Heywood
What's now called Heywood used to be several different districts, including the old Little China and Japantown. In fact, the parts of the area closest to City Center were among the best places to live. That was before the Night City Holocaust and the detonation of a nuclear bomb in Arasaka Tower. Much of the area was devastated by the blast, and wind carried radiation south west, making the rest unlivable for decades to come.
The name Heywood comes from an area of heavy industry in what is now Arroyo in Santo Domingo. The extreme poverty in that area led the most desperate to scavenge for riches across the water in the abandoned Japantown. As some of them settled there permanently — as permanently as one lives in a radioactive war-zone — they still used the Heywood name. As this population spread in spite of itself, the name came with them. Meanwhile, those who remained in the old Heywood became part of the sprawl of refugees and reclaimers that took the Santo Domingo identity to heart.
Meanwhile, in the 2040s, Wellsperings was reaping some benefits of the nearby Downtown being rebuilt. Towards the end of that decade, NCPD had some control over Heywood. They could clear the streets enough for reconstruction to begin — first in the Glen, then working north and east. By 2060, all of Heywood was inhabited.
Vista del Rey
The eastern and poorest part of Heywood. Once reconstructed, there was very little money in it anymore and no one really cared about those who ended up here. While attempts have been made to apply some colors and decorations to buildings here, most of them are cheaply constructed and in various states of decay from neglect. Survivalist and industrial architecture have been given a superficial polish that has aged like runny make-up.
The Hispanic and Latino citizens of Night City are often found in Vista del Rey. This isn't as absolute as the Japanese population of Japantown, for instance, but it's still very common. Spanish is by far the most frequently heard language on the street besides English. Many establishments mix-and-match in signage, expecting their customers to be at least somewhat bilingual if they don't have translation software.
The Valentinos have their home in Vista del Rey, though the gang's influence can be felt throughout Heywood. 6th Street are doing their best to get into the area from their home in Santo Domingo, leading to frequent shoot-outs. Police do patrol the street, but most find it easier to let the gangs take each other out and then deal with the fallout than to get involved. There are often talks about "cleaning up" Vista del Rey, but so far, no one has considered it worth the effort.
The Glen
Before the bomb, this the most upscale part of Night City and land ownership by wealthy individuals is the biggest reason it was reconstructed as nice as it is. That said, The Glen is very much a middle-class area. It's the home to much of the city's population because of its Megabuildings and the many tall buildings beside them. Efforts have been made to make the area pretty, as it's home to Reconciliation Park and architecture often uses red brick effects and more to make it friendly. But all that nice architecture is often covered in graffiti and the park is more of a trash heap.
City Hall used to be in the much more exclusive Corpo Plaza, but as part of the deal with Arasaka Corporation that ended the Unification War, it moved to the Glen. Moving the representative of the people out of the way and something worse to make room for a corporation is very telling.
With its high population density, the Glen is very diverse. Latinos overrepresented because of the proximity to Vista del Rey, but other than that, the spread is wide. The closest one might come to a common denominator are those who themselves have mixed backgrounds.
The Valentinos are by far the most pervasive gang around, but they're not the only ones. Many smaller gangs try to do their thing, but other large gangs rarely get involved. Police will do their jobs unless paid a significant bribe, but won't throw themselves into gang war if they don't have to.
Wellsprings
The western part of Heywood is an example of how the district is trying to be better without succeeding. Where it border the Glen, houses can still be shacks; where it borders Downtown in the north or the sea to the west, it looks respectable in a liberal arts sort of way. Housing isn't always as cheap as in the Glen, but still accessible for many. There's graffiti everywhere, but some are artistic. Buildings are concerned with humanity and beauty, not just practicality.
NCU is in Wellsprings, and students adds to the rough but aspirational feel of the area. The population is young and educated in subjects that don't bring in a lot of money. Demographics lean slightly ethnically European and Asian due to continuing systemic issues.
Crime is kept at a reasonable level for Night City. The Valentinos often hang around, but they don't have that much business in Wellsprings. Police presence isn't high and not much better than in the Glen, but the profit difference doesn't make it worth operating in Wellsprings. Crime is usually committed by smaller gangs or just desperate individuals.
