Making LAs worst neighborhoods great again isnt hard just look at thriving Latino Beverly Hills

Many residents of LA feel that the city is in danger of falling into a downward spiral.But there are bright spots, too, in neighborhoods that are enjoying a boom in economic opportunity, public services, and quality of life.It’s worth learning from their example, and applying the lessons elsewhere.LA is really a sprawling metropolis of neighborhoods, with as many as 88 cities in LA County alone.

The city of Los Angeles itself consists of distinct neighborhoods as diverse as San Pedro and Granada Hills.The biggest news, opinion and culture shaping California right now.

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Never miss a story Over time, LA City Hall, the state Legislature in Sacramento, and an armada of nonprofits have tried to expand their control over what cities and neighborhoods do.Their effect is seen in neighborhoods like Fairfax, Hollywood and South LA, which are in a state of decline.

Melrose, a hot spot I used to show off to visitors from out of town, seems a shadow of its former self.The problem is not the people of the neighborhoods, but rather the incompetence of our large governments.The proof: Look at neighborhoods and cities that are flourishing.These include a host of smaller cities south of LA — places like Downey, Cerritos, Lakewood, South Gate and Paramount — which have recovered from earlier bad times.This is not largely the product of gentrification by white hipsters.

Indeed, most of these cities remain overwhelmingly Hispanic or Asian.Yet by paying attention to the basics, as I discovered in a study with my Chapman colleague, economist Bheki Mahlobo, these cities have achieved lower crime rates, higher retail occupancy, and more jobs than adjacent parts of the city of LA. “People come here because they feel safe,” said Mario Trujillo, a prominent Democrat who is Downey’s former mayor and serves on the current C...