Pretty good thumbnail history/selling-points profile of rural-like Elysian Heights in Sunday's LA Times Real Estate section, headlined "Sticks or the city."

Back in the days of the horse-drawn streetcar, Elysian Heights...

...residents were a diverse lot. Artists, writers and musicians lived side by side with grocers, bricklayers and factory workers. The assortment contributed to the neighborhood's ethnic and economic mix, as well as its reputation as a haven for liberal politics. Both are still evident today.

But...

As crime rates have fallen — about 60% overall since 2000, according to the LAPD — housing prices have soared. This has some longtime residents worried that gentrification will destroy the eclectic character of the neighborhood. Others would accept the boredom of a more suburban atmosphere in exchange for less graffiti and better schools. But it's unlikely dramatic changes will occur soon.

A couple of nice photos in print edition, and there you go.