Where Chinese American Homebuying in Southern California Began: How Monterey Park Became the "Chinese Beverly Hills"

When people think about where Chinese American homebuyers settled in Southern California, many think of Arcadia or San Marino first. But if you trace the story back, it starts somewhere else: Monterey Park.

This is the first post in my "LA Street-Corner Real Estate History" series. I want to look at how this city was "sold" as a vision, and how it grew into what it is today, from the perspective of a real estate agent.

1970: about 2,200 Chinese residents

According to the Los Angeles Almanac, Monterey Park had roughly 2,200 Chinese residents in 1970.

Around that time, an engineer from Hong Kong named Frederic Hsieh, usually called Fred Hsieh, was working for the City of Los Angeles. He later earned a real estate license and started selling homes on the side.

A vision sold by one agent

Hsieh opened Mandarin Realty and advertised in Taiwan and Hong Kong. He said the hills here were reminiscent of Taipei. He even made something of the phone area code at the time, 818: two of its three digits are 8, a number many Chinese buyers consider lucky.

He gave the area a nickname: the "Chinese Beverly Hills."

From a marketing standpoint, it was brilliant positioning. He wasn't just selling houses. He was selling a life that buyers far away could picture.

1977: a prediction nobody believed

In 1977, he invited local business leaders to lunch and told them the city would become a center of Chinese commerce. According to accounts from the time, almost no one took him seriously.

By the 1990 Census, Monterey Park had become the first city in the United States with an Asian-majority population, at roughly 57%. The Los Angeles Times was already calling it the "nation's first suburban Chinatown" in 1987.

What came next: the San Gabriel Valley

Over the following decades, the community spread to Alhambra, San Gabriel, Arcadia, Rowland Heights, Walnut, and beyond, shaping the San Gabriel Valley people know today.

This history also has complicated chapters, including local controversies in the 1980s. That's a story worth telling properly, and I'll save it for a future post.

What I take from this as an agent

The lesson I take from this story is that a community's character grows piece by piece from daily life, transportation, and commerce.

So when I help clients evaluate an area, I don't just look at today's sale prices. We also look at:

Daily life: Where are groceries, restaurants, and services?
Planning: Which way are the city's general plan, zoning, and new developments heading?
Transportation: What is changing in commute routes, transit, and road projects?

Most of this information is public, on city planning department websites and in council records. Taking the time to read it is far more reliable than hearing that a neighborhood is "sure to go up."

An important note

This post is about history. It is not a suggestion that any area is "right" for any group of people. Under Fair Housing principles, I don't recommend or steer clients toward or away from neighborhoods based on race, ethnicity, national origin, or any other protected characteristic. Everyone is free to choose where to live based on their own needs, budget, and preferences.

Which city's story do you want next?

If you're curious about the real estate history of the San Gabriel Valley or other LA cities, or you're thinking about buying in these areas, reach out. And tell me which city you'd like me to cover next.