L.A.'s Demise Greatly Exaggerated

Joel Kotkin examines Los Angeles in the decade following the 1992 riots. L.A. is still not a paradise, but it's better.

1 minute read

April 29, 2002, 9:00 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"A decade ago, it was Los Angeles noir, all the time. As the city reeled from rioting, most media, business and academic leaders, from far right to far left, seemed united in the belief that Los Angeles epitomized what was bad about U.S. cities... Well, it's not a stretch to say that Los Angeles, overall, is a better place today than it was a decade ago. "

Thanks to Nathan Banks

Sunday, April 28, 2002 in The Los Angeles Times

portrait of professional woman

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