It is the westernmost large housing project in the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) system, and contains 62 buildings and 601 apartments, some of which overlook Ballona Creek. In addition to housing units, the Gardens has athletic fields, handball courts, a gymnasium and a community center. A part-time health clinic is located inside the community center. As of 2020, it is a home for more than 1800 residents.[2]
Mar Vista Gardens, while not located in Culver City proper, has used a Culver City mailing address. When originally built, the area was home to primarily Caucasian families seeking affordable housing. By the 1960s, demographics of the project changed to a predominantly Latino residency. In the 1970s, Mar Vista Gardens saw the rise of the Culver City Boyz, an infamous Chicanostreet gang. In 2003, some of the Culver City Boyz had been expelled from public housing due to the implementation and enforcement of strict rules.[3] However, the gang remains active, as the constitutionality of the injunction has been tested. Alleged members of the gang settled a class action suit over the practice of enforcing curfews for suspected gang members with the City of Los Angeles for $30 million of job training and apprenticeships for members of the class action suit.[4][5][6]
In 2013, Mar Vista was part of a pilot project to allow free access to the Internet for residents in order to help close the digital divide.[7]
Springtime overnight rains runoff into La Ballona Creek in this picture taken from a kite. Mar Vista Gardens can be seen on the right as a cleanup crew works under the Inglewood Blvd. overpass.
