Monterey Hills is a small, diverse, middle-class community within the city of Los Angeles, California located about 4 miles ENE of Downtown Los Angeles and about 3 miles from Pasadena off the 110 Freeway. It is surrounded by El Sereno to the southeast, Hermon to the north, Montecito Heights to the southwest and the independent city of South Pasadena to the northeast. Monterey Hills is part of the Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council (ASNC).Development historyThe Monterey Hills Redevelopment Project, adopted by City Council on July 29, 1971, includes the development of a well planned residential community that provides a variety of housing opportunities for families and individuals from all income levels and the preservation of the physical integrity of the site. Twenty-one condominium and rental complexes totaling 1,781 units have been built in the project area. In the late 1980s, some developments experienced varying degrees of soil settlement, and certain buildings showed signs of structural distress.From 1989-1990 The Monterey Hills Development on whole was the subject of the longest civil jury trial in Los Angeles County History due to land subsidence. The Castro firm sued the massive 200-unit Eaton Crest project in Monterey Hills, a structure that was constructed on an unstable 100ft landfill. The Los Angeles Times reported that the $62,500,000 award was one of the largest settlements to ever involve the city.
