Arleta (/ɑːrˈltə/) is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of the city of Los Angeles, California. It contains a high percentage of Latino residents and of people born outside the United States.

Arleta
Boundaries of Arleta as drawn by the Los Angeles Times
Boundaries of Arleta as drawn by the Los Angeles Times
Arleta is located in San Fernando Valley
Arleta
Arleta
Location within Los Angeles/San Fernando Valley
Arleta is located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Arleta
Arleta
Arleta (the Los Angeles metropolitan area)
Coordinates: 34°14′31″N 118°25′32″W / 34.2419444°N 118.4255556°W / 34.2419444; -118.4255556
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountyLos Angeles
CityLos Angeles
Time zoneUTC-8 (PST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code
91331

Geography

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Arleta is bordered by the Los Angeles districts of Mission Hills and North Hills on the north, Sun Valley on the east, Pacoima on the northeast, and Panorama City on the west. It lies within the 6th City Council district.

The boundaries of Arleta are roughly Paxton Avenue on the northwest, Laurel Canyon Boulevard on the northeast, Tonopah Avenue on the southeast, and Woodman Avenue on the southwest, making the square area about four miles (6.4 km), according to Google Earth.[citation needed]

History

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The area of Arleta was a relatively undeveloped portion in the west of the community of Pacoima. This area remained semirural up to World War II when manufacturers expanded their operations into the valley and created more jobs. In order to accommodate factory workers, residential development increased in the area. [1]

Most of Pacoima developed into a multiethnic neighborhood with a significant population of African-American and Latino residents, whereas the western portion remained primarily white. The 5 Freeway was built in the early 1960s and created a physical barrier between east and west Pacoima, and in the same period, residents in the western half led a petition and successfully broke from the neighborhood to form Arleta; the new neighborhood was officially recognized in 1968.[1][2]

As industrial jobs began to decrease in the valley, many residents left the area in the 1980's; following this, Arleta became much more diverse and as of the 2010s, it shares the majority Latino demographics of Pacoima.[1]

Demographics

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The 2000 U.S. census counted 31,068 residents in the 3.10 square miles (8.0 km2) Arleta neighborhood—or 10,034 people per square mile, an average population density for the city. In 2008, the city estimated that the population had increased to 32,622. In 2000 the median age for residents was 29, about average for city neighborhoods. The percentage of residents aged 11 to 18 was among the county's highest.[3]

The neighborhood was considered "moderately diverse" ethnically[4] within Los Angeles, with a relatively high percentage of Latinos. The breakdown was Latinos, 71.7%; Asians, 11.0%; whites, 13.2%; blacks, 2.2%; and others, 1.9%. Mexico (55.3%) and El Salvador (11.2%) were the most common places of birth for the 46% of the residents who were born abroad—which was a high percentage for Los Angeles.[3]

The median yearly household income in 2008 dollars was $65,649, considered average for the city. Renters occupied 19.6% of the housing stock, and house- or apartment-owners held 80.4%. The average household size of 4.0 people was considered high for Los Angeles. The 11.5% of families headed by single parents was considered about average for city neighborhoods.[3]

 
Arleta Post Office, a substation of the Pacoima Station

Economy

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The fashion company Juicy Couture has its headquarters in Arleta.[5]

Parks and recreation

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Branford Park is located in Arleta. The facility has an auditorium, a lighted baseball diamond, an unlighted baseball diamond, lighted outdoor basketball courts, a children's play area, a community room, an indoor gymnasium with weights, an indoor gymnasium without weights, an outdoor gymnasium without weights, a kitchen, a music room, picnic tables, a lighted soccer field, a stage, lighted tennis courts, and lighted volleyball courts.[6] In addition the Devonshire Arleta Park in Arleta.[7]

Government and infrastructure

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The United States Postal Service Arleta Post Office is located at 9454 Arleta Avenue.[8] This post office was opened shortly before Christmas 1954. The original construction was performed by Ralph Benton of Van Nuys at a total cost of $21,500.[9]

Education

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Arleta High School

Arleta is within the Los Angeles Unified School District. The schools within Arleta are as follows:[10]

  • Arleta High School, 14200 Van Nuys Boulevard
  • Sharp Avenue Elementary School, 13800 Pierce Street
  • Beachy Avenue Elementary School, 9757 Beachy Avenue
  • Vena Avenue Elementary School, 9377 Vena Avenue
  • Canterbury Avenue Elementary School, 13670 Montague Street
  • Bert Corona Charter Middle School, 9400 Remick Avenue

Infrastructure

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Transportation

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Arleta is accessible from the Golden State Freeway (I-5) and the Hollywood Freeway (SR 170). Major thoroughfares include Van Nuys Boulevard, Woodman Avenue and Arleta Avenue, as well as Sheldon, Branford, Osborne and Terra Bella Streets. Metro Rapid route 761 provides fast transit on Van Nuys Boulevard, and Metro route 158, goes up Woodman Avenue, but turns on Arleta Avenue via Brandford Street, and continues along Devonshire St into Granada Hills, Northridge, and Chatsworth, respectively.

Libraries

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Los Angeles Public Library operates the Granada Hills Branch.

Notable people

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Arleta was also the filming location for the fictitious McFly family in the Back to the Future series.[15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Garner, Scott (2018-12-08). "Neighborhood Spotlight: Arleta offers affordable living and a small-town atmosphere". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  2. ^ "San Fernando Valley Communities: Name Origins and Brief History". waterandpower.org. Water and Power Associates. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  3. ^ a b c [1] "Arleta," Mapping L.A., Los Angeles Times
  4. ^ [2] Diversity "measures the probability that any two residents, chosen at random, would be of different ethnicities. If all residents are of the same ethnic group it's zero. If half are from one group and half from another it's .50." —Los Angeles Times
  5. ^ Moore, Booth. "The taste of success; With its first boutique, Juicy Couture sets out to make the world more casual. Archived 2012-11-07 at the Wayback Machine" Los Angeles Times. November 23, 2004. Part E, Calendar Desk. E1. Retrieved on February 3, 2010. "But we are working harder than we've ever worked and our office is still the same dump," she says, referring to the warehouse space in an industrial section of Arleta where Juicy Couture is headquartered."
  6. ^ "Branford Park." City of Los Angeles. Retrieved on March 19, 2010.
  7. ^ "Devonshire Arleta Park." City of Los Angeles. Retrieved on March 19, 2010.
  8. ^ "Post Office Location - ARLETA." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.
  9. ^ The Valley News, September 5, 1954: "New Post Office Will Serve Southerly Area of Pacoima"
  10. ^ [3] "Arleta Schools," Mapping L.A., Los Angeles Times
  11. ^ Bartholomew, Dana. "Last woman convicted in Missy Avila murder released from prison on Monday." Los Angeles Daily News. December 10, 2012. Retrieved on June 20, 2013.
  12. ^ a b "Arleta Web Design, Arleta, CA | RG Pacific". rgpacific.com. 10 August 2011. Retrieved 2015-12-30.
  13. ^ http://www.burnette-rock.com/InsideStory2.htm Archived 2009-04-06 at the Wayback Machine burnette-rock.com
  14. ^ "Lawrence Journal-World - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 2015-12-30.
  15. ^ http://www.filminameric.com/Movies/BackToTheFuture/[permanent dead link] filminameric.com
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34°14′31″N 118°25′32″W / 34.2419444°N 118.4255556°W / 34.2419444; -118.4255556