Roll Call! What LA neighborhood do you live in? name a few pros/cons about it.... (Los Angeles: real estate, city hall)

[happ]

Originally Posted by WestSideGirl310

Yes, they're still active. They are in the Oakwood section of Venice. There is also Venice 13 (mexican gang) in Oakwood also. I don't know if their presence is as heavy as it used to be. I believe many have moved into other areas such as Inglewood & Mar Vista. Am I correct?

Thankfully it has quieted down w/ the gang activity in Venice though you see gang members. I remember the conflicts in Palms\ Mar Vista several years ago.

[BRinSM]

i still s V13 tagging fairly regularly in Venice.

[connie&dave]

Moved to Claremont this summer-and so far we love it. My husband loves the Belgian bar in the new village and the train line to Union station, I love 21 Choices frozen yoghurt and the Laemmle Theaters.

PROS: Very walkable, safe, clean, lost of pretty college campuses, award winning tree city, lots of bike paths, many parks, great public schools, cute village area with lots of shops and restaurants, train station (San Bernardino Metrolink line) , beautiful mountains nearby, mostly good weather, mostly liberal well educated population.

CONS:Expensive housing with limited inventory, coyotes, rush hour commute to L.A. is terrible, limited overnight parking, expensive dining options, close to rundown gang infested areas (Pomona, Montclair).

I have found my little piece of heaven here

[Radical Raul]

I was born and raised in the San Gabriel Valley, recently moved to Colorado Springs. Us single working folk took a major beating because of the latest housing bubble. $1000 a month for a one bedroom apartment in El Monte!?!? Give me a break.

Congratulations to all the greedy people who drove us regular working folks out of town.

I'll be visiting next week.

______________________________
Raul X. Garcia
IFC Short Film of the Month Winner
http://raulxgarica.com

[alaplex]

Pro's: Close to beach, perfect weather year round, close to Century City, Westwood, S Monica & Beverly Hills. Short commute to Weho, Hollywood,
downtown.

Cons: Terribly underdeveloped, close to Culver City (downtown now a pretentious overpriced sanctuary for boring Sony yuppies), Venice blvd aging and deteriorated, people selling junk on lawns, sidewalks. Broken down trucks and campers all over (beach rats I guess), absolutely no hip clubs or nightlife. No nice restaurants. No metro line to anywhere.

[rcampo]

Originally Posted by Fleet

Northridge/Porter Ranch (I can use either address when mailing.)

Pros:
- Mountains nearby/good scenery
- Out of the smog belt
- Out of the fog belt
- Santa Ana winds produce many 75+ degree days during winter
- Many nice homes & neighborhoods (See photo #3)
- Still some open (non-developed) areas (See photo #1)
- A weekly, year-'round car show
- Low crime rate
- Traffic nowhere near as bad as in the eastern and southern parts of the valley
- Nice shopping areas; good variety (See photo #2)
- No bars/saloons in the area
- Underground powerlines, don't cause a problem in high wind condtions (winds can reach or exceed 70 mph during a Santa Ana event).
- Wide streets; plenty of parking at the major shopping areas

Cons:
- Expensive
- Santa Ana winds cause fire danger
- As in many areas in the Los Angeles area, not much rain
- A lot more population compared to the '70s and earlier
- Earthquake threat
- Not much of a nightlife

We live just south of you (and agree with your points).

