westlake (the area in between k-town and downtown - NOT westlake village) (rental, crime)

[pbergen]

any thoughts on this neighborhood? i'm specifically referring to the area immediately surrounding macarthur park as well as the areas to the south, east, and southeast of the park toward loyola law school, although i'd still like to hear comments about the entire neighborhood going as far south as olympic blvd or so (that might be pico-union at that point, not sure) up to the 101, 110, and hoover. i've looked into it as a cheaper alternative to k-town or downtown, but i've heard conflicting accounts so i'm not sure what to believe. some people say it's a quietly up-and-coming area that's cheaper, is less noisy/busy, and has about the same level of crime as k-town, while others insist it's still a dangerous, drug-infested ghetto that isn't worth living in at any price.

i'm a young, single guy who'd be renting. this area caught my attention because i don't want to live with a roommate or spend more than $1200/month including utilities. i'm also attracted to the neighborhood b/c it's very close to both downtown and k-town - two areas in which i'd spend much of my time.

i've driven through the area many times during the day and night, and while it looks gritty and urban, i can't really tell how dangerous it is since i don't live there. now, i've resided in some straight-up ghetto, ugly neighborhoods of nyc that make westlake look tame by comparison, but i'm well aware that outward appearances can be deceiving. still, i have to stress than poor, dirty, and slummy-looking neighborhoods don't faze me; neither does a sketchy/seedy aura (within reason) - k-town, for instance, is acceptable to me, but i'm trying to see if i can find a cheaper alternative in the area.

if i'd be in serious danger of getting mugged or my car broken into in westlake, then of course i'd have to think twice about moving there. is the neighborhood significantly worse than k-town in terms of crime/personal safety?

i'd really like to hear from people who've actually lived and/or worked in the area rather than those strictly going by hearsay or outward appearances. it'd also be helpful if you could specify whether your comments apply to the neighborhood as a whole or only specific blocks or sections of the neighborhood. thanks.

[nickdahammer]

I drive through it about 3 times a week and often take the subway to the 'Langers Station', aka Wilshire/Alvarado. It has improved alot but I wouldn't live there, preferring Koreatown. I will say this much: they now have regular performances at the bandstand now, and it is safe to walk around the park. I believe they close the park off at night, but I could be wrong. Scheduled activities bring foot traffic and a higher profile to the place which is a good thing. Yesterday I saw some LAPD on horses, chatting with some picnicers there.

[CESpeed]

No, No, No, you do NOT want to live there. This area is illegal and homeless haven. If you walk through MacArthur Park you will see homeless people openly doing drugs. When you walk down Alvarado people will walk up to you and blatantly ask if you want a fake ID. Westlake is a smaller version of Downtown. YUCK!

You would be much happier in Koreatown.

[BRinSM]

If you do decide to choose westlake, be very peticular in the building you're going to live in. I've seen multiple stories on the news in the past year or so about buildings going up in fire and killing some of the inhabitants.

You also may want to consider the area north of wilshire for cheaper rent, around vermont/3rd and vermont/beverly.

[katenik]

you aren't likely to hear from anyone who lives there, because it's a gang-infested ****hole where no one in his right mind would live, given any other alternative. but, if that's what you need to be convinced, go ahead and move there. why bother asking?

[pbergen]

Originally Posted by katenik

you aren't likely to hear from anyone who lives there, because it's a gang-infested ****hole where no one in his right mind would live, given any other alternative. but, if that's what you need to be convinced, go ahead and move there. why bother asking?

um, how am i supposed to know whether anyone here has actually lived there? only way to find out is to ask. like i said, i'm not moving there if it's still that awful, but i figured it's worth inquiring since, you know, this is a forum and all.

i don't like to judge places purely on hearsay. i'd rather hear from people who've actually spent time in the neighborhood, like young people my age priced out of k-town and/or loyola students. these are the type of people who are supposedly moving into the area and whom i was hoping would respond.

so i've learned this much: katenik thinks it's a gang-infested ****hole. duly noted, thanks.

[pbergen]

Originally Posted by CESpeed

No, No, No, you do NOT want to live there. This area is illegal and homeless haven. If you walk through MacArthur Park you will see homeless people openly doing drugs. When you walk down Alvarado people will walk up to you and blatantly ask if you want a fake ID. Westlake is a smaller version of Downtown. YUCK!

You would be much happier in Koreatown.

yeah, i saw some really strung-out looking people walking around the vicinity of the park the during the daytime. didn't really think much of it since i've seen that in hollywood, among other areas.

one thing about LA is i've noticed a lot more homeless/strung-out looking younger people (30s and under) than in nyc right now. back in the '80s, there were a lot of homeless younger people in nyc, but not as much since the mid-90s.

[pbergen]

Originally Posted by nickdahammer

I drive through it about 3 times a week and often take the subway to the 'Langers Station', aka Wilshire/Alvarado. It has improved alot but I wouldn't live there, preferring Koreatown. I will say this much: they now have regular performances at the bandstand now, and it is safe to walk around the park. I believe they close the park off at night, but I could be wrong. Scheduled activities bring foot traffic and a higher profile to the place which is a good thing. Yesterday I saw some LAPD on horses, chatting with some picnicers there.

nick, thanks a lot for the info. what you've said kind of echoes some of the "good" i've been hearing about the neighborhood. of course i want to hear as much about the "bad" as well, esp. from people like yourself who have spent a little time there.

not to veer off-topic, but another neighborhood i was looking into happens to be close to you - highland park. honestly, the only times i've been there were during the daytime to get tacos, but like westlake, i've heard conflicting stories - some people are saying it's becoming much nicer, yet at the same time it still has a bad rep and i still hear about gang shootings (esp. black vs. latino) in the area, which is super scary. as a resident of the adjacent neighborhood, what are your thoughts on hp, and how does it compare with a place like westlake (or maybe northern k-town, as br in sm has noted) in terms of rental prices and crime? thanks.

[pbergen]

Originally Posted by BRinSM

If you do decide to choose westlake, be very peticular in the building you're going to live in. I've seen multiple stories on the news in the past year or so about buildings going up in fire and killing some of the inhabitants.

You also may want to consider the area north of wilshire for cheaper rent, around vermont/3rd and vermont/beverly.

that's pretty scary, but i guess when a neighborhood is, at best, marginal, there's going to be a lot of growing pains. what i'm trying to suss out is whether the neighborhood is, in fact, on the upswing (at least in certain pockets) or if the minor improvements are just a mirage.

it seems like developers are starting to show interest in the fringe areas of westlake right by k-town or downtown, but it also sounds like they'd be charging ridiculous prices for those nicer new buildings. no point of living in the area if i'd be paying the same as in a much nicer nabe.

br, any personal experience with that area of northern k-town that you mentioned? thanks.

[katenik]

Originally Posted by pbergen

um, how am i supposed to know whether anyone here has actually lived there? only way to find out is to ask. like i said, i'm not moving there if it's still that awful, but i figured it's worth inquiring since, you know, this is a forum and all.

i don't like to judge places purely on hearsay. i'd rather hear from people who've actually spent time in the neighborhood, like young people my age priced out of k-town and/or loyola students. these are the type of people who are supposedly moving into the area and whom i was hoping would respond.

so i've learned this much: katenik thinks it's a gang-infested ****hole. duly noted, thanks.

again, why bother asking? if you don't know first-hand, it's all "hearsay." i think it's rather rude to ask for help, and then dictate from whom you would like that help to come. if you don't want to believe what well-intentioned people who know better than to live in a ****hole have to say about westlake, then don't! call LAPD, instead.