Los Angeles (Beverly Hills, Fortuna, Fairfax: for rent, earthquakes, living)

[fastfilm]

justabystander, if you were complimenting my posts as well as puffle's, thank you. We have an interesting anomoly for those who keep track of who writes what: I tend towards objective descriptions of the less disireable trade-offs one gets in L.A. to go along with the famous weather, and yet, with the rep for so-called negativity, in real life I work fairly hard for neighborhood activism groups to help my little corner of horror for the better for the remaining time we're here. There are other posters who are incredibly optimistic about life in L.A., and I must presume they live in pretty well-to-do situations, since I never read of their own volunteer work to help their own neighborhoods, which must be a tad better off to begin with.

I for one think posts like yours, of people who spent most of their life here and finally moved by necessity, are useful for potential relocators to read. Trade-offs, people, trade-offs. Sun 360 days of sun a year, versus your moderate income in L.A. putting you in neighborhoods next to violent people who couldn't communicate with all of us who are posting on City-data.com.

[proteus]

Originally Posted by fastfilm

Pt. 4 of L.A. gangs, including the San Gabriel area with some O.C.
SAN GABRIEL VALLEY
VARRIO PASA RIFA
NS PASA
VILLA BOYS PASA
KRAZY BOYS PASA
PASA LATIN KINGS
SS PASA
ES DUARTE
SAN DIMAS COLONIA PARQUE, LOCOS CHICOS
WEST COVINA
EAST SIDE DUKES
POMONA 12TH ST:SHARKIES
VARRIO MONROVIA
CHERYVILLE
SSPOMONA
NSPOMONA
POMONA MICHOACANOS
BOLEN PARK:NS ES
QUIET VILLAGE
WHITTIER DEAD END LOCOS
ROOKS TOWN
SS WHITTIER
WHITTIER VILLAGE
JIM TOWN
PICO NUEVO
PICO VIEJO
PICO LOCOS
RIVERA
JARDIN 13
ES KING KOBRAS
LA PUENTE
HACIENDA HEIGHTS
LIL HILL
SANGRA CHICOS
EL MONTE FLORES
EL MONTE HICKS
SS EL MONTE
EL MONTE HAYES ST
NS EL MONTE
BARTLETT ST
LIL HILL
HACIENDAXHEIGHTS
VALINDA FLATS
BASSET NIGHT OWLS
TEMPLE CITY
WS WALNUT
CLAREMONT
TOWNSEMEN- LA PUENTE
HACIENDA HEIGHTS
LIL HILL GANG
PUENTE TRECE TINFLANES
NORTH LA COUNTY, 661 AREA CODE
EAST SIDE PASILLO NUEVO, NEWHALL:ALLEY CATS, EIGHT BALL BOYS, LOCOS, TINY LOCOS, RASCALS, YOUNGSTERS, PEEWEES
SOUTH SIDE CRIMINALS
WEST SIDE LANCAS
CRAZY MEXICAN FAMILIA
WS VAL VERDE PARQUE 13 SMOKE TOWN,TINY LOCOS, MALDITOS
PALMAS13 DEADLY MINDS, CREATORS, YOUNGSTERS, KINGS
BARRIO CANYONES, LOCOS,STRANGERS, PLAYGIRLS
ORANGE COUNTY
FULLERTON TOKERS TOWN
LA HABRA CAMPO 13
WS LA HABRA
FULLERTON SUICIDAL GANG
MONOS
ANAHEIM JUNGLE CITY
ANAHEIM PENGUIN CITY
ANAHEIM JEFFREY STANAHEIM LATIN BOYS
FXTROOP
SANTA ANA 5TH ST, BROOK STREET, HIGHLAND
COSTA MESA
MALOS GANG
WS ANAHEIM
LA FABRICA
ANAHEIM DRIFTERS
CITRON STREET
PAULINE ST
LA UNA
ANAHEIM COLONIA
BOYS GANG
SANTA ANA DRIFTERS
LOGAN
ANAHEIM FOLKS
DEVIOUS HOODLUMS
BROWN NATION
BARRIO WALNUT
DOWN FAMILIA WICKED SOLDIERS
ANAHEIM PACIFIC
ANAHEIM BARRIO SMALL TOWN
LITTLE HOOD SANTA ANA COSTA MESA
MIDWAY CITY LOCOS
BIG STANTON
CROW VILLAGE
BUENA CLINTON
WEST MYRTAL
ALLEY BOYS
COMPADRES
OC CRIMINALS
ANAHEIM UNDER HILL
SOUTH SIDE HUNTINGTON BEACH
ALLEY LOCOS
CHERRY STREET
BAKER STREET BOYZ
SOUTH SIDE KRIMINALS
HEAD HUNTERS
GARDEN GROVE HARD TIMES
ANAHEIM TRAVELERS
BUENA PARQUE LOS COYOTES
EVIL KIDS SANTA ANA
ANAHEIM VERMONT ST
ES FULLERTON
ES 19ST COSTA MESA
WS VARRIO FORMING KAOS COSTA MESA
UNITED BY CRIME

The presence of 'gangs' doesn't always paint an accurate picture of crime. For example the Carson ZIP code of 90746 covers roughly half of the city in 5 distinct neighborhoods. If you look here
Livingchoices.com: Real Estate - New Homes, Homes for Sale, Apartment Rentals
You'll find a lower crime rate than in Beverly Hills, Bixby Knolls and many other pricey neighborhoods. In fact, if you substitute the last 5 numbers of the URL w/ Laguna Beaches 92651 ZIP code, you'll find Carson's 90746 ZIP is as safe as the million-dollar Laguna Beach, in spite of being on the 'gang list'. Carson's safety isn't a product of millionaires... it's just safe.

