Chinese families who arrived in Bensonhurst were mainly more affluent. Instead of concentrating in the crowded Manhattan Chinatown, they sought to buy homes in outer-borough middle-class neighborhoods with family savings which were secured by well-paying jobs. Those without well-paying jobs often opted to rent out part of their homes in order to pay for monthly mortgages. Many times, the Chinese viewed buying their own home as a better achievement than attaining a better education.
