There are no Italian communities in California. Some older people think there are, and try to preserve their once Italian dominated areas by having clubs and organizing events or dinners with like 50 or so people. But as far as the type of Italian neighborhoods you have on the east coast? The Latino neighborhoods in California probably have more of a resemblance, just by way of large families, working class, devout Catholicism, and similarities between the Spanish and Italian languages. I grew up with a lot of Italians who blended in with Chicano culture. Most of the traditional Italian neighborhoods in CA are now Latino, or gentrified. North Beach in SF, the old Lanza turf, is a total rich area now. All that's left of its Italian past is the lamp posts painted in the Italian flag colors, and a few pizzerias along Columbus. It's Italian like the Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland are real pirates.