CHAPTER TITLE - City of Downey

1. Introduction
1.1 – Housing Overview
1.1.1 – Historical Perspective
The City of Downey is a full service City of more than 112,000 people located in Los
Angeles County. As shown in Figure 1, Downey is located near and adjacent to four
major freeways including Interstates 5, 105, 605 and 710. Settlement in the Downey
area first occurred in 1873 when John Downey began subdividing the local Spanish
ranchos. Soon after, the Southern Pacific Railroad was completed near the
settlements, and the community developed into a hub for local agricultural businesses.
By the early 1900s, the City was well established, with a Sunkist packing plant and retail
businesses downtown.
The World War II years marked the birth of the aerospace and petroleum industries in
Downey. North American Rockwell began producing aircraft for the war, and later
became the home of the Apollo and the Space Shuttle programs. In 1956, the City of
Downey incorporated amidst a post-war population boom. Following incorporation
during the 1950s and 1960s, the population grew from under 30,000 to more than
86,000, as agricultural land was rapidly replaced by new housing developments.
By 1970, almost no agricultural land remained in the community. Downey continued to
prosper during the 1970s and 1980s, particularly due to defense industry related
employment at the NASA/Rockwell Plant. During this time, the City became even
more accessible and central to the Southern California economy with the planning and
development of the Interstate 105 and the Metro Green Transit Line with the Lakewood
Avenue Station. This transit corridor facility was routed through the southern portion of
the City, directly connecting the City of Norwalk with the Los Angeles International
Airport and the South Bay-Redondo Beach area. As a result of the development of the
freeway and transit line, hundreds of homes were removed and the population of the
City declined slightly.
Today Downey is home to numerous families and offers a virtual plethora of
employment opportunities. The City’s location and freeway access make it an ideal
location to reside within the region. The City is recent years is planning for future
growth, specifically new residential development, through major planning efforts, like
the Downtown Downey Specific Plan. The Specific Plan area has already seen a
number of development applications and is positioned to serve as a catalyst for
revitalization of key neighborhoods within the City.
2014- 2021 Housing Element
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