3.6 out of 10

Arleta

34.2425476291808 -118.429616510818
Great for
  • Public Transport
  • Cost of Living
  • Peace & Quiet
  • Lack of Traffic
  • Clean & Green
Not great for
  • Nightlife
  • Childcare
  • Eating Out
  • Gym & Fitness
  • Internet Access
Who lives here?
  • Retirees
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Country Lovers
  •  

Reviews

2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 2/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Schools 2/5
2yrs+

"Unremarkable Neighborhood..."

Yes, this is a dated community that looks very 70'ish. One of the reviewers said the famous Osbourne Family once lived here. Actually, I think she was referring to the Osmond Family, the popular singing group from the 1970's. I know this because I was one of their biggest fans back in those days and was thrilled that I lived within 20 minutes from them.

This is an area filled with older, nondescript homes frankly. While it is an affordable area of Los Angeles, I don't believe you will find anything out of the ordinary as far as property is concerned. The area is right off the I-5 freeway so there is easy freeway access but take into consideration the heavy traffic which occurs during peak hours which can be frustrating.

Schools are average and I believe the high school is fairly new. There are your normal chain grocery stores and strip malls so shopping is convenient, though if you are looking for trendy and sophisticated there is not much selection though Juicy Couture is headquartered here. The Branford Park is nice and includes a community room, lighted tennis and volleyball courts as well as a decent children’s play area. The area is generally safe, as car thefts seem to be the most common crime.

It’s safe to say that this town has seen better days and there is no real huge movement to bring it back to its former popularity. I don’t think the Osmonds will be moving back any time soon however, on a Hollywood side note, parts of Back to the Future was filmed here.
Pros
  • quiet
  • reasonable rents
Cons
  • Nearby heavy traffic with I-5
  • Average schools
  • fast food culture
  • no night life
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Schools 2/5
  • Childcare 2/5
2yrs+

"It's Popularity Lies in the Past"

Arleta's most popular time was around the late 60s and 70s. Once home to the famous Osbourne family, the popularity and fame of this city quickly came and went.

It still has somewhat classy homes. Part of the San Fernando Valley, this area is laden with various homes of all sizes and styles and price ranges. A nice family style ranch runs about $300,000. One may want to reconsider the school system, however. Their schools systems are not the greatest, so consider another area if you have children when looking to find a quality safe school system.

While Arleta has tried their best to steer clear of the dangers of the gang activity in LA, there is still some bad areas. Not much entertainment or things to do in this area. While I wouldn't call it a "ghost town", it's peak has come and gone and we are left with remnants of the 70s in this area of LA.
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 5/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 2/5
  • Childcare 3/5
2yrs+

"Seen Better Days"

Arleta has definitely seen better days. Many people who grew up in the area speak fondly of it back in the 60’s and 70’s, at about the time it became a community of its own. It is still an okay place to live, although it is more than a little boring with very little to do for entertainment.

Arleta looks much as it did back then in terms of housing. It has lots of larger 1950’s style ranch homes with large yards in the front and gates in the front.

Arleta has largely managed to avoid the worst of the gang problems from the surrounding areas, but not by much. Arleta High School, like the other nearby high schools, is not well-regarded.

Put simply, this seems like a place that has seen its best days. On the other hand, the fact that a company like Juicy would choose Arleta perhaps suggests they may still have a rebound in them. Time will only tell.
Pros
  • good public transportation
  • quiet
  • reasonable rents
Cons
  • fast food culture
  • no night life
  • iffy high school
Recommended for
  • Retirees
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Cost of Living 5/5
2yrs+

"Pretty deep in the Valley"

Arleta is really far into the Valley. I actually didn't even know it was considered part of Los Angeles proper because it's so remote. The closest actual places to Arleta are Northridge and Sun Valley (the place made famous in Clueless for being impossibly far). The thing that's nice about a place like Arleta is that the property is pretty cheap as far as Los Angeles goes. You can actually still buy / rent for a reasonable price and the drive to civilization isn't all that far especially since Laurel Canyon borders Arleta. You can just take Laurel over the hill and you'll be right smack in the middle of West Hollywood.
There really isn't much to say about Arleta other than it's cheap. It's boring, pretty far and not aesthetically pleasing. If you are a first time home owner, then I can see the appeal of a neighborhood like this; but, there's just not even a TGI Fridays to talk about as far as Arleta entertainment goes.
Oh, I the house that the McFly's lived in in Back to the Future is in Arleta. That's about it.
Pros
  • quiet
  • reasonable rents
Cons
  • fast food culture
  • no night life
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Country Lovers

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