Cranky old ladies in "stand off" with young families

By A. Ready | December 15, 2010 - 4:04PM

As we have noted here before, few demographic combinations polarize a building as intensely as a mix of primarily the elderly and families. Even grandparents who may be fond of their own grandchildren (from a distance, of course) can experience nearer-by children as nuisances. On UrbanBaby.com, one vertical dweller says her building is locked in a stand-off between "cranky old ladies" and families. "I think the developed world is largely in this situation," cracks one responder. Another explains, "This happens a lot. Is it a co-op? are the cranky old ladies hold overs still in rent controlled/stabilized apartments paying next to nothing and complaining about the noise the children make? and since the... parents paid $1M+ for the apartment, they (the parents) feel their voices should outweigh the old ladies." A third delineates a somewhat different turf war: "In my bldng it is gay men and old lesbian couples without kids vs. families both gay and straight with kids." (UrbanBaby.com)

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