Please help convince me that I should consider moving to LA (Los Angeles: apartments, rent)

[scottie]

Im considering moving to LA after graduation from college here in Ohio and am very concerned about alot of things. Could someone please help me with these questions, I really appreciate it.

Is it impossible to find a decent place in a nice area that is affordable around LA?
Are there any caucasian americans anywhere in the LA area?
Is traffic unbearable?

Thanks so much for everyones help

[Sorcerer68]

Originally Posted by scottie

Im considering moving to LA after graduation from college here in Ohio and am very concerned about alot of things. Could someone please help me with these questions, I really appreciate it.

Is it impossible to find a decent place in a nice area that is affordable around LA?
Are there any caucasian americans anywhere in the LA area?
Is traffic unbearable?

Thanks so much for everyones help

I had a long talk last night about these things with a good friend of mine from Cincinnati. First of all, I'm not going to try to convice you to come here. That must be your decision. Rent will be a shock to you here. A big shock. You can still get a decent place to live from the 700's although it will be small (studio/bachelor). If you put a premium on being in an area where there are lots and lots of white people, you should consider going somewhere else. One of the things I love about L.A. is the diversity and if you don't love diversity, don't come here. There are areas that have more caucasians than others. There are many areas you will go and be the minority. L.A. is more vast than you can ever imagine if you've never been here. Yes, Traffic is awful. It just is. You learn the routes you can take and the time of day you take them. I always do my best to live as close to work as possible, walking distance if I can.

I suggest visiting first. If you've never been here, you have no idea if you'll love it or hate it. The folks I know from Cincy have absolutely loved it here.

[scottie]

Wow thanks so much, interesting that you just talked to people from Cincinnati. I dont want to come across as someone thats trying to say "I must live around all white people" because thats just not true. I know that LA and the entire LA area is the most diverse area in America. However, I dont want to live in an area and not have another white person living within a mile of me. I will make sure to visit first. Im very interested on broadening my horizons and while I love Ohio, I want to experience more than that and want to experience living elsewhere for a while. Thanks so much for your help

[cgmaetc]

I'm an LA native, and I'm going to be as honest and thorough as possible:

>>Is it impossible to find a decent place in a nice area that is affordable around LA?<<

The short answer is, no. Long answer: What is affordable to you?

As far as rents, there are homes and apartments that rent for upwards of $1500 for a small one bedroom with almost no amenities.

>>Are there any caucasian americans anywhere in the LA area?<<

Last I checked (looking out the window...), LA is still predominately white. Yes, there are areas where African Americans, Asians, whites, or Latinos are highly concentrated. And those people tend to be more newsworthy than others . But white people are everywhere in LA, especially now since gentrification has really started to set in. Be warned: there are no "only white" areas in Los Angeles proper. Almost every area has a mix of races, creeds, and religions. It about who can afford what down here. If an Latino family moves in the house next to a white family, it must be because they can afford to.

For example, there is an area called Baldwin Hills/Ladera Heights. An average home there is about 3500 square feet on a 6000 lot and costs $1mil+. The streets are quiet and safe, kids ride their bikes during the day and groups go walking at night. It's 10 minutes to the beach, 2 hours from the snow, and 5 minutes from 3 major freeways. About 30 years ago, when the first Black people moved in, the white people started selling their homes for about $100K each. Now, homes values have multiplied by 10 and it's a mostly African-American neighborhood, but recently there are also Latino, Asian, and white families moving in. Rents in the area peaked at $2500/month for 1 bedrooms. Just because there are some black and brown faces in the neighborhood doesn't mean that the property values are automatically going to plummet or that crime rates will skyrocket.

If you are truly only looking for areas that are 'mostly' white, be prepared to pay for it ($600K+ or $1800/month in rent).

Instead, I'll give you names of safe areas:
-West of Downtown LA (called "the Westside"): Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Brentwood, Century City, Rancho Park

Southwest of downtown (driving south): Venice/Palms, Culver City Westchester, Playa Del Rey/Playa Vista, Marina Del Rey, El Segundo, Del Aire, Manhattan, Redondo, Hermosa Beach, Torrance, Carson

Areas north of downtown LA: Studio City, Pasadena, Glendale, La Canada.

East of downtown: er... I'd avoid it unless you are moving far east, like past the 605 freeway (Azuza, West Covina, Covina, Upland, Diamond Bar, San Dimas0

The "Valley": Sherman Oaks, Encino, Topanga, Tarzana, Reseda, Woodland Hills, Canoga Park, Northridge.

Please note that all these areas may have interesting 'pockets' of iffy neighborhoods.

