Santa Ana: Economy

Major Industries and Commercial Activity

Santa Ana boasts more than 13,000 in-city businesses; major industries include a mix of retail trade, service, and manufacturing firms.

Government is a major employer in Santa Ana; as the county seat, the city has offices at the county, state, and federal levels. Santa Ana is also a financial center, with 25 banks and 57 savings and loan associations. The aerospace and electronics industries, among the area's largest employers, figure significantly in the city's economy.

Santa Ana was the recipient of California's largest commercial loan program, which contributed to redevelopment of the downtown district. Part of the project were ten new banking and financial buildings and the Civic Center, which houses city, county, state, and federal government buildings. Several Fortune 500 companies, including Textron's Cherry Division, ITT Cannon, and Xerox, are located in Santa Ana.

Tourism is a major industry in Santa Ana and Orange County. Within a radius of 10 miles of the city are several of California's most popular tourist attractions, such as Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, and southern California beaches. Forty million people visit the Orange County area each year, spending more than $6.4 billion.

Items and goods produced: sugar; glass products; plumbing material; foam rubber products; dehydrating, electronic, and sporting equipment; concentrates; extracts; agricultural machinery; perfumes; feed; cement pipes; soft drinks; rivets; fasteners; canned and dried fruits and vegetables; packaged walnuts and oranges; poultry

Incentive Programs—New and Existing Companies

Local programs

The Orange County Business Council (OCBC) concentrates on attracting and retaining high-quality, high-paying and low-polluting jobs to Orange County. For business development, the OCBC is the single business point-of-contact for economic development and related business information in Orange County. As well, the OCBC leads the county in ensuring a quality workforce and advocating legislation to benefit businesses. Within the city of Santa Ana, 98 percent of commercial and industrial property is a designated Enterprise Zone that offers major tax breaks and other incentives to attract and retain business.

State programs

The State of California finances programs to help small and medium-sized businesses develop export markets and improve the quality of products and the skills of work forces. Parts of Santa Ana are designated part of a Federal Empowerment Zone. Santa Ana was the only town west of the Rockies to receive such a designation. As a Federal Urban Empowerment Zone, the city of Santa Ana will receive up to $100 million in performance grants to be used in the designated area. Up to $10 million will be paid out each year through 2008.

Job training programs

The Santa Ana Work/Opportunities/Resources/Knowledge (W/O/R/K/) Center is a nonprofit organization comprised of a partnership between several agencies: The Santa Ana Workforce Investment Board, State Employment Development Department, Santa Ana College, and Orange County Social Services. The W/O/R/K Center is a one-stop shop designed to meet the job training and placement needs of the community. The center was awarded the largest grant ($867,000) given by the State of California for such programs in 2000.

Development Projects

Major recent commercial developments in Santa Ana include the Main Place regional shopping center, MacArthur Place mixed use area, and the Santa Ana Auto Mall. More than 5,000 acres of the city are within six focused redevelopment areas that include a variety of governmental, infrastructure, retail and residential projects.

Economic Development Information: Orange County Business Council, 2 Park Plaza, Suite 100, Irvine, CA, 92614-5904; telephone (949)476-2242; fax (949)476-9240.

Commercial Shipping

Air freight facilities for Santa Ana are available at John Wayne Airport. Rail freight service is provided by the Southern Pacific and Union Pacific railroads. More than 100 motor freight carriers link Santa Ana with markets throughout the country; overnight delivery service is available to several West Coast cities as well as to Tucson, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Reno.

Labor Force and Employment Outlook

Santa Ana has a young, well-trained work force that comprises over 10 percent of Orange County's labor pool. Employment forecasts in the Orange County area are positive, with growth of 15 percent expected between 2001 and 2008. Unionization is prevalent in manufacturing, trucking, retailing, the hotel industry, warehousing, and some grocery and drugstore chains.

The following is a summary of data regarding the Santa Ana-Irvine-Anaheim metropolitan area nonagricultural labor force, 2004 annual averages.

Size of non-agricultural labor force: 1,460,000

Number of workers employed in . . .

natural resources and mining: 600

construction: 91,800

manufacturing: 183,200

trade, transportation and utilities: 264,300

information: 33,500

financial activities: 131,200

professional and business services: 259,600

educational and health systems: 130,400

government: 153,200

leisure and hospitality: 164,500

other services: 4,730

Average hourly earnings of production workers employed in manufacturing: $14.13

Unemployment rate: 5.8% (January 2005)

Cost of Living

The following is a summary of data regarding key cost of living factors for the Santa Ana area.

