Gateway Cities Census Data

La Habra Heights

Description: La Habra Heights dates back to 1919 when 3,500 acres of La Habra Rancho were sold to Edwin G. Hart. The La Habra Heights Mutual Water Co.was incorporated in the same year, and a reservoir was completed two years later, providing sufficient irrigation throughout the hills. The Hacienda Golf Club was built a short time later and residential development grew.

An original Edwin G. Hart, Inc. brochure billed the original subdivision as “a combined commercial orchard and suburban home subdivision of exceptional value, attractiveness and desirability.” Of the original 3,500 acres, a survey at the time showed there were 1,292 acres of avocado orchards, 282 acres of citrus orchards, 43 acres of other plantings, and 95 homes.

New home developments were advertised as tracts featuring a “distinctive homesite with a wonderful outlook over picturesque surroundings.” Early efforts toward preventing increased density resulted in Los Angeles County establishing oneacre zoning for the area in 1949. As Whittier and La Habra undertook efforts to annex portions of La Habra Heights, community residents continued their opposition.The City of La Habra Heights was incorporated in 1978 enabling the residents to control their own destiny and preserve the minimum one-acre zoning.

Today, the community is a combination of hillside residential estates, agriculture and open space areas. The 6.2 square mile city includes about 2,200 individual housing units with a total assessed valuation of more than $642 million.

(city description courtesy of Press Telegram 2006 Almanac)