When my great-aunt Alena Cindy Giardina bought her house in Inglewood’s Morningside Park more than five decades ago, the neighborhood was already booming. Hollywood Park had a lively racetrack, the Forum hosted great shows and the Lakers played nearby.But in the last decade, my aunt has watched the city rise to a new level around her: The Metro line expanded, Hollywood Park transformed into a multi-use shopping center and the new SoFi Stadium brought big games to the neighborhood. There are plans to build a luxury hotel and apartment complexes in the works too.Giardina, who has served as a Parks and Recreation commissioner for Inglewood and on the City Council, told me during an evening chat that, when she moved in, the city was “on the verge of exploding [and] becoming a really fabulous community.” You’re reading the Essential California newsletter L.A. Times reporters guide you through the most important news, features and recommendations of the morning. By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service, which include arbitration and a class action waiver. You agree that we and our third-party vendors may collect and use your information, including through cookies, pixels and similar technologies, for the purposes set forth in our Privacy Policy such as personalizing your experience and ads. Any one weekend can show how much the city has changed. Including this last one.Hollywood Park was transformed once again into the festival grounds for the 19th annual Hard Summer music festival, which tens of thousands attended. Meanwhile, the Kia Forum hosted two concerts, including one that coincided with the festival. SoFi is preparing for two concerts of its own, and of course the stadium’s summer has been partly defined by the eight FIFA World Cup games it hosted.Residents of Inglewood share their neighborhood with thousands of visitors every event.Adjusting to life surrounded by huge eventsRoad closures, heavy congestion, competition for parking and big noises can stalk any humble Inglewood resident these days. They and their city have had to adjust.Indeed, the first day of the Hard festival followed the expected pattern. Saturday saw hordes of people being directed across across closed-down streets in Hollywood Park. Cars, lined up bumper to bumper, stretched for about a mile past SoFi Stadium. Street closures extended past the city too.Chandra Richardson, who has lived in Inglewood for five years, has developed a routine of checking events in the area each day before making any major plans.“The only time I really get stuck is if I have something to do on Century Boulevard, which I try to avoid,” Richardson said. Century Boulevard adjoins Hollywood Park, SoFi Stadium, Intuit Dome and more. “But one day, I went to Target and got stuck because I forgot there was a game.”Parking lots close to events can sometimes charge more than $100 per car. In the first few blocks of neighborhoods directly surrounding SoFi, new signs warning of two-hour parking only or tow-away zones keep the parking clear for residents.And, last year, a curfew was established to limit late-night noise from the venues.“There are times when the stadium or the concerts that are outside of the stadium are so loud that we can hear them here,” said Christyn Carter, who lives two miles away in Morningside Park. “And those concerts that go late into the evening during the week, that could affect my sleep, my babies’ sleep.”Richardson has found a few ways to cope. For one thing, triple-paned windows help. But sometimes the noise is welcome: “If we’re watching a game, I like to hear the roar of the crowd from SoFi.”When events are quiet, the new developments do have upsidesOn a recent weekday evening in Hollywood Park, the Iconix was filled with residents and locals getting in a workout; teens were hanging out at the new Cane’s; two women bonded over drinks and appetizers at the Meeting Spot; and a father played with his children through the walkways.“I’ve seen how [Hollywood Park’s growth] has benefited residents,” said Claudine Cooper, a fitness instructor at the Hollywood Park Iconix and a 26-year resident of Inglewood.For my aunt Cindy, the growth, and the crowds, are a reminder of how far the city has come.“I am so proud to be part of this new experiment,” she told me, “which is this incredible melting pot where people come from all walks of life and we all fuse together and enjoy each other.”Rising prices beneath the surfaceNot everybody loves it, though. The Lennox-Inglewood Tenants Union organized protests before and during the construction of SoFi. One of its organizers called the new stadium “a crisis for renters” in a 2022 L.A. Times story. Times reporting showed that Inglewood was one of the most affordable places to buy a home in Los Angeles County as of 2016. By 2021, the median home price had increased a whopping 84%.Today’s top stories (Etienne Laurent / For the Times) MidtermsCan Bass change her narrative? She’s had a summer of bad news. New reports do show she’s outpacing Nithya Raman in fundraising. The billionaire tax was endorsed by California Democrats, deepening party divisions California voters left without a candidate from their own party after the top-two primary could still hold strategic sway in key congressional contests. Dangerous tidesContraband fuelTo avoid taxes and high import fees, gasoline and diesel fuel legally purchased in the United States is being smuggled into Mexico. The scheme, known as huachicol fiscal, is the second-largest source of revenue for cartels, after drug trafficking.An astounding one-third to one-quarter of all fuel sold in Mexico may be illicit.What else is going onCommentary and opinionsThis morning’s must-readOther must reads“Wonder Man” may be canceled, but Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s big year isn’t over.They turned their wedding gifts into a lush native yard with drought-tolerant grass.For your downtime Charlton Heston in the 1956 movie “The Ten Commandments,” directed by Cecil B. DeMille. (Paramount Pictures) Going outStaying inAnd finally … the photo of the day A full orchestra and jazz band perform the soundtrack of “La La Land” at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on Saturday. (Ariana Drehsler / For The Times) Today’s great photo is from photographer Ariana Drehsler of the 10-year anniversary live concert of “La La Land.” Have a great day, from the Essential California teamJim Rainey, staff reporterHugo Martín, assistant editor, Fast Break deskKevinisha Walker, multiplatform editorAndrew J. Campa, weekend writerKarim Doumar, head of newslettersHow can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com.