2004 (3rd Quarter) ACCRA Average House Price: $674,000 (Orange County)

2004 (3rd Quarter) ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 151.5 (U.S. average = 100.0)

State income tax rate: Ranges from 1.0% to 9.3%

State sales tax rate: 6% plus .5% in Santa Ana (food and prescription drugs are exempt)

Local income tax rate: None

Local sales tax rate: 1.25% county and city, plus any district taxes imposed by the county (0.50% to 1.0%); comes into effect through general election

Property tax rate: limited to 1% of assessed value by state law. The local taxing body can add bonds approved by popular vote.

Economic Information: Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce, 2020 N. Broadway, 2nd Floor, Santa Ana, CA 92706; telephone (714)541-5353; fax (714)541-2238

Santa Ana: Recreation

Sightseeing

A major tourist attraction in Orange County is the historical district in downtown Santa Ana. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, the 21-block area is among the largest such districts in the state of California. It contains 100 buildings constructed between 1877 and 1934; among them are the Old County Courthouse (now a museum featuring changing exhibits related to local and regional history), the Fox West Coast Theatre, and Old City Hall. The district also features homes of prominent Santa Ana citizens. Tours of the Dr. Willella Howe-Waffle House, a restored Queen Anne Style home built in the 1880s, are available the first Saturday of each month.

Fairhaven Memorial Park is situated on 73 acres and features an arboretum harboring nearly 1,000 trees and numerous plants from around the world. The park's historic mausoleum was built in 1916 of European marble and granite, with handcrafted stained-glass windows.

The Santa Ana Zoo is home to 260 animals and 84 species; among the rare and endangered species living at the zoo are the ring-tailed lemur, the margay cat, the white-handed gibbon, and the golden lion tamarin; the zoo welcomes 270,000 visitors each year. There are several other points of interest in Orange County, including world-famous Disneyland amusement park in Anaheim, and Knott's Berry Farm and the Movieland Wax Museum in Buena Park.

Within driving distance of Santa Ana are the Universal Studios tour, Magic Mountain, Raging Waters amusement park, Sea World, and the San Diego Zoo.

Arts and Culture

More than 1,000 cultural organizations are active in Orange County; among them are symphony orchestras, ballet companies, theater groups, and modern and folk dance troupes. Santa Ana is home to the Pacific Symphony Orchestra, which presents its summer season at Irvine Meadows Amphitheater and performs its regular season concerts at Segerstrom Hall in the Orange County Performing Arts Center. The center is one of three theater facilities in the nation to house all of the four performing arts—musical theater, symphony, opera, and ballet.

Among the other orchestras in the metropolitan area are the Orange County Youth Symphony and the American Youth Symphony. Theater groups include the South Coast Repertory Theatre; dance companies are the Gloria Newman Dance Theatre and the Penrod-Plastino Movement Theatre.

Artists Village is a thriving area of art galleries and studios. It includes the Santora Arts Complex, renowned for its flamboyant churrigueresque architecture, which offers the works of more than 38 artists in five galleries, including the Santa Ana College gallery; the Empire Market Building, which contains several galleries, artists' studios and a small theater; and the Cal State Fullerton Grand Central Art Center, which houses a student gallery and studios and the Alternative Repertory Theatre. The Orange County Center for Contemporary Art is also located in the village.

One of Orange County's most prominent museums is located in Santa Ana. The famous Bowers Museum of Cultural Art, a Spanish mission style building, houses collections pertinent to Orange County and California history; Native American, Pacific Rim, and African cultures; and natural history; it also features a hands-on "Kidseum," a five-star restaurant, and shops. The nearby Discovery Museum of Orange County has exhibits that chronicle the history of Orange County back to the nineteenth century. The Natural History Museum in nearby Newport Beach displays fossils unique to Orange County and marine life such as whales and walrus. Art museums in the area include the Laguna Beach Art Museum Annex, the Muckenthaler Cultural Center, and the Newport Harbor Art Museum.

Sports for the Spectator

Santa Ana residents are within an easy drive of sporting events in Anaheim. The Major League Baseball Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim play home games in the 45,050 seat Angel Stadium. The Fullerton State Titans and the Anteaters of the University of California at Irvine field National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I teams. Los Alamitos Race Course features parimutuel thorough-bred and harness racing.

