Looking to move to LA (Van Nuys possibly) from Toronto, Canada (Los Angeles: crimes, school)

[King0fthehill]

Yeah, who thinks of -- and wants to move to -- Van Nuys when thinking of LA?

[asnboy1084]

Please listen to everyone that posted a reply. I work in Van Nuys and Live in Sherman Oaks. Sherman Oaks is a little better than Van Nuys but not really!! Van Nuys/Panorama City/Arleta is probably one of the worst locations in all of Los Angeles. Gang Violence, Drugs, Illegal Immigrants, you name it, even School shootings! Van Nuys has it all. Also there is no natural beauty to this part of the city. Maybe try Studio City or North Hollywood and commute to Van Nuys if you really have to work here. feel free to pm me if u wanna know more about the location.

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by Christina.T

Hi, Thanks for the reply. What province are you originally from and why did you decide to move to SoCal? Thanks for the info...I was checking out VN and it's definitely not the kind of area I'd want to be in from the looks of it and from what people are telling me!

How did you find the move? Have you had a chance to meet alot of people?

Thanks

Van Nuys is not so bad. I had my very first house in Van Nuys. But that was 20 yrs ago. I was in a similar situation as yours. I had a job offer in Van Nuys.

Van Nuys is an older city in the San Fernando Valley. There's really nothing special about the city, nothing special about the entire valley really. Being a young single female, I would think you'll want to live in a more fashionable place than Van Nuys. I would encourage you to look into the Westwood (UCLA campus) and West LA area. It is just over the mountain from the Valley, but it is day & night difference as far as social life goes. Before I bought my house, I lived in West LA and there is no traffic going North on 405 in the morning, and neither coming back south in the afternoon. It took me about 20 minutes from Santa Monica blvd to Sherman Ways on the 405.

The west side is going to be cooler in the summer by 10~15 deg F because of the Pacific Ocean, than the SF Valley, and actually warmer in the winter time. There are more places to go such as Westwood, Santa Monica, the beach, Beverly Hills, Sunset Blvd, & Hollywood (if you must), etc. San Fernando Valley is just... blah... one big bed room community basically.

Another consideration is smog - air pollution. Smog is much worse in the Valley because the air is "trapped" between the two mountains. In the summer you can see a streak of yellow haze. When you first get there, your lung will burn and your eyes will be irritated. Living in the West Side, closer to the ocean, is going to have a lot less smog than the valley.

[Christina.T]

Hi Escape California, When did you move to California? How did you find it?
Whereabouts are you originally from?

Thanks

[Christina.T]

I looked into things more and realized the company isnt in Van Nuys....one is in Studio City and the other in Beverly Hills. WHats the best way to go about meeting people from the areas before getting there?

(I hope im replying to these messages correctly)

[osuzana]

Originally Posted by Christina.T

I looked into things more and realized the company isnt in Van Nuys....one is in Studio City and the other in Beverly Hills. WHats the best way to go about meeting people from the areas before getting there?

(I hope im replying to these messages correctly)

Not sure I understand the question? How can you meet people before going to that area? You have to be there. You could join groups on Facebook that are in Studio City or B.H. and ask questions but meeting new people as a new resident is no easy task in L.A. imo and I have lived here my whole life. Easiest way is through work and actually being here and joining organizations that interest you or Meetups.com

[Christina.T]

Hi Santa's neighbour, Could you tell me a bit about where in Ontario you're from and how you managed to move down there?

[HarryKerry]

Sorry to offend anyone, but Van Nuys has problems, as is crime and people who you won't always feel comfortable with, especially for one being from Canada. It is worth a commute from another SFV area or any other area than it would be to take the risk in Van Nuys.

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

Originally Posted by HB2HSV

Van Nuys is an older city in the San Fernando Valley.

Actually, it's not a city. Van Nuys is a district in the city of Los Angeles.

I like being precise.

[osuzana]

Originally Posted by AnUnidentifiedMale

Actually, it's not a city. Van Nuys is a district in the city of Los Angeles.

I like being precise.

The part of Van Nuys that borders Sherman Oaks is fine and as safe as one would hope for. How do I know? That is where my parent's still live and the most crime their neighborhood has seen was when I was little and neighborhood upper class boys stole money from my dad's closet coming in through an unlocked door....in the sixties. Sherman Oaks has cottage style Cape homes and multi-million dollars homes and McMansions. South of Ventura is a lovely area up and down Dickens St., Greenbush Ave, Valley Vista, Beverly Glen, Longridge Estates.......etc. So the comment about S.O. is dead wrong. Crime happens and not necessarily just in gang infested areas which by the way, is not Sherman Oaks.
My parent's live near Chandler Blvd which is one of the nicest streets North of Ventura Blvd. that runs from Van Nuys Blvd. all the way to North Hollywood and only gets seedy closer to N.H. Again, that has been my experience, my parent's experience and my sibling that lives off Dickens St.