Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
What Are Hipsters & Where Will They Strike Next?
()
Are these hipsters? (Shutterstock)
()
Which hipster r u? (Shutterstock)
"What is a hipster?" real estate agent Tyler Harman asks. It's more complex than man buns and flannel shirts, he explains—here in Los Angeles, hipsters are mainstream, yet conceptually speaking, "really hard to pin down" and define. Sometimes it's easier if you just define them as: humans. But no, they must be labeled and defined, because they are leading a gentrification movement across the sprawl. If you aren't cringing yet, keep reading...Harman separates the hipster species into two subclasses: the Long-Time Locals and The Opportunists (or Bandwagoner). The former are "the real hipsters," who "live in gentrifying areas because they were cheap when they moved in." Catch their scent, and find your dream home for under $500K.
As far as Hipster Real Estate is concerned… They were the ones that brought the Opportunists to Silver Lake, Highland Park, Eagle Rock, and so on. The Long-Time Locals don’t so much “clear the way” for the Opportunists, instead, they simply make it socially acceptable to move into the next Opportunity Neighborhood.
Support for LAist comes from
These Long-Time Locals have been known to bravely depart the Sunset Triangle and "venture across the Arroyo River into East L.A. into neighborhoods like Lincoln Heights and El Sereno to make room for the Opportunists in Northeast L.A." Investors follow their lead, and start flipping houses in those areas, which Opportunists then purchase because they are the hipsters with bank accounts.
Previously, The Opportunists could be found in Silver Lake or the Arts District in DTLA, and in recent years Highland Park, Eagle Rock, Altadena's Lincoln Corridor, and Pasadena have seen a hipster movement, meaning there's "a very large concentration of investor flips that are driving up prices." Where will the hipsters strike next?
I have it on good authority that they are moving into neighborhoods like Lincoln Heights, El Sereno, and Boyle Heights pushing right up against Monterey Park, which doesn’t need more rehabilitation as it is. I predict soon they will start venturing south of The 10 Freeway and underneath Downtown L.A.
Harman suggests you school yourself on hipsters, and make sure you're "able to spot and identify the different breeds of hipsters" in the wild. This way you can "figure out which stage of gentrification and/or rehabilitation certain neighborhoods are in." Our advice: If you see a lot of hipster fences, you probably can't afford it.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake. -
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
-
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
Best of LAist