Item 32 - Second Reading of Uncodified Ordinance Amendment No. 2024-07

Home Browse Search

As discussed previously, HUD’s dissimilarity indices can be used to estimate segregation levels over time. Dissimilarity indices for Orange County and Santa Ana are shown in Table 2. Dissimilarity indices between non-White and White groups indicate that segregation in the county increased with regard to segregation since 1990. Segregation between Hispanic and White communities has increased to moderate levels after having had decreased to Low levels in 2010. Segregation between Black and Asian/Pacific Islander communities with White communities has also increased but at lower levels than Hispanic communities. As a whole, Orange County has seen an increase in diversity since 1990. Non-White populations have been and continue to grow in concentration in central and northern portions of the County, primarily in cities such as Santa Ana, Westminster, Anaheim, Buena Park, and Norwalk. Areas in central Orange County have the highest Dissimilarity Index values for their populations. Orange, Santa Ana and Tustin are particularly affected. The Black/White index value for the city of Orange is 42.35, as opposed to a 22.63 Non-White/White index value. Neighboring Tustin has a 48.19 as their Black/White index value. Table 2 Racial/Ethnic Dissimilarity Trends: Orange County and Santa Ana 1990 2000 2010 Current Orange County Non-White/White 30.48 36.54 35.55 40.20 Black/White 32.90 35.33 34.07 40.77 Hispanic/White 36.26 42.43 39.52 43.26 Asian or Pacific Islander/White 36.26 36.76 37.16 40.77 Santa Ana Non-White/White 47.77 49.28 46.49 47.97 Black/White 36.53 27.91 25.15 33.97 Hispanic/White 53.09 53.61 50.00 51.40 Asian or Pacific Islander/White 43.10 46.77 46.87 48.78 Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) Database, 2020. Figure 4 shows that most central areas in Orange County have high concentrations of racial/ethnic minorities. Coastal cities, including Huntington Beach and Costa Mesa, and the areas east and southeast of Interstate 5 generally have smaller non-White populations. Most block groups inland, including Westminster, Garden Grove, Anaheim, and some parts of Irvine have majority racial/ethnic minority populations. Santa Ana’s racial/ethnic minority populations are comparable to the immediately surrounding jurisdictions. Coastal communities west and south of Santa Ana tend to have smaller racial/ethnic minority populations, and communities directly surrounding Santa Ana, such as Garden Grove and Westminster, have larger concentrations of racial/ethnic minorities. The post-World War II period saw urbanization in Orange County, with white, middle class families moving to newly developed suburban communities, particularly along the coast. In contrast, working-class and immigrant populations were often relegated to older, urbanized areas like Santa Ana, where housing was more affordable, and employment opportunities (often in agriculture or industrial sectors) were closer. As a result, these inland areas became home to larger Latino and Asian immigrant communities, particularly after the Immigration and Nationality ATTACHMENT 3