Special Report: Moving to the Valley : Newcomers Arrive on Wave of Hope

They’ve come, despite the closing aerospace plants, crime and languishing public schools. They’ve come, despite graffiti, gloomy news reports and streets lined with For Sale signs.

Bucking the trend in recession-dogged Los Angeles, people are still moving to the San Fernando Valley.

And while old-timers complain of the Valley’s demise, these newcomers still see the promise of a better life here. They’ve defied the common wisdom and come here to buy homes, open businesses, flee from crime and start anew amid the Valley’s fast-changing ethnic mix.

And while those leaving the Southland still garner much of the publicity, those who are just arriving have something to say as well.

These pages represent a view of the Valley through the eyes of people who arrived during the past year--what they like and what they don’t like about their new home, and what they hope to make of its future.