Sports for the Participant

Santa Ana's mild climate invites year-round athletic enjoyment. Some of Southern California's finest beaches are minutes away, and the city is located only 12 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Mountain ski resorts are within easy driving distance.

Shopping and Dining

South Coast Plaza Village in Santa Ana is a European-style marketplace. With 25 incorporated cities in Orange County, each with its own central shopping district and community shopping centers, the shopper has endless opportunities. More than 20 major regional shopping malls feature national department stores, specialty shops, and boutiques. Santa Ana is also within easy driving distance of Beverly Hills' famous Rodeo Drive, which is lined with luxury and designer shops.

Santa Ana has dozens of restaurants that offer a variety of cuisine, including traditional American, Continental, Italian, Asian, and Mexican dishes.

Visitor Information: Anaheim/Orange County Visitors Bureau, 800 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim, CA, 92802; telephone (714)765-8888

Santa Ana: History

Franciscans Settle Santa Ana Valley

The valley in which Santa Ana is located was discovered in July 1769, during a Franciscan expedition led by Don Gaspar Portola. The explorers christened the valley Santa Ana in honor of Saint Anne, also giving the name Santa Ana to the river flowing through the valley. One of the members of the Portola party, Father Junipero Serra, later founded a chain of Franciscan missions that still can be seen today. The El Camino Real, the King's Highway, which linked the missions, passes through the Santa Ana Valley.

Another member of the Portola group, a soldier named Antonio Yorba, and his nephew, Juan Peralta, received a Spanish grant for land extending from the foothills of the Santa Ana Canyon to the ocean. They used the land for grazing cattle and later developed irrigation systems fed by water from the Santa Ana River. The land was thus quite fertile, and the area soon became an agricultural center, with several ranches established in the valley.

City of Santa Ana Prospers

The 1849 California Gold Rush brought the region a population boom, which was followed by another major expansion during the Civil War. The valley's large ranches were subdivided and sold to the newcomers, many of whom later founded the cities of Santa Ana, Orange, and Tustin. Santa Ana's history began in 1869 when William H. Spurgeon purchased 70 acres from the Yorba heirs and drew up a town plan. Since the land had been part of the Santiago de Santa Ana ranch and since it was also near the Santa Ana River, the town was called Santa Ana.

Soon the new town became prosperous, boasting mail delivery twice a week and a number of stores and residences within its boundaries. Farms also were established throughout the valley; the rich soil and favorable climate permitted the cultivation of several crops. Santa Ana became a commercial center; because of its central location in the valley, it was a natural marketplace for crops produced in the surrounding region that is now Orange County. When rail transport arrived in the area in 1877, the town developed and population increased; in 1886 Santa Ana was incorporated. Three years later Orange County was separated from Los Angeles County and Santa Ana was named the county seat.

World War II brought further development as industry moved into the area. The population of Santa Ana increased from around 49,000 people in 1900 to nearly 210,000 residents in 1950. A city charter, providing for a council-manager form of government, was adopted in 1952. Since World War II, Santa Ana has become a financial and governmental center of Orange County.

Efforts began in the 1980s to restore and revitalize the city of Santa Ana, especially its downtown. As a result the city has become known for its historic downtown and Main Place shopping center, which created thousands of jobs in the heart of the city. Santa Ana residents of the twenty-first century enjoy cultural and ethnic diversity as well as continuing status as the financial and governmental center of Orange County.

Historical Information: Santa Ana Public Library, History Room, 26 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701; telephone (714)647-5267. Santa Ana Mountain Historical Society, 28192 Silverado Canyon Road (PO Box 301), Silverado, CA 92676; telephone (714)649-2216

Santa Ana: Education and Research

Elementary and Secondary Schools

The Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD), the largest in Orange County and fifth (2005) largest in the state, is administered by a five-member, nonpartisan board of education that appoints a superintendent.

The district boasts distinctions such as two Nationally Distinguished Schools, several State Distinguished Schools, and numerous first or second place "Golden Bell" awards from the California School Boards Association for excellence in innovative programs. McFadden Intermediate received a GEARING Up federal grant in 2004 to create the McFadden Mathematics Institute; the Institute will offer advanced instruction and technology based materials for seventh and eighth grade students with proven math skills. Twenty-four elementary schools and four intermediate schools offer year-round programs. Ninety-one percent of the student body is Hispanic, and the district average of students who speak limited English was 71.4 percent in the 2003–2004 school year. Like many other California school districts, SAUSD faced tough budget prospects in 2005 as state funding shrunk.

