Avalon Gardens

The Avalon Gardens is a public housing project with 164 units at 701 East 88th Place, Los Angeles, California. It is one of the oldest housing project owned by the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles.^[1]

History

Avalon Gardens was constructed in 1941 and cost $638,000 during World War II for military families and veterans. In 1947, the housing projects were open to low income residents. Since there was a significant waiting list to get into the newly built homes, it was not until the 1950s that the residents went from military families to low-income families ^[2] In the late 1970s the buildings began to deteriorate and they experienced an increase in crime. It has become the headquarters for the Avalon Garden Crips^[3] gang and was also a spot to purchase crack cocaine. By the early 1990s it was labeled as "war zone" dominated by gangs, drug activity and violence.^[4] In 1996 Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles added a $1.7-million project in which a decorative wrought-iron fence and 11-foot-high wall were built around the complex was to decrease crime and gang activity. After the installment Avalon gardens became a gated community and crime and gang violence had decreased.^[5]

Education

Residents are zoned to the following Los Angeles Unified School District schools:

• 93rd Street Elementary School
• Drew Middle School
• Locke High School

References

External links

• Housing Authority of the City's of Los Angeles