Echo Park from Above
The American Planning Association annually lists the top 10 Neighborhoods in America and this year Los Angeles' own Echo Park cracked the list. Despite referring to Echo Park as a "suburb," which is strange considering the commmunity's location adjacent to the Downtown and Dodger Stadium, the APA gives an overwhelmingly positive picture of Echo Park.
So why is it a "Top Ten" neighborhood? The APA lists a series of housing issues as reasons for Echo Park's unique community:
There's been a long history of citizen activism in Echo Park. Duringthe 1990s residents drew attention to safety issues, which has helplower property and personal crime rates in the neighborhood toapproximately 20 percent below the city's average.
Residents alsokeep a close eye on affordable housing. Some of the neighborhood's moreaffordable homes have been stabilized with the help of thecity-supported historic preservation efforts. In 2005, for example, thecity approved a small lot subdivision ordinance that encourages thecreation of several units on one parcel. To some degree the typicalsize of an Echo Park home — just three rooms — has helped keep pricesfrom rising significantly compared with other parts of the city.
Another thing that makes Echo Park such a great neighborhood, is it is a community that embraces open space and community festivals. Events such as the Lotus Festival and the Marti Celebration take full advantage of the open space provided by the vast open space in the community.
Photo: Echo29/Flickr
