PACOIMA FROM DEINDUSTRIALIZATION TO GRASSROOTS RENEWAL Pacoima is a San Fernando Valley community in the northern part of the City of Los Angeles. The origins of Pacoima’s name are traced to the Tongva, a California Indian Tribe known historically as the San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians, who occupied the land of the Los Angeles region. The neighborhood has a rich history with various economic trends that have impacted demographic composition, land use policies, development strategies, and community formation. Despite its history as a suburban community with a fluctuating demographic base, Pacoima has remained a solidly bluecollar, working-class neighborhood since its annexation by the City of Los Angeles in 1915.1
Following World War II, the African-American community settled in Pacoima as part of the second Great Migration from the South. In post-war California, communities were segregated and the racial covenants that restricted certain populations from buying property were attached to housing tracts and mortgage loans; this made it difficult for African-Americans to secure housing in many parts of Los Angeles. Pacoima, however, was not one of those communities. In addition, Pacoima was an attractive suburban area for blue-collar workers because of its close proximity to factories like Lockheed Martin in Burbank and General Motors in Van Nuys. Workers were attracted to the location because of the transportation ease provided by the construction of the I-5 freeway. FIGURE 1: PACOIMA ARTWORK
Currently the neighborhood has a mix of single-family home developments, highdensity apartment complexes, combined with both commercial and industrial land uses along some of its major corridors.2 Recent research shows that a significant number of single family homes in the area have informally or formally transformed into multi-family units, with home garage conversions and add-ons or extensions becoming quite common, contributing to a hidden density that is not always measured by traditional data gathering. 3 Pacoima’s journey as an economic hub began in 1877 when Jouett Allen purchased 1,000 acres of land from then Senator Charles Maclay.4 Allen’s land was located between the Pacoima and Tujunga wash and his territory was partially used to build a path for the Southern Pacific Railroad, which later included the company’s site for a large brick passenger station. Construction of the rail facilities became the earliest business centered infrastructure projects that launched a history of major economic trends in Pacoima. In 1916, the Pacoima Chamber of Farmers was established, which is presently the Pacoima Chamber of Commerce, an organization dedicated to the growing business community. For many years, the fertile soil produced abundant crops of olives, peaches, apricots, oranges and lemons. As a result of the opening of the Los Angeles Aqueduct, the new supply of water greatly increased the number of orchards, farms and poultry in the area.
PACOIMA
This painting, by local artist Kristy Sandoval, depicts Pacoima’s history from its agricultural roots through industrialization and the arrival of rail lines and heavy industry.
FROM DEINDUSTRIALIZATION TO GRASSROOTS RENEWAL
56
