Great Neighbors Still Exist In L.a. You Told Us About 10 Of The Absolute Best.

When I moved into my Leimert Park flat astir 2 years ago, an older female rushed downstairs to shake hands me.

“I’m truthful excited,” she said, introducing herself arsenic Cassandra. She had lived successful nan tight-knit flat building for much than 20 years and watched plentifulness of group travel and go. “I was worried astir getting a crazy neighbor, but you look great,” she added, hugging maine tightly and handing maine a tray of sandwiches to stock pinch my friends who were helping pinch nan move.

Over nan adjacent fewer days, I met my different neighbors, including Miss Rosita and Mr. Art. After a fewer shared meals, agelong conversations and traded favors, each of them became much than conscionable nan group adjacent doorway — they became family.

There’s a quiet comfortableness successful knowing your neighbors, particularly successful a sprawling, sometimes lonely metropolis for illustration Los Angeles. That benignant of relationship is fading. A study by nan Stanford Center connected Longevity showed that nan percent of Americans who often interact pinch their neighbors — meaning they walk clip pinch aliases talk to their neighbors much than erstwhile a week — declined among each property groups from 2017 to 2023.

We wanted to find group who are bucking nan trend, truthful we asked readers to nominate nan neighbors who make their corners of Southern California consciousness for illustration home. The stories that folks shared are poignant, inspiring and mightiness conscionable make you want to locomotion complete to nan structure adjacent doorway (or invited mat crossed nan hall) and present yourself immediately.

One of my favourite neighbors, Mr. Art, died past fall. He was a saccharine retiree who’d show maine astir his play sportfishing adventures and adjacent my car shed whenever I was successful a hurry and would forget. Another neighbour called maine nan time he died, and we cried together, sharing our favourite memories of him. I’ll ever beryllium grateful to Mr. Art, who made my life amended each because he erstwhile took nan clip to meet his caller new neighbor.

Here are immoderate of our favourite scholar responses, edited for magnitude and clarity.

He’s saved america from many, galore parking tickets. She hosts nan sweetest beforehand structure chats.

Bill and Linda Melber.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

Neighbor: Bill and Linda Melber

Nominated by: Corrinne Harol

When were you neighbors? 1994 to now

What vicinity did you unrecorded in? Santa Monica

Corrinne, connected really Bill and Linda show up arsenic neighbors:

Linda and Bill are nan astir generous neighbors imaginable. Bill has taken retired my trash bins for decades. It started erstwhile I was surviving successful Canada for astir of nan year, but he still insists connected doing it. He makes it his individual ngo that nary 1 gets a parking summons for thoroughfare cleaning connected our block, going up and down nan artifact doubly a week to punctual anyone who forgot. One clip he called maine astir my car, but I was excessively acold distant to get backmost to move it. Bill had a cardinal to my house, but nan gross was locked. He climbed complete nan fence, sewage my car keys and moved my car for me! He besides makes children’s toys that he distributes to immoderate children connected nan artifact aliases that he encounters retired and about.

His wife, Linda, is arsenic neighborly, hosting regular chat sessions connected their beautiful beforehand structure and checking successful connected maine whenever I person been ill, arsenic she does to anyone successful her orbit. They are genuinely a gift to nan neighborhood.

He made maine consciousness invited erstwhile I was successful civilization shock

Tommy Bui and Hector Chavez.

(Tommy Bui)

Neighbor: Hector Chavez

Nominated by: Tommy Bui

When were you neighbors? 1996 to 2022

What vicinity did you unrecorded in? Pacoima

Tommy, connected really Hector has shown up arsenic a neighbor:
The top neighbour I ever had was my puerility friend, Hector. I’m nan kid of Vietnamese refugees, and erstwhile they claimed asylum successful Los Angeles, we were plonked into nan taste collision that was Spanish-speaking Pacoima. I was seemingly nan only Asian kid successful a five-mile radius. I surely stood retired among nan perfectly creased khaki pants and thenar combs and top-buttoned flannels contrasted pinch my clueless vessel haircut and Ninja Turtle suspenders.

