Santa Ana - for hispanic family (Los Angeles, Glendale: middle-class, crime, homes)

[Tasksgirl]

I've seen a few threads about this but I wanted to know first of all if Santa Ana has gotten better since the 90s .. my hubby apparently was told growing up it was very bad there. But he hasn't been back since. We definately plan to go check it out though.

And second of all if a hispanic family coming from Glendale ( pretty safe ) will still feel safe in Santa Ana.. my husband grew up in the valley in a pretty bad part - he said he felt safe there but then again he was a little kid and he didn't know better. Now we are used to Glendale but still go to the valley and some pretty sketchy parts of L.A. often. We don't feel entirely comfortable but we don't feel like either. I know everyone says that Santa Ana is the most dangerous in the O.C. but compared to many Los Angeles & Valley neighborhoods wouldn't it be considered pretty safe?

Third - How are the police there? Do they respond quickly? Are they uptight meaning do they jump on any crime and vandalism they see? (Good thing) Cops in Glendale are like this..

Basically - for a mixed white-hispanic family - no kids yet - but bringing the in-laws - coming from an L.A. frame of mind and NOT an O.C. or Real Housewives of O.C. (EW) frame of mind - will we feel safe there? I know safety is usually a perspective thing.

What are some of the good zip codes .. a middle-class hispanic neighborhood would be perfection.. although I am having trouble finding one other than Glendale

[EscapeCalifornia]

Santa Ana is not middle class. It is poor and all that goes with that, ie. overcrowded, bad schools, graffiti everywhere, etc. What's your tolerance for cars on the lawn and 4 families to a residence?

[j760]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

What's your tolerance for cars on the lawn and 4 families to a residence?

Well, since that probably means no HOA's I'm all for it.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by j760

Well, since that probably means no HOA's I'm all for it.

There's plenty of nice places to live without HOAs outside of Santa Ana where people actually take care of their property and don't live like animals. I live in one of them.

[Tasksgirl]

Most of the Santa Ana homes on ziprealty seem nice and well-maintained

[ocexpo]

Santa Ana is horrible. Yes, there are a lot of hispanics there, but you are different because

1. you are legally here (hopefully)
2. you know english
3. you actually care about the neighborhood you are moving too
4. aren't saying "well, me, my 10 kids and aunt and her 5 kids, and grandma, and brother will be moving to Santa Ana" which is typical of a transplant in Santa Ana.

I am not sure if you are looking to stay in a primarily hispanic community, but you should try looking into Huntington Beach's 92647 ZIP code. Its a safe, middle class area with a good blend of white, latino, and asian. Also, Buena Park might be a good option. Very similar to HB's 92647 ZIP code. They are both relatively affordable.

Hope this helps.

[Donn2390]

Originally Posted by Tasksgirl

Most of the Santa Ana homes on ziprealty seem nice and well-maintained

Santa Ana is a huge city, having some really bad areas, and some really good areas, and a lot in between. Like any place, if you aren't looking for trouble, you won't find any.
To paint the whole city with a broad brush is not fair, or realistic..!

[Tasksgirl]

Can someone point me in the direction of the better areas? I know that some parts are worse than others.. hubby remembers that.. anyone know whats the better ones.. further north the better?

And actually we are hoping to relocate with my in-laws.. but it is just the 6 of us.. this is a reason Santa Ana is appealing to us since there are many duplexes and homes with 2 on one lot. Again, I don't mind people speaking spanish around us, etc. I am seeking this remember.

[Tasksgirl]

Is anaheim considered better?
Again some specific zip codes that are 'nicer' would be great..

[missionhome]

You might like San Juan Capistrano. Strong Hispanic ties and culture (40% of city Hispanic), small downtown, safer than Santa Ana, and close to the beach. There are many people speaking Spanish in the downtown area especially at el mercado. Schools aren't the greatest, especially Kino****a (the website automatically turns it to stars, but yes the "s" word is in the middle of the school name) and San Juan Elementary and Marco Forester Middle aren't the best. Ambhuel and Palisades Elementary are decent.