The following is a summary of data regarding Santa Ana's public schools as of the 2003–2004 school year.

Total enrollment: 62,874

Number of facilities elementary schools: 37

intermediate schools: 9

senior high schools: 7

other: 5

Student/teacher ratio: 23:1

Teacher salaries average: $56,059 (2003–2004)

Funding per pupil: $4,682

A variety of private schools also operate in the city.

Public Schools Information: Santa Ana Unified School District, 1601 East Chestnut Avenue, Santa Ana, CA 92701; telephone (714)558-5501; email [email protected]

Colleges and Universities

Rancho Santiago Community College District's 58 acre Santa Ana Campus is a two-year institution providing associate of arts degrees, vocational certificates, transfer programs to four year schools, and customized on-site employee training programs for local companies; the college is in the process of developing a Digital Media Center. Located within commuting distance of Santa Ana, other Orange County colleges include the University of California at Irvine, California State University at Fullerton, and Chapman College in Orange.

Libraries and Research Centers

The Santa Ana Public Library system operates a main facility, a Family Learning Center, a youth computer learning center, an adult computer lab, and a bookmobile. Holdings consist of more than 335,000 volumes and more than 400 periodicals, plus CDs, tapes, videos, and maps. Special collections include California and Santa Ana history, foreign language books and cassettes, and federal and state documents.

The Orange County Public Library, based in Santa Ana and operating 32 branches, holds more than 2.5 million volumes and 5,000 periodicals, and maintains a special collection of Law Library documents. Other libraries and research centers are affiliated with government agencies, colleges, hospitals, and private corporations. Research activities in botany are conducted at the Ranch Santa Ana Botanical Garden.

Public Library Information: City of Santa Ana Library, 26 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701; telephone (714)647-5250. Orange County Public Library, 1501 East St. Andrew's Place, Santa Ana, CA 92705; telephone (714)551-7159

Santa Ana: Population Profile

Metropolitan Area Residents

1980: 1,933,000

1990: 2,410,668

2000: 2,846,289

Percent change, 1990–2000: 12.9%

U.S. rank in 1980: 2nd (CMSA)

U.S. rank in 1990: 2nd (CMSA)

U.S. rank in 2000: 2nd (CMSA)

City Residents

1980: 203,713

1990: 293,827

2000: 337,977

2003 estimate: 342,510

Percent change, 1990–2000: 14.8%

U.S. rank in 1980: 69th

U.S. rank in 1990: 52nd (State rank: 9th)

U.S. rank in 2000: 51st (State rank: 9th)

Density: 12,451 people per square mile (2000)

Racial and ethnic characteristics (2000)

White: 144,425

Black or African American: 5,749

American Indian and Alaska Native: 4,013

Asian: 29,778

Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 1,160

Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 257,097

Other: 137,360

Percent of residents born in state: 38.6% (2000)

Age characteristics (2000)

Population under 5 years old: 34,816

Population 5 to 9 years old: 35,873

Population 10 to 14 years old: 28,386

Population 15 to 19 years old: 28,528

Population 20 to 24 years old: 31,112

Population 25 to 34 years old: 66,017

Population 35 to 44 years old: 49,108

Population 45 to 54 years old: 29,239

Population 55 to 59 years old: 9,286

Population 60 to 64 years old: 7,047

Population 65 to 74 years old: 10,408

Population 75 to 84 years old: 6,117

Population 85 years and over: 2,040 Median age: 26.5

Births (2002, Orange County)

Total number: 44,796

Deaths (2002, Orange County)

Total number: 16,789 (of which, 216 were infants under the age of 1 year)

Money income (1999)

Per capita income: $12,152

Median household income: $43,412

Total households: 72,993

Percentage of households with income of . . .

less than $10,000: 4,581

$10,000 to $14,999: 3,882

$15,000 to $24,999: 8,941

$25,000 to $34,999: 10,802

$35,000 to $49,999: 13,448

$50,000 to $74,999: 16,232

$75,000 to $99,999: 7,755

$100,000 to $149,000: 5,435

$150,000 to $199,000: 974

$200,000 and over: 943

Percent of families below poverty level: 16.1% (38.5% of which were female householder families with related children under 5 years)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 12,038