Are these areas considered "ghetto"?... (Los Angeles, Riverside: renter, home)

[frenchie]

i lived in NOHO , whipple street between lankershim and cahuenga, it's nice area
small townhouse, but if you drive on lankershim towards camarillo or magnolia, it's bahh, junk area, car dealer car dealer and car dealer

valley village is pretty, but expensive

just to know a townhouse 2 rooms + 1 bedroom is about $ 975.000
very expensive for a "ghetto" in north hollywood

in each city there are nice streets.

one day i rented a room on a hotel (hollywood boulevard), i think it was nice, but my fiancée said to me it' s a shady area, after 7 pm.

so now, i'm prudent with cities and streets

[JustPassinThru]

Well, Ranier, do you have enough info on these communities to make up your mind, or are the differing opinions confusing? I could make things worse, by telling you that West Hills is far and away the top area of those listed. But now, affordability comes into play. I realize that you intend to rent, but a quick price check at Realtor.com will show you that these homes range in price from A cool quarter million for 656sq. ft. to 2.45 mil for a decent compound, exotic animals extra. The residents are mostly professionals and retirees, not exactly the types that would be snatching all your goodies when you're away.
But, there are nice streets and nice neighbors in most of those communities. Even North Hills, once part of Sepulveda, until those folks decided that they didn't want to be associated with the original name.
The best thing that you could do for yourself would be to get out and drive these areas. This has usually worked for me. For instance, I avoid schools, strip malls, primary and secondary streets, and streets with graffiti and abandoned cars, for starters. But heck, you just might prefer to be NEAR a school. So, get out there and smell the roses (or **). Good luck.

[SFVguy07]

The Ghetto test is two prong and is pretty reliable for the valley:

1) Abandoned shopping carts
2) Graffitti

If you have both, don't live there....

[Sorcerer68]

Originally Posted by rainier700

We're new to LA, need to rent a house, and are wondering if the following areas are considered "ghetto" or just "working class" (where I'd define "ghetto" as sketchy area where your neighbors would break-in your house):

Reseda
West Hills
North Hills
Panorama City
Van Nuys
North Hollywood
Valley Village

Any info is greatly appreciated!

Valley Village and the NoHo Arts District are the nicest of what you've mentioned. North Hollywood has it's decent neighborhoods. The closer you get to Burbank the better.

[MirandaSimons868]

I live in Fair Lakes, Virginia . Im going to visit my Older sister in Reseda. i dont know what to expect because i have never been there so is it a bad area?

[Thawor]

Originally Posted by MirandaSimons868

I live in Fair Lakes, Virginia . Im going to visit my Older sister in Reseda. i dont know what to expect because i have never been there so is it a bad area?

You think you'll be mugged by your sister?

[JohnG72]

Originally Posted by MirandaSimons868

I live in Fair Lakes, Virginia . Im going to visit my Older sister in Reseda. i dont know what to expect because i have never been there so is it a bad area?

Reseda is just meh....blue collar, lots of people don't take care of their yards, houses, etc. Theres some ok places too. Nothing really that bad. Surrounding areas like Northridge, Encino and Woodland Hills are nice upper middle class neighborhoods with lots of restaurants and shops.

I just thought of a movie that has Reseda in it....In the Karate Kid, its where Ralph Macchio and his mom move to. The girl he is dating in the movie lives in Encino.

[Thawor]

Originally Posted by JohnG72

I just thought of a movie that has Reseda in it....In the Karate Kid, its where Ralph Macchio and his mom move to. The girl he is dating in the movie lives in Encino.

I love the way her parents' nostrils move when they learn that he lives "down in Reseda" ;-)

(By the way, that's my whole knowledge about it. Apologies for my not-so-serious comments in this thread)

[molasses crinkles]

i live in west hills, love it! can bicycle to the shopping plaza for ice cream or a starbucks. never hear the freeway, ranch house after ranch house. reasonable rent. fenced backyard, quiet neighborhood, dog friendly and professional friendly. delivery is the best, we have it all and can get anywhere i want to go by getting in my auto an heading out, just like any other area.

a house is what you make of it. meet your neighbors before moving in, drive by various times of the day and evening and roll your window down so you can hear the volume of the neighborhood. do people have window treatments or do they have linens pinned up. vendors on the corner? people sitting outside on their porches and not working? look, ask, listen, meet and greet is my logic.

[CamaroGuy]

I heard parts of Chatsworth are going down hill.