Santa Ana

The Los Angeles Times ranked Santa Ana as number one in the nation for “urban hardship” and “the nation’s toughest place to survive.”

Santa Ana has the highest density of apartment dwellings in the United States, with over 50% of the inhabitants being minorities living at or below the poverty level.

Fifty six percent of all gangs in Orange County are in the cities of Anaheim, Orange, Santa Ana and Tustin. Santa Ana alone has 91 gangs.

17 percent of people live in poverty. 21 percent of related children under 18 live below the poverty level, compared with 13 percent of people 65 years old and over.

Fourteen percent of all families and 31 percent of families with a female householder and no husband present had incomes below the poverty level (as compared to the 6 percent of all families living below the poverty level in all of Orange County)

50 percent of people 25 years and over had at least graduated from high school and 11 percent had a bachelor’s degree or higher. Fifty percent were dropouts; they were not enrolled in school and had not graduated from high school (as compared to 18 percent were dropouts in all of Orange County- a huge gap!)

At the same time there is an amazing artist community that is growing.  There are organizations that are doing wonderful work.  Santa Ana needs Vi, to live and to see that it is a beautiful place with much to celebrate.