Moving to the South Bay -- San Pedro okay? (Los Angeles: house, neighborhoods)

[CLaw]

My husband and I will be moving soon to the South Bay because of work and are not familiar with the area. From the research I've done, San Pedro seems to be like many cities in LA county. Good parts and bad parts. We are looking at a place off Hamilton between S Leland and Cabrillo. How is that part of San Pedro? It's just my husband and I. No kids and we're hoping to be out of that place by the time we decide to have kids.

[1200RT]

Originally Posted by CLaw

My husband and I will be moving soon to the South Bay because of work and are not familiar with the area. From the research I've done, San Pedro seems to be like many cities in LA county. Good parts and bad parts. We are looking at a place off Hamilton between S Leland and Cabrillo. How is that part of San Pedro? It's just my husband and I. No kids and we're hoping to be out of that place by the time we decide to have kids.

Great parts, good parts, and iffy parts. I have some great friends who have a very nice home in Pedro.

Sorry I don't have more advice other than that.

[Pennychaser11]

Higher the elevation better off you will be.

[calipoppy]

You definitely want to be above Gaffey. Above Bandini is better.

And the area around the Korean Friendship Bell is ok (again the area above Gaffey in that area is better)

Many of the properties have great harbor/ocean views (even on the not so great areas of San Pedro) so don't let great views fool ya.



ETA: The area the OP asked about specifically (Hamilton) is a bit sketchy/transitional

[PureHapa]

If I had to, I would only live west of Western Ave. San Pedro is more and more ghetto every day. Some neighborhoods may look okay, but there is a fair amount of gang activity in the town. If you live there, live in a gated building with secure parking.

I would steer clear of Pedro and Harbor Gateway, and live in Torrance or Long Beach instead.

[CasketKitten]

Avoid Pedro. If you must go there, stay at or above Western.

[Stolberg]

Point Ferman in San Pedro is cool but you really should consider Long Beach. It has nice residntial neighborhoods and a variety of shopping areas and people. Long Beach has a downtown which San Pedro doesn't really have.

[2Easy]

Originally Posted by CLaw

My husband and I will be moving soon to the South Bay because of work and are not familiar with the area. From the research I've done, San Pedro seems to be like many cities in LA county. Good parts and bad parts. We are looking at a place off Hamilton between S Leland and Cabrillo. How is that part of San Pedro? It's just my husband and I. No kids and we're hoping to be out of that place by the time we decide to have kids.

I can't tell from your post if you are aware of this but San Pedro is an area/neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, not a separate city.

[CasketKitten]

What 2easy said: Pedro is, sadly, part of LA. They tried to get away but the powers that be got that stopped.

What does this mean to a resident of San Pedro? Crummy schools in the LA mumified system and slow to respond police who put the place at the bottom of their pile. As our lead officer at our neighborhood watch meeting told us, they roll fast to SP only if it shots are fired...with an officer down. That's it. Our 3rd night there we were woken up by gun shots in our street. A call to 911 yielded up nothing but a game of 20 questions, (how do you know they were gun shots?). Needless to say, no cop ever came.

Oh, another incident in our area; house break ins in the day. Brazen ones. The lady up the street got cleaned out twice! People pulled up with a moving van and took her stuff out in front of the neighbors who assumed she was moving. This was in 2008. Sure you still want to live there? Like everyone says, above Gaffey, better yet, above Western. Otherwise...oh, well.

[skyway31]

You say "South Bay". I guess Pedro is the South Bay. It gets covered by the Daily Breeze lol. But if you're thinking South Bay, and can't afford PV, try Redondo Beach or parts of Torrance.