Welcome to Duarte.

AT 6.8 square miles, with a population of 23,000, Duarte isn’t the biggest city in the valley.
But it just may be the best.

Community pride, teamwork and public/private sector partnerships have made Duarte one
of the cleanest, safest and economically successful cities in the San Gabriel Valley.

A Community Working Together
Duarte is a city where residents, business, government and schools work together to plan for the future and forge dreams into reality.
Like the passage of a $44 million school bond that is revitalizing Duarte schools and providing the community’s children with the tools and skills they need to succeed. Just one of the reasons Duarte was named an All-America City finalist in 2000.

Since 1987, residents have been setting the direction in the city. More than 200 citizens participated in a landmark community visioning and strategic planning process 13 years ago. The comprehensive 20-year plan, adopted by the City, School District and Chamber of Commerce, focused on all aspects of community life including Education, Culture and Recreation; Public Safety; Economic Development; Environment and Aesthetics; Telecommunications, Transportation and Municipal Services; and Health. In 1997, with 80% of the goals met, hundreds of
citizens helped update the plan and create new goals for the community into the 21st century. The Duarte Teen Center, Duarte Senior Center and 500-seat Duarte Performing Arts Center, beautiful new social and recreational gathering places, are an example of what can be achieved when a community works together to envision and plan for the future. Not surprisingly, a random survey of Duarte residents, conducted by the Rose Institute for State and Local Government in December 2000, revealed that 82% of residents believe that the city is headed in the right direction.

One of the Safest Cities in the San Gabriel Valley
Duarte’s pro-active approach to public safety has helped keep crime statistics at record lows for nine
consecutive years. Three out of every five homes in Duarte actively participate in the Neighborhood
Watch program. DAMAGE, a gang enforcement program developed in partnership with neighboring Monrovia three years ago, has been completely successful in curtailing gang violence in Duarte. It has also been highly effective in reducing illegal drug activity and other serious crimes.

A Great Place to Call Home
From Duarte’s lush green foothills to 125 acres of parks, trails, and community recreational facilities spread throughout the city, Duarte is a great place to call home. Duarte is a richly diverse city where neighbors are friends and roots run deep. A recent survey by the Rose Institute of State and Local Governments found that 22% of residents have lived in Duarte for more than 25 years; 37% from 11 to 25 years, and 19% from 5 to 10 years. But newcomers are always welcome.

A Great Place to Do Business
“...a pro-business community.” – “The City of Duarte was extremely helpful with the approval process and development of CarMax’s facility. It’s a first-rate example of the mutual benefits that can be derived from the partnering of a pro-business community with an exciting new retail concept.” Douglass Moyers, Director of Real Estate – CarMax Auto Superstore

“... a city with a game plan.” – “We found that City Hall was progressive and very organized. It was a city with a game plan. City staff was very cooperative, receptive to our ideas, and good facilitators. Throughout the permitting process and every step of the way they made life easy for us. It was delightful working with Duarte.” David Cook, Executive Vice President – The Old Spaghetti Factory

“Duarte gave me that partnership.” – “As a developer, what I am looking for is a partnership with the community. Duarte gave me that partnership. Together we were able to build award-winning projects. When the private sector and the public sector work hand-in-hand, great things can happen.” Mike Keele, President – Southland Land Corp.

“Their assistance was invaluable to our efforts.” – “City of Hope very much appreciates the assistance of the City Council and the city staff in procuring our tax-exempt debt financing to build our new $154 million state-of-the-art cancer hospital. Their assistance was invaluable to our efforts.” Terry Blackwood, Chief Financial Officer – City of Hope Cancer Center

A City on the Move
A pro-business attitude, shared community vision and redevelopment have all played key roles in Duarte’s dynamic growth and success over the past decade in attracting new business, expanding job opportunities and increasing residential, commercial and industrial property values.
• Sales tax increased from $1.5 million to $3.2 million thanks to the vitality of Duarte’s freeway-adjacent auto row and other major retailers including Staples, Target, and Wal-Mart.
• Assessed valuation climbed from $740 million to $1.056 billion.
• Duarte ranked fifth in the San Gabriel Valley in job creation with 2,314 new jobs, mainly in the retail and medical sectors.
It ranked fourth in highest average pay at $32,451.

A City Where Kids are a Priority
You can tell a lot about Duarte from its priorities. The welfare of the community’s kids are at the top of the list.
• In recognition of its commitment to youth, Duarte was recently designated a Community of Promise by America’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth, the national organization founded by Retired General Colin Powell. The City has launched a campaign to involve the entire community in sponsoring, developing, or volunteering for programs that support and uplift youth.
• The City is contributing $348,000 over the next three years to the School District to help expand a promising reading program.
• An annual Youth Summit, co-sponsored by the City and School District, provides teens with an opportunity to share their views and concerns with City and school officials and influence change.
• For the second year the City will send 80 or more eighth-grade students to the State Capitol in Sacramento to learn first-hand how laws are made. The City will also
be sending 30 to 40 Duarte High School
students to Washington, D.C. for a first-hand educational experience.
• Duarte’s award-winning Turning Point Project works to prevent teen pregnancy and fatherlessness through five program components. People Helping People pairs teen volunteers with senior citizens to build self-worth. A mentoring program provides teens with positive adult role models. A financial assistance program assures that opportunities for positive recreation and education programs are available for every child. Teen Parenthood teaches parenting skills, while Mentor Moms provides teen moms with supportive non-judgmental role models to help with lifestyle changes.

A Community of Volunteers
The spirit of volunteerism is alive and well in Duarte. Residents, city staff
and members of the business community regularly donate their time and talents to support the more than 60 local clubs and organizations serving Duarte. Duarte’s Salute to Route 66 Parade, Picnic and Car Show and Duarte’s Tourna-ment of Roses Buena Vista Pavilion float decorating and public viewing site
owe their success to the hundreds of community volunteers
who participate each year.