Los Angeles Climbs Past 4 million

[Westsidelife]

L.A. climbs past 4 million

The city has as many people as New Zealand, more than 24 states. California's total is nearly 37.7 million.

By Cara Mia DiMassa, Times Staff Writer
May 2, 2007



Finally, something to explain the gridlock at your local coffeehouse and clogged freeways that seem to extend well into the night.

The population of L.A. quietly surpassed the 4-million mark for the first time last year, the California Department of Finance announced Tuesday.

Angelenos probably don't need a demographer to tell them what they already know: that the city is growing more densely populated. But the numbers show that the city gained 37,658 residents last year, and as of Jan. 1, its population was 4,018,080.

"It's a spectacular arc of development when you consider that in 1900, L.A. had a population of 102,459," said historian Kevin Starr.

L.A. lore holds that the city was founded in 1781 by 44 people, transplants from the San Gabriel Mission. That puts the 226-year gain in population at 4,018,036.

The L.A. numbers were part of a report released Tuesday that pegged the state's population at almost 37.7 million. That represents a growth of almost 1.3%, or 470,000, in 2006.

State demographers use a variety of data — including driver's licenses, school enrollments, Medi-Cal recipients, birthrates, immigration and state to state migration — to estimate population change.

The Riverside County city of Beaumont saw the state's fastest growth rate, 21.2%.

In Orange County, Irvine passed 200,000 in population, bringing to 20 the number of cities in the state that exceed 200,000 in population.

But it was the Los Angeles numbers that had most people talking Tuesday.

Just how big does that make L.A.?

With 4 million people, the city of Los Angeles has more people than 24 states, according to federal census data. And it's got roughly the same number as the entire country of New Zealand.

The increase occurred over the last year, as L.A. added 10,239 housing units, according to the state data.

Many of those units were downtown, where the city has seen a marked increase in population as former commercial buildings have been converted into lofts and apartments and a number of new residential buildings have opened.

The city, Starr said, is "embracing and exulting in its urbanism."

Starr and other historians have said that Los Angeles' role as an international city, attracting immigrants from all over the world, has been a key factor in its quick demographic rise.

Los Angeles, said Harry Pachon, a USC public policy professor, has "been in a growth mode…. The dynamism of Los Angeles continues to attract people."

Pachon sees modest growth in the foreseeable future. Families in Latin America are having fewer children, he said, diminishing population pressures there. He also said that the continued increase in housing prices in Southern California meant that more people were seeking economic opportunity outside the region.

L.A. threw itself parties (and the L.A. Times produced banner headlines) when the city reached the 1-million and 1.5-million levels, in 1923 and 1940. (The 1-million mark was estimated by counting the number of, among other things, barber shops.)

But don't expect a lot of celebrating of the new milestone.

Edward Soja, a professor of urban planning at UCLA, called passing the 4-million mark "not that dramatic a transition," especially as L.A.'s population gains are eclipsed, in percentage, by growth elsewhere in the region.

But he said that he worried that Southern California in general is ill-equipped to deal with rapid growth, especially the area's administrative and governmental structures.

"I would say never before is it more needed to have some form of regional coordination, whether we are talking about housing and homelessness or transportation and airports or environment and pollution," Soja said.

The L.A. region, he added, "has the worst housing crisis anywhere in the developed world. It's not being addressed with the urgency it needs to be addressed."

Janelle Erickson, a spokeswoman for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, wasn't weighing in about whether the numbers were a good or bad thing. But she did hint that she understood why people were moving to the city.

"What the mayor always says is that Los Angeles is a city where the world comes together," Erickson said. "Los Angeles is a city of America's hope and promise, where the dreams of so many have come to life."

Except, perhaps, on the 405 Freeway at rush hour. Or the Starbucks line at 8:30 a.m.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
cara.dimassa@latimes.com

*

(INFOBOX BELOW)

How big is L.A.?

37,658

Number of new residents in 2006

10,239

Number of new housing units in '06

4,018,080

Total population

Source: State Department of Finance


http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la...nes-california

[Fern~Fern*]

OMG more Angelinos....

[Westsidelife]

^More density as well. That's the best part of the article. It's good to know that the population growth isn't because of more sprawl.

[Fern~Fern*]

^ More cars on the roads!

[Westsidelife]

^That's a good point. We really can't go on like this for much longer. It's time to start re-envisioning how this city should function and be laid out. I'm curious as to what other plans Villaraigosa has as far as improving transporation besides the Expo Line and the proposed Wilshire subway. I hope there is something else currently in the works.

[Elsongs]

Originally Posted by Ferneynism

^ More cars on the roads!

Simple, any new Angeleno who arrives after a certain point...NO CAR FOR YOU!

[godblessbotox]

Originally Posted by Elsongs

Simple, any new Angeleno who arrives after a certain point...NO CAR FOR YOU!

i really like that idea for some reason.

[Fern~Fern*]

Originally Posted by godblessbotox

i really like that idea for some reason.

This is for all the newbies to LA after 2000....

[LANative]

Whats funny is people still like to say how bad L.A. is. Reports claim that we still have the worst air in the country, but at the same time, our population is STILL growing and we now have over 4 million people.

L.A. surely has bragging rights!

[Fern~Fern*]

I always said that double decker fwy's are a vital source to gridlock. Since we can expand new routes, crap. Fudge it let's stack them up and have 8 lanes running in each direction.

[Westsidelife]

And as we all know, LA is still the smoggiest city in the US. (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=469389) What's interesting is that despite our growing population, our smog problem is lessening. How can this be?

[Elsongs]

Originally Posted by Westsidelife

And as we all know, LA is still the smoggiest city in the US. (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=469389) What's interesting is that despite our growing population, our smog problem is lessening. How can this be?

- Tougher emissions standards
- Newer technology reduces industrial emissions
- Newer technology such as CNG, hybrid for vehicles
- A mass transit system that did not exist 20 years ago
- Slowly but surely, more people than before carpooling, taking transit, walking, bicycling
- All of the above

[Fern~Fern*]

Maybe where you live the air might be crapy. All I know is that I can go outside and not burn my lungs when I breath. Maybe back in the 80's but not anymore....

[Fern~Fern*]

Yeah cause they problaly don't know how to drive in LA traffic anyways...

[Elsongs]

The Tally:

1. New York City: 8,143,198
2. Los Angeles: 4,018,080
3. Chicago: 2,873,790
4. Houston: 2,076,189
5. Philadelphia: 1,463,281

[Westsidelife]

^Aren't those 2005 figures for NYC, Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia?

[globetrek]

Originally Posted by Elsongs

The Tally:

1. New York City: 8,143,198
2. Los Angeles: 4,018,080
3. Chicago: 2,873,790
4. Houston: 2,076,189
5. Philadelphia: 1,463,281

Just wondering, does their statistical analysis extrapolate for illegal immigrants in LA?

[Fern~Fern*]

Why wouldn't it???

Is not that SD SF or even the OC will ever out grow L.A.. A shadow city remains a shadow city forever...

[Elsongs]

Originally Posted by Ferneynism

Why wouldn't it???

Is not that SD SF or even the OC will ever out grow L.A.. A shadow city remains a shadow city forever...

Well...Los Angeles was once in Frisco's shadow...And we outgrew them...Just sayin!

[Fern~Fern*]

Originally Posted by Elsongs

Well...Los Angeles was once in Frisco's shadow...And we outgrew them...Just sayin!

^bYeah but look at Frisco now... can you honestly tell me it will surpass LA anytime soon...