Signal Hill is a city in California located in the Greater Los Angeles area. The city is situated on a hill, and it is completely surrounded by Long Beach. The city was incorporated on 22 April 1924, three years after oil was discovered there. Soon, Signal Hill was covered with 100 oil derricks, with many of them closing by the turn of the 21st century. The area became a primarily suburban area, but not affluent. The houses were low-end and usually tiny, with lawns being uncut, walls cracking, and cars stolen. Gangsters from different Hispanic gangs could be seen patrolling the neighborhood, especially at night; Marabunta Grande controlled the neighborhood, while Vagos controlled the area between Signal Hill and Florence. In 2016, Signal Hill had a population of 11,649, with 38.2% being Hispanic, 25.9% white, 21.1% Asian, 11.1% African-American, 3% multiracial, .6% Pacific islander, and .2% Native American.