Confounding nan astronomical unlikeliness, we sewage on for illustration 2 peas successful a pod. I sewage a clang people connected Angeleno aesthetics and nan ins and outs of nan unsmooth and tumble San Fernando Valley hurly-burly. I was a regular staple astatine his welcoming household. Simpatico and simply siblings by circumstance. Sunday dinners and holidays and “Sandlot”-like play thoroughfare shenanigans. My younker was alarmingly idyllic pinch nan hopped fences, bicycle slaloms done postulation and occasional near-misdemeanor mischief. Shoulder to enarthrosis alongside Hector, I wouldn’t waste and acquisition a azygous infinitesimal of it.

Though nary longer neighbors, we’re still navigating life’s milestones successful our ain corners of Los Angeles. We’re some caller fathers and hurtling toward mediate property wholly agog astatine really quickly nan clip gallops by.

She gave maine a golden turtle to make maine consciousness amended aft my breakup

Fatine Ait-Haddou and Raynette Syfu.

(Fatine Ait-Haddou)

Neighbor: Raynette Syfu

Nominated by: Fatine Ait-Haddou

When were you neighbors? Since 2021

What vicinity did you unrecorded in? Historic Filipinotown

Fatine, connected really Raynette has shown up arsenic a neighbor:

I had conscionable moved into my caller flat aft breaking up pinch a semipermanent ex. I was sobbing each azygous day. During my first intro pinch Raynette, she gave maine a small golden turtle and said it would bring maine safety, luck and calmness. I named it Lucky and I still person it. Raynette brings maine meals each nan clip and checks connected maine whenever she hasn’t seen maine for a fewer days. She moreover gave maine a immense container of her vintage clothes. One of nan astir insane things she’s done for maine is springiness maine a clone baby, 1 that was dense and realistic. She said that because I lived unsocial and didn’t unrecorded adjacent family, it could beryllium bully to person further family. [Laughs] Honestly, it was a very “her” move. She’s genuinely astonishing and looks retired for me. I couldn’t beryllium much grateful.

He taught maine caller chess strategies — and life lessons

Ali Ras and Jemimah Yamamoto.

(Jemimah Yamamoto)

Neighbor: Ali Ras (born Fitz Albert Thomas)

Nominated by: Jemimah Yamamoto

When were you neighbors? From 2021 until his decease successful 2025

What vicinity did you unrecorded in? Arlington Heights

Jemimah, connected really Ali showed up arsenic a neighbor:
I moved to Los Angeles successful nan summertime of 2021. I was successful my precocious 20s, and I was a spot unsure of my move. Even much so, I was unsure of nan vicinity I ended up successful acknowledgment to Facebook Marketplace. But arsenic destiny would person it, it revealed to maine that I was destined to beryllium there. I’d spot an aged man pinch his grey dreads and sing-songy sound arsenic I would locomotion from parking my car connected nan street. One day, he introduced himself and complete clip we developed a relationship. Him, arsenic my chess teacher, and maine arsenic his eager student. I’d bring complete my chessboard and we’d play for hours connected his porch. He’d ever opportunity I was excessively fierce pinch my pawns and that I wasn’t acrophobic to suffer them. He’d play slow and deliberately. I ne'er won a azygous crippled against him. I’d for illustration to deliberation that that itself was a lesson.

During my Saturn return, I was depressed and felt a spot lost. On days that felt nan darkest, he would call. He would inquire maine really I was doing, and it would trim done each nan destruction of “I’m good.” It was nan reside of his sound that made you want to beryllium honest. His measurement of caring felt for illustration a occurrence because you don’t moreover person to explicate thing to him, he would conscionable know. At nan time, his beingness was precisely what I needed.

He was nan only personification I gladly fto locomotion into my location unannounced

Eric Pendleton

(Kim Quitzon)

Neighbor: Eric Pendleton

Nominated by: Kim Quitzon

How agelong were you neighbors? More than 20 years

What vicinity did you unrecorded in? San Fernando

Kim, connected really Eric showed up arsenic a neighbor:
“Uncle Eric” was much than conscionable a neighbor; he was family. Walking done nan doorway unannounced yelling “Hi, family!” crossed nan surviving room. “I came to cheque connected nan backyard.” Every week he would mow nan yards aft he mislaid his occupation and took pridefulness successful landscaping nan grass, but that was conscionable nan aboveground of what he meant to us. On nan celebrated thoroughfare of Orange Grove successful San Fernando wherever crowds statement up during Halloween, Uncle Eric was our honorary vicinity watch. Rolling up and down nan thoroughfare connected a caller motorcycle each day, checking successful connected each neighbour that would springiness him nan clip of day.

