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TO WHAT EXTENT IS SANTA CLARITA A MODERN DAY LEVITTOWN?

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TO WHAT EXTENT IS SANTA CLARITA A MODERN DAY LEVITTOWN?

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By: Scott Kim

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While stylistically and functionally it seems levittown and Santa Clarita are very similar, the defining characteristic that separates them is the notable diversity of Santa Clarita. Levittown was openly and intensely against people of color, specifically blacks, and other minority groups  moving into their “pure” community. In a time in which soldiers were guaranteed housing after the war, it would be sensible to allow black veterans to reside in Levittown, but against common appeal, it apparently did not fit into the middle class, white aesthetic. Today in Santa Clarita,  diversity is, in fact, celebrated, whether you are black, white, asian, Latino, pacific islander or so on. All ethnic groups are accepted into the community, and this unity and openness is the defining feature separating the two towns. The acceptance of multiple ethnic peoples in Santa Clarita and leading to a harmonious living together can also be reflected in the United States as a whole.

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A final key aspect of Levittowns was that one could stay in the city because it was self sufficient and had all entertainment outlets. Levittowns had everything that a resident needed, including department stores, convenience stores, baseball diamonds, recreational facilities and community centers. The only difference between Levittowns and Santa Clarita is that Santa Clarita can be classified as a “updated” Levittown. For one, Santa Clarita is far bigger than the average Levittown, clearly indicated and reflected via the number of residents in Santa Clarita. Notably as well, Santa Clarita also has an amusement park, multiple large malls, and car dealerships. Finally, Santa Clarita also has far more recreational activities such as golf courses.

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As people start to become tired of the city and outgrow its bustling lifestyle in their late 20s and early 30s, people look for a nice quiet place to settle down and start a family, all possible with a suitable median income. Suburbia is reflected wholistically in both Levittown and Santa Clarita. Both cities are tranquil places, low in crime rates, and family friendly, almost the complete opposite of city life. However, this suburban area is wholly distinct from rural areas, as there is still a great deal of modern roads, shopping centers, and easy access to large metropolis areas. The suburban lifestyle is most directly defined by the parent or parents commuting to work in the city, the kids going to school for the day, and the family reconvening during the evening for priceless time together. Similarly for both Santa Clarita and Levittown, the lifestyle is what both cities aim for and it seems that, because Levittown was established first, Santa Clarita is emulating the lifestyle that was idolized by Levittown inhabitants.

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In continuation, Levittown was so prominent, so popular with middle class people because it symbolized the pinnacle of safe living. More and more people strived to distance themselves from the city life as it was becoming increasingly dirty, overcrowded, and even dangerous in some aspects. Essentially, middle class Americans needed a place to live comfortable while simultaneously not being too far away from the urban city, where business and the economy was centered. Once again, Santa Clarita is a perfect example of such criteria. The town is spacious, extremely clean for the most part, safe for kids, and comprises of a speedy freeway that goes right through it for easy access to the city, in this case Los Angeles. Additionally, Levittowns comprised of swimming pools and playgrounds, which are also widespread in Santa Clarita. Comprehensively, the goal for both Levittowns and Santa Clarita was the creation of the perfect community for a middle class working family, through a quiet lifestyle, safe environment, and by catering to the needs of a stereotypical middle class family.

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As a whole, Levittown was not just arbitrarily built one day, but rather it can be credited to the meticulous creativity and planning of William Levett, who created not one, but seven of these “perfect” communities. These communities had variations of house models that differed in a variety of aspects, including color, interior, and floor plan. Compared to Santa Clarita, this variety is very similar as there is about four different house layouts, which are all painted different colors and decorated on the interior by the owners. In short, these carefully planned communities were meant to be suitable for the working, middle class. The older residents would take the freeway and commute to the urban city to work, so that their kids could grow up in a safe environment and live in a safe, quiet town. Ultimately, cities were becoming a thing of the past and with the return of several thousand war veterans, affordable living was becoming an integral part of modern society, still reflected today in SCV.

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In American history, Levittown was one of the first “textbook” suburbias that came into existence. With the first one built and located in the outskirts of New York, the area represented and essentially stood for the ideal American society. Overall, multiple levittowns were established and these extensively planned communities were pristine, organized, and almost exclusively caucasian, excluding most minority groups. In terms of today, the city of Santa Clarita is, to a great extent, a modern day Levittown in that it comprises of extensive structured neighborhood planning, a plethora of middle class families, and a suburban lifestyle. The distinct and defining characteristic of Santa Clarita, however, is the considerable cultural and ethnic diversity.