City, Orange County
© McCormack's Guides
Zip Codes: 92605, 92615, 92646, 92647, 92648, 92649
The
largest beach city in Orange
County. About eight miles of shoreline, much of it state park. Called locally, “Surf
City” or “HB.” High school has a surfing team. City honors “wave legends” in
the Surfing Walk of Fame. Population 201,993. www.mccormacks.com
Originally
built for the middle class, Huntington Beach now attracts many upper-middle
families. Considered a desirable address and, in places, a prestige address.
School scores are generally high, crime low.
Orange
County has many cities that show a high level of residential affection in the
form of well-maintained homes and lawns. Huntington Beach enthusiastically
follows in this tradition. It’s a nice-looking, clean town.
Click for regional or detailed map
Although
many homes are miles from the shore, the Pacific atmosphere pervades the town.
On almost any weekend morning and evening, many residents will be found walking
or jogging or bicycling along the shore.
As an old, established city,
Huntington Beach has had decades to build up its parks and amenities and school
programs. A large park sits in the middle of the city and spins off into
park-corridor that leads down to the shore.
Served by
Huntington Beach, Ocean View, Fountain Valley and Westminster elementary
districts and Huntington Beach High School District. Scores bounce all over but
many are in the 70th to 90th percentile. See Schools.
In 2002,
HB Elementary passed a $30 million renovation bond and in 2004, the high school
district passed a $238 million bond for renovations. Private group raised funds
to replace pool at Huntington Beach High. New gyms at four middle schools:
Spring View, Mesa View, Marine View, Vista View. www.mccormacks.com
In 2005,
money problems at HB elementary district forced closing of Kettler Elem. and
redrawing of attendance boundaries. If finances don't improve, another school
might be closed.
Fountain Valley Elementary district, also beset by money woes,
sold eight acres (playing fields) of two closed schools to the City of HB and
the rest and a third school to developers. Money used for salaries and
programs.
One
homicide in 2005, six in 2004, three homicides each in 2003 and 2002. For
preceding years, zero, zero, five, zero, five, zero, eight, five, three, eight,
six. See Crime.
The state
in 2008 counted 78,007 housing units, of which 38,581 were single detached,
9,467 single attached, 26,818 multiples and 3,141 mobile homes.
Census
placed 25 percent of residents under age 21. Median age of residents is 36.
Translation: middle-aged town with many empty nesters. In housing units, 61
percent are owner occupied, 39 percent rented.
Incorporated
as a city in 1909, Huntington Beach slept through the first half of the 20th
century, the chief excitement coming from oil discovered in fields near the
shore. This boomed the town until Depression halved oil prices. www.mccormacks.com
In the
1950s, the suburban wave that was to sweep over the county lapped at Huntington
Beach but the city’s great expansion did not come until the 1960s and 1970s. In
those two decades, about 70 percent of the city’s current housing stock was
erected.
By this
time, a move-up market had been created in the county. People took the equity
out of their first (and often smaller) homes in other towns and plunked it down
on something bigger and better. Also by this time, the local governments were
becoming more adept at planning.
Huntington
Beach is divided east-west and north-south by arterial streets that generally
form squares. Inside these squares, surrounded by walls, are the housing
tracts. Access to the tracts is restricted to six or eight entrances. This
shields the residential streets from the arterial traffic. Almost every “square”
contains either a park or a school that doubles as a park. The homes will be
either three-or four-bedroom, one- or two-story.
The 1970s
tracts tend to have larger homes than the 1960s tracts. You can date the
housing often by the presence of utility lines. The older tracts run them above
ground in back of homes, the newer bury them.
In the
Sixties, a gingerbread type style caught on for a while, reminiscent of
something out of a fairy tale. Also popular at this time was the offset garage.
When you pulled into the driveway, the garage was set at angle to your left,
and your home was directly in front. www.mccormacks.com
Now you
pull into your driveway and move straight ahead into the garage. Some tracts
mix all these styles, and all tracts mix one- and two-story structures. All
tracts show much attention to lawns and landscaping but some do it better than
others.
Along
Beach Boulevard and down by the shore many apartments and townhouse complexes
have sprouted.
At the west end of the city, you’ll find a large marina
development, Huntington Harbor, mostly custom homes built along the shore or on
islands. Great situations: you step from your small back yard into your yacht.
Toward the center shore is a country-club subdivision, with homes looking at the
18-hole golf course.
After much
arguing, the city in 1990s allowed construction of Seacliff, a gated community,
parts of which have ocean views. Seacliff pushed the town's demographics way up
the scale, and this will probably boost scores. Plaza with large supermarket,
restaurants and stores was built near Seacliff.
The old
town with its cottages and bungalows and apartments is split by 17th Street and
by Main Street. Much remodeling.
