dine, shop and play. Hillcrest’s revitalization has been largely due to our gay community. As a community, this is something we should be very proud of. But Hillcrest is not the only neighborhood that has benefited from our community’s special efforts.
Although there are no official statistics to track LGBT migration to various urban neighborhoods, we all know what we have done over the years with regard to restoring old neighborhoods. There are well known areas like Greenwich Village in New York and the Castro District of San Francisco, which are predominantly gay neighborhoods that have been made into very desirable communities specifically because of our efforts.
But in addition, there are dozens and dozens of other districts over the last several decades that we have transformed from “bad neighborhoods” to trendy and fashionable places where people come to spend time and money. This pumps thousands of dollars into the economy, which ultimately makes the neighborhood safer, more attractive and stable.
Seattle’s Capitol Hill section, for instance, has in the last 20 years seen an influx of gay men and women who have rehabilitated houses in the working class area. The Montrose neighborhood in Houston, once a declining working class section, is now the geographic center of a lively gay community. In Miami, there is South Beach, in Denver the Cheesman area, in Cincinnati Liberty Hill and Northside and in St. Louis the South Grand Street area. There are also concentrations in smaller cities throughout the heartland.
Perhaps nowhere is the phenomenon of a gay neighborhood as an urban pillar truer than in the Dupont Circle section of Washington, a half-mile north of the White House. In the past 20 years it has been transformed from a rundown area of stores and apartments, badly in need of renovation, to one of the most vibrant and desirable places to live in that district. Today there is a lively mix of restaurants, nightclubs and businesses that keep the area awake long past the time the rest of the city has closed its eyes and rolled up the sidewalks.
Like the Dupont Circle section of Washington, there are now many fantastic gay places to live all over the U.S. The fact is, we as a gay community, have gone into different cities, districts and neighborhoods throughout the country at a time when many people were abandoning them for the suburbs. We fixed up buildings that were falling down and gave tender loving care to the homes and businesses. As a result, there are now wonderful gay neighborhoods throughout the U.S. where the LGBT community can live safely and proudly, and Hillcrest is an exemplary model to show off such a community.
Trent St. Louis is a licensed Real Estate Agent and a member of the National, California and San Diego Association of Realtors. You can reach Trent at SpecialAgentTrent@gmail.com or at his office in Hillcrest, 619-300-1621. The Metropolitan Group (CADRE#01273643).
