Editing Val Verde, California (section)

=== Post-1960s ===
With the advent of civil-rights reforms in the 1960s and the unenforceability of racial covenants, many African Americans moved out of the area for larger areas from which they were previously segregated. Farm workers from nearby agricultural areas began to move to the area. The town now has a large percentage of Latinos and Whites.<ref name="signal">{{cite news |title= Renaissance for 'Black Palm Springs' |url= http://www.scvhistory.com/scvhistory/signal/worden/lw072496.htm |publisher= [[Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society]] |first= Leon |last= Worden |date= 1996-07-24}}</ref>

By the 1970's the population was nearing 500. In 1973, 126 new homes were built. In November 1971, the [[California Institute of the Arts]] established their Valencia campus and instructors and alumni moved to the area. In the 1980s, the total population had risen to between 600 and 1,000 people with 10% to 15% being white. The area began to decline as vacation homes that weren't intended to be permanent became dilapidated. In 1980, city officials reported that half of the houses were deemed sub-standard. Many of the dwellings were rented out.<ref name=":1" />

In the early 1990s the [[Chiquita Canyon Landfill]],<ref name=gnis>{{Cite GNIS|270438|Chiquita Canyon}}</ref> which had been constructed near the community in 1971, faced resistance as its expansion was sought. As part of negotiations, the landfill provides the community with funds for scholarship programs.<ref name=":1" />

The 1994 Northridge earthquake wreaked tremendous havoc on the town, damaging most of the original structures. The original pool was damaged and has since been repaired and shortened. The pool is part of the Los Angeles County Park system.  It opens late spring until early fall. Day and evening swimming sessions occur daily.<ref>William-Ross, Lindsay (May 3, 2008) [http://laist.com/2008/05/03/laistory_val_ve.php?gallery0Pic=3 LAistory: Val Verde, The 'Black Palm Springs'] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090719170506/http://laist.com/2008/05/03/laistory_val_ve.php?gallery0Pic=3 |date=2009-07-19 }} ''[[LAist]]''</ref>

In 2011, [[Verizon Wireless]] attempted to build a 30,000 watt, 12-panel antenna array cell site in Val Verde, less than {{convert|50|feet}} from an adjacent residence.  Verizon Wireless and its contractor claimed that the main reason for the cell site was for community of Val Verde, but inquiries were made and the cell site is designed to fill coverage holes in the adjacent Valencia Commerce Center industrial park, Hasley Hills housing tract, and for [[Valencia, California|future developments]] outside of Val Verde.  Local residents banded together and protested the cell site, claiming that big business was trying to run rampant over the little community of Val Verde.  As of early 2013, Verizon Wireless has not built the cell tower, and has decided to build the tower on a hillside away from homes.<ref name = "The Signal Newspaper">{{cite news |title=Call on cellphone-tower site put on hold - again |first=Karen |last= Jonas |date=2012-07-04}}</ref>

On May 16, 2017, the [[Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department]] seized 7,000 [[cockfight]]ing birds at a ranch on Jackson Street in Val Verde.<ref name="latimes7000birdsseizedinlargest">{{cite news|last1=Hamilton|first1=Matt|title=7,000 birds seized in largest cockfighting bust in U.S. history, L.A. County authorities say|url=http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-cockfighting-raid-20170516-story.html|access-date=May 17, 2017|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=May 16, 2017}}</ref><ref name="nbclosangelescockfightonbustinlacounty">{{cite news|title=Cockfighting Bust in LA County Town Nets 7,000 Birds|url=http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Cockfighting-Bust-in-Val-Verde-422603114.html|access-date=May 17, 2017|work=NBC Los Angeles|date=May 16, 2017}}</ref> Although  2,700 birds had been seized from the same location in 2007, the 2017 raid was the "largest cockfighting bust in U.S. history" according to ''The Los Angeles Times'',<ref name="latimes7000birdsseizedinlargest"/> while the sheriff department said it was, "one of the largest seizures of flying fowl used for illegal cockfighting and (for) breeding for illegal cockfighting purposes."<ref name="nbclosangelescockfightonbustinlacounty"/> The owner{{who|date=May 2017}} was not arrested.<ref name="latimes7000birdsseizedinlargest"/>