When a home is torn down it is often replaced by something much bigger. In
style, the old town travels along the graceful lines of the 1920s and 1930s.
Huntington
Beach High School with its campanile, spacious grounds and art deco look is a
marked contrast to modern Marina High School on the other side of town. The
older school has opened a “school within a school” for performing arts. www.mccormacks.com
The city
has spruced up the downtown and made it more attractive: restaurants, sidewalk
dining, shops, a long pier, hotels, including a Hilton and a luxurious Hyatt.
Farmers Market and craft show Fridays. Restrooms, parking lot rebuilt; palm
trees planted. In some years, Huntington Beach attracts 15 million visitors,
including 300,000 for 10-day surfing contest.
Oil still
flows in a large swath of land along Garfield Avenue and to its west. Taxes
from the oil fund some city services. Many of the pumps have been buried or
camouflaged.
Fifty-eight
parks, 8.5 miles of shore, wetlands, art center, surf museum, equestrian
center, seniors center, 72 tennis courts, horse and hiking trails, restaurants,
movies, marina, golf course, ice-roller skating rinks (hockey for kids and
adults), four libraries, many activities for kids and adults through city and
schools. Usual sports. Golden West Community College; many classes, big plus.
Two skateboard parks. Annual marathon, one of the world's fastest because of
the flat terrain.
Fourth of
July festivities attract thousands and in the past, with drinking and
carousing, got out of hand for a few years. Now police turn out in force and
the city has declared the downtown a “no-drinking” zone. Another big event, the
Beach Games, draws 200,000.
Central
library was overhauled to include a 320-seat theater, fountains, computer
stations, children's wing, gift shop. Dog park with a “Doggy Walk of Fame,”
tiles remembering dogs that have gone to Big Fire Hydrant in Sky. Local group
stages Civil War battles. www.mccormacks.com
At Central
Park, near library, city is building sports complex; the first stage, which
includes sports fields, opened in 2004.
Huntington
Beach Mall, near Highway 405, has gone mod Tuscan with a movieplex and
restaurants. Also, Kohl's, Mervyns, Barnes and Noble books, REI, Cost Plus,
Bed, Bath and Beyond. Other stores in town: Home Depot, Wal-Mart, Trader Joe's.
Old
Montgomery Wards store, closed for years, was demolished in 2007. Replacements
may include a Whole Foods or similar store.
Freeway on
the north side.
Chamber of
commerce (714) 536-8888.
• Bolsa
Chica, the wetlands (1,600 acres) on west side. After years of arguments, a
deal was worked out that allowed housing on some parcels and set aside at least
880 acres for a preserve. More land may be added. Arguments still flare over
the housing but not as intense as before. The preserve is being made into a
happier place for birds and fish. Downside: to protect the wildlife, trails are
being closed and access restricted. Some people are unhappy. www.mccormacks.com
• HB has
been fixing up its Pacific streets for decades and going upscale on the ocean
frontage. Two final pieces are under construction: The Strand, which includes a
residence hotel and shops, and Pacific City, 31 acres of homes, restaurants,
offices, shops, walkways, greenbelts, play grounds.
• Boeing
has large plant in HB that is taking on new operations with the closing of a
Boeing plant in Anaheim.
• HB Union
High School District takes a week off at Thanksgiving.
• Jet
noise. From Long Beach Airport. After HB residents complained about noise, the
airlines decided to fly higher (3,000 feet instead of 1,600) and redesign wing
panels to reduce whine. Check it out.
• Home
Depot, after making design changes to mollify neighbors, in 2006 won permission
to build a second store in HB. www.mccormacks.com
• Private
firm wants to build a $250 million desalinization plant in town. Government
agencies are reviewing application.
• Young
woman, age 19, troubled past, argued with mom in 2006 and cut her on wrists
with knife. Confronted by two cops, she refused to drop knife and, officers
said, lunged at them. They shot her to death. Many people upset; said cops
should have disarmed woman, who was about 5-foot-4 and 120 lbs. Cops had their
defenders and it was noted that they had shouted at her to drop the knife.
• The HB
High School, which is home to the local theater group, is being renovated:
lighting, seats, air conditioning, heating.
• In 2007,
Ocean View High officially opened its new science wing: six labs and 12
classrooms. Money from bond.
• Butt
out! No smoking on beach. www.mccormacks.com
• About
2004, several leading people in town, including the mayor, got caught in a
condo conversion scheme that violated city laws. Indictments and jail sentences
followed. The incident was awkward and embarrassing. The defendants were
popular and well liked, the mayor, now serving three years in prison, is the
mother of young triplet girls, city hall came under general suspicion. By 2007,
almost every defendant had been sentenced and the city was moving on.
City web
site: www.ci.huntington-beach.ca.us
