View Park−Windsor Hills is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...

Los Angeles County, California Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles and sometimes abbreviated as LA County, is the List of United States counties and county equivalents, most populous county in the United States, with 9,663,345 residents estimated in 202 ...

. The View Park neighborhood is the community surrounding Angeles Vista Boulevard and the Windsor Hills neighborhood is on the southern end to the north of Slauson Avenue. View Park−Windsor Hills is one of the wealthiest primarily

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

neighborhoods in the United States. The two neighborhoods are part of a band of neighborhoods, from

Culver City Culver City is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,779. It is mostly surrounded by Los Angeles, but also shares a border with the unincorporated area of Ladera Heights to the ea ...

's Fox Hills district on the west to the Los Angeles neighborhood of

Leimert Park Leimert Park (; ) is a neighborhood in the South Los Angeles region of Los Angeles, California. Developed in the 1920s as a mainly residential community, it features Spanish Colonial Revival homes and tree-lined streets. The Life Magazine/Leim ...

on the east, that comprise one of the wealthiest geographically contiguous historically black communities in the

Western United States The Western United States (also called the American West, the Western States, the Far West, the Western territories, and the West) is List of regions of the United States, census regions United States Census Bureau. As American settlement i ...

. This corridor also includes the neighborhood of Baldwin Hills and the unincorporated community of Ladera Heights. It was developed between 1923 and 1970. While the neighborhood is still predominantly

, the area is undergoing a demographic shift as new homeowners (mostly

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

or Asian families), who work in nearby

Downtown Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA) is the central business district of the city of Los Angeles. It is part of the Central Los Angeles region and covers a area. As of 2020, it contains over 500,000 jobs and has a population of roughly 85,000 residents ...

Santa Monica Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...

and other job hub areas are moving into the neighborhood. Per the 2020 census, the population of View Park-Windsor Hills was 11,419.

History

View Park

View Park was developed between 1923 and 1970 an upper-class neighborhood by the same developers as Hancock Park, the Los Angeles Investment Company. It is one of the wealthiest African-American areas in the United States. It contains a collection of houses and mansions in the Spanish Colonial Revival Style, Spanish Colonial, Mid Century and Mediterranean Revival Style architecture, most of which remain today. View Park architecture features the work of many notable architects, such as the Los Angeles Investment Company, Postle & Postle, R. F. Ruck, Paul Haynes, Leopold Fischer, H. Roy Kelley, Raphael Soriano, Charles W. Wong, Robert Earl, M.C. Drebbin, Vincent Palmer, Theodore Pletsch and Homer C. Valentine. It is also rumored that renowned African American architect Paul Williams had built several homes in View Park. The only documented Paul Williams home is located at 4351 Mount Vernon Drive.

Windsor Hills

Windsor Hills was developed in the late 1930s by Marlow-Burns Development Company. It was the first subdivision in Southern California for which the newly created

Federal Housing Administration The Federal Housing Administration (FHA), also known as the Office of Housing within the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), is a Independent agencies of the United States government, United States government agency founded by Pr ...

provided

mortgage insurance Mortgage insurance (also known as mortgage guarantee and home-loan insurance) is an insurance policy which compensates lenders or investors in mortgage-backed securities for losses due to the default of a mortgage loan. Mortgage insurance can be ...

. It also contains a collection of houses and mansions in the Spanish Colonial Revival Style, minimal traditional and Mediterranean Revival Style architecture. African-Americans were forbidden to live in either area until the

Supreme Court In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

's invalidation of racial

restrictive covenant A covenant, in its most general and covenant (historical), historical sense, is a solemn promise to engage in or refrain from a specified action. Under historical English common law, a covenant was distinguished from an ordinary contract by the ...

s in 1948.

Geography

Climate

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the CDP has a total area of , all land. The region has a

warm-summer Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

Demographics

For statistical purposes, the

has defined View Park−Windsor Hills as a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...

(CDP). The census definition of the area may not precisely correspond to local understanding of the area. As of end of 2020, View Park-Windsor hills ranks #1 among top 10 richest Black communities in U.S., with an average family income of $159,168.

