There are safe and cheap areas in LA

[Vicman]

Originally Posted by Charles

I assume you are talking about the San Fernando Valley, most (all?) of which is covered by the LAUSD. I think you are probably about 7% accurate.

Burbank is in Burbank's school district, and a small bit of West Hills is in Las Virgenes USD.

Most of the LAUSD portion of West Hills and much of Woodland Hills are zoned to El Camino Real HS. I am not sure if Taft HS (much of Woodland Hills) is good. Granada Hills HS is a charter and may be good too. Aside from these, I would be very careful regarding schools in the SFV, ESPECIALLY if the house is north of Ventura.

[goodbyehollywood]

[quote=Vicman;1156537]Burbank is in Burbank's school district, and a small bit of West Hills is in Las Virgenes USD.QUOTE]

Las Virgenes adjoins Malibu landside and used to be a real bargain. But it was discovered years ago, and prices have skyrocketed. Agoura Hills is another Malibu-close area that has gone from affordable to unachievable for most people who would want to live there. Because these areas have a hard commute, they used to be less desirable to a lot of people-- thus, prices were lower-- but no more!

[Charles]

Originally Posted by goodbyehollywood

Because these areas have a hard commute, they used to be less desirable to a lot of people-- thus, prices were lower-- but no more!

They still do have a hard commute if they are commuting east.

Three things have changed in that region in the past 30 or so years: 1) Schools in the SF valley have gone from bad to horrible (thus the desire to live in the Conejo Valley and Simi, and 1970s bussing got that ball rolling...), 2) There are now jobs (Amgen, Teradyne, etc.) in the Conejo Valley and the Oxnard plain, and 3) Due to open space initiatives, housing growth is severely limited if not stopped; Supply is practically fixed, demand increases, prices rise.

[cottonwood2420]

Originally Posted by MightyGandhi

Perhaps this is a bold statement, but in the last several months of my research I have found several cheap and very safe areas in LA County.

I finally decided on Glendale, but I also found Pasadena, South Pasadena, Burbank, Palms, and Culver City.

I found a guesthouse in North Glendale that is under $1000 a month including all utilities, cable, and internet.

I guess the purpose of my thread is to challenge the hundreds of people on this forum that claim that you have to be rich to live in a safe area of LA county. Perhaps, I dont know what I am talking about, but when Glendale has a lower crime rate than the college town I live in now, it seems quite safe to me.

Where else?

[MightyGandhi]

I believe most of San Fernando and San Gabriel Valley are affordable, but I am not definetly sure.

lalife.com, might be able to help you find other safe places...

[Sorcerer68]

In helping my sister find a place, I discovered that not all LAUSD schools are pariah. Greatschools.net will give site and parent ratings and is searchable by address. This opened a lot I'd crossed off the list for my sister previously because of LAUSD. I learned schools like Ivanhoe, Mt Washington Elementary and Hancock Park Elementary are stellar LAUSD schools with fairly inexpensive housing nearby.