Town of Hempstead: The Changing Demographics

"In many parts of Hempstead, more than a third of residents are foreign-born, coming primarily from Central and South America, according to the coalition. Those statistics should be no surprise. From 2000 to 2010, the Hispanic voting-age population grew across the county by more than 45,000, or 48 percent, to nearly 138,500. Hispanics now account for 13.5 percent of Nassau’s voting-age population, up from 9.3 percent in 2000." 

Article

LI's Suffolk and Nassau Latino Population Up 3.6%

The number of Latinos in Long Island's Suffolk and Nassau counties -- 441,594 in the 2010 Census -- was estimated to have risen to 457,508 by July 1,2011, the census data show, for a 3.6 percent increase.

The African American population grew 2.3% to 283,359.

Asians increased just under 3% to 164,279.

Newsday article

Suffolk Home Foreclosures Up 62%

According to a Long Island foreclosure report, new foreclosures were down in Q2 '09 (757) 20% from Q1 '09 (944), but up 9% over Q2 '08 (696).

In a good sign for Long Island real estate, the rate of new Nassau County foreclosures has diminished. Compared to Q1 '09 (626), new foreclosures in Nassau County Q2 '09 (265) went down 58%. Since Q2 2008 (393), new foreclosures declined by 33%.

In sharp contrast, foreclosures in Suffolk County reached a two-year high in Q2 2009. There were 492 new foreclosure auctions scheduled in Q2 '09. This was up 62% compared to Q2 '08 (303), and up 55% from Q1 '09 (318).

The Suffolk towns of Brookhaven (267), Islip (244), and Babylon (152) and Nassau's Town of Hempstead (649) have the greatest number of foreclosures in the first half of '09.

Click here for the full Long Island Q2 09 Foreclosure Report.

Rising LI Foreclosures: Latinos & African Americans Hit Hardest

In the 44 months of foreclosure studied by The Times, nine Long Island communities had more than 10 percent of homes in foreclosure. All but two of them — Islandia and Mastic Beach — had a mostly minority population at the time of the 2000 census.

The communities cut a swath from Freeport, Roosevelt, Uniondale and Hempstead in Nassau County to Wyandanch in Suffolk County, then east to Brentwood, Central Islip, Islandia and Mastic Beach.

As has occurred elsewhere in the region, foreclosure has hit African American and Latino areas hardest. In Long Island’s mostly African American and Latino census tracts, more than 13 percent of homes were in foreclosure at some point since 2005 — more than four times the rate for white tracts, raising questions among housing advocates about “reverse redlining” and concerns about the long-term impact of the foreclosure crisis on neighborhoods and the loss of wealth.

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The Dramatic Growth of New York's Suburban/Exurban Latino Population

Top 10 Counties by Percentage of Latinos
#1 - Bronx 51%
#2 - Queens 26%
#3 - New York 25%
#4 - Kings 20%
#5 - Westchester 19%
#6 - Orange 16%
#7 - Richmond 15%
#8 - Rockland & Suffolk 13%
#9 - Nassau & Sullivan 12%
#10 - Putnam 10%

Top 10 Counties by Number of Latinos
#1 - Bronx 702,073
#2 - Queens 600,467
#3 - Kings 493,961
#4 - New York 400,498
#5 - Suffolk 193,605
#6 - Westchester 180,819
#7 - Nassau 162,564
#8 - Richmond 72,972
#9 - Orange 59,791
#10 - Monroe 42,181

Counties w/Highest Latino Pop. Rates of Growth (2000-2007)
Top 5 large counties (pop. > 450k)
#1 - Richmond 36%
#2 - Suffolk 30%
#3 - Westchester 25%
#4 - Nassau 22%
#5 - Onondaga 17%

Top 5 mid-size counties (pop. 100K - 449K)
#1 - Saratoga 54%
#2 - Orange 50%
#3 - Dutchess 44%
#4 - Schenectady 41%
#5 - Ontario 38%

Top 5 small counties (pop. 5K - 99.9K)
#1 - Putnam & Yates 71%
#2 - Warren 61%
#3 - Seneca & Herkimer 53%
#4 - Lewis 44%
#5 - Fulton 42%

Source: Pew Hispanic Center: Latinos by Geography

Related:
Half of New York's Latinos Live on Long Island
Immigrants: Huge Boon to New York
Latino Surge in Orange County (NY)
Children of immigrants reshaping America: Booming ‘second generation’ becoming the mainstream
U.S. Latinos by the Numbers '08
U.S. "Minority" Population Surpasses 100MM
127MM U.S. Latinos by 2050
Latinos: Next Great Source of Intellectual Capital
Latino Surnames Break into U.S. Top 10
U.S. Latinos by the Numbers '07
Mexican Immigration and U.S. Culture

LI's Working Class Economically Distressed

More than one-quarter of Long Island households are economically distressed, as are 22.9 million families across America representing over 60 million people; and one million homeowners across the United States face foreclosure in the next six months.

The report notes that those most distressed include people without college degress, single-parent households, African Americans, Lations and immigrants, i.e., a large percentage of today's American working class.

