I have talked a little with these investors about out of state syndication but I am now concentrating on getting them comfortable in investing locally.

So my suggestion is to concentrate on building such track record while maintaining the relationship with your investors.

There are around two dozen other major industrial operations in the area including the telephone pole factory that smells like burning tar, the Purina pet food factory right across the highway from the elementary school, and the highest concentration of superfund sites and brownfields in the country.

As @Donovan Plummer requested, I will cite sourcesNo surprise, California has one of the highest costs of living of any state: https://worldpopulationreview....But, it also has one of the highest income disparities of any state:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...Contributing to one of the highest concentrations of poverty of any state: https://www.usatoday.com/story...And more homelessness than any other state: https://www.usich.gov/tools-fo...But there isn't much room for government to help because CA already has one of the highest tax burdens of any state: https://wallethub.com/edu/stat...And one of the highest debt-to-GDP ratios of any state: https://www.statista.com/stati...For investors, it was ranked below-average in terms of landlord-friendly: https://www.visiolending.com/b...And, housing costs are one of the highest of any state, (making it very difficult to acquire properties that cash flow) https://www.businessinsider.co...I love California. 

I have been recently concentrating on the IE.

At your age I would concentrate on positive cash flow as opposed to equity growth.

@Ron Gallagher is right about the concentration of public housing.

I personally own a number of  units there and our largest concentration of units from a PM perspective is also in East Ridge. 

You , probably, should start your education that includes all of the real estate investment and later on try to settle on one or two niches that you like and concentrate on. 

The big thing is the cash flow and with rates as low as They have been it would have been better to use a mortgage and let the tenants pay for the houses and concentrate on cash flow and equity.