2020 census

Arts and culture

National Register of Historic Places

On July 12, 2016, View Park was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

, an initiative led by View Park Conservancy in which almost 700 View Park residents donated over $100,000 to complete the historic work needed to complete the neighborhood's nomination. View Park is the largest National Register historic district in the country based on

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

and county history, and the largest in California in terms of total property owners.

Library

Library services are provided by the County of Los Angeles Public Library View Park Library. The library is named for the late writer Bebe Moore Campbell, a community resident.

Landmarks

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential musicians in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Gen ...

Residence at 4863 Southridge Avenue. The home was built in 1965. *The Googie-style Wich Stand now known as Simply Wholesome is located at Slauson Avenue and Overhill Avenue.
The Doumakes House
The first historic landmark in unincorporated LA County at Angeles Vista Blvd and West Blvd.

Parks and recreation

View Park-Windsor Hills has a main

park A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urban green space, green spaces set aside for recreation inside t ...

called Rueben Ingold Park. The park opened on August 17, 1971, and is adjacent to Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area with the newly Stocker Trail Corridor pathway to connect the two. Residents also use the Valley Ridge Avenue hill for exercising.

Government

The

Los Angeles County Department of Health Services Health Services Los Angeles County, officially the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, operates the public hospitals and clinics in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County and is the United States' second largest municip ...

SPA 6 South Area Health Office Ruth-Temple Health Center in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

, serves View Park-Windsor Hills. In the

state legislature A state legislature is a Legislature, legislative branch or body of a State (country subdivision), political subdivision in a Federalism, federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of ...

View Park−Windsor Hills is located in the 28th

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

District, represented by Democrat Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, and in the 55th Assembly District, represented by Democrat Isaac Bryan. Federally, View Park−Windsor Hills is located in California's 37th congressional district, which is represented by Democrat Sydney Kamlager-Dove.

Education

Schools

The CDP community is within the

Los Angeles Unified School District Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is a State school, public school district in Los Angeles County, California, United States of America. It is the largest public school system in California in terms of number of students and the List ...

. A portion is also within the Inglewood Unified School District.View Park Windsor Hills CDP, California
."

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

. Retrieved on March 22, 2010. Several elementary schools serve the LAUSD portion of community are as follows: * 54th Street Elementary School (K-5) (View Park) * Cowan Elementary School (1–5) * Windsor Math/Science/Aerospace Magnet, 5215 Overdale Drive. (K-5, zoned only for Kindergarten) (Windsor Hills) All areas in LAUSD are zoned to: *Audubon Middle School * Crenshaw High School * View Park Preparatory High School Some areas are jointly zoned to Audubon Middle School and Daniel Webster Middle School Some areas are jointly zoned to Audubon Middle School, Orville Wright Middle School, and Palms Middle School. Some areas are jointly zoned to Crenshaw High School and Westchester High School. View Park Preparatory High School also serves as the center school for the View Park neighborhood. The school is an urban preparatory school partnered with LAUSD.

Infrastructure

Police services

Criminal Law Enforcement Services including patrol are provided by the

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD), officially the County of Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, is a law enforcement agency serving Los Angeles County, California. LASD is the largest sheriff's department in the United States a ...

out of the Marina Del Rey station with a substation in the Ladera shopping center. Deputy Sheriffs also perform traffic enforcement and are often first on scene to vehicle accidents and Fire/EMS calls. As an unincorporated area, Traffic Law Enforcement Services are provided by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) out of the West LA Area Office in Culver City. The Los Angeles Unified School District Police has jurisdiction on the areas LAUSD elementary school campuses.

Fire/EMS services

Fire and EMS services are provided by the

Los Angeles County Fire Department The Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) provides firefighting and emergency medical services for the unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County, California, as well as 59 cities through Contract city, contracting, including the city of ...

Station 58 (Engine and Medic unit) and Station 38 (Engine).

Surrounding agencies

The Los Angeles City Fire Department and Culver City Fire Department border this area. The Los Angeles, Inglewood, Inglewood School District, and Culver City Police Departments border this area.

Notable people

View Park-Windsor Hills has been home to numerous actors, athletes, Filmmakers and musicians, including: * Ermias Joseph Asghedom, known professionally as Nipsey Hussle * Angelle Brooks, actress * Charles Burnett, filmmaker and director *

Laphonza Butler Laphonza Romanique Butler ( ; born May 11, 1979) is an American labor union official and former politician who served as an interim United States Senate, United States senator from California from 2023 to 2024. Butler began her career as a union ...