Economic Stimulus and Economically Distressed Workers, in a new study from the Center for Study of Working Class Life at Stony Brook University using data culled from the most recent American Community Survey of U.S. Census Bureau.

The study's authors recommend a $220 billion "stimulus" package to address the issue -- to be paid for by tax increases and budget reductions.

Related: Commentary: Bailing out distressed workers, for a change
The War and the Working Class
Time for a Taxpayer Revolt

Latino K-12 Enrollment: Suffolk County

According the the New York State Education Department's School District Reports (05-06), Latino student enrollment in Suffolk County public schools is growing rapidly.

For example, over two-thirds (68%) of students in the Brentwood Union Free School District were of Latino heritage. Fifty-five percent (55%) of Central Islip Union Free School District's students were Latino. And the Springs Union Free School District's Latinos comprised 37% of the student enrollment.

The following is a ranking of Suffolk County's public school districts by Latino enrollment, including percentage of enrollment and number of persons (as per NYSED’s School District Reports 05/06):

68% - Brentwood (12018)
55% - Central Islip (3383)
37% - Springs (201)36% - Copiague (1709)
33% - Hampton Bays (590)
32% - Bridgehampton (46)
30% - Montauk (105)
30% - Tuckahoe (96)
28% - East Hampton (564)
26% - Amityville (705)
26% - Bayshore (1502)
23% - Huntington (991)
22% - New Suffolk (2)
21% - South Country (957)
20% - Greenport (132)
19% - Wyandanch (391)
18% - Little Flower (17)
18% - Patchogue-Medford (1531)
17% - South Huntington (1026)
17% - Southampton (272)
15% - Riverhead (725)
15% - William Floyd (1507)
14% - Brookhaven-Comsewogue (557)
14% - Wainscott (2)
13% - Longwood (1204)
12% - Amaganset (10)
12% - North Babylon (590)
11% - Deer Park (459)
10% - Lindenhurst (749)
9% - Middle Country (976)
9% - West Babylon (419)
8% - East Quogue (38)
8% - Elwood (203)
8% - Islip (281)
8% - Remsenburg-Speonk (16)
8% - Westhampton (140)
7% - Center Moriches (102)
7% - Oysterponds (7)
6% - Babylon (119)
5% - Connetquot (357)
5% - East Islip (255)
5% - Hauppauge (189)
5% - Southold (54)
5% - Quogue (5)
4% - East Moriches (32)
4% - Eastport-South Manor (138)
4% - Half Hollow Hills (398)
4% - Harborfields (135)
4% - Rocky Point (135)
3% - Bayport-Bluepoint (70)
3% - Commack (205)
3% - Fishers Island (2)
3% - Kings Park (111)
3% - Northport-East Northport (203)
3% - Miller Place (85)
3% - Port Jefferson (40)
3% - Smithtown (286)
3% - Three Village (241)
2% - Fire Island (1)
2% - Mattituck-Cutchogue (37)
2% - Mount Sinai (48)
2% - Shoreham Wading River (57)
2% - West Islip (97)
1% - Cold Spring Harbor (13)
1% - Shelter Island (2)

Source: School Districts in SUFFOLK County

Long Island Home Prices Up; Affordability Gap Widens

Long Island median home closing prices ticked up a bit from $409,000 in March to $415,000* in April. By comparison, the median closing price a year ago was $440,000.

However, home affordability is still a major issue on Long Island. Using the Homes for Working Families' home affordability price to income ratio of 3.46:1**, the median priced home on Long Island is 42% ($129,000) too expensive for the average family ($84,378*** median household income).

Is the uptick in median closing prices indicate an end to the price slide? Or is it a temporary blip in a continuing downward price correction? Unclear. What is certain is that in terms of affordability prices have a longer way to go to align with the income levels of the island's working families.

Here are the median closing prices changes for the counties included in the Long Island Multiple Listing Service:

______________4/07_______3/08___________4/08
Nassau________473,000_____445,000_______447,000
Suffolk________400,000_____365,000_______370,000
Queens________466,400_____420,000_______439,900
LI/Queens_____440,000_____409,000_______415,000

* Median home closing prices for April, 2008
**Statement by Beverly Barnes, Executive Director of Homes for Working Families, on Q1 2008 Significant Home Price Declines Reported by the National Association of Realtors Today
***LONG ISLAND INDEX: Working Together in New Ways for Long Island’s Future - pg.5

Time to Buy Your Long Island Home?

Homes prices are down and interest rates are low. Is it time to buy that dream home on Long Island? A growing number of home-buyers think so, and here's why.

According to the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island, January data shows a $417,500 closed median home price for Long Island, the lowest since April, 2005 when it was $415,000. This year’s closed median price is 4.6 percent lower than the January 2007 closed median home price which was $437,800.

With lower prices and lower interest rates than a year ago, the same median priced Long Island home costs $2,273 today versus $2,491 last year--assuming a 10% downpayment and 6% 30 year fixed rate.

Hey, that's a nifty savings of over $200 per month!

The median price for Suffolk County homes sold last month was $373,500, a 6 % dip from a year ago; while Nassau's was $440,000.

Moving Out - Moving In

A record eight million Americans -- some 20,000 people every day -- relocated to another state last year.

