Are these areas considered "ghetto"?... (Santa Barbara, San Gabriel: houses, neighborhoods)

[FinnishAmerican]

Im here to bring you the truth. Think about it, what we call GHETTO in america is considered pretty fancy in some parts of the world. Like compare Nigerian ghetto to American Ghetto

But from american white rich suburban point of view:

Reseda-yes
West Hills-no
North Hills-yes
Panorama City-yes
Van Nuys-yes
North Hollywood-no
Valley Village-no

[gwlee]

I would pick Valley Village from the list.

[CantWait2Leave]

West Hill is nice. You couldn't pay me to live in Reseda, Van Nuys or Panorama City.

[compstomper]

the ghetto areas of LA are described as forming a diamond with these endpoints:

south of huntington park, inglewood, compton, and downey

[marumut]

but downey doesn't fall in the spectrum of being a ghetto.

[Harrier]

Originally Posted by compstomper

the ghetto areas of LA are described as forming a diamond with these endpoints:

south of huntington park, inglewood, compton, and downey

Originally Posted by marumut

but downey doesn't fall in the spectrum of being a ghetto.

I wouldn't include Downey in that diamond either. A better way to do that is to draw a straight from your H.P. endpoint to the 710 freeway - then go down the 710 to Compton.

[Mr. Opinionated]

Isnt it also a matter of perception, implying that the quality of life would impede ones well being on a daily basis, as opposed to more 'desireable' areas that supposedly are free of that sub par quality? The UrbanDictionary.com defines 'ghetto' this way. However, MerriamWebster.com goes on to include the origin of the increasingly generic term saying...

"Italian, from Venetian dialect ghèto island where Jews were forced to live, literally, foundry (located on the island),
from ghetàr to cast, from Latin jactare to throw. First Known Use: 1611"

Just because an area might be less affluent doesnt mean that it will be dirty or dangerous as a whole.
Those things also exist just about anywhere, in various degrees in urban Los Angeles County.

[mrsltd]

Originally Posted by FinnishAmerican

Im here to bring you the truth. Think about it, what we call GHETTO in america is considered pretty fancy in some parts of the world. Like compare Nigerian ghetto to American Ghetto

But from american white rich suburban point of view:

Reseda-yes
West Hills-no
North Hills-yes
Panorama City-yes
Van Nuys-yes
North Hollywood-no
Valley Village-no

Actually, North Hills is only really ghetto east of the 405. West of that freeway is quite different and more suburban. Used to be called "Sepulveda" back in the day but then the residents had their community name changed to avoid being associated with all the junk off Sepulveda Blvd.

By the way, these are all communities of the City of Los Angeles, as is pretty much all the Valley with the exception of the part of Burbank not in the hills. That's geographic zonically speaking.

[BarcelonaFan]

I live off Laurel Canyon about a quarter mile away from Valley Village, in between Valley Village and Valley Glen and I love it out here. I shop at the Gelson's, go down Riverside and hang out in West Toluca Lake, bike down Laurel to Sherman Way, buy my bike stuff at GK Bike Shop with no fear what so ever. So I do not consider my neighborhood or anywhere on the whole street of Laurel Canyon to be "ghetto", just working class to my left and nice middle class to my right.

I just do not venture off onto Saticoy! I biked down there one time and would never do it again. I also don't venture off to Van Nuys and tend to stay on Laurel Canyon from Sherman Way all the way down to Studio City.

OP, try finding a place near the areas I mentioned. Lots of affordable spots next to nice neighborhoods. Do not listen to the some of the people here, Valley Village, half of Valley Glen especially off Laurel Canyon, NoHo are not ghetto. My boss was robbed off Wilshire and Vermont near Koreatown and I barely hear or see anything like that here.

[Csonka]

West Hills is okay, but west Valley is very hot and more smoggy in summers, plus the center of population is to the east, meaning most commute west to east. Lots less to do out there as well.

North Hollywood is pretty good, but I recommend being south of Victory and even Oxnard if possible and closer to Laurel Canyon. No Ho Arts area is okay, but there are a few apartment-lined streets where wannabe gangstas seem to come out of the woodwork, namely on or near Hesby by the Bank of America branch.

Van Nuys is not very good from a renter standpoint, but if you want to buy a home it has some very good areas and pockets of affluence where you find some great little tree-lined residential pockets and kids playing on the streets, families walking babies, etc. But there is less to do there for a single person.

Valley Village is pretty good. It has a heavy Orthodox Jewish presence which translates into fewer place to get drunk and party, if that is your thing. But then you are only a short ride from Ventura Boulevard where there is lots to do.

Valley Glen is okay, but also very Armenian, which translates into some wannabe mafiasos all over the place. They do not cause much trouble for newbs, but they do engage in occasional gangland retaliations and shoot-em-outs. But at the same time, there are lots of Russian Jews here too, Persians, etc. and so you have an eclectic choice of places to eat.

Burbank is probably the most "middle class" traditional of the East Valley locales. Toluca Lake, Studio City, Sherman Oaks, are more upscale.