Hawaiian Gardens gives thanks for its unusual name to a creative fruit stand owner who erected a bamboo shack and covered it with palm leaves. The refreshment stand was a main landmark in the area at that time, and as the town grew, the name just stuck.
Hawaiian Gardens is the smallest city in California's Los Angeles County, counting only 14,254 people during the 2010 census
Hawaiian Gardens gives thanks for its unusual name to a creative fruit stand owner who erected a bamboo shack and covered it with palm leaves. The refreshment stand was a main landmark in the area at that time, and as the town grew, the name just stuck.
Hawaiian Gardens is the smallest city in California's Los Angeles County, counting only 14,254 people during the 2010 census. The city was incorporated in 1964 and nowadays its main source of income comes from the Hawaiian Gardens Casino, so if you are a professional poker player or luck is always on your side, this is the place to be. If you want to take a scenic drive through the city, you need to drive slowly and look carefully if you don't want miss anything, as this city spans only one square mile of land and you will be through it before you know it. Finding housing for rent in Hawaiian Gardens is not too hard, but it may require some planning and research.
Availability
A slight majority of all residential properties in Hawaiian Gardens are occupied by tenants, which means that at least half of all of these properties should become available at some point. However, it still doesn't mean that there is a large variety of rentals available. According to 2010 census data, only about 3% of these properties are available for rent at any given time, so you could encounter some stiff competition from other tenants.
Size
Hawaiian Gardens has a variety of different types of housing, so you should be able to find anything from a studio to a four-bedroom unit. However, two-bedroom apartments or a condo for rent are easiest to find, with 53 percent of all properties in the area being two-bedroom units. Three-bedroom units are also quite abundant, but studio and one-bedroom apartments are few and far between. If you have your heart set on finding a place in Hawaiian Gardens quickly, your best bet would be to look for two-bedroom apartments. If you really don't have the money for a bigger place, you can always try and recruit a roommate who would be willing to put up with all of your quirks in order to save some money and split the rent.
Rental Costs
Compared to the rest of California, rent in Hawaiian Gardens is very reasonable. Residents pay rental rates that are about 10 percent lower than the average for California. However, folks from the rest of America may not agree, as the average rent for Hawaiian Gardens is still 35 percent higher than the national average.
Being Los Angeles County's smallest city, Hawaiian Gardens has just two main neighborhoods. Within these neighborhoods, however, there's quite a bit to see and do.
Belshire Avenue / 222nd Street: This is very much a residential area with houses and apartment blocks. Some professional businesses are found along N. Norwalk Blvd., and this is also where residents can catch a bus. Lee Ware Park is situated in this area, which features a lovely recreation center geared to entertain and educate. The recreation center offers classes, arts, games, sport activities, computer access, tutoring, and even help with homework. The center also arranges interesting excursions every now and then.
City Center: The City Center is the hot spot for the shopaholics of Hawaiian Gardens. Most businesses can be found along N. Norwalk Boulevard, with a large Walmart situated at its corner with Carson Street. Both these streets have plenty of bus stops, making things easy for shoppers from other areas. You will be able to find some delicious eats here -- apparently San Pedro's Tacos are the best in the county and Wienerschnitzel has great German food. Those in the mood for some fun in the sun can head to Pioneer Park or Clarksdale Park, of which the latter is the largest. Clarksdale Park is a haven for skaters and basketball players, but it also has a water park for those who are fond of getting wet.
Hawaiian Gardens has had quite a face-lift recently. The city council, residents, and local businesses have been working together for the past decade or so to improve the services to and the quality of life of the people of Hawaiian Gardens. Local shop fronts have been upgraded, recreation facilities have been expanded, and law enforcement has been tightened. Local parks and roads have also been improved.
Although there is a decent bus system that allows residents to commute to other cities in the vicinity, people from Hawaiian Gardens seem to prefer taking their own cars. It takes most residents about 30 minutes or less to get to work, and they prefer having their own wheels. After you get tired driving around, head over to Julian's Mexican Food Restaurant or Valentino's Pizzeria for some grub.
The fruit stand may be gone, but Hawaiian Gardens is still a great place to live. It's a community that works together with its citizens to create a better city.
