Two Neighborhoods, Two Very Different Housing Stocks
Sherwood Forest and Porter Ranch are only a few miles apart, both in the City of Los Angeles, but they were built in different eras for different kinds of living. Sherwood Forest is mostly 1950s ranch homes on large RA-zoned lots in Northridge. Porter Ranch, north of the 118 Freeway, mixes 1960s–70s tracts with master-planned HOA communities and condos built from the 1980s on. Here's a side-by-side look at the homes, lots, rules and costs.
At a Glance
| Sherwood Forest (Northridge) | Porter Ranch | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Between Nordhoff St., Balboa Blvd., Lindley Ave. and the railroad tracks, east of CSUN | Hills at the northwest corner of the Valley, north of the 118 Freeway |
| ZIP | 91325 | 91326 (shared with northern Northridge) |
| Size | About 1,000–1,150 single-family homes | About 9,700 residential parcels |
| Home types | Almost all detached single-family homes | ≈3,370 traditional single-family lots, ≈3,780 planned-development (PUD) homes, ≈1,680 condos |
| Typical lot | Median ≈17,600 sq ft; about 86% are 15,000+ sq ft | Traditional lots: median ≈10,000 sq ft. PUD homes: smaller private lots, often in an HOA community |
| Era | Median year built 1954; about 70% from the 1950s | Traditional lots: median 1974. PUD: median 2001. Condos: median 2004. About 40% of detached homes built 1990 or later |
| Median living area | ≈2,590 sq ft | ≈2,440 sq ft (traditional), ≈2,840 sq ft (PUD), ≈1,560 sq ft (condo) |
| Pools | About 3 in 4 parcels | About 58% of traditional single-family parcels |
| Main zoning | RA-1 on about 95% of single-family parcels | RE11 (≈41%), RE9 (≈26%) and RS (≈26%) on traditional lots, plus the Porter Ranch Specific Plan |
| HOA | Voluntary residents' association; no common-area HOA | Typical for PUD homes and condos; less common on the older tracts |
Parcel figures are from our analysis of LA County Assessor and City of LA zoning data (October 2026), published on our Sherwood Forest and Porter Ranch pages. The Sherwood Forest home count also reflects the Sherwood Forest Homeowners Association's figure of about 1,150. Porter Ranch figures cover the Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council area. All figures are approximate.
Lots and Land
Land is the biggest difference. A typical Sherwood Forest lot is about 0.4 acre, and about 30% of lots are 20,000 sq ft or more. Porter Ranch's traditional single-family lots have a median of about 10,000 sq ft, and its planned-development homes generally sit on smaller private lots inside larger communities, often with an HOA.
The terrain is different too. Porter Ranch is in the hills, and many lots there are on slopes, so hillside-area and fire-hazard-zone designations on ZIMAS are worth checking for any address, since they can affect building and insurance. In Sherwood Forest, the questions are more often about how much of a deep lot is usable and what's permitted on it.
Home Age and Style
Sherwood Forest's housing is older and more uniform in era. The land was walnut orchards that began converting to homes in the 1930s, and most of the neighborhood filled in during the 1950s and '60s. Expect single-story ranch homes, many with pools, guest houses or workshops, alongside some newer rebuilds on subdivided lots.
Porter Ranch's suburban homes arrived around 1960–63. The hills to the north were opened under the 1990 Porter Ranch Land Use/Transportation Specific Plan, the Porter Ranch Town Center opened in 1999, and Toll Brothers' master plan has been adding hillside homes in recent years. The result is three markets in one neighborhood: 1960s–70s tracts, 1980s-and-later planned developments, and 2000s condos.
Practically, a Sherwood Forest buyer is more likely to be budgeting for updates to 70-year-old systems, while a buyer of a newer Porter Ranch home is more likely to be weighing HOA dues and special taxes.
Zoning and Horse-Keeping
- Sherwood Forest: about 95% of single-family parcels are zoned RA-1 (Suburban). New RA lots need at least 17,500 sq ft, and on lots of that size the zone allows non-commercial keeping of horses and other domestic animals, up to one horse per 4,000 sq ft of lot area. Roughly half of Sherwood Forest's lots meet the 17,500 sq ft mark.
- Porter Ranch: traditional lots are mostly RE11 (11,000 sq ft minimum for new lots), RE9 (9,000 sq ft) and RS (7,500 sq ft). The Specific Plan adds its own rules on top, and it allows horse-keeping only in certain subareas under set conditions.
In both neighborhoods, zoning, lot area and permit history vary parcel by parcel. Check any address on ZIMAS.
HOAs and Mello-Roos
Sherwood Forest
The Sherwood Forest Homeowners Association is a voluntary nonprofit residents' group, incorporated in 1992, that works on issues like zoning enforcement and lot splits and hosts an annual block party. It doesn't manage common areas, and its website lists annual resident dues of $50. Any recorded CC&Rs or assessments on a specific home will show up in its title report.
Porter Ranch
The roughly 3,780 planned-development homes and 1,680 condos are formats typically governed by an HOA, with dues, CC&Rs, reserves and rules that vary by community. On the 1960s–70s single-family tracts, an HOA is less common.
Mello-Roos is a frequent Porter Ranch question, and there isn't a single answer for the whole neighborhood. Toll Brothers' 2021 announcement for its Skyline and Summit collections at Westcliffe stated they "offer no Mello Roos," but special taxes and assessments are recorded parcel by parcel.