Pros:
- Commute - my wife works in Northridge and I work in Van Nuys
- Live on a cul-de-sac w/great neighbors (although I wish the neighboring house would sell--it's been vacant about four months)
- Plenty of areas to walk our dog plus some hiking trails north of Rinaldi
- Within biking distance of Northridge Mall and CSUN
- Plenty of shopping/retail
- Very quiet esp. at night except for the occasional motorcycles racing up Wilbur; no graffiti
- Traffic is good on most arteries except Tampa, Reseda and Nordhoff which is mostly a rush hour issue
- Good access to Metrolink which we haven't needed (yet)
- The community pool was finally finished after having been closed since the '94 earthquake

Cons:
- Motorists that use our street to turn around
- Starts to get sketchy south of Nordhoff
- As Fleet said NO nightlife. A performing arts center is under construction @ CSUN but it's been halted due to the CSU's budget crunch
- Windy as all get out when the Santa Ana's kick up--nail down anything that moves!
- The 'Burbs...you'll need to drive to get to live theater, the arts, sporting events, concerts, etc.
- KMart and Mervyns both closing (nationally as well)--shudder to think what may replace them (i.e., don't need any indoor swap meets, et al)
- HOT in the summer--a full 15-20 degrees more than downtown and the beach and it's a distance from the beaches too

[LALady]

Originally Posted by RField

We live just south of you (and agree with your points).

Pros:
- Commute - my wife works in Northridge and I work in Van Nuys
- Live on a cul-de-sac w/great neighbors (although I wish the neighboring house would sell--it's been vacant about four months)
- Plenty of areas to walk our dog plus some hiking trails north of Rinaldi
- Within biking distance of Northridge Mall and CSUN
- Plenty of shopping/retail
- Very quiet esp. at night except for the occasional motorcycles racing up Wilbur; no graffiti
- Traffic is good on most arteries except Tampa, Reseda and Nordhoff which is mostly a rush hour issue
- Good access to Metrolink which we haven't needed (yet)
- The community pool was finally finished after having been closed since the '94 earthquake

Cons:
- Motorists that use our street to turn around
- Starts to get sketchy south of Nordhoff
- As Fleet said NO nightlife. A performing arts center is under construction @ CSUN but it's been halted due to the CSU's budget crunch
- Windy as all get out when the Santa Ana's kick up--nail down anything that moves!
- The 'Burbs...you'll need to drive to get to live theater, the arts, sporting events, concerts, etc.
- KMart and Mervyns both closing (nationally as well)--shudder to think what may replace them (i.e., don't need any indoor swap meets, et al)
- HOT in the summer--a full 15-20 degrees more than downtown and the beach and it's a distance from the beaches too

wow... I didn't know the CSUN performing arts center was postponed. Too bad.

[rcampo]

Originally Posted by LALady

wow... I didn't know the CSUN performing arts center was postponed. Too bad.

Here's the link

California State University, Northridge Suspends Construction of Valley Performing Arts Center - Newsroom

[LaoTzuMindFu]

Since I am renting out my Sherman Oaks place and living in Woodland Hills, I'll only talk about W.H. here. I live west of Topanga Canyon and North of Ventura Blvd.

Pros:
Shopping - close proximity to my favorite places, Frys, Whole Foods, Sport Chalet, Nordstrom, etc.
Gym - newly opened Equinox gym is great.
Movies - Three local movie theaters (Commons in Calabasas is only 5 minute drive).
Development - Planned "Grove"/"Americana" type plaza to be built along Topanga Canyon to connect the two malls.
I can run/jog in my neighborhood without worrying about gangs or pitbulls.
5 different Starbucks to choose from.
Good restaurants - Ruths Chris, Tommys, InandOut burger, Cheesecake Factory, Maggianos, Marmalade Cafe, etc.
2 Barnes and Nobles and 1 Borders Books.


Cons:
Hispanic immigrants leaving shopping carts in neighborhood
Lack of great breakfast/brunch eatery (like Jinkys or Jumpin' Java in Sherman Oaks/Studio City)
Spillover from lowlife homeboy/Gang bangy types from Canoga Park in public places.
Driving to other parts of Valley/LA is a pain.

[rcampo]

[quote=RField;6885597]We live just south of you (and agree with your points).

Pros:
- Live on a cul-de-sac w/great neighbors (although I wish the neighboring house would sell--it's been vacant about four months)

I got my wish--a family moved in today!!!