L.A.’s Richest Zip Codes

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No. 3

Bel-Air 90077

History: Area originally split between two ranchos: the northern part was Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica; the southern part Rancho San Jose de Buenos Ayres. In the early 1920s, Alphonzo Bell, who had just become a millionaire after discovering oil on his Santa Fe Springs ranch, consolidated dozens of local plots. He then developed a community of palatial homes that he called Bel-Air Estates, along with the Bel-Air Bay and Country Club. Its sales office later became the area’s most well known landmark: the Hotel Bel-Air. Suburban development expanded the community deeper into the hills after World War II. In November 1961, a fire destroyed 480 homes (the most destructive fire in L.A. city history). The aftermath prompted another wave of development, especially at the tops of ridges. Since then, development mostly focused on subdividing small and mid-sized parcels and remodeling existing homes.

Characteristics: Southern part, just north of Sunset, is the core Bel-Air Estates development of two- to four-acre plots with huge, walled-off mansions. Narrow streets wind among the irregularly shaped parcels, making it easy to get lost. Moving north into the hills the parcels get smaller, with post-war suburban style homes mixed in among the mansions, all offering spectacular views of the city. More than 7 percent of all home sales in Bel-Air last year topped the $3 million mark. Many residents have lived in the community for 30 or 40 years. A major factor in Bel-Air’s high ranking is its county-high median household income of $167,460 and an average net worth of $363,333, second only to the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

Famous Residents: Lots generally on the mature side, well established. The list includes Ronald and Nancy Reagan, Elizabeth Taylor, Art Linkletter, Michael Eisner, Sherry Lansing.

Buzz: “Very quiet place; works hard to stay that way,” said Steve Lukasik, president of the Bel-Air Association. Area was thrown into the spotlight in the 1980s when its most famous resident, Ronald Reagan, was president. The Hotel Bel-Air remains a quiet and smallish preserve of the very rich are routine (celebrity sightings at the elegant patio restaurant are daily events). Biggest issue for residents is traffic; Sunset Boulevard is the main southernmost artery and it’s routinely clogged with cars. Beverly Glen has become a major (and congested) route to and from the San Fernando Valley.

No. 4

Beverly Hills 90210

History: Originally part of the 45,000-acre Rancho Rodeo de las Aguas (“meeting place of the waters”) granted to Maria Rita Valdez de Villa in the 1820s. The “waters” were the streams flowing out of the mountains from present-day Coldwater and Benedict canyons. In 1906, Burton Green, a real estate agent from Beverly Farms, Mass. and head of the Rodeo Land and Water Co., acquired much of the rancho land and changed its name to Beverly Hills. Green then began laying out the street pattern for the flatlands, and in 1911, he built the Beverly Hills Hotel, which soon became a popular hangout for the first generation of stars in the nascent film industry. By the early 1920s, silent film actors Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and Harold Lloyd built mansions along Benedict Canyon. Post-World War II development of homes extended into the hillsides. Area remained mostly “old money” until the 1970s, when oil-rich sheiks were followed into the city by wealthy refugees from Iran.

Characteristics: About half of 90210 is in Beverly Hills and known as the “flats;” another portion on the north side of Sunset is in Beverly Hills, but the bulk of the hillside area is in the city of Los Angeles and known as Beverly

Hills Postal Area. The flats contain the world-famous tree-lined streets and large homes, while the hills have the famous gated mansions interspersed with smaller homes branching out from Benedict and Coldwater canyons. In 2003, more than 10 percent of home sales topped $3 million, highest in county. Also contains “Golden Triangle” shopping district, including Rodeo Drive. Residents a mixture of “old money,” Middle Eastern immigrants, newer generation film stars and financiers.

Famous Residents: Too many to count. Started with the likes of Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, W.C. Fields, Will Rogers, Clark Gable, Gloria Swanson, Cary Grant, etc Nowadays, stars constantly moving in or out. Also home to prominent business types, including supermarket magnate Ronald Burkle.