So where are these families headed and why?

According to the WSJ article States of Opportunity, Americans continued leaving the Northeast and Midwest for the South and the West. Not much new there in terms of general trends. But what this data doesn't capture is the in-migration to Long Island--which is huge.

Clearly, a chunk of the movers are Long Islanders, including young people beginning new careers, retirees looking for warmer weather and financially distressed families looking for a new start.

What's interesting about Long Island, which is not as true for Upstate New York, is that most of those migrating South are being replaced by those migrating East from Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn as well as those arriving from abroad.

For example, Nassau County alone saw its Latino population more than double between 1990 and 2006 (77,386 to 160,405). During that same period Nassau saw its foreign-born population increase more than four-fold (52,106 to 237,293).

Expect these trends to continue and even accelerate as more Long Islanders retire and younger families, spurred by dropping prices and low interest rates, seek the greener pastures of Long Island.

WSJ Article: States of Opportunity

Latino Business: $539 Billion by 2012

Speaking of Latino entrepreneurs...

Entrepreneurship, the willingness to take a risk and start one’s own business, has always been the driving force of the U.S. economy. Research indicates that among American minority groups, Latinos are the most likely to start their own business.

The most recent government data shows Latinos own the largest number of firms.

Continued growth is expected. HispanicBusiness.com projects that sales from Latino-owned firms will reach $330.1 billion in 2007, and is projected to reach $539 billion by 2012.

All the more reason why Dr. George Sanchez's new entreprenuership track at Briarcliffe College and stepped up recruitment of Latino students are such smart moves.

Latino entrepreneurship, buying power on the rise

CNN -- If you don't think Hispanics are a major force in the American marketplace, think again.

Hispanic business ownership is growing three times as fast as the national average and Hispanic purchasing power is expected to reach more than $1 trillion by 2011, according to the Census Bureau and other studies.

All too aware of this growing force, many companies are wooing Hispanic consumers and their spending power.
"The Hispanic consumer market here in the U.S. is actually as big or bigger than the GDP [gross domestic product] of Mexico or Canada," Michael Barrera, CEO of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, told CNN. "We're the second largest economy in North America."

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Photo: A Laguna Grille on Long Island. The "Nuevo Latino" restaurant is one of three by Frank and Elizabeth Minier.

16 U.S. Latino Facts

The Latino Coalition's 16 Latino Facts:

1. The Latino population in the United States increased 346% between 1970 and 2004.
2. The Latino Population is growing at a rate of over 3,000 per day and over 1,100,000 per year.
3. 82% of the Latino population is concentrated in 10 states.
4. Seven of the 10 states reporting the largest Latino population growth since 1990 are from the South.
5. Latinos comprise at least 5% of the population in 30 states and are the largest minority in 20 states.
6. Latinos are the largest minority in 41 of the nation’s 100 largest cities.
7. Latinos and African Americans together comprise the majority of the population in 52 of the nation’s 100 largest cities.
8. 9,308,000 Latinos were registered to vote on November 2004.
9. Latinos currently hold office in 38 states.
10. Three Latinos are serving in the Senate of the United States (Colorado, Florida and New Jersey).
11. One Latino is currently serving as Governor (NM), though in the past, a total of five have been elected in three states.
12. 27 Latinos currently serve in the congress of the United States.
13. The Latino population in 75 congressional districts is currently between 100,000 – 300,000.
14. There are 234 Latino state legislators.
15. There are currently 5,205 Latino elected officials in the United States.
16. A Latino is the Mayor of the second largest city in America (Los Angeles).

Dramatic Growth of Latino Businesses on Long Island

The U.S. Department of Commerce reported 73,829 Latino businesses on Long Island with combined revenues of $5.7 billion.

Unfortunately, the government's report is based on '02 data. As such, it is useless as a measure of current activity. Too bad since timely data might help Long Islanders better understand and appreciate full contributions of its growing and most dynamic population: Los Latinos.

What is most useful is the report's finding that the growth rate for Latino businesses ('97-'02) within the NYC region was a spectacular 57 per cent. In contrast, the national rate was a modest ten per cent.

Now that's important data!

Why? Because it tells us that the Latino community is investing in the future, building assets, and setting a foundation for economic, social and political power right here on Long Island.

The Future

A rapidly expanding Latino population, combined with the shrinkage of the older and nonLatino/non-immigrant population, suggests continued Latino business growth. For example, HispanTelligence estimated a national Latino business growth rate of 7.6 percent through 2015. Applying that percentage growth to Long Island nets over 175,000 by 2015 and 250,000 by 2020. Additionally, revenues grow to over $20 billion by 2020.

An urgent question for policymakers is how to ensure that new Latino entrepreneurs (as well as enterprising immigrants, African Americans and others) are not handcuffed as a result of reactionary policies.

Related:

New York Leads Nation in Growth Rate of Hispanic-Owned Businesses
Long Island Is Entering A Period of Social And Economic Crisis
Our Economic Future: Minority Businesses Taking The Lead

Photos: Chris Castro's Solar Cafe in Brentwood; Hector Delgado's The Delgado Travel Agency of Jackson Heights