▁the ▁United ▁Way ▁of ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁declared ▁Har bor ▁Gate way ▁an ▁" under - ser ved ▁ge ographic ▁area ," ▁not ing ▁" real ▁g aps ▁in ▁law ▁enfor cement " ▁and ▁in ▁social ▁services . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁there ▁became ▁a ▁" major ▁drawing ▁card ▁for ▁commercial ▁development " ▁along ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 th ▁Street ▁cor rid or ▁where ▁" G le aming ▁high - ris es ▁with ▁pleasant ▁land sc aping ▁have ▁replaced ▁a ▁Sh ell ▁oil ▁ref in ery ▁and ▁manufact uring ▁plants ." ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁Har bor ▁Gate way ▁was ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁a ▁" cr ime - pl ag ued ▁area ," ▁and ▁residents ▁bl amed ▁the ▁w ides p read ▁avail ability ▁of ▁alco hol ▁for ▁" do z ens ▁of ▁rob ber ies , ▁burg l aries ▁and ▁other ▁cr imes " ▁in ▁the ▁blue - col lar ▁neighborhood . ▁There ▁were ▁at ▁that ▁time ▁ 5 1 ▁liqu or ▁out lets ▁within ▁a ▁two - mile ▁radius ▁of ▁the ▁intersection ▁of ▁El ▁Seg undo ▁Bou lev ard ▁and ▁Verm ont ▁Avenue . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁the ▁United ▁Way ▁had ▁" fun ne led ▁$ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁to ▁the ▁few ▁private ▁char ities ▁serving ▁the ▁area , ▁including ▁a ▁small ▁free ▁medical ▁clin ic , ▁a ▁job ▁center ▁and ▁an ▁ad ▁h oc ▁coal ition ▁helping ▁the ▁hom eless ." ▁It ▁was ▁written ▁that ▁"