O.C.’s Mood Glows Golden

The man who most often surveys the mood of Orange County says that right now the mood is “exuberant.” Some use the term “golden age.” County residents have given their highest ratings ever to the quality of life right here, right now. There’s the feeling that this is as good as it gets.

The UC Irvine annual survey, conducted this year for the 17th time and co-directed, as always, by UCI professor Mark Baldassare, reflects a county that has experienced a remarkable turnaround from the recession of the early 1990s and the bankruptcy of December 1994.

Baldassare and his co-director, Cheryl Katz, supervised the telephone poll of about 2,000 residents in the first two weeks of September. As always, the results, released last week, are valuable for what they tell residents, including government officials, about the thinking and attitudes of respondents on what is and isn’t working. The survey also provides a welcome measuring tool for comparing attitudes in different years.

For 1998, the barometer registers progress.

There are clouds on the horizon, and they must be noted. But the survey presents a picture of a remarkable county, the sixth largest in the nation, suffering from few of the ills of urban areas.

The population grows apace, now up to 2.7 million. The percentage of Latinos and Asians increases, as that of non-Hispanic whites declines. More people means greater density and greater demands on schools, roads, parks and beaches. Yet surprisingly, the survey finds that the county remains a suburb.

This year, in a worthwhile measuring tool, Baldassare compared attitudes of Orange County and Los Angeles County residents. Those living in Orange County were more satisfied with their housing, personal finances, leisure activities and jobs.

One topic on which residents of both counties agreed, and one deserving concern and attention, is the lack of affordable housing. Only 22% in each county reported themselves “very satisfied” with the availability of housing that doesn’t strain their pocketbook.

With the housing market again booming in the county and the costs of rents increasing, there is a danger that many workers