Buzz: Center of the region’s political universe when it comes to raising money, primarily for Democrats. At his Green Acres estate, Burkle has hosted fundraisers for former President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore and, most recently, for Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry netting the candidate $2 million. At local level, major shift took place last year with election of Jimmy Delshad as the first Iranian-born member of the Beverly Hills City Council. Residents spend a lot of time on the social and charitable events circuit. Area’s Hollywood types seen shopping and dining in Golden Triangle and eating at Spago. Golden Triangle area now undergoing facelife; locals grumbling about the inconvenience. Of course, the zip code was the title of the popular Fox series.

No. 5

Santa Monica 90402

History: Its name is derived from two land grants first recorded in 1839 San Vicente y Santa Monica and Boca de Santa Monica. Founded in 1875, the city was advertised as the “Zenith City by the Sunset Sea,” but it didn’t start growing until 1887 when the Arcadia Hotel was built at the terminus of a rail line to Los Angeles. Hollywood celebrities built homes there in the 1920s, and during Prohibition gambling ships anchored offshore. For more than 40 years, starting in 1930s, Douglas Aircraft Co. was one of the largest employers at what’s now Santa Monica Airport. The “People’s Republic of Santa Monica,” got its nickname from 1970s social activists who enacted rent control, capped building heights and spent heavily on services for the homeless.

Characteristics: Neighborhoods north of Montana Avenue to the Los Angeles border long have been pockets of wealth in a historically blue-collar town. Laid out on a grid, the blocks consist of a mix of mostly modest sized Spanish revival, ranch and modern homes. As owners began maxing out their buildings with additions in the 1990s, the city was one of the first to enact “Monster Mansion” ordinances to scale back home sizes. Larger mansions line San Vicente Boulevard and its side streets to the north. In March, residences fetched $857 a square foot, highest in Los Angeles County.

Famous Residents: Just open the pages of almost any gossip magazine. Hollywood celebrities, famous producers, directors and writers all reside here. Among them Jeff Bridges, Jamie Lee Curtis and Jane Fonda.

Buzz: Close-knit community. Many send their kids to Franklin Elementary, before packing them off to nearby private schools. The boutiques and bistros along Montana Avenue draw residents in droves, and there’s often a famous face at local shops. Biggest neighborhood issue is homebuyers tearing down older residences to build larger ones. The city tried to curb the practice, using historic designations, but homeowners united to block the effort.

No. 6

San Marino 91108

History: Developed on land that once was part of the Mission San Gabriel and later Rancho San Pascual, the first private home was built in San Marino in 1878. Benjamin “Don Benito” Wilson gave the land as a wedding gift to his daughter and her husband, James de Barth Shorb, who named it after his family’s Maryland estate, called San Marino. The ranch was later purchased by Henry E. Huntington, who developed the Pacific Electric Red Car system. His legacy, the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery, stands on the site of the Shorb home and remains the city’s most famous landmark. Incorporated in 1913, San Marino’s first mayor was George S. Patton Sr., father of the famous World War II general. Continues to be a haven for the very wealthy, especially with an influx of Asian entrepreneurs.

Characteristics: There are no chain-link fences, only wrought-iron gates in this 3.75 square mile manicured community. Phone numbers are difficult to find, even among some on the City Council. Known mostly for “old money” and corporate executives who want to live there anonymously. Average household income is $132,949, while the median 2003 household net worth is $341,513, third highest in L.A. County.

Famous Residents: Gemstar-TV Guide International founder Henry C. Yuen and Hollywood producer Stephen J. Cannell.

Buzz: Not exactly a place to show off. The City Council is considering an ordinance placing limits on signs on public properties, especially the median along Huntington Drive. Despite prosperity, city has struggled to get a new library and community center built. The city failed twice to get roughly $7 million in state funds for the library. A decision on a third attempt will be made in the next few months. Officials hope to complete a feasibility study on the community center later this year. The hot thing to do is stroll along the downtown retail and eating strip called the Mission District.

