Is Sepulveda and Venice safe? (Culver City: sales, apartment complexes, crime)

[Tex?Il?]

Hi all,

So I am flying out to LA this Sunday morning and staying for two nights (returning Tuesday late afternoon) to interview for three jobs (basic entry level sales position type jobs) and to look at two maybe three apartments.

The area I have been focusing on is Palms/West L.A./Culver City. These areas are not exactly in the "middle of the action" but are centrally located to where the jobs, nightlife, cultural amenities, all LA has to offer, etc. but most importantly are affordable AND SAFE. My price range is generally 900-1100 a month. (studio in the 900s or a 1 bedroom in the 1000s).

But even around those areas one must choose carefully. I have apointments to view one apartment a few blocks northwest of Palms and Overland (Rose) from everything I've seen thats a perfectly fine area.

I know in LA looks can be deceiving, much more so than in midwest cities (where the crime ridden areas have much more physical deterioration).

So, thats why I am asking:

I also have an apointment for an apartment on Canfield. A few blocks south from Hamilton high school. I've heard thats not a good high school, is there petty crime vandalism a few blocks within there?

But my main question though is about the area around Sepulveda and Venice. I haven't scheduled the appointment yet, but I am also looking at a place right around there. It looks great. The building on the main street looks great (I am using google maps streetview for all these descriptions). But the alley behind is also viewable by streetview.

And the front looks great!, but the backside has a touch of graffiti, and in the streetview, (I want to say right here I am the farthest thing from a racist!) but I saw on the streetview three black men kind of looking like they were hiding in the alley, close together talking or handing something to the other guy, and looked like deer in the headlights when the streetview camera apparently clicked.

I don't mind if there are iffy areas that are a couple streets down. And I am very used to racial diversity. I just want to know though, does anyone have any knowledge of this immediate area. Is it safe?

[BRinSM]

Relatively speaking, LA is a pretty safe place. All of the locations should be totally fine. If it were me, I wouldn't want to live on a really busy street (ie sepulveda or venice) just because of the noise and traffic. i would also prefer to live further west than hamilton high. having said that, i would probably go with the palms/overland location. although overland is a busy street, that area always had more 'neighborhoody' feel if you know what i mean.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by BRinSM

Relatively speaking, LA is a pretty safe place. All of the locations should be totally fine. If it were me, I wouldn't want to live on a really busy street (ie sepulveda or venice) just because of the noise and traffic. i would also prefer to live further west than hamilton high. having said that, i would probably go with the palms/overland location. although overland is a busy street, that area always had more 'neighborhoody' feel if you know what i mean.

Yeah, funny thing it is a beautiful building on Sepulveda. And the whole street looks great.

I guess in LA, from what I understand, there is a bit of low key gang presence scattered just about everywhere, but just look away, and don't even acknowledge them, one will be fine.

I'll have a better idea about the area when I see it myself on Sunday or Monday evening.

[jaypee]

I have relatives who live in the area (Sepulveda and Washington, a few blocks over) and it's pretty safe but, as mentioned before, Venice and Sepulveda are major thoroughfares (not to mention the 405 freeway running through) so it could get noisy.

[subPrimeTime]

Tex, I know this area very well. I live in an apartment right next to the Sepulveda/Palms intersection (where the Trader Joe's & CVS are). It's definitely a safe area from my perspective, I've lived in this area for over 3 years. I'm a guy btw, so I don't consider many places dangerous though. I'm not sure if you're a guy or girl, cause we may have different definitions of safety.

I used to live at Westside Terraces apartments on Sepulveda between Venice & Charnock. This is a very safe complex, but a little pricey. There's a pool & gym and all that, but you're paying for all of it in the rent. Just south of there is Woodmiere apartments, which are also nice looking and safe/secure. But again, I think they're pretty expensive.

The area that may appear to be shady are the apartments on Sepulveda just north of Venice (north of the 7-11). But to me these are just appearances, not real danger.

Rose, between Sepulveda & Overland is filled with apartment complexes. I drive down this street every morning and always see people walking, kids walking to school, etc. So Rose is quite safe. Let me know if you have any other questions.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by subPrimeTime

Tex, I know this area very well. I live in an apartment right next to the Sepulveda/Palms intersection (where the Trader Joe's & CVS are). It's definitely a safe area from my perspective, I've lived in this area for over 3 years. I'm a guy btw, so I don't consider many places dangerous though. I'm not sure if you're a guy or girl, cause we may have different definitions of safety.