For any home in either neighborhood, check the direct assessments on the LA County property tax bill and any special-tax disclosures in the Natural Hazard Disclosure report before relying on a number.
Getting Around
| Sherwood Forest | Porter Ranch | |
|---|---|---|
| Freeways | Balboa Blvd. north to the 118; Nordhoff St. and Roscoe Blvd. east to the I-405 | The 118 runs along the southern edge, with interchanges at De Soto Ave., Tampa Ave. and Reseda Blvd. |
| Rail | Northridge Metrolink (8775 Wilbur Ave., Ventura County Line), about 1–2 miles west | Chatsworth station (Metrolink, Amtrak Pacific Surfliner, Metro G Line), about 3 miles southwest; Northridge Metrolink about 4 miles south |
| Nearby | CSUN across Lindley Ave.; Dearborn Park; Northridge Fashion Center about 2 miles west | Porter Ranch Town Center and The Vineyards; canyon and hillside parks such as Limekiln Canyon and Porter Ridge |
Schools
Both neighborhoods are in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Sherwood Forest has no schools inside its boundaries. Porter Ranch has two LAUSD campuses inside its neighborhood council boundary, and many addresses are assigned to middle and high schools in neighboring communities. Assignments depend on the exact address and can change, so look up any home with LAUSD's Resident School Identifier.
How the Trade-Offs Line Up
- If land is the priority (room for a pool and a garden, a workshop, an ADU, or horses on a qualifying RA lot), Sherwood Forest's lots are a different scale from most of Porter Ranch.
- If newer construction is the priority, Porter Ranch's planned developments and condos offer homes built from the 1980s through the 2020s, usually with HOA dues and community rules.
- If you're comparing costs, line up HOA dues and special taxes in Porter Ranch against likely system updates on an older Sherwood Forest home, not just the purchase price.
- If you're selling, your comparable sales come from your own neighborhood and home type. A Sherwood Forest RA lot and a Porter Ranch PUD home aren't comps for each other.
What's Your Sherwood Forest Home Worth?
Whether you own in Sherwood Forest or Porter Ranch, a useful valuation compares your home with sales of the same type, lot size and era. Request a free, no-obligation estimate from David.
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About David Petikyan
David Petikyan leads Property Provider Group with eXp Realty. He works with San Fernando Valley sellers and buyers out of his office at 15545 Devonshire St #103 in Mission Hills, a short drive from Sherwood Forest. He also holds the California Association of REALTORS® Certified Probate & Trust Specialist certification for inherited and trust sales.
David Petikyan · Property Provider Group | eXp Realty · DRE# 02089725
15545 Devonshire St #103, Mission Hills, CA 91345 · (818) 394-0012
eXp Realty of Greater Los Angeles, Inc. #02188471
Sherwood Forest vs. Porter Ranch: FAQ
Is Porter Ranch the same as Northridge?
No. Porter Ranch and Northridge are separate neighborhoods of the City of Los Angeles, with separate neighborhood councils. Porter Ranch is north of the 118 Freeway. They share ZIP code 91326, which is why the names often get mixed up.
Is Porter Ranch a city?
No. Porter Ranch is a neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles, in Los Angeles County, so City of LA zoning, permits and services apply. Sherwood Forest is also part of the City of Los Angeles, inside Northridge.
Does Porter Ranch have Mello-Roos?
It depends on the property. Toll Brothers stated in 2021 that its Skyline and Summit collections at Westcliffe offer no Mello-Roos, but special taxes are recorded parcel by parcel. Check the LA County property tax bill and the Natural Hazard Disclosure report for a specific home.
Which has HOAs, Sherwood Forest or Porter Ranch?
Porter Ranch's planned-development homes and condos are typically governed by HOAs, while its older single-family tracts usually aren't. Sherwood Forest has a voluntary residents' association with $50 annual dues, not a common-area HOA.
Which has bigger lots, Sherwood Forest or Porter Ranch?
Sherwood Forest. Its median single-family lot is about 17,600 sq ft, compared with about 10,000 sq ft for Porter Ranch's traditional single-family lots, based on LA County Assessor parcel data.
Sources
- LA County Assessor parcel data (2026 roll) and City of LA ZIMAS zoning layer, analyzed October 2026, as published on our Sherwood Forest and Porter Ranch pages (methods described there).
- City of Los Angeles, Neighborhood Council Boundaries (LA GeoHub), Porter Ranch NC.
- City of Los Angeles Council District 12, Sherwood Forest.
- Sherwood Forest Homeowners Association, About Us and Dues.
- LA City Planning, Porter Ranch Land Use/Transportation Specific Plan (Ord. 166,068) and Zoning Code Summary; LAMC Sec. 12.07, "RA" Suburban Zone.
- Toll Brothers press release, Porter Ranch’s Largest Master Plan Unveils Two New Communities (March 23, 2021).
- Wikipedia, Porter Ranch, Los Angeles (early tracts, Town Center, The Vineyards).
- Metrolink, Northridge and Chatsworth stations.
- LA County Treasurer and Tax Collector, property tax information; LAUSD, Resident School Identifier.
Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Laws, tax rates and fees change; verify zoning, lot size, permits, taxes, disclosures and school assignments independently, and consult an attorney, CPA or escrow officer for advice on your situation. David Petikyan, DRE# 02089725, eXp Realty. eXp Realty of Greater Los Angeles, Inc. #02188471. Equal Housing Opportunity.