From watching nan dogs erstwhile we were distant to helping group up family parties, he was 1 of us. He conscionable happened to unrecorded 3 doors down. Unfortunately, Eric passed distant from crab past year. The full artifact was devastated, and we each held a potluck successful his honor. We will miss him, and he genuinely is nan epitome of an astonishing neighbor.

She sat pinch maine aft my mom died while I cried

Pamela Yeh and Hilah Johnson.

(Pamela Yeh)

Neighbor: Hilah Johnson

Nominated by: Pamela Yeh

When were you neighbors? From 2017 until mid-2020 erstwhile she and her family moved to Austin, Texas. Over nan years, we’d go adjacent friends, truthful I was gutted by their move. The astir astonishing point happened, though. In 2022, they moved backmost to L.A., conscionable a fewer blocks distant from us. They unrecorded astir 10 minutes distant from america now, but we still spot each different each nan time.

What vicinity did you unrecorded in? West L.A.

Pamela, connected really Hilah has shown up arsenic a neighbor:
Hilah has shown up for maine and my family successful hundreds of ways complete nan years, but I want to show you this 1 story. In September 2025, my mom, who had been surviving successful an ADU we built successful our backyard, died. She was my heart, and I was utterly crushed. I lived successful a fog of condolences and shock. Hilah came complete and conscionable sat pinch maine while I cried and cried. She made nan video montage of my mom for her memorial, which was other difficult because a family personnel had each sorts of unreasonable demands. Eventually, she sewage maine to spell to a creation class, and we’re still dancing, 1 measurement astatine a time, astatine nan awesome section Flow Motion.

He’s nan beloved ‘Fairy-Car-Father’ connected our street

Rodrigo Mangrobang

(Leigh Ann Jackson)

Neighbor: Rodrigo Mangrobang

Nominated by: Leigh-Ann Jackson

How agelong person you been neighbors? Since I moved to Northeast L.A. 15 years agone

What vicinity did you unrecorded in? Northeast L.A.

Leigh-Ann, connected really Rodrigo has shown up arsenic a neighbor:
Rod, arsenic astir of nan artifact calls him, is simply a retiree who lives pinch his woman crossed nan thoroughfare from me. He spends a batch of clip extracurricular farming and moving connected his cars and tin seemingly consciousness whenever a neighbour is having car trouble. He’ll extremity what he’s doing, bring complete his devices and get to work, nary questions asked. He’s not very chatty, but he speaks car fluently! He saw maine propulsion retired of my driveway erstwhile and flagged maine down to show maine I was headed for a blowout soon. He past instructed maine to propulsion backmost into nan driveway and patched nan tyre for maine connected nan spot. I moreover watched him spell extracurricular to thief a alien whose car had surgery down successful nan mediate of nan road. He’s our street’s Fairy-Car-Father.

She had nan champion section recs. Yelp couldn’t travel close.

Sofie Ringold and Eileen Ogle

(Sofie Ringold)

Neighbor: Eileen Ogle

Nominated by: Sofie Ringold

When were you neighbors? From 2020 to 2025

What vicinity did you unrecorded in? Sherman Oaks

Sofie, connected really Eileen showed up arsenic a neighbor:
When my hubby and I bought our first home, nan COVID vaccine hadn’t been released yet, and we didn’t meet immoderate of our neighbors. A fewer days later, an older female wearing a disguise knocked astatine our door. She said that a package had been delivered and she didn’t want it to get stolen. The package had arrived only minutes earlier, truthful it was beautiful clear she wanted to scope retired her caller neighbors, and during a clip of societal distancing, this was nan cleanable excuse. She introduced herself arsenic Eileen. She lived adjacent doorway pinch her partner, Judith. We exchanged numbers and said a friends goodbye.

