According to my father, Los Angeles was a great city when he moved there in the 1933. The word “smog” did not exist. There was great public transportation, good economy, jobs in the oil industry etc. The place went to hell after World War II. The war brought “diversity” to the city.
“The place went to hell after World War II. The war brought “diversity” to the city.”
Ditto for the Bay Area. Grew up in Contra Costa in the ‘50’s. Even then, no one went to Richmond. Kaiser Shipbuilding and Ford supported the War and the labor came from principally the South. When the war ended, the “immigrants” stayed on even though there wasn’t much for them to do except build a ghetto, knock out illegitimate kids, and take welfare. I remember when they sued the welfare agencies to stop the “unannounced” visits, because it screwed up their ability to move the kids around so they could get more money. Still pretty much the same today, except that they have an “indian casino.”