[bubblebeachhead]

Note from the other side of the fence. My husband and I have a total annual income of over 300k. If we made any less we could NOT afford the lifestyle here and that is that. If I made less than 100k I would move. Who needs the headaches?
Luckily I bought our beach home 17 yrs ago so our value has gone thru the roof. However, I have to pay 23k for my son's private school, high taxes both income and property, and the basic cost of living even without those listed would still be high.
The best way is to live below your means! Most S. Cali folks tend to live way above it...sometimes you just have to.
I love southern california, I really do there are so many great things to see and do. I am never bored. For those of you who want to move out, great...just have an RV to visit when the "cultural" mood strikes, or ur favorite dim sum place is calling, or Rose bowl football game and parade calls your name.

[JesusisLord]

Wow all those gangs are sure frightening, jk lol! There's no one person or gang that is to difficult for Jesus to be his or her deliverer!

[rd10482]

Hello, I am a 25 yr. old male living in North Carolina. I hope to move to Los Angeles after graduating from college next december. My degree will be in finance. I am curious to know how hard it is to get started right out of college in LA. I know it would be easier to have a roomate-thats not good advice. Who doesn't know that the bills aren't as burdensome when there are two people paying. I would like to know where the more affordable and safe areas are. How much money should I have saved for moving, expenses, and the layover time between jobs. Any sound advice would be greatly appreciated.

[JackSparrow]

Some people will always complain. No matter what.

[gaguilar]

Here is a full list of Street Gangs located in the la puente area. although they have different names they are all factions of the la puente 13 gang


Abbey st locos
ballista st chicos
blackwood st gang
duff st
dial st
hurley st
Vp13 tinflanes
Happy homes 13
rama st
cadbrook st
perth st
east side puente
northam st

[Texasturkey]

Originally Posted by Vich

Perhaps starting small? Apartments similar to what I lived in during a transition several years ago is going for $350K. Its a single bedroom about 1 block from the beach in Newport Beach (very exclusive, safe, temperate, etc). Livable for a retiree albiet not a nice comfortable home setting.

For a kid starting out, it's small living but everyone has to start at the bottom housing-wise.

Main worry (as always) is that the bubble will burst and you'll be sitting upside down (mortgage wise) saying to yourself how blind you were.

We are seriously considering a move to North Carolina or the like - planned out about 15 years or so. We're looking to buy a second home now so we can sell our California goldmine to collect on the equity, have a home paid off, etc.

As for crime etc. I live in Newport Beach and work in Corona. I find them both plesent places to be.

Newport Beach to Corona? That is a far commute to work! Newport Beach is in Orange County and Corona is in Riverside County. You drive from the coast to the inland empire desert. You must spend a great portion of your income on gas and car maintenance. At least a 2 hour drive with traffic. Maybe more.

[Texasturkey]

Originally Posted by purplelady

Anybody have an idea or two on how to creativly help your "twenty-something" adult kids get homes in the southern California areas? (in Orange,beach areas, or even Corona) You cannot believe what it costs for apartment rent and they are having a hard time saving up enough cash for a down payment-- and I don't know how they are going to make the payments even with the decent jobs they have. It would be nice to keep the generations somewhat in the same vicinity and the kids like southern CA and would prefer to stay here. Has anybody successful naviagted these waters?

You talk about twentysomethings not being able to buy a house here. What about fortysomethings that cannot rent an apartment here? I am a county employee. Being a single woman with no dependents, they take out so much taxes out of my check, there is only enough to pay the bills. I am currently living with relatives until I can decide where I can afford to live. I am a college graduate with marketable skills. Who would think that, right?

[Texasturkey]

Friends? You can make new friends. Family? That is what email and telephones are for.

This is what is keeping people in Southern CA:

1. Friends
2. Family
3. Jobs
4. Weather
5. Tortas, gorditas, pastor, barbocoa, ceviche, flautas and carne asada
6. "Bilingual Required" Employment Ads (Maybe Not)
7. Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, Magic Mountain, Universal Studios
8. Soak City, Wild Rivers and Raging Waters
9. Dodgers, Angels, Lakers, Kings and Mighty Ducks
10. Beaches
11. The chance of becoming a famous movie star
12. No $ for an airplane to fly out of here
13. No $ for gas to drive out of here
14. Can't or won't sell their house
15. Afraid of harsh climate elsewhere


These and many more reasons are why people will stay in Southern for the rest of their lives and never, ever leave!

quote=jlrobe;30111]Really? I have yet to see a place like CA. Chicago, miami, and toronto are the only places I saw that could compare to living in CA reasonably enough. Chicago is WAY too cold, miami is hurricane alley, and I dont have a canadian citizenship.

Are there any other places?

Arizona - too hot
Seattle - too wet
Texas - too texas (except san antonio)
denver - ???

Anyhow, I would have to find a much better place to live and work if I were to move. I went to school for 8 years (undergrad, grad, and more grad) and if I moved to another city, I would have to start a whole different career and go back to school, which I suppose isnt too bad, and I would have to move thousands of miles away from my family and friends.[/quote]