Jordan Downs facts for kids

Jordan Downs is a large apartment complex in Watts, Los Angeles, California. It has 700 units and is a type of public housing. The complex is right next to David Starr Jordan High School.

Jordan Downs has 103 buildings. These buildings offer townhouse-style homes. They range in size from one to five bedrooms. The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) owns and manages the complex.

The area where Jordan Downs is located was once a large farm. This farm grew vegetables for nearby communities. These communities included Watts, South Gate, and Lynwood. This was especially important during World War II.

History of Jordan Downs

Jordan Downs first opened in May 1944. It was built as temporary homes for people working during World War II. In the early 1950s, the Housing Authority changed it. It became a place for public housing. Jordan Downs officially opened for this purpose in 1955. This happened shortly after a new mayor, Norris Poulson, stopped new public housing projects in the city.

At first, people from different backgrounds lived in Jordan Downs. However, over time, most residents became African American. This change happened quickly by the mid-1960s. Many veterans who lived there moved out to buy their own homes. Also, many African Americans moved to areas like Watts. This was because these areas already had large African American populations.

Challenges and Changes (1960s-1980s)

Over the next few decades, places like Jordan Downs faced many challenges. Some people saw them as examples of people relying too much on government help. Others believed they showed problems like institutional racism. They also pointed to a lack of good education and jobs.

Many factory jobs in Los Angeles disappeared. This made it harder for people in the area to find work. When many people facing difficulties live close together, it can lead to problems. Jordan Downs was a key location during the 1965 Watts riots. After these events, the area received some government help. However, this help did not solve all the problems. By the 1970s and 1980s, there was less government money for public housing. This led to buildings like Jordan Downs becoming more run-down.

By the mid-1980s, Jordan Downs became known as a place where a street group called the Crips was active. In 1989, there was a plan to sell Jordan Downs. The idea was to bring in new money to improve the homes. However, residents and the Los Angeles City Council did not agree with the plan. It was eventually canceled.

Jordan Downs Today (1990s-Present)

In the early 1990s, Jordan Downs saw changes in its population. More Latin American families began to move in. This meant the community became more diverse. While mostly peaceful, there were sometimes small disagreements.

A specific group, the Grape Street Crips, was involved in important peace agreements. These agreements happened before and after the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Because of this, Jordan Downs was more peaceful through the 1990s. Later, there was a rise in group-related issues. However, police efforts in the late 2000s helped to reduce these problems.

Redevelopment Project

Jordan Downs is currently being rebuilt. The goal is to turn it into a modern urban village. This new village will have new apartment complexes. It will also include new restaurants, retail stores, and parks.

Media Appearances

The complex is shown in the movie Menace II Society.

Notable Residents

Many famous people have lived in Jordan Downs:

• Florence Griffith-Joyner — A famous American track and field athlete.
• 03 Greedo — A rapper.
• Tyrese Gibson — An actor.
• Isabell Masters — A candidate for President of the United States.

Emergency Services

Police Service

The Los Angeles Police Department helps keep the area safe. They operate the nearby Southeast Community Police Station [1].

Education for Residents

Students living in Jordan Downs attend schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District. These schools include:

• Florence Griffith-Joyner Elementary School (This school was once called 102nd Street Elementary School.)
• Markham Middle School
• Jordan High School

Fun Facts

• The video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas features a place like Jordan Downs. It is called Willowfield in the game's city of Los Santos.