Rural Living Combines With L.A. Proximity : Sunland: Small-town atmosphere, safety attract families while equestrians are drawn by zoning that permits horses.
When Ken and Sally Bonebrake decided to move to a new house rather then remodel their 900-square-foot home in North Hollywood, they selected Sunland.
“We got the most value for our money plus a convenient location,” Ken Bonebrake explained.
For $250,000, they purchased a four-bedroom, three-bath, 1,850-square-foot California ranch-style house in move-in condition. He is an orchestra librarian for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and appreciates the 25-minute commute to downtown Los Angeles.
“I drive in for morning rehearsals, come back home in the afternoon, and return for night performances,” he explained.
Sally Bonebrake, a free-lance musician, works at home. She is originally from the Midwest and the small-town atmosphere of Sunland attracted her. They also wanted to remain in the Los Angeles Unified School District because their 8-year-old son, Tim, attends a gifted magnet school in North Hollywood.
“I like the diversity of people and lifestyles here,” Tim added. “It’s a good mix of old BMWs and pick-up trucks.”
Sunland is a foothill community located in the Tujunga Valley. It is bordered by Tujunga on the east and Sun Valley on the west, and is flanked by the San Gabriel Mountains to the north and the Verdugo Hills on the south.
“Sunland is one of the few areas in Los Angeles where housing is still affordable,” said Laury Woods, of Rossmoyne Realty.
Consisting mainly of single family residences, Sunland’s housing prices start at $150,000 for a 1,000-square-foot or less two-bedroom, one-bath house in move-in condition. Prices range to $900,000 for a 5,200-square-foot contemporary house. The average price is $200,000 for a 1,200-square-foot house with three bedrooms and two baths.
Sunland, which is mainly a residential community of about 26,000 people, consists of varied types of properties--ranging from California ranch-style houses, small bungalows, stone houses, horse ranches, to newly constructed contemporary houses. There are a small number of apartment buildings.
Foothill Boulevard is the commercial center containing shops, stores and a number of automobile related businesses.
Many of the properties north of Foothill are zoned for horses. Riverwood Ranch, near the Tujunga Wash, is a private, secluded area where each house is equipped with a stable.
The primary horse region is the west part of Sunland, called Shadow Hills, where lot sizes begin at one-half acre.
Sunland had been famous for its pure air, in part attributable to the 1,500-foot elevation. Early Gabrielino Indians suffering from respiratory problems sought the clean air of the region.
At the turn of the century, the region, which was first called Monte Vista, consisted primarily of olive and peach orchards, vineyards and ranches. A number of the original olive trees still remain.
The chaparral-covered hills were popular film settings for early movies. Some of the leading stars of the time built summer cottages in Tujunga Canyon.
Sunland became part of the city of Los Angeles in 1926. “Supposedly, it was for water, but the region didn’t get any L.A. water until nearly 30 years later,” commented Sara Lombard, past president of the Little Landers Historical Society (Little Landers was the early name for Tujunga). “It was understood that Sunland residents would rather be part of Los Angeles than nearby Tujunga.”
“There had been a longstanding rivalry between residents of Sunland and adjacent Tujunga,” explained Tom Theobald, a former postmaster and long-time area resident. “Sunland residents looked down on the early settlers of Tujunga because they regarded themselves as more educated. Tujunga had been promoted as a place where you could buy a lot, bring a shovel, and build your own stone house.”
Sunland remained a sleepy little town that didn’t even offer city postal delivery until after World War II when the Southern California housing boom hit. Tract houses were constructed south of Foothill Boulevard.
Seymour and Frances Friedman bought one of the first of these houses in 1953.
“We were living in Brooklyn, New York, but my wife had asthma and our doctor advised us to move here because of the clean air,” Seymour explained.
“This was the first house I ever bought, and it will be my last because there’s no other place I want to live,” he added. “Sunland is a nice, quiet town. I love the fresh air and seeing the sun on the mountains.”
An avid walker, he’s on the streets at 5:30 each morning. “I’m not alone. There are lots of people walking and jogging.”
Friedman owns the Brooklyn Bagel Bakery Co. in downtown Los Angeles, and also likes the convenience of a short commute.
Frances Friedman, however, has a complaint with Sunland.
“There aren’t any major department stores here and we have to go into the Valley or Glendale for a lot of our shopping,” she commented.
When Sunland was being developed in the 1880s, the town fathers set aside an area of land and dedicated it as a public park in perpetuity. Sunland Park now plays a major role in the community and is the setting for Little League softball games, a senior citizens’ recreation center, tennis courts and other recreation features. The annual July 4 parade and festivities held at the park attract numerous residents.
Its residents feel safe in Sunland, and although crime is increasing, as it is throughout Los Angeles, the crime rate is relatively low. There’s more concern about the local coyotes and rattlesnakes than criminals.
“There are some gang problems emerging, mainly in the areas bordering Sun Valley and Tujunga,” said Officer Glen Younger of the Foothill Division, LAPD. “But because Sunland has a strong sense of community, Neighborhood Watch programs are very effective.”
The main problems involve narcotics, car thefts and burglaries. Sunland residents are also concerned with anti-growth issues, and three local community associations address the issues of zoning and overcrowding of a region they want to see remain rural.
The crime rate is practically nonexistent in Shadow Hills. Technically part of Sunland, it has its own designation because most of the properties are zoned for horse keeping and the minimum lot size is one-half acre.
“There are 1,100 homes in Shadow Hills, according to the Shadow Hills Property Owners Assn., and about 90% of them contain horses,” explained Judy Trujillo, a Shadow Hills resident and realtor with Watkins, Winslow. “It’s probably safe to say that there are more horses than people living in Shadow Hills.”
Prices range from $250,000 to $2 million for a Shadow Hills residence, but the average price is $350,000.
First time home-buyer Dale Gibson chose Shadow Hills because he could keep his horses on his own property.
“I’m a stunt rider and professional rodeo rider, and this is a great location for me,” he explained.
He purchased his two-bedroom house for $400,000 in July. Located on three-quarters of an acre, it contains a six-stall barn, six pipe corrals, riding ring and hay storage facility.
“Everything I need is here,” he added, citing the many miles of trails through the nearby Hansen Dam Recreational Area and adjacent Angeles National Forest, and the Foothill (210) Freeway accessibility as added bonuses.
“Since I work in the movie industry, I wanted to be near Hollywood.”
While most of the Shadow Hills residents are horse enthusiasts, some people choose to live in the area for other reasons.
Bob and Gail Boatwright bought their 3,000-square-foot house on a half-acre in 1970.
“We had been living just five minutes away in Lake View Terrace, and decided to move here because we felt it was one of the safest places to raise our two children,” Gail explained. “It offered very rural living while still being very close to the attractions of Los Angeles.”
The Boatwrights chose to put their land to a colorful use, and grow more than 600 rose bushes in their extensive gardens. The bushes thrive with the abundance of natural fertilizer so readily available from accommodating horse neighbors.
At a Glance Population
1991 estimate: 31,703
1980-91 change: +10.2%
Median age: 34.2 years
Annual income
Per capita: 21,383
Median household: 53,308
Household distribution
Less than $25,000: 20.7%
$25,000 - $50,000: 26/2%
$50,000 - $75,000: 24%
$75,000 - $100,000: 15.3%
$100,000 + 13.8%