, US Senator and former president of EMILY's List * Bebe Moore Campbell, novelist *

, (1930–2004) Singer *

Doria Ragland Doria Loyce Ragland (born September 2, 1956) is an American social worker. She is the mother of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and the ex-wife of American retired television lighting director and director of photography Thomas Markle Sr. Ragland ho ...

, mother of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex *

James Cleveland James Edward Cleveland (December 5, 1931 – February 9, 1991) was an American gospel singer, musician, and composer. Known as the "King of Gospel," Cleveland was a driving force behind the creation of the modern gospel sound by incorporating ...

(1931–1991), gospel singer, arranger, composer *

Michael Cooper Michael Jerome Cooper (born April 15, 1956), nicknamed "Coop", is an American basketball coach and former player. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers during his entire career in the National Basketball Association (NBA), winning five NBA champ ...

, former NBA player and WNBA head coach *

Loretta Devine Loretta Devine (born August 21, 1949) is an American actress. She is known for numerous roles across stage and screen. Her most high profile roles include Lorrell Robinson in the original Broadway production of ''Dreamgirls'' (1981), Gloria Mat ...

, actress *

Curt Flood Curtis Charles Flood Sr. (January 18, 1938 – January 20, 1997) was an American professional baseball center fielder and activist. He played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Redlegs, St. Louis Cardinals, and Washin ...

, former professional baseball player * Lita Gaithers,

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

-nominated playwright, singer/songwriter *

Jester Hairston Jester Joseph Hairston (July 9, 1901 – January 18, 2000) was an American composer, songwriter, arranger, choral conductor and actor. He was regarded as a leading expert on black spirituals and choral music. His notable compositions include " A ...

, composer, arranger, and actor * Lisa Gay Hamilton, actress * Louis Johnson, baseball player * Robert Kardashian, attorney *

Regina King Regina Rene King (born January 15, 1971) is an American actress, director and producer. She has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and four Primetime Emmy Awards. In 2019, ''Time'' magazine named her o ...

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

-winning actress and television director *

Mike Love Michael Edward Love (born March 15, 1941) is an American singer and songwriter who is one of the vocalists of the Beach Boys, of which he was an original member alongside his cousins Brian Wilson, Dennis Wilson, and Carl Wilson and their frien ...

, musician, founding member of the Beach Boys * Stan Love (basketball), former NBA player, brother of Mike Love *

Marilyn McCoo Marilyn McCoo (born September 30, 1943) is an American singer, actress, and television presenter, who is best known for being the lead female vocalist in the group the 5th Dimension as well as hosting the 1980s music television show '' Solid Gol ...

, singer *

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (; born Rachel Meghan Markle, August 4, 1981) is an American member of the British royal family, media personality, entrepreneur, and former actress. She is married to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, the younger son ...

, retired actress, member of the British Royal Family * Issa Rae, writer, actress, and television producer * Leslie Sykes,

KABC-TV KABC-TV (channel 7) is a television station in Los Angeles, California, United States, serving as the West Coast flagship station of the ABC network. Owned and operated by the network's ABC Owned Television Stations division, the station mai ...

news co-anchor *

Ike & Tina Turner Ike & Tina Turner was an American musical duo consisting of husband-and-wife Ike Turner and Tina Turner. From 1960 to 1976, they performed live as the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, supported by the Kings of Rhythm and backing vocalists, the Ikettes. ...

, recording duo * Clara Ward, (1924–1973) gospel singer * Dave Waymer, NFL football player *

Gerald Wilson Gerald Stanley Wilson (September 4, 1918 – September 8, 2014) was an American jazz trumpeter, big band bandleader, composer, arranger, and educator. Born in Mississippi, he was based in Los Angeles from the early 1940s. He arranged music for D ...

, jazz composer, arranger, conductor * Nancy Wilson, vocalist

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:View Park-Windsor Hills, California Census-designated places in Los Angeles County, California Baldwin Hills (mountain range) 1920s establishments in California Census-designated places in California Populated places established in the 1920s South Los Angeles