Signal Hill near PCH--safe or not so safe? (Long Beach, Oakland: for sale, apartments)

[EddieSpag]

I've recently moved here from the DC area, single, female, early 40s and am used to traffic...I'll be working in Fullerton but want to live "near" the beach and have spotted some NICE townhomes FOR SALE in the "Signal Hill" area just north of PCH.....after finding some not-so-favorable information regarding the crime in the area, I'm not so sure now...and I've recently completed some paperwork for the deal.... it's not far from the traffic circle but everything west of the townhomes seems pretty SEEDY....it would just be for the next couple/few years (job related) and then possibly a rental property when I leave....Appreciate any honest/open thoughts before I BUY this place...(omg).

[Bunjee]

If you're not far from the Traffic Circle, like around Redondo, it's fine. I think approaching Cherry it starts to get more rundown. Bearing in mind that my point of reference for "seedy" is pretty seedy (think West Oakland and Watts), it's still not horrible, albeit not ideal. If you're there for beach proximity and you're around Redondo/Obispo, then your lifestyle is probably heading south anyway (sorry, couldn't resist!) where it's more the funky vibe, rather than west where it's more the liquor store vibe.

If you're further west, in advance I'd have told you to keep looking around; walking at night might be dicey. But if you got a good deal and it's closed I think you'll be overall OK, though I can't read you any specific compromises.

ETA: I just noticed in the other thread that your condo is on Orizaba. Yes, it does get seedy there but I'm trying to visualize it. Your concerns are founded but I don't think terror is. It's really more about walking alone at night, which I doubt you'd do anyway. There are some condo complexes east just off the Traffic Circle around the hill that rises on PCH. If you noticed listings there, the difference a half a mile makes!

[Wing Feathers]

Signal Hill is nice in itself, but you're indeed surrounded on all sides by seedy pockets. Seems kind of silly to pay so much to live on a nice street, when the next one over is brewing with crime.

Another thing to consider is that the LBC isn't really a beach community (if that is what you wanted). In fact I used to live right on the beach there & other than the paved jogging trail, I stayed away. The LA river empties onto the beach there & often times there are signs telling you to not go in the water due to pollution.

[EddieSpag]

Hi Bunjee,

Thanks...and yep, it's on Orizaba right off PCH. I dont' see myself walking anywhere at night (I lived in northern VA, just south of DC) and rarely went outside at nite (although I felt comfortable doing so...just wasn't something I recall doing very often). Another concern is "robberies/burglaries" which seem to have been rate "high" on some preliminary research I've done...any thoughts on those? Appreciate any info you can provide...thnx..

[EddieSpag]

Wing Feathers:: agree w/ you...I'm going to see what my options are later this afternoon and hope that I'm not in over my head...I did put a deposit down on a place there. So let me ask this: do ya'll see a shift in the seediness going away or do you think it's here to stay??

[Bunjee]

Originally Posted by EddieSpag

Hi Bunjee,

Thanks...and yep, it's on Orizaba right off PCH. I dont' see myself walking anywhere at night (I lived in northern VA, just south of DC) and rarely went outside at nite (although I felt comfortable doing so...just wasn't something I recall doing very often). Another concern is "robberies/burglaries" which seem to have been rate "high" on some preliminary research I've done...any thoughts on those? Appreciate any info you can provide...thnx..

I don't have direct experience of home crime but let's say I believe it. But it's untrue that Signal Hill is surrounded on all sides by seediness. It's only to the east. It'll improve eventually, but sadly I don't think soon.

To the south it transitions from seedy/funky/urban to beach/urban to very nice beach residential all in the span of a couple of miles. Very compact.

To the west near, I think, Kaiser Permanente on PCH I know there are condos on the north side of PCH. Just next door is a very quiet, family oriented neighborhood starting west of Redondo and east of Lakewood Blvd that also has quite a few single story duplexes were you to rent. Professional/longtime resident working class mix. Thoroughly safe, and recommended. Easy access to the grocery store, restaurants, banks, stores, Krispy Kreme, In 'n' Out...

There's also a condo complex on the north side of Signal Hill on Willow. Willow's a big boulevard. It's perfectly safe, actually rather boring. There's a Home Depot, food places, and grocery store nearby, that kind of stuff.

It's true Long Beach isn't in itself a "beach community." You can go to Sunset or Huntington to lay out.

[mayorhaggar]

There are a bunch of condos all over southern Long Beach...new ones by downtown and older ones along the shore to the east. I would look into that. It's true the beach isn't great...it's next to the port and there's some oil wells on islands just offshore (apparently unlike Floridians, Southern Californians just can't say no to offshore oil companies), and it seems like the city doesn't really do enough to maintain the beach so it's attractive...but if all you want is sun and sand by the water, then it's really nice to go and lay out and get some sun and read a book. And the walking/biking path along the beach is extremely pleasant to use. But if you want a proper beach you'll need to go elsewhere, but you'll probably also have to pay more--Long Beach is pretty cheap even near the shore.

If you are interested in that, downtown you may not like--the new condos are nice, and there are several blocks with nice restaurants and shops, but downtown also attracts a lot of kinda ghetto people. Also there's a Wal-Mart near downtown which is REALLY ghetto. Just east of downtown it's a bit quieter, lots of older condos, but still some goofy ghetto people. Alamitos Beach is east of Alamitos Ave and is quieter but it has a lot of nice apartments and old bungalows. Belmont Shores is further east and is really really nice and has a ton of restaurants on 2nd Street.

[TurcoLoco]

Oh you are talking about those new, ugly looking condos they just built right on PCH?
I think the location is kind off, I would not want to live right off PCH, it should have been on a side street. I wouldn't buy or rent those and not because the area is seedy cause it is not. I live nearby, it is not one of the better parts of Signal Hill or LB but far from seedy or undesirable. It is actually quite safe and mellow. You hear sirens here and there as any other part of LA but it is generally for traffic related stuff. The only crime I am aware of is bicycle theft. It is supposedly very common where people's bikes get stolen from their own backyard. It is a bike city after all so it is a popular transportation device. It starts getting seedy after couple of blocks on PCH towards 710 freeway but even then it is much safer and cleaner than how it was before.
Long Beach has been cleaning up its neighborhoods. Signal Hill is a nice city and safe, even the parts neighboring LB, are still OK.
If you think the area is seedy because you saw riff raff walking around, then you better get used to it. They are all over and probably more so as you get closer to the beach because bums love the beach too and the rent is the same!

The big divider is Cherry Avenue. Unless you are right by the beach, west of Cherry has many seedy pockets and riff raff. There is a huge difference in crime between East of Cherry and West of Cherry as well.

Especially in warm evening, I go on hikes at night, as late as 10pm and even then I see people hiking/jogging as well. Around 6-7pm, you will see ton of people walking around, exercising, jogging around that part of the city. Temple Ave. and Hill Street area is super active even in the evenings.
You have to take Temple Avenue all the way up to Panorama Dr. to view the surrounding areas in aw.

Here is the link to photo album I created with shots from that part of the town, taken last summer.

You want a really mellow beach community? Try Seal Beach, but Seal Beach is in Orange County, not LA.
Anyhow, I like LB/SH a lot but to each his/her own.

Good luck.

[Chowhound]

IDK why you couldn't lay out in LB.... I've done it a million times.