TheWorldJournal.com

Hyattsville, Md. Sees Change In Demographics
By Philip Dzikiy, TheWorldJournal.com

The racial makeup of Hyattsville has changed greatly since 1990. African-Americans now make up the majority of the city's population, and the Hispanic population has more than doubled. Such changes bring up many questions, and Hyattsville city council member Stuart Eisenberg may have answers.

Eisenberg said Hyattsville is falling into line with the rest of Prince George's County. African-Americans are the majority in Prince George's County. Eisenberg said this is due to the dramatic expansion of housing in the 1990s in the suburbs.

In the 1990 census, 8,258 people in Hyattsville reported as white, and 4,385 people reported as black. But in 2000, the most recent census found Hyattsville to have 5,824 people report as white, and 6,045 people report as black.

It took Hyattsville a long time to resemble the other communities in Prince George's County, but Eisenberg gave a reason as to why it is finally happening.

"The working-class, World War II generation homeowners are leaving the region through death or retirement," Eisenberg said.

The Hispanic population in Hyattsville is also increasing rapidly. On the latest census, 2,673 people reported as Hispanic, up from 1,187 people in 1990. Eisenberg said this increase is due to the immigrants NAFTA has brought to the region.

Catherine Sillers, 21, sees it the same way. Sillers lived in Hyattsville when she was young, and she recently moved back to the city. She said there are a lot of Hispanic immigrants in Hyattsville now, and it is not hard to see why.

"There's a lot of work nearby," Sillers said. "Also, it's pretty inexpensive to live in Hyattsville."

Angie Cook is now a resident of Port Republic, Md., but she grew up in Hyattsville. Cook said things are much different in Hyattsville now. She also said she considers the city's close proximity to Washington and relatively inexpensive housing to be major factors for the recent change in population.

Eisenberg said the changes have pros and cons. On one hand, the city has a new multi-cultural vitality. However, Hyattsville now experiences more housing code violations, such as too many poor, undocumented immigrants in one house.

But as far as the city goes, things don't need to change much, according to Eisenberg. No matter who lives in Hyattsville, the same city jobs remain.

"Everyone needs safe, well-lit, clean streets and effective trash and snow clearing," Eisenberg said.

© April 14, 2003