We’ve managed a bunch of buildings in gentrifying areas of LA for a long time, and I can tell you with a high degree of certainty that property crime (theft, tagging, etc.) has gone up markedly over the past few years.
Most recently, we have a building where cars have been broken into in the parking garage three times in six weeks.
I know there is a lot of talk about reducing the size of the prison population by reducing the length of sentences, having more people on parole instead of in jail, etc.
But I believe this is a major mistake, because it means more criminals on the street making life miserable for everyone else.
The rebirth that all major American cities are experiencing right now is totally dependent upon residents feeling safe. Everything else, including cultural opportunities, cuisine, walkability, etc., is secondary. If people do not feel safe in their homes and neighborhoods, then they will opt to live in the suburbs, where they don’t have to worry.
In LA, like all major cities, we have a small percentage of the population that is incapable of refraining from destroying or taking other peoples’ property. That small segment needs to be systematically identified, found, arrested, and stashed in jail.
Otherwise, all of the gains cities have made over the past generation are at risk.