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Affluent, but Needy (First Suburbs) |
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Affluent, but Needy (First Suburbs) As they grow and change, the nation's first suburbs, Nassau County included, show signs of stress ahead. The problems of America's older, inner-ring first suburbs, Nassau County being among the most prominent, are finally beginning to draw national attention. A new analysis of statistics comparing population growth and demographic changes in these areas from 1950 to 2000, to be formally released by the Brookings Institution this week, shows that across the country first suburbs are undergoing a series of changes that threaten their ability to remain vital and prosperous communities during the long term. While still largely affluent and suburban in character, these places, which are adjacent to central cities and were identified as standard metropolitan areas by 1950, are beginning to take on some of the characteristics of urban areas. An influx of lower-income minority and foreign-born residents means that, like cities, these first suburbs increasingly will need more state and federal aid to keep up with a growing need for social services and affordable housing. At the moment, however, they fall through the cracks in a nation where government assistance has been directed for years at urban or rural areas. Nassau, as we all know, possesses major assets---proximity to New York City, extensive parkland and beaches, quality neighborhoods, a large number of highly educated residents with high income levels and a highly developed transportation network for commuting to the city.
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