No. 7

Rancho Palos Verdes 90275

History: Enjoyed prosperity for a time in the early 1900s as a cattle ranch and farming area (2,000 head of cattle had roamed the open areas). Japanese families farmed the southern slopes with fields of beans, peas and tomatoes, while the manager of the cattle ranch planted the northern slopes with barley for hay and grain. In 1913, Frank A. Vanderlip, a New York bank president, bought the 16,000-acre peninsula. The real shaping of Rancho Palos Verdes came in 1953 when Great Lakes Carbon Corp. bought most of the undeveloped land, believing it could mine diatomaceous earth. Its plans were later discarded, and a group of well-known architects and engineers were hired to create a master plan to develop the property.

Characteristics: Rancho Palos Verdes, on the Peninsula’s southwest side, was incorporated on Sept. 7, 1973. Close to 41,000 residents live in a little more than 13.6 square miles. Its 7.5 miles of coastline feature striking topography, including Abalone Cove; beaches are protected by steep cliffs. It’s located on the southwest side of Palos Verdes Peninsula, bounded to the north by Redondo Beach and to the south by San Pedro. Other affluent cities on the peninsula include Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates and Palos Verdes Estates. The 2003 household median net worth is $307,797, sixth highest among L.A. communities.

Famous Residents: Developer Donald Trump plans a second home, but compared to other affluent communities in Southern California, the wealth is more anonymous. Many aerospace and oil executives from the surrounding South Bay communities live here.

Buzz: Trump wants to transform his Ocean Trails Golf Club here into a quasi-resort, with 113 luxury bungalows and 18 townhouses. But he has roiled some local residents. Two holes of the 18-hole course lay across local school property and were bound by a long-term lease when the course was purchased. Trump filed suit against the school district as part of his efforts to renegotiate better leasing terms. Other hot-button issues include traffic congestion and speeding. Options include narrowing of streets with roundabouts built in key roadways, along with adding speed bumps. The community also is seeking state and federal funding to buy 1,000 acres in the privately held Portuguese Bend Nature Preserve, and several million dollars to upgrade its aging storm drain and sewer system infrastructure.

No. 8

Brentwood 90049

History: Originally part of Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica. In 1905-06, town of Westgate formed along a new streetcar line. Around that time, Lancaster Brent took title to adjacent land along present-day San Vicente Boulevard and subdivided it. Area was annexed to the city of Los Angeles in 1916 to gain access to the water supply. Also around that time, the Brentwood Country Club opened. In the 1930s, Brentwood Village was developed as a commercial center. On Nov. 7, 1961, a Santa Ana wind-driven fire that had started in Bel-Air destroyed scores of homes. The following year came the suicide of Marilyn Monroe. In the decades that followed, lots of new money residents moved in, as did a lot of young, upwardly mobile singles. In June 1994, area was put on the map again with the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman and the subsequent trials of football star O.J. Simpson.

Characteristics: Bounded by Mulholland Drive on the north, the San Diego (405) Freeway and the Veterans Administration property on the east, Mandeville Canyon on the west, Santa Monica to the southwest and Wilshire Boulevard on the south. Northern part strictly single-family residential (7 percent of homes sold last year for more than $3 million, while median home resale value was $1.2 million). South of Sunset, mixture of apartments and single-family residential. San Vicente Boulevard contains the area’s two major commercial centers. Primarily apartment dwellings south of San Vicente. Mixture of wealthy families and political and business leaders in the single-family homes; lots of young, upwardly mobile singles in apartment sections. Primarily an area for new money. Very active politically: in 2003-04 presidential election cycle, Brentwood residents have given $2 million, second-highest amount in L.A. County.

Famous Residents: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, Rob Reiner, Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen, Richard Riordan, Arianna Huffington, Eli Broad.

Buzz: For most of the 1990s, the murders of Simpson and Goldman defined the community, despite best efforts of locals. More recently, Brentwood has become the new center of politics, starting with the nexus of former L.A. Mayor Richard Riordan and billionaire civic activist Eli Broad. In last year’s recall, three of the six major candidates claimed Brentwood as primary residence, including Schwarzenegger. Locals hang out in San Gennaro and Coral Tree caf & #233;s or go down to trendy restaurants on Santa Monica’s Montana Ave.

