"Contested Turf, currently under control of Front Yard Ballas, a major set of Ballas. Old Reece's barber shop has been the local news service for years. Worth hitting up for information."

— GTA San Andreas Website.

Idlewood is a district in Los Santos, San Andreas. North of the district are Glen Park and Jefferson, while to the south are Willowfield and El Corona. Districts west of Idlewood are Commerce and Little Mexico, while to the east are Ganton and East Los Santos. It is likely that Idlewood is based on real life Inglewood, California. However, the projects area of Idlewood; known as Crystal Gardens (where the crack house is during the mission Cleaning the Hood) is based on the Jordan Downs housing projects and Nickerson Gardens in Watts. Idlewood is an African-American neighborhood. Idlewood has a population of 465.

The neighborhood has a high crime-rate and, just like Ganton, is notorious for gang violence, drug-trafficking and prostitution.

Idlewood primarily consists of small, single-family houses, housing projects, stores, a Pizza Stack restaurant, a gas station, a few warehouses and the Alhambra club.

Gang control

Idlewood, in 1992, had become a stronghold for the Ballas gang specifically the Front Yard set, but the district had previously been held by Grove Street Families. Some Aztecas members can be seen walking their turf in the south from Idlewood as their territory shares a border with Idlewood. Later on the game, in the mission Grove 4 Life, CJ and Sweet go to Idlewood and took at least two territories from there back. Carl Johnson can acquire Idlewood as GSF turf by starting a gang war, depending on the player's actions.

Residents

• Melvin "Big Smoke" Harris (Early 1990s - 1992, moved to East Los Santos)

Homes

• Big Smoke's House

Places/Stores

• Crystal Gardens
• 1 Day Service
• 24 Hour Motel
• 25¢ Video Arcade
• 69¢ Store
• Alhambra
• City Burgers
• FLOWERS
• Going Gas Station
• Liquor Deli
• Pay 'n' Spray
• Perfumes Flatware
• Old Reece's Hair & Facial Studio
• Security Storage
• Super $5.00
• Tattoos
• Well Stacked Pizza Co.
• Wholesale Produce

Weapons

• Fire Extinguisher (behind the counter at Well Stacked Pizza Co.)
• Flowers (considered a weapon) (at the Going Gas Station)
• Grenade (on top of the stairs at the 24-Hour Motel)
• Katana (behind the wooden fence east of the 69¢ Store)

Stationary vehicles

• Broadway (parked at the Going Gas Station - the Pimping mission can be started)
• Glendale
• Primo

Others

• Sprunk soft drink vending machine (replenishes health) (at the Going Gas Station and inside the Alhambra Club)
• Ten Gang Tags
• One Unique Stunt Jump
• Multiplayer icon down the street from Big Smoke's house. It is also next to a gang tag.

Trivia

• If you walk into the Idlewood gym during a gang war, the territory will remain neutral for the rest of the game.

Grand Theft Auto V

It is possible that Idlewood could be returning in GTA V; this is for many reasons. First of all, Idlewood was located in Los Santos, near Grove Street, and since Grove Street Families are returning, it is likely Idlewood will be too. Another reason is from a screenshot, showing a Freight driving through a small town resembling Idlewood (see gallery).

Gallery

The Freight driving through a small town.

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