Social Geography of Laredo, Texas, Neighborhoods

1
Social Geography of Laredo, Texas, Neighborhoods

• Distinctiveness and Diversity in a
  Majority-Hispanic Place.
• Michael S. Yoder and Renee LaPerriere de Gutierrez

2
Ethnic Enclaves in the US

• The host society in the US is normally Anglo
• However, in recent years that has been changing
• Traditionally black inner-city areas have become
  Latino enclaves in places such as LA, NYC and
  other northern cities.
• Laredo, Texas is an exception!

3
Physical Setting

• Laredo is located on the Gulf coastal plain, 150
  miles inland from the barrier islands of the
  Coastal Bend of South Texas.
• It averages 20 inches of rainfall a year and has
  brush-like vegetation.
• Sheep, goat and cattle ranching defines much of
  the economic history.
• Dry climate marked by 180 days of
  ninety-plus-degree temperatures.

4
Settlement History

• Spaniards established a permanent settlement in
  1755.
• Jose de Escandon, the appointed governor of
  Northeastern Mexico was given the authority to
  oversee the settlement and what would become
  Nuevo Santander.
• He handed that power to Capt. Tomas Sanchez in
  1755.

5
Settlement History

• Land grants began in the mid to late 1700s.
• Each had a ranch or small clusters of homes and
  buildings for the owner along with workers and
  equipment
• February 2nd, 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe
  Hidalgo was signed, making Laredo a US town.
• People who wished to be a part of Mexico moved
  and formed Nuevo Laredo
• In 1881 rail traffic began between the two cities
  and they are now primary cargo crossing points
• In 2000, 38 percent of all trade between the US
  and Mexico passed between the two cities.

6
Contemporary Economy

• Laredos most valuable industry is Transportation
  including rail, highway, maritime shipping and
  air cargo.
• At least 210 trucking companies, 515 freight
  forwarders and 91 custom brokerage firms are
  located here.
• However, unemployment in the city is high,
  warehousing of transported goods employs fewer
  people than suggested.

7
Contemporary Economy

• International trade is crucial to the economy,
  especially since the passage of the North
  American Free Trade Agreement.
• Surprisingly, retail sales in the town totaled
  almost 2 billion dollars and employed a larger
  number of Laredo residents than any other
  industry.
• Many of the shoppers come from cities in Mexico

8
Problems

• The trafficking of drugs and illegal immigration
  have become huge issues in the city.
• In February 2002, 1,575 people were employed by
  the INS to deal with the immigration problems
• After September 11th, people became more fearful
  of the illegal immigrants passing through our
  borders,

9
Population Troubles

• Laredos population is booming, forcing the
  construction of new homes, hospitals and schools
• In 1990, 37 of the population was below the
  poverty line
• In 1999 the average weekly wage was 439, which
  was approx. 40 below the state average of 713
• The unemployment rate in the summer of 2000 was
  8 and the cost of living was the highest in
  Texas and the 5th highest in the US by the end of
  1998!

10
Inner-City Barrios of El Azteca

• It is the oldest surviving barrio.
• The city was first named El Ranchero
• Several factors make El Azteca a noticeably
  working class area
• Problems with drugs, unemployment and a low
  median income of less than 10,000 (1998)
• Also, the establishment of middle class
  neighborhoods can be contributed to the areas
  decline because it attracted mobile citizens to
  move to a better area.

11
Santo Niño

• Created in the 1920s and settled on former dairy
  farm land through the 1940s
• Close-knit community of working-poor
  Mexican-American families
• Also has problems with drugs and petty crime.
• A hub for chop-shops, where stolen vehicles are
  dismantled and shipped to Latin America.
• Neighborhood is in poor shape and unkempt.
• High population density of 5,000-9,999 people per
  square mile

12
The Heights, a Street Car Suburb

• Created between 1889 and 1895 from the urging of
  management from the newly established Texas
  Mexican Railroad.
• Has the greatest number of types of homes ranging
  from 45,000 to over half a million
• The northern most part of the city has remained
  residential while the south has a few businesses
• Strong suburban America environment

13
Suburbia America

• Two major areas in Laredo are closely related to
  suburban America
• In the 1960s, Del Mar, the first sizeable suburb
  was formed by the Trautmann family.
• It attracted wealthy Hispanics and air force
  officers looking to get away from the main part
  of Laredo
• Although it was designed to look much like an
  American town, weekends were filled with family
  visits and some architectural aspects of Mexican
  culture.

14
Suburbia America Continued

• Shiloh was a new community that contained six
  subdivisions and six condominium complexes which
  began in the early 1990s
• Homes were ranch style and could be considered
  postmodern
• Like Del Mar, the weekend brought families
  together and cultural practices are displayed
• Annual median income of a resident is 50,000 to
  75,0000

15
Exurban Colonias

• Colonias are rural subdivisions created on unused
  ranchland by land owners seeking a means to
  generate capital.
• Lack basic services such as electricity, water,
  sewage and natural gas
• Houses some of Laredos poorest citizens.
• Housing ranges anywhere from cardboard shacks to
  brick homes
• High unemployment rate, those who do work usually
  take jobs in construction, housekeeping or
  gardening.

16
Conclusion

• Many questions remain for Laredos future
• How will new immigration laws and post-September
  11th legislation effect the economy?
• Will NAFTA and the war on drugs hurt or help
  Laredo and attract more investment?
• And will the socio-economic divide between the
  well off and impoverished cause problems in the
  future?