When she moved in 11 years ago, there weren't many other Indo-American families. Bay Area Latinos also have formed highly concentrated pockets, mostly in the South Bay. In Santa Clara County, nearly half of Latinos live in neighborhoods where they are the majority, even though they make up only 24 percent of all residents. One of the fastest-growing Latino enclaves is in East Palo Alto, where the black population has plummeted over the past decade. Several blocks in the area are 90 percent Latino, including one bounded by William Avenue, Middlefield Road and Berkshire Avenue.
Some families dry corn husks for tamales on the front lawns.
Although he says he doesn't know his neighbors well, Contreras finds it comforting to be surrounded by people with similar backgrounds. We're the same people,'' he said. On a smaller scale, Little Michoacan has come to resemble the traditional racial enclaves that thrive in places like San Francisco's Chinatown or Miami's Little Havana. But few of the predominantly Asian and Latino neighborhoods emerging around the region fit such a model. Instead, they are residential communities with small commercial centers that cater to a particular ethnic group.