As nan world slow became much comfortable pinch societal interaction, Eileen began introducing america to everyone connected nan block. Soon, while we were stepping our canine astir nan neighborhood, group would extremity america and inquire if we were new. When we told them we lived adjacent to Eileen and Judith, their eyes lit up. It was clear they were section legends. Like each first-time homeowners, we quickly ran into our stock of problems. But who needs Yelp erstwhile you person neighbors who person already vetted each location work you could perchance need? Need a gardener? Call Eileen. HVAC needs maintenance? Call Eileen. Going distant for nan play and request personification to cheque connected your cats? Call Eileen.

Sadly, Eileen passed distant successful December. A unreality hung complete our thoroughfare for weeks. Then connected Christmas morning, nan sun collapsed done and a rainbow appeared. My hubby took it arsenic a motion from Eileen.

He went from my flirty neighbour to my hubby of 16 years

Brett Boyd and Sara Mortimer-Boyd.

(Sara Mortimer-Boyd)

Neighbor: Bretton Boyd

Nominated by: Sara Mortimer-Boyd

When were you neighbors? We became neighbors successful 1996 until 1997, erstwhile we moved successful together

What vicinity did you unrecorded in? Silver Lake

Sara, connected really Bretton has shown up arsenic a neighbor:
Bretton would travel to my doorway asking for things (cigarettes, food, etc.) while trying to flirt. I was very intrigued by him, but I didn’t deliberation he was “my type” astatine nan time. It was confusing astatine first. One day, he invited maine upstairs to his flat for java and breakfast, which became a regular thing. He sewage maine addicted to java and to his astonishing cooking. He started coming complete to my flat much and we became really adjacent friends earlier becoming romantic. I retrieve 1 clip he near for a fewer weeks to sojourn his parents, and I realized successful his absence that I loved him and wanted to walk each time pinch him. We moved successful together successful 1997, exchanged rings successful 2002 and person been happily joined pinch children for nan past 16 years. He still cooks meal for our family each nighttime astatine our location successful Highland Park.

He helped shape a nutrient train erstwhile my boy was diagnosed pinch leukemia

Scott Marshall-Miller

(Scott Marshall-Miller)

Neighbor: Scott Marshall-Miller

Nominated by: Mev Blount

When were you neighbors? From 2006 to 2017

What vicinity did you unrecorded in? Studio City

Mev, connected really Scott has shown up arsenic a neighbor:
My hubby and I moved adjacent to Scott and his hubby erstwhile I was pregnant pinch our first child. Scott welcomed location his girl 9 months aft excavation was born, truthful we were caller stay-at-home parents together. His hubby is an unthinkable baker, and he and Scott were ever bringing complete plates of deliciousness. The cocoa croissant breadstuff pudding is legendary! I was raised that you ne'er return a sheet quiet truthful I’d cook thing aliases adhd immoderate homegrown veggies to nan plate. That sheet went backmost and distant done nan hedges betwixt our houses for years.

Both of our husbands traveled for activity a lot, truthful Scott and I spent hours together, particularly earlier bedtime and during nan “witching hour” pinch our small ones. We’d beryllium connected my beforehand lawn, nursing half-glasses of Trader Joe’s finest Two Buck Chuck vino while his girl and my 2 kiddos rolled around, wearing themselves out. Scott and I would sound connected each other’s doors erstwhile nan parenting was excessively much. He and I would ever reply nan doorway pinch an “Oh, it’s you. Come in. No 1 other tin spot maine arsenic a basking mess.”

When my youngest sewage leukemia astatine 7, Scott was portion of my halfway group who ignored maine erstwhile I said we didn’t request help. They organized a nutrient train, and Scott was nan 1 who group up a cooler connected my beforehand structure and insisted group driblet nutrient without knocking, knowing we were overwhelmed. He was ever location erstwhile I needed to laughter aliases cry, and he made our L.A. suburb consciousness for illustration nan mini Ohio municipality wherever I grew up. I still find glitter crushed into our room tiles from nan Halloween erstwhile he made his girl a purple witch costume. Sadly, Scott died abruptly successful his slumber a fewer years ago. Tiny bits of glitter are embedded successful our tiles, a agleam reminder of Scott and nan beauty and joyousness he brought to moreover nan astir mundane tasks. He made L.A. consciousness for illustration home.