Revitalization/Gentrification in South Los Angeles (Inglewood, Vista: real estate, foreclosures, rentals)

[TJGlacius]

I was chatting with a friend and they were saying that whites were moving into some South LA neighborhoods such as Watts, changing the area.

Is that true, or is it just a rumor my friend has told me? Do you think anything will change in South Los Angeles?

[katenik]

i've seen no evidence of whites moving into watts, but they are moving into traditionally black communities located MUCH farther north, such as west adams and arlington heights.

[Los Angel]

Originally Posted by katenik

but they are moving into traditionally black communities located MUCH farther north, such as west adams and arlington heights.

It's those beautiful well crafted Victorian homes that are being lost in foreclosures. Many of those homes were in forclosure before the big forclosure of 2008. Some of the new owners began upgrading and restoring them, and renting them out to film studios.

[katenik]

Originally Posted by Los Angel

It's those beautiful well crafted Victorian homes that are being lost in foreclosures. Many of those homes were in forclosure before the big forclosure of 2008. Some of the new owners began upgrading and restoring them, and renting them out to film studios.

frankly, i don't care who owns them, as long as they love them and preserve their architectural integrity.

[Merino1437]

I moved to South LA in 1987 and seen things change a lot since then.

Everybody that bought their homes for ~$150k got greedy during the housing boom and refi'd and got things they couldnt afford in the first place. For awhile it wasn't unusual to see a home falling apart with a new Escalade in the driveway.

The first area I saw white people moving into was Inglewood. I do believe in the long run more upper-middle class families will be moving into South LA.

[the one]

ya, south central is not seeing an influx of white residents.

the nicer areas with nice homes have seen a few savvy flippers, but these flippers moving in to the area is something completely different.

that hasnt happened yet.

as for a revitalization... a couple projects are in the works. a fresh and easy market is suppsoed to open soon. several apts/condo projects and commercial development projects are supposed to happen along central ave. but i think a true resurgence is a while away.
its slowly happening. some blocks were treated very nicely by the last real estate shabang. others stayed neglected. all the new schools have also improved the look and feel of the area as well. i have noticed that where there were schools built, residents also began fixing their homes and yards. i dont know if it was pure coincidence, but new schools and the real estate surge created nicer streets. but some still stayed neglected

live
from
florence
and
graham

still no white people.

[Mike121]

I'm white and I moved near Jefferson Blvd and Crenshaw Blvd about 4 years ago, which I guess is Jefferson Park or the Crenshaw District. When I moved in, I was apparently the only white person in the nearby blocks. Now I know of ten or so white households nearby. It is really just a blip on the radar. I wouldn't say that a handful of white people is really going to change the character of the neighborhood.

(But when I first moved in, people driving by would slow down to stare at me when I was outside mowing my lawn. A white guy mowing must have been a pretty unusual sight. LOL!)

The truth is that it is mostly white people without kids that are moving into West Adams and Jefferson Park: gays and hipsters. I don't think you'll see an influx of white parents and Asian parents in areas without perfect public schools. (Not that I agree with that philosophy. I think good students will excel and bad students will fail regardless of the school quality. I'm just saying...)

I don't think that trend will continue, though, if prices come down a lot. To be honest, if I could have bought in a more white neighborhood on the money I made I might have done so. But I'm not the type of guy that is going to overspend just to live in a beach town. You have to buy a house at 35 if you want it paid off by the time you retire. It is as simple at that. I've had no problems where I'm at, and my neighbors are good people. Even so, if I were in a more white neighborhood, I think I might have had more success turning my civil relationships with my neighbors into actual friendships. That's something I haven't really had success with yet.

With respect to Watts, I really do think it is getting better slowly. I'm not down there too often, but, it doesn't looks as torn up as it did in the 1990s. But, I'm just going by appearances. I don't think that has much to do with demographics. I don't know what to attribute that to. Reduction in crime, perhaps. But there have been a lot of foreclosures in Watts in this downturn, and without all the funny loans for new buyers, I think a lot of those homes are going to end up becoming rentals, which might push the neighborhood down again. But, it is hard to forecast.

[Edit]

And as an aside, when my grandparents first moved to LA in the 1950s, they lived at Manchester and Vermont.

[CelticViking]

you will see some whites on the west side of south central, and into inglewood, but on the east side of south central(including) watts...there arent many at all....seen it first hand...

[Merino1437]

Originally Posted by Mike121

I'm white and I moved near Jefferson Blvd and Crenshaw Blvd about 4 years ago, which I guess is Jefferson Park or the Crenshaw District. When I moved in, I was apparently the only white person in the nearby blocks. Now I know of ten or so white households nearby. It is really just a blip on the radar. I wouldn't say that a handful of white people is really going to change the character of the neighborhood.

(But when I first moved in, people driving by would slow down to stare at me when I was outside mowing my lawn. A white guy mowing must have been a pretty unusual sight. LOL!)

The truth is that it is mostly white people without kids that are moving into West Adams and Jefferson Park: gays and hipsters. I don't think you'll see an influx of white parents and Asian parents in areas without perfect public schools. (Not that I agree with that philosophy. I think good students will excel and bad students will fail regardless of the school quality. I'm just saying...)

I don't think that trend will continue, though, if prices come down a lot. To be honest, if I could have bought in a more white neighborhood on the money I made I might have done so. But I'm not the type of guy that is going to overspend just to live in a beach town. You have to buy a house at 35 if you want it paid off by the time you retire. It is as simple at that. I've had no problems where I'm at, and my neighbors are good people. Even so, if I were in a more white neighborhood, I think I might have had more success turning my civil relationships with my neighbors into actual friendships. That's something I haven't really had success with yet.

With respect to Watts, I really do think it is getting better slowly. I'm not down there too often, but, it doesn't looks as torn up as it did in the 1990s. But, I'm just going by appearances. I don't think that has much to do with demographics. I don't know what to attribute that to. Reduction in crime, perhaps. But there have been a lot of foreclosures in Watts in this downturn, and without all the funny loans for new buyers, I think a lot of those homes are going to end up becoming rentals, which might push the neighborhood down again. But, it is hard to forecast.

[Edit]

And as an aside, when my grandparents first moved to LA in the 1950s, they lived at Manchester and Vermont.

Well said.

My old neighbor (RIP) moved to South LA (Western & King) in the 1950s and he said he was only black guy on his block.

The people make the neighborhood not the color.

[calipoppy]

There are more and more whites moving into traditionally Black upper-middle class enclaves of Ladera Heights, Baldwin Hills, Angeles Vista, View Park and Leimert Park. There many beautiful Spanish style homes in the Angeles Vista and View Park areas with extensive views strectching from the Santa Monica Mountains, downtown LA and on to the Voncent Thomas bridge in San Pedro.