Moving to OC for job in Santa Ana (Anaheim, Irvine: for rent, lofts)

[delphina]

I will be moving to OC for a job in Santa Ana and would appreciate input about the various neighborhoods. As a single person, being in a safe neighborhood is important to me. I will be renting, appreciate a more quiet atmosphere, would like to minimize driving in (or stopping in) very heavy traffic, and enjoy the ocean. Also important to me is being able to get organic food, and participate in art classes (specifically book arts and glass art). How would you describe Tustin, Irvine, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley? What are the traffic patterns from the various locations to Santa Ana? What other things might be important for me to know? Thank you in advance!

[EscapeCalifornia]

Any of those are fine with Irvine and Newport Beach being the most expensive. Traffic pretty much runs every direction, all day long. The heaviest would be southbound 405 and southbound 55 in the mornings and of course the reverse in the evening. You best bet is to live in one of the cities adjacent to Santa Ana and take surface streets.

[bblvnvelphy]

Originally Posted by delphina

I will be moving to OC for a job in Santa Ana and would appreciate input about the various neighborhoods. As a single person, being in a safe neighborhood is important to me. I will be renting, appreciate a more quiet atmosphere, would like to minimize driving in (or stopping in) very heavy traffic, and enjoy the ocean. Also important to me is being able to get organic food, and participate in art classes (specifically book arts and glass art). How would you describe Tustin, Irvine, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley? What are the traffic patterns from the various locations to Santa Ana? What other things might be important for me to know? Thank you in advance!

it all depends where you work, santa ana has aritist village has lofts for rent....A Place For Art

[Coldjensens]

Where in Santa Ana will you be working? There are a lot of nice areas where you could live very close to work. Some parts of Santa Ana are rough, other parts are nice. Some are in between.

For many people commute time and commute hassle are more critical issues than crime, since crime is pretty low almost everywhere in OC. You can live in Southern OC and enjoy a city with a super low crime rate, however you may spend all of your free time driving and only sleep at your house.

Good Luck

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by delphina

I will be moving to OC for a job in Santa Ana and would appreciate input about the various neighborhoods. As a single person, being in a safe neighborhood is important to me. I will be renting, appreciate a more quiet atmosphere, would like to minimize driving in (or stopping in) very heavy traffic, and enjoy the ocean. Also important to me is being able to get organic food, and participate in art classes (specifically book arts and glass art). How would you describe Tustin, Irvine, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley? What are the traffic patterns from the various locations to Santa Ana? What other things might be important for me to know? Thank you in advance!

You other questions depend on where. Parts of Newport Beach are very expensive, very pretentious and very plastic. Other parts (Balboa Peninsula for example) are like a small town in the winter and a tourist haven in the summer. Traffic in the winter is light. In the summer horrendous. Parts of Newport down near Laguna would make a nasty commute. Some parts of newport are inches from parts of Santa Ana. So it all depends on where.


Pretty much all of Irvine and most of Tustin are bland cookie cutter subdivisions, strip malls and office parks. other parts are more interesting. Especially the older part of Tustin. Some homes in Irvine are on "lakes" (large man made puddles). That could be a plus. Irvine also adjoins some parts of Santa Ana. However some parts of Irvine could take an hour to get to some parts of Santa Ana. Just depends on where.

Anaheim hills is pretty nice and somewhat less bland than other areas. It can be anywhere from a few inches to ten or more miles to Santa Ana.


Costa Mesa is closer than Newport Beach, not as expensive, and somewhat less pretentious. Not a beach town though. Mostly a bedroom community with a mall. Nice thing about Costa Mesa is it is between Santa Ana and the beaches (Newport), so you are half way to either from the other. C.M. is a pretty clean town. Again you can live in parts of Costa Mesa where you could throw a baseball into Santa Ana. Other parts are a 20 minute drive or more.


I do not know much about Fountain Valley except that they have a huge park and a lot of big box stores. From what I have seen of it, you are just as well off living in Santa Ana with a shorter commute and a more lively downtown.

If you are concerned about schools, Irvine is probably the best choice of your list.

Look at old Town Orange and Fullerton as well. Both are close and pretty nice (and less bland).

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

I do not know much about Fountain Valley except that they have a huge park and a lot of big box stores. From what I have seen of it, you are just as well off living in Santa Ana with a shorter commute and a more lively downtown.

Funniest thing I've read all morning.

[delphina]

Coldjensens--I'll be working near 5 & 55--where they appear to intersect on a map. So many posts talk about the crime rate/gangs in Santa Ana--are there places to avoid?

Thanks for all of the helpful info!

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by delphina

Coldjensens--I'll be working near 5 & 55--where they appear to intersect on a map. So many posts talk about the crime rate/gangs in Santa Ana--are there places to avoid?

Look in Tustin, north of the 5 and east of the 55. You might look at Orange too (north of the 22) since its not that far and you could take surface streets to work and avoid the freeways.

[Coldjensens]

Old Town Orange would be my suggestion. charming old fashioned small downtown area. Reasonably nice, but not the newer drab matching houses, matching lawns, matching cars, etc etc you find in South County. Not as clean and lily white as South county either. If I were to select anywhere to live in OC that is where I would choose unless I could afford Laguna Beach.

Tustin, Anaheim Hills, Orange Park Acres, Villa Park, are other nicer areas that are close to your work.

I absolutely hate commuting in California traffic so I live(d) a mile from my office and a mile from the train station (to go to LA).

Our family lived in downtown Santa Ana not far from that intersection (about a mile). We enjoyed it immensely, but it is not for everyone. Most of our neighbors were Hispanic (but very nice). There is some gang activity in the city, but our neighborhood wa off limits because everyone would call the police if bangers ventured in. Still, we did get tagged on our garage door occasionally (the city would come paint it over). We had homeless people hanging out in the park in fron of our house at times, hookers would occasionally proposition me (or us) if we walked to the restruants or bars downtown, and there was a banger who lived down the street that go shot at once.

On the other hand several of our neighbors never even closed their doors, let alone locked them. We never had any serious problems although we did sometimes report suspicious activities by our neighbors. We walked the neighborhood every night and regularly walked to downtown businesses at night. It really depends on your comfort level and whether you are street smart.

Even if you are looking for a more traditional neighborhood, Santa Ana has some on the fringes of the city. When you get over near Tustin, or down by South Coast Plaza, you find more typical Orange county neighborhoods.

Look at Floral Park in Santa Ana too.
Nice nieghborhood and a lot of house for your money.

[bblvnvelphy]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

Look at Floral Park in Santa Ana too.
Nice nieghborhood and a lot of house for your money.

also Wilshire Square and Washington square are nice areas