If you absolutely must see more white faces than not, avoid these areas, no matter what your budget: Inglewood, Hawthorne, Lennox, Lemerit Park, Lawndale, South Gate, Compton, Van Ness, Van Nuys, Huntington Park

Go to google maps or yahoo maps and type in 90045 zip code. generally, try to look for homes west of the 405 and north of the 10 freeways.

Also note that because of the way LA is designed, with it's many freeways and paved, well-lit roads, even if you end up driving into the 'wrong' neighborhood, if you stick to the main streets and highways you should be fine.

>>Is traffic unbearable?<<

It can be. I've lived in LA 30+ years, and it has gotten increasingly worse. Traffic is also relative. I live in Marina Del Rey, and I swear I can get to Pasadena (30 miles away) in 30 minutes. There may be many cars on the freeways and they may be bumper-to-bumper, but it still moves you will find that even in heavy "traffic" you will still get to where you need to be in good time.

Just accept traffic as a way of life here and the lack of traffic as a blessing. You will earn your freeways patterns, when to avoid the highway and take the streets. The great thing is that LA is designed so that you can take the streets to get anywhere if you have a good map and can read it. I keep one in my car in case I need to hop off the freeway into an unfamiliar neighborhood.

I certainly hope this helps you in your search. Feel free to ask any other questions.

[cgmaetc]

Originally Posted by scottie

Wow thanks so much, interesting that you just talked to people from Cincinnati. I dont want to come across as someone thats trying to say "I must live around all white people" because thats just not true. I know that LA and the entire LA area is the most diverse area in America. However, I dont want to live in an area and not have another white person living within a mile of me. I will make sure to visit first. Im very interested on broadening my horizons and while I love Ohio, I want to experience more than that and want to experience living elsewhere for a while. Thanks so much for your help

I agree you should definitely come to visit first. LA is a trade-off: you either have a great place and live far from all the fun stuff to do, or you are in the thick of things and your pad is crap. Just graduating and starting out, you probably just need a place to lay your head and keep your stuff safe. I might also suggest looking at West Hollywood for living next to the nightlife.

[marilyn220]

Originally Posted by cgmaetc

About 30 years ago, when the first Black people moved in, the white people started selling their homes for about $100K each. Now, homes values have multiplied by 10 and it's a mostly African-American neighborhood, but recently there are also Latino, Asian, and white families moving in. Rents in the area peaked at $2500/month for 1 bedrooms. Just because there are some black and brown faces in the neighborhood doesn't mean that the property values are automatically going to plummet or that crime rates will skyrocket.

This isn't a comment to you cgmaetc, but I'm stunned that in 2007 that the above statements are still being said.

So glad times have changed.

To the OP, I'm African American and if you're afraid of running into a bunch of "us" don't worry yourself. There's not a huge population of blacks here, so rest your mind of that. I came here three years ago, temped in numerous "corporate" companies and I'm usually about a handful of black people in the office. I just found out that many LA blacks tend to work for post office, city, state or federal jobs. Thank God for that, because they would have no chance working for the "man" per se.

I haven't experienced any racism personally here, but when I don't see too many of my people working in certain types of jobs, it sort of speaks for itself.

As far as running into latinos, well, that's a different story. They are EVERYWHERE. But there should still be some lily-white enclaves somewhere for you to live and feel "safe".

[Sorcerer68]

Originally Posted by marilyn220

But there should still be some lily-white enclaves somewhere for you to live and feel "safe".

Trust that I'm one of those white guys who has no interest living in a place like that or associating with those who carry such a mindset. What a depressingly boring world it would be if I had to live in a gated place with all white people and stucco houses painted 3 colors total....

[cgmaetc]

Oh Marilyn20, don't feel too bad. When my parents sell their Ladera house that 'white flight' is going to pay off... 10 times over!

[scottie]

Thanks so much CG for all of your help and comments!!

[scottie]

Originally Posted by marilyn220

To the OP, I'm African American and if you're afraid of running into a bunch of "us" don't worry yourself. There's not a huge population of blacks here, so rest your mind of that. I came here three years ago, temped in numerous "corporate" companies and I'm usually about a handful of black people in the office. I just found out that many LA blacks tend to work for post office, city, state or federal jobs. Thank God for that, because they would have no chance working for the "man" per se.

As far as running into latinos, well, that's a different story. They are EVERYWHERE. But there should still be some lily-white enclaves somewhere for you to live and feel "safe".

In no way at all am I "afraid" of running into a bunch of blacks. I live in Columbus, Ohio and spend almost all summer playing basketball at local parks. I love basketball and playing it on summer nights so much its unbelievable. Many times, I am the only white person on the playground of 30+, so I stick out like a sore thumb. However, I have never really had a true "bad racial experience" or anything like that. I have made alot of friends through doing that and I cant wait to get back at it again. So, in no way do blacks concern me or anything like that

However, the astronomical number of mexicans do somewhat concern me