Living in Cheviot Hills feels like winning a specific kind of California lottery. You get the rolling hills, the proximity to the Fox and Sony lots, and that quiet, manicured serenity that defines West LA luxury. But lately, when I walk across the invisible border into Culver City, that sense of winning starts to fade. I’m not the only one feeling this way. For decades, Cheviot Hills was the undisputed destination, while Culver City was the place you drove through to get to the 10 freeway.
Things changed. Fast. Meanwhile, you can read other developments here: The 17 Puppy Record is a Biological Crisis Not a Viral Celebration.
If you’re a resident in the 90064 zip code, you’ve probably noticed the shift. It’s not just about property values or the square footage of the new builds popping up on every corner. It’s about the soul of the neighborhood. Culver City has transformed from a sleepy industrial hub into a vibrant, walkable, and transit-oriented powerhouse. Meanwhile, Cheviot Hills feels increasingly like a beautiful museum—stunning to look at, but mostly static.
The Walkability Trap
Culver City figured something out that LA’s traditional residential pockets still struggle to grasp. People want to leave their cars at home. When you’re in downtown Culver, you have access to the Culver Steps, the Ivy Station complex, and a density of high-end dining that rivals any major metropolitan center. You can grab a coffee at Cognoscenti, catch a movie at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, and have a five-star dinner at Seligman’s without ever touching a steering wheel. To explore the full picture, check out the excellent report by Vogue.
Cheviot Hills, by design, is the opposite. It’s a suburban fortress. While the quiet streets are great for a Saturday morning jog, you can’t exactly walk to a Michelin-star restaurant for a Tuesday night whim. You’re tethered to your SUV. That car-dependency is starting to feel like a relic of a different era. Culver City’s investment in bike lanes and the Expo Line didn't just move people; it moved the culture.
Why the Tech Giants Chose One Over the Other
Look at the corporate footprint. When Amazon, Apple, and HBO decided to plant their flags in the Westside, they didn't look for sprawling estates in the hills. They looked for the urban energy of Culver City. This influx of high-paying tech and entertainment jobs created a feedback loop. More jobs led to better infrastructure, which led to better amenities, which led to a younger, more dynamic population.
Cheviot Hills remains a bastion of the established elite. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course. But there's an undeniable "envy" factor when you see the sheer amount of tax revenue and municipal energy flowing into your neighbor's coffers. Culver City has its own police department, its own school district, and its own vision. Because it’s an independent city, it can pivot faster than any neighborhood under the massive, often slow-moving umbrella of the City of Los Angeles.
The School District Divide
Ask any parent in Cheviot Hills about their biggest stressor. It’s usually the schools. While the neighborhood is zoned for some decent LAUSD options, many residents feel forced into the private school circuit. That’s a massive annual expense that effectively acts as a second mortgage.
Culver City Unified School District (CCUSD) is a different beast. It’s small, localized, and highly rated. People move to Culver specifically to get into that system. It creates a sense of community that’s hard to replicate when your neighbors' kids are scattered across a dozen different private academies from Brentwood to Hancock Park. When you share a school district, you share a stake in the local future.
Park Life and Public Spaces
We have Rancho Park. It’s a gem. The golf course is iconic, and the archery range is a cool quirk. But Rancho Park often feels like a destination you visit rather than a yard you live in. Culver City has mastered the "pocket park" and the integrated public space. Platforms like the Culver Steps aren't just shopping malls; they’re communal living rooms.
I see people sitting on those wooden tiers with their laptops or a book, soaking in the sun. It’s a type of "third space" that Cheviot Hills lacks. In our neighborhood, the social life happens behind tall hedges and gates. It’s private. It’s exclusive. But it’s also a bit lonely compared to the bustling, inclusive energy found just a few miles south.
The Infrastructure Gap
Let's be real about the roads. Driving through Cheviot Hills can feel like navigating a minefield of potholes that LAUSD/Public Works hasn't touched in years. Culver City's streets are generally better maintained. Their trash pickup is more reliable. Their city council meetings actually seem to result in tangible local improvements rather than getting lost in the bureaucratic void of City Hall downtown.
This isn't just a "grass is greener" situation. It's a structural reality. Smaller municipalities are more accountable to their residents. When a Cheviot Hills resident has a problem, they're one voice in a city of four million. When a Culver City resident speaks up, they're heard.
How Cheviot Hills Can Compete
If we want to stop looking at Culver City with envy, we have to demand more than just "quiet." We need to push for better local amenities that don't require a drive to Beverly Hills or Century City. We need to support the small businesses on the periphery—those spots on Manning and National that struggle to stay open because we’re all too busy ordering DoorDash.
There’s a middle ground between being a dense urban hub and a sleepy suburb. We can keep our character while embracing some of the modernization that makes Culver City so attractive. That means being open to smarter transit, supporting local commercial strips, and maybe, just maybe, worrying less about "neighborhood character" and more about neighborhood vitality.
What You Can Do Right Now
- Show up to your local Neighborhood Council meetings. Most people skip these, which is exactly why things never change.
- Support the "Westside Neighbors" groups that are pushing for better road maintenance and public safety.
- Spend your weekend money locally. Instead of heading to the Platform in Culver, find a local spot in 90064 to support.
- Talk to your neighbors. The biggest advantage Culver City has is its sense of shared identity. We can build that here without a city charter.
Stop viewing the neighborhood as just a real estate investment. Start viewing it as a community that needs active participation to thrive. Culver City didn't become a "destination" by accident; it happened because people stayed, invested, and fought for a specific vision of the future. We can do the same.