No. 9

Malibu 90265

History: For 4,000 years Malibu was home to a thriving Native American village of the Chumash; name is derived from Chumash word “Humaliwo,” meaning the surf sounds loudly. The tribe was gone well before 1802, when the area was deeded in a land grant to Spanish settler Jose Bartoleme Tapia. His descendants sold the parcel for $300,000 in 1891 to a wealthy New England family that zealously guarded it from encroachment, at one time hiring armed ranch hands to face down L.A. County officials who wanted to build a highway along the coast. After 17 years of litigation, the state won and the Pacific Coast Highway opened in June 1929. After the road opened, the family began leasing later selling parcels of land by Malibu Creek. Was an unincorporated portion of L.A. County until the community voted to become its own city in 1990.

Characteristics: Some of L.A.’s finest stretches of sand are along the Malibu coast. From the shore, Malibu stretches up steep, rocky cliffs to the borders of state and county parks and nature preserves. The land is rugged and during dry months the landscape’s natural chaparral ignites easily. Pepperdine University and Hughes Research labs, both located off Malibu Canyon Road, are the largest employers, though most of the 13,000 residents work elsewhere in the region.

Famous Residents: Billionaires David Geffen, co-founder of DreamWorks SKG; television and film producer Haim Saban; and Univision Communications Inc. Chairman A. Jerrold Perenchio have Malibu estates. Also, Barbra Streisand, Pierce Brosnan and Johnny Carson, to name just a few.

Buzz: Beachfront residents, such as Geffen and Streisand, clash with the Coastal Commission over giving access to the state-owned beaches in front of their homes. Large estates up the hill are mostly walled-off or have been built on private roads to keep out gawkers. In 1993 a firestorm starting in Calabasas swept through Malibu, consuming several hundred acres and burning down many homes. A smaller fire swept through Malibu in 2002, burning down several homes and buildings. Outside a small civic center, the city has no central downtown. Most businesses consist of small stores and chain outlets along PCH.

No. 10

Manhattan Beach 90266

History: In 1837, Antonio Ygnacio Avila obtained a land grant of 22,500 acres from Mexico known as the Rancho Sausol Redondo, later selling it to Sir Robert Burnett for sheep- and cattle-raising. Became popular with developers in the late 1800s and early 1900s; the two biggest were George Peck and John Merrill. Peck called his property Shore Acres and Merrill named his after his place of origin, the borough of Manhattan. They agreed that there should only be one name and a coin flip made Merrill the winner. City was incorporated on Dec. 2, 1912.

Characteristics: Known mostly for its beachfront and pier, although this city of 34,000 has a more suburban feel further inland. Close to the water, parking has always been a problem; there are 3.9 square miles within the city limits and 2.1 miles of beachfront. Parking improved with a new 460-space underground garage. On the street level, development has begun on a 38-room boutique hotel, restaurants and retail space. Also under construction is a complex for the fire and police departments, with a planned rebuild of the city’s Strand a two-mile oceanfront pedestrian walkway expected to begin this fall. The city is struggling to close a $700,000 budget deficit caused by the state budget crisis. The 2003 average median home price was $1.05 million.

Famous Residents: Scott Bakula, Pam Dawber, Jason Allison, Adam Deadmarsh, Milton Bradley, Deavan George, Luke Walton, Stanislav Medvedenko and Eric Karros.

Buzz: A big issue is “mansion-ization” as beach cottages are replaced with 4,000-square-foot modern homes. Tied for eighth in the county in highest median home resale value for 2003, at just above $1 million. Having raised more than $115 million from local bond measures in recent years, the Manhattan Beach Unified School District hasn’t been able to complete modernization projects that were promised, although overcrowding is not an issue for the 6,700-student district. Maintains a beach-casual style; locals like to hangout at the Kettle, a 24-hour coffee shop on Highland Avenue two blocks from the beach, or eat a light breakfast or lunch at Uncle Bill’s Pancake House, a small country breakfast and lunch eatery on 13th Street. Despite the added parking, summer weekends can be a madhouse.

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