[3] Residential development in the area began during the early 1930s on land that previously grew produce for Ralphs markets.

[4] Greek developer Spyros George Ponty worked with architect Alan Ruoff[5] to design 147 modest Mediterranean-style homes in the area.

[6] While the builder's influence is found in Westwood, Norwalk, Beverly Hills, South-Central Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, South Carthay's Spanish Colonial Revival homes represents one of his earliest legacies.

[7] All of the 147 homes designed by Ponty share red-tiled roofs and stucco exterior walls, wrought iron and glazed-tile detailing.

[2] In 1984, South Carthay became the second neighborhood in the city to receive the designation of Historic Preservation Overlay Zone (HPOZ).