I used to live at Westside Terraces apartments on Sepulveda between Venice & Charnock. This is a very safe complex, but a little pricey. There's a pool & gym and all that, but you're paying for all of it in the rent. Just south of there is Woodmiere apartments, which are also nice looking and safe/secure. But again, I think they're pretty expensive.

The area that may appear to be shady are the apartments on Sepulveda just north of Venice (north of the 7-11). But to me these are just appearances, not real danger.

Rose, between Sepulveda & Overland is filled with apartment complexes. I drive down this street every morning and always see people walking, kids walking to school, etc. So Rose is quite safe. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Thanks so much subPrimeTime!

You've been really helpful.

I am a guy. I work out and I have spent time living in nice areas, that are in some cases just down the road from some real crappy areas, so I do certainly have some basic city sense.

Between Charnock and Venice on Supelveda is exactly where I am talking about. Even though Sepulveda is main drag, it does seem to be overwhelmingly residential on that street so a bit quieter.

I will take all your words, that one little scrap of graffiti and a couple guys huddling together in the alley on streetview doesn't mean anything.

I take the green line (El train) through the west side of Chicago, so I don't have fear like some people do.

I'm excited to move! Even if I don't spend the rest of my life there (which I probably won't as I most of family is mostly in the midwest), I can't wait to move to LA.

Its not for everyone, but for those who love a city to EXPLORE, LA is one of the most fascinating cities to explore.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Hi all,

So I am flying out to LA this Sunday morning and staying for two nights (returning Tuesday late afternoon) to interview for three jobs (basic entry level sales position type jobs) and to look at two maybe three apartments.

The area I have been focusing on is Palms/West L.A./Culver City. These areas are not exactly in the "middle of the action" but are centrally located to where the jobs, nightlife, cultural amenities, all LA has to offer, etc. but most importantly are affordable AND SAFE. My price range is generally 900-1100 a month. (studio in the 900s or a 1 bedroom in the 1000s).

But even around those areas one must choose carefully. I have apointments to view one apartment a few blocks northwest of Palms and Overland (Rose) from everything I've seen thats a perfectly fine area.

I know in LA looks can be deceiving, much more so than in midwest cities (where the crime ridden areas have much more physical deterioration).

So, thats why I am asking:

I also have an apointment for an apartment on Canfield. A few blocks south from Hamilton high school. I've heard thats not a good high school, is there petty crime vandalism a few blocks within there?

But my main question though is about the area around Sepulveda and Venice. I haven't scheduled the appointment yet, but I am also looking at a place right around there. It looks great. The building on the main street looks great (I am using google maps streetview for all these descriptions). But the alley behind is also viewable by streetview.

And the front looks great!, but the backside has a touch of graffiti, and in the streetview, (I want to say right here I am the farthest thing from a racist!) but I saw on the streetview three black men kind of looking like they were hiding in the alley, close together talking or handing something to the other guy, and looked like deer in the headlights when the streetview camera apparently clicked.

I don't mind if there are iffy areas that are a couple streets down. And I am very used to racial diversity. I just want to know though, does anyone have any knowledge of this immediate area. Is it safe?

None of the areas you mentioned are unsafe, the least safe would be the one on Canfield. Is that north or south of the 10? There could be some gang issues there more than at the other addresses.

Venice and Sepulveda is just fine. Those men were probably homeless and not gangbangers or drug addicts - homelessness is a major issue in L.A. in general. I have never felt unsafe on that corner. Someone mentioned the buildings on Sepulveda north of 7-11 - they're perfectly fine, they're just run down. In general the western part of Palms is better than the eastern part although this is not always true. Motor is the dividing line between "good Palms" and "bad Palms" although there are good pockets east of Motor, you'd just have to check out the particular street or particular block.

Overland and Rose is safe. That corner and Venice and Sepulveda are corners you don't have to worry about. Canfield demands more investigation - there are some good streets/good blocks and bad streets/bad blocks in the far east part of Palms (which is where that's located). In addition there are some streets around Hamilton that were pretty bad in the '90s which are OK right now.