Reseda vs. West Covina

[Tiger108]

-Why moving without a job?
-Will you be spending your time looking for a job and/or taking classes? Other activites? Where?
-What do your friends in Reseda and WC say about their specific neighborhoods? They can also advise about public transportation options, if that's necessary.
-Will you have a car? You can park it at your friends' places?
-You plan on choosing one place or the other sight unseen?

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by habaniceday

I am moving to LA without a job and have limited housing options. I have friends that live in Reseda and West Covina (91790) willing to house me. I am hoping to not have to stay with them longer than 30 days when I can find something more central to where I would probably end up working.

That being said, I've never lived in CA and have read bad things about both areas. For a new transplant, which of the two areas is better/safer?

Both have good and bad sections, like any other city almost anywhere in the country. I am a little partial, because of where we have lived and where we were raised; I would take West Covina, but Reseda is a little closer to the L.A downtown area, if you were to get a job downtown. Of course, without knowing what type of work you will be considering it is hard to say.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by katnip kid

Why is it that Reseda is looked down upon? Is the crime rate esp. high? Is it a matter of the homes not being upscale enough? Not trendy enough? I have heard people knock Reseda on other sites, but nobody ever really goes into exactly why they don't like the area. Is it that bad?

Check out the crime rate, you can do this: Reseda, used to be a nice suburb of Los Angeles, our son in law was raised in the general area, it is not a good family neighborhood anymore. Again, for details google it. There are a lot of areas in San Fernando Valley that used to top of the line (30 or more years ago) that have gone downhill in the past couple of decades.

[karatekid15]

All you Reseda haters don't know what you are talking about! "terrible" public schools? The SOCES and Cleavland High School, both in Reseda are excellent public schools, true losing the Reseda Country Club to a church upset a few Reseda Red Necks but if you hate, go ahead and live somewhere else. I've lived here, as a homeowner, for over 20 years, raised three successful kids and enjoy my community.

[jacktravern]

Originally Posted by katnip kid

Why is it that Reseda is looked down upon? Is the crime rate esp. high? Is it a matter of the homes not being upscale enough? Not trendy enough? I have heard people knock Reseda on other sites, but nobody ever really goes into exactly why they don't like the area. Is it that bad?

A lot of poor folks that of course bring bad quality of life issues: Car thefts are high, tagging, loitering in front of buildings, loud music with no regards for the neighbors, bad schools. Its not in that class of S. Central and for the most part, a person should be ok for 30 days, but not recommended for long term living.

I parked my car there recently in a parking lot at the supermarket and of course my hood got dented by young kids with no respect for peoples stuff

[jacktravern]

Originally Posted by red4ce

Reseda may be in LA proper, but it's so far out west and LA is such a large geographic area that depending on where you're going West Covina may be just as close. I used to live in West Covina and currently live in the neighboring city. It certainly isn't nice but it's not that bad either.

This is so wrong. West Covina and Reseda are both in the same boat as far as what they are,---not LA City but both part of LA County. Its just that one part is way in the west and the other part is way in the east. The only thing, unless Im mistaken in W. Covina might have their own police force. But if you live in Reseda, your mail address does not say "Los Angeles, CAlifornia"

[jacktravern]

Originally Posted by karatekid15

All you Reseda haters don't know what you are talking about! "terrible" public schools? The SOCES and Cleavland High School, both in Reseda are excellent public schools, true losing the Reseda Country Club to a church upset a few Reseda Red Necks but if you hate, go ahead and live somewhere else. I've lived here, as a homeowner, for over 20 years, raised three successful kids and enjoy my community.

Ummm, SOCES is within the Tarzana border, requires a test to get into, and is mainly filled with Tarzana and Woodland Hills kids, Sorry And Cleveland is far from excellent.

I walked through Reseda the other day while my car was being repaired, block by block just a dump.
There's some homeowners who have probably been in Beirut living safely for 20 years also, doesnt make it a good place

[Cream1]

Originally Posted by jacktravern

This is so wrong. West Covina and Reseda are both in the same boat as far as what they are,---not LA City but both part of LA County. Its just that one part is way in the west and the other part is way in the east. The only thing, unless Im mistaken in W. Covina might have their own police force. But if you live in Reseda, your mail address does not say "Los Angeles, CAlifornia"

Reseda IS a neighborhood within the City of Los Angeles.

[Des-Lab]

I lived in West Covina the first 26 years of my life and still have some family that lives there (not far from Hollenbeck/Merced to be exact). And I can echo the sentiment that the best areas are east of Azusa, south of the 10, all the way to Grand, and through South Hills. There really isn't any major street that delineates or defines the southeastern section of town except for maybe Temple, but to me that side of the hills is geographically Walnut (very nice and very Asian area BTW) even though it's still technically still West Covina.

Anything west of Azusa, pretty much all the way from the 10 tends to be pretty sketchy. Gets really bad the closer you get to Industry, La Puente, and Baldwin Park.

WC is kind of an odd shaped city so specific location matters. You have multi million dollar estate type homes and run down ghettos inside the same city limits. And pretty much everything in between.

Also you should know that part of the hills east of Azusa, north of Temple, south of Hillside Dr, and west of about where Lemon Ave ends at Temple is the site of the former BKK landfill. It closed about 20 years ago IIRC. Where those new baseball fields and hillside Target and Home Depot are, that is NOT solid ground.

I sure hope no houses are being built there; I haven't been by recently. But it's just something to keep in mind.