Canndu/Avalon Gardens - Los Angeles, CA

The area that would be become Canndu/Avalon Gardens was first established as the city slowly expanded from the Downtown area. After the Supreme Court struck down racially restricted housing covenants in the 1950s, the community became popular with middle class African-American families, then with Hispanic residents. Today the neighborhood is ethnically mixed and still home to many hard-working families drawn to the affordable housing, convenient services and easy access to the rest of the city.

Canndu is known for its strong support for local artists and public art. Only a few miles from the world famous Watts Towers you'll find dance studios, music classes and the Judith F. Baca Arts Academy. Or head five minutes north to visit the space shuttle or see a tyrannosaurus rex skeleton at one of Los Angeles's biggest complexes of science and natural history museums in Exposition Park.

Canndu/Avalon Gardens offers little in the way of nightlife. Most Angelenos looking for clubs prefer to head north to Downtown or Hollywood. But savvy residents know a few places off the beaten path and plenty of local eateries that offer great food for great prices.

Enjoy a refreshing cocktail before you hit the karaoke stage at Bottom Line Cocktail Lounge. This old school, neon-lit bar typically draws customers in their 30s and older looking for a cozy place to socialize. And if you get hungry, Bottom Line serves turkey, pork or chicken tacos for just $1.

Satisfy your soul food craving at Carolyn's Kitchen. Customers pack this modest little restaurant for the short ribs, oxtails, mac and cheese, collard greens and other Southern comfort foods. The friendly staff piles your plate high with food, leaving customers practically waddling out the door.

Locals swear the Oh Manna Fish Market serves the best fish in all of Los Angeles. "You buy it, we fry it" says the sign, and that's exactly what customers have them do. Call ahead to order your red snapper or catfish and arrive to pick up your perfectly fried fish, ready for you to take home.

Need to grab something fast? Don't settle for a chain fast food restaurant, get a better hamburger for the same price at A&T Burgers. The cooks here serve up hearty breakfast combos and burritos in the morning and classic cheeseburgers and fried chicken for lunch and dinner. Regulars swear by the chili cheese fries and giant club sandwiches that are big enough for two. A full burger runs $4, but if you only have some pocket change, A&T offers a $1 burger with the same great taste.

Most Canndu residents get around either with a private car or on one of the city buses that heavily serve the area. Six major bus lines traverse local streets, and with a prime location right along the 110 freeway, the neighborhood provides easy access to the entire city. Parking, however, can be more of a challenge unless your house or your apartment comes with a dedicated space.

Those who do take public transportation can easily walk to their stop along the wide, well lit sidewalks. Some streets, such as Broadway and 79th, have dedicated bike lanes. You can also hop a few blocks south to the bike trail running east/west along 98th. You probably won't find taxis cruising the streets, but a call to a local cab company or a request through Uber or Lyft should get you a driver within 20 minutes or so.

As with most of the city, Canndu Gardens offers residents a number of world-class parks and recreation services. Many neighborhood children get their first taste of sports through the youth leagues at the Green Meadows Recreation Center. Sign your kids up for football, soccer or cheerleading, or join a pick-up game on the baseball diamond or basketball courts.

Spot the next great basketball star – or meet one of today's NBA players – at Colonel Leon H Washington Park. During the summer, you'll see both playing in the pro-am Drew League, which has been attracting top talent for 40 years. While you're there, let the kids run off some steam in the playground, refresh yourself in the community garden or even take a class at the community computer center.

To the south, community organizers and youth activists unite at the Ted Watkins Memorial Park. In addition to open space and play areas, this park offers year-round after school activities. The beautiful facilities include a swimming pool, a skateboard park and a community recreation center. Ted Watkins is also home to a weekly farmers market and seasonal festivities, including Christmas visits from Santa and a Fourth of July party that draws the whole neighborhood.

Canndu is perhaps best known for its affordability. One-bedroom apartments start at $850.

A day pass on L.A. Metro costs $7 for unlimited rides. Gas runs a little cheaper than in most of Los Angeles, but the area's prices still sit just over 10 percent higher than the national average. A beer in a nearby bar will cost you about $4.

Four grocery stores, including a Ralphs, two Superior Groceries, and a Northgate Gonzalez, can all be found within a 2-mile radius. Dozens more mini marts and convenience stores line the streets so you can run out to almost any corner and grab anything from a can of tomatoes to a tube of toothpaste in less than ten minutes.

Taking care of your daily needs is easy too, with everything from tire repair to clothing and shoes for the family just a short walk away. Fix anything from a blender to a restaurant refrigerator with expert help from Imares Appliances, where the technicians work miracles with both domestic and commercial machinery. Urban farmers and devoted pet owners help keep their animals healthy and happy with goods from Fernando's Feed and Supply, which serves pets, poultry and livestock. Opening a business yourself? Fuze Graphics designs, builds and installs signs for companies across the major metropolitan area.