Find your local REIA and start attending and find the Realtors there to build friendships with. 

If you’re interested in investing here, I’d encourage you to speak with a knowledgeable local real estate professional or lender to get accurate guidance.

Are you focusing on local investments within LA County, or are you considering opportunities outside the area as well?

A local property manager will make this much easier and handle the visits for you.Single-family homes can still do well, even with more apartments popping up, as they cater to tenants who want privacy and space.

Before you commit I would talk to banks, probably local banks are better than regional or national. 

Are you local to the property?

The PM will also fix things when needed, using local handymen or contractors, and collect the rent for you.

Quote from @Victor Patel: I recently invested $60K with a local hard money lender who has been established in the area for decades.

I really want to do local meetups and interact with more advanced investors but don’t know where to start.

You can work with a local credit union that does HELOCs, Home Equity Lines of Credit or Loans, on investment property.