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Greenery in South Los Angeles
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South LA

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…a notorious past, working towards a better future


Everyone’s heard of the infamous Watts, Crenshaw, Jefferson Park and Vernon areas, which is why the city has been working so hard to dispel a reputation for violence and blight. They’ve even made the name change from “South Central LA” to “South LA”.

Yet the real changes are happening within the communities. Former home to rappers like Ice T, Ice Cube and Skee Lo, parts of South LA have seen the influx of artists and professionals after the opening of art galleries and museums around East 107th Street. Leimert Park, with its numerous performance venues focusing on jazz, poetry readings and drama, has been coined “the black Greenwich Village” by filmmaker John Singleton. Jefferson Park was even a runner-up on a recent “up and coming” neighborhood list.

Geographically, the area is dominated by towering palm trees, low-rise apartment buildings and one-level Mediterranean-style homes. Big-box department and smaller local retail stores can also be found.

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Known for:

Scene of the LA riots in '92

Main drag:

The 110

South LA blogs and events

An Ugly Stream of Red – LA Traffic

You’ve heard it time and time again, but the tangibility of LA traffic is nauseating. Moving to LA, I consciously made the decision that I would try my hardest to never let traffic bother me. I know it’s LA. It’s got to be bad, but it can’t be that bad, can it? It can. Believe me.

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Apartments in South LA