Everywhere that you look in the United States there is development. On every inch of possible space someone is building something. In the bustling core of urban cities there are office buildings and housing being developed. It does not matter where you are New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta or any city in New Jersey growth is inevitable.

Recently our staff took some time to drive around and see for ourselves if development is still on the rise and what impact that has on the African American community. We found that although there is discussion regarding an economic turnaround and property prices may ultimately go down. What we found was at the moment there are no small asking prices in sight.

In the areas that are close to mass transportation and within the sectors of downtown areas we found growth to be astonishing. There was housing being developed and completed where nothing existed just six months ago. Buildings and buildings and more buildings everywhere we looked.

As we researched areas that were further away from the inner city we still discovered housing development at fairly rapid rates of increase. We also discovered that particularly in areas that were predominantly African American neighborhoods that the demographics are changing.

Far more racially diversity exists today in some areas than there was twenty or even ten years ago. What is the reality here is that if you are not economically prepared than you will miss the boat and be shut out of the new housing market.

Housing development has its place, it is good for the economy and often the new development helps to increase the tax base helping to stabilize taxes in the various municipalities. What needs to be addressed is that in our haste to develop that we do not lose the character of our neighborhoods. That we find a happy mix of positive growth and maintain the old charisma of some neighborhoods.