Canoga Park

I have three properties, one in Canoga Park, one in Woodland Hills, and the other in Hidden Hills. Only three miles a part between the first two, but those three miles seemed a world apart just a couple of years ago. In the mid 90's Canoga Park had a gang infestation which got mitigated when LAPD implemented a gang injunjunction that destroyed a well entranched local gang, and increased their presence by constructing the Topanga - West Valley Police station in Canoga Park on Shoenborn Street. Canoga Park has the avg 1500 sq. ft. Cinderella homes on relatively large lots. Most of the home owner are aging and the community is in transition. The recent economy collapse shook up housing in a positive way, opening up the path for developers to come clean up these gems and reintroduce them on the market. The values in turn for these homes has jumped significantly especially for the folks that purchased in 2011. Young 30 somethings have been moving in with their familes in droves to these newly refurbished homes. Gentrification always happens with the intoduction of bike lanes, and this has happened on Canoga Avenue that runs north and south with Ped lanes, adjacent to the Orange line BRT system. There are modern apartments going up along the bus line that will continue to improve the quality of life. The ongoing problems in the City stem from the old apartments that line Roscoe and Parthenia which have a lot of Section 8 housing and are home to mulitple families. These folks dont have much civic pride nor do they take care of their buidlings and surrounding areas. Like Echo Park, Silverlake and other neighborhoods in transition, these small pockets will continue to be a challange to Canoga Park and its growth. Tons of great eateries opening up aswell. I would like to correct the folks providing their input on the Porn Industry. Canoga Park could benefit from that tax base, but the accolade actually goes to our neighbors in Chatsworth. The one industry that is starting to thrive again is the Aviation and Aerospace industry which has been around for sometime. Canoga Park is like many cities. Lost but not forgotten. It is going through a cycle where the old are passing on and the young are picking up. And with the younger educated employed capable people moving in, their demands for improved services, public schools, and general ammenities will continue to improve this gem in the West Valley. Stay Tuned!

Canoga Park is one of the less ideal neighborhoods in the valley. It's really far out and really run down. It's one of the furthest neighborhoods north in the valley that you can be while still being in Los Angeles county. And, unless you plan on taking Sherman Way all the way back into the city (or civilization), you're going to be stuck on that parking lot that is the 101 all the way out to Canoga.
The neighborhood was started in the '20's, I think, and has been pretty much working class since day 1. There are a lot of gangs, the houses are run down, and there really aren't even much in the way of restaurants unless you count fast food.
I understand living here if you want to live in Los Angeles but can't really afford to; but, by the same token, Northridge is about the same price point and at lease a little nicer. There's really nothing to say or nothing redeeming about Canoga Park unless you work in porn.
This place is the nexus of porn. It's where all of the big porn companies have their headquarters and houses around the Canoga Park area are where all of the porns are shot. Makes the neighborhood even more appealing, eh?

Canoga Park lies low in the Valley, both physically and in terms of reputation. Canoga Park is more than a little run down. It is, at best, a working class neighborhood with its share of gang problems and a general unkept feel. The main thing Canoga Park has going for it is a really big mall. What used to be called the Topanga Mall is at the edge of Canoga Park. It has a very 1980’s feel. It still attracts the teenagers and the usual sort of mall crowd but doesn't stack up well as compared to the swanky nearby Promenade Mall. There are plans to combine these two malls to make one of the largest shopping structures in all of America, but financial woes may have put a delay or these grand visions of endless mall space.

Canoga Park High School is neither well regarded for its academics or for its safety. It is generally considered one of the least desirable high schools in the area. The home prices are low here mainly because most people don’t really want to live in Canoga Park. The houses tend to be small and old and few are the streets with consistently manicured lawns.

L.A. is known for Hollywood and big blockbuster films. The Valley, however, is known for porn and Canoga Park has the headquarters of some of the major players in the business. Wicked Pictures and Evil Angel, for example, both major porn labels have their headquarters here. However, even the porn filmmakers don’t like Canoga Park; they typically film their movies in the more elegant homes in the surrounding neighborhoods. Sherman Way also used to be home to one of the last remaining porn movie theatres, the Pussy Cat Theater, before the VCR did most of those establishments in.

One of the few things that Canoga Park has going for it is the that the low property prices have attracted a bit of the artsy crowd. For example, Canoga Park is home to the Cobalt Café, a Northern California type caffeine den that features rock bands (punk and alternative) and poetry readings. It is definitely one of the major draws of the area for the younger crowd—many of which later dog it as a place they used to go in high school to watch their friend’s bands but where they are too old and sophisticated to patronize now. In fact, the stretch where you find the Cobalt, right by Topanga on Sherman Way has a couple of other cool spots—Scotland Yard, with it kitschy British Pub décor (and completely incongruous punk-rock Tuesdays) and Casey’s, a cool neighborhood watering hole. It is one of the best stretches of the West Valley if you don’t want to brave the traffic to North Hollywood.

There are also some great cheap places to along the eastern end—they don’t have a lot ambiance but you take your Indian or Japanese food (try Pink Elephant—its worth it) and take it to go. It’s not exactly a gourmet paradise but its okay for the West Valley.

The major artery in Canoga Park going east-west is Sherman Way. In Canoga Park, Sherman Way looks much as it did in the seventies. The architecture is still pretty much the same and since so many films have been shot in the area, you feel as if you have just stepped on the set of a seventies movie.

Even with some of this going for, Canoga Park has very little to offer if you can afford to live somewhere else.