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Some parts of Southern California are very Hispanic, some parts Black, some parts Asian, some parts white. Some parts are suburb, family, soccer, some are clubs, shops, restaurants, apartments.
Places that pop up on City Data as neat for DINKS: South Bay: Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach and Los Feliz. Santa Monica.
In the valley, Studio City.
Parts of Long Beach
Pasadena
Some parts of Southern California are very Hispanic, some parts Black, some parts Asian, some parts white. Some parts are suburb, family, soccer, some are clubs, shops, restaurants, apartments.
Places that pop up on City Data as neat for DINKS: South Bay: Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach and Los Feliz. Santa Monica.
In the valley, Studio City.
Parts of Long Beach
Pasadena
You can't really think of L.A. as one big city with "good" areas and "bad" areas. Historically, politically and socially, it's more of a federation of neighborhoods. Each neighborhood has better and worse parts, and they're frequently very close together. The corollary is that you can't paint an entire city or neighborhood based on one part's reputation. Believe it or not, there are safe, middle-class areas of Compton - just like there are sketchy parts of Brentwood. You should be fine if you use basic city skills (walk with confidence, be observant, etc.) and trust your gut if something doesn't seem right.
For what it's worth, I've lived in L.A. all my life. I've resided, worked or hung out in just about every part of L.A. and surrounding/surrounded cities. I've never been caught in gang crossfire. I've never had a gun pulled on me. (And it's not because I look especially intimidating; to the average person on the street, I'm just some chick.) The worst I've had happen as the result of an earthquake is that once, my power went out for a little while.
L.A. is what you make it. If you walk around in fear, you'll be miserable. If you're watchful but don't let paranoia rule your life, you'll love it... especially when it's snowing in NY!
You can't really think of L.A. as one big city with "good" areas and "bad" areas. Historically, politically and socially, it's more of a federation of neighborhoods. Each neighborhood has better and worse parts, and they're frequently very close together. The corollary is that you can't paint an entire city or neighborhood based on one part's reputation. Believe it or not, there are safe, middle-class areas of Compton - just like there are sketchy parts of Brentwood. You should be fine if you use basic city skills (walk with confidence, be observant, etc.) and trust your gut if something doesn't seem right.
For what it's worth, I've lived in L.A. all my life. I've resided, worked or hung out in just about every part of L.A. and surrounding/surrounded cities. I've never been caught in gang crossfire. I've never had a gun pulled on me. (And it's not because I look especially intimidating; to the average person on the street, I'm just some chick.) The worst I've had happen as the result of an earthquake is that once, my power went out for a little while.
L.A. is what you make it. If you walk around in fear, you'll be miserable. If you're watchful but don't let paranoia rule your life, you'll love it... especially when it's snowing in NY!
1. What are safest/ nicest areas to live in L.A? This is harder than it seems because LA is broken up into a lot of districts and each district(with the exception of Hancock Park) has good and bad spots. Those areas are usually so close together though that if you drive a couple miles you can go from good area to bad.
Good areas within LA-Hancock Park, Larchmont(I think that is spelled correctly, Miracle Mile/Wilshire, Hollywood/Beverly Hills
Those are generally the really good areas within LA city limits, but those are expensive. There might be more that I am forgetting.
2. Can Compton and the dangerous places be avoided at all costs? Will I accidently drive through a dangerous town if I don't know better? Compton is fine, I will guarantee that you will drive through a dangerous area at some point within the first 2 months of living here but if you are in your car and are on the main blvd, then you are fine. Try to avoid South Central though, that place makes compton look like Irvine.
3. Do drive-by's happen outside of the "hood" Yes drive by's can happen anywhere
4. How often do earthquakes occur? about 200-300 times a day, but 99.99 percent of them you can't feel, or we are so used to them that we don't notice
5. I am visiting LA for 10 days in Dec, I don't need a super expensive hotel since we will be out of the hotel most of the time but I just want to be in a safe area, are there any hotels or areas I should look at?Try and find a Marriott, those are usually nice and in good areas, there is a JW in Downtown but those are more expensive than other Marriotts
6. are there certain colors we should not wear? in gang areas try not to wear bright red or all black, wear a neutral color like gray or green
1. What are safest/ nicest areas to live in L.A? This is harder than it seems because LA is broken up into a lot of districts and each district(with the exception of Hancock Park) has good and bad spots. Those areas are usually so close together though that if you drive a couple miles you can go from good area to bad.
Good areas within LA-Hancock Park, Larchmont(I think that is spelled correctly, Miracle Mile/Wilshire, Hollywood/Beverly Hills
Those are generally the really good areas within LA city limits, but those are expensive. There might be more that I am forgetting.
2. Can Compton and the dangerous places be avoided at all costs? Will I accidently drive through a dangerous town if I don't know better? Compton is fine, I will guarantee that you will drive through a dangerous area at some point within the first 2 months of living here but if you are in your car and are on the main blvd, then you are fine. Try to avoid South Central though, that place makes compton look like Irvine.
3. Do drive-by's happen outside of the "hood" Yes drive by's can happen anywhere
4. How often do earthquakes occur? about 200-300 times a day, but 99.99 percent of them you can't feel, or we are so used to them that we don't notice
5. I am visiting LA for 10 days in Dec, I don't need a super expensive hotel since we will be out of the hotel most of the time but I just want to be in a safe area, are there any hotels or areas I should look at?Try and find a Marriott, those are usually nice and in good areas, there is a JW in Downtown but those are more expensive than other Marriotts
6. are there certain colors we should not wear? in gang areas try not to wear bright red or all black, wear a neutral color like gray or green
Having visited New York City a few months ago all I can ask you is: do you avoid the Bronx and Brooklyn at all costs? Because the ghettos and utter devastating of that part of NYC is well beyond anything you will experience in Los Angeles. Crime is LA is one of the lowest for major cities and right behind New York btw.
Having visited New York City a few months ago all I can ask you is: do you avoid the Bronx and Brooklyn at all costs? Because the ghettos and utter devastating of that part of NYC is well beyond anything you will experience in Los Angeles. Crime is LA is one of the lowest for major cities and right behind New York btw.
I do avoid the Bronx and Brooklyn at all costs. I've actually only been to the Bronx, once in my 31 years in NY. I also avoid Harlem, Hempstead and Far Rockaway.
I am not basing my questions on any personal bias toward L.A.. I want to move to L.A.. If I loved NYC, I would stay here..
My questions are based on what other people who lived in L.A have told me.
Having said that, a good friend of mine moved in with her boyfriend who was from Utah and he didn't do his research and they both ended up stuck in a one year lease in East NYC practically in the projects. They were the only white people in the building and people were getting killed left and right.
They made it out safe and are now living in a better apartment but she was terrified for a very long time.
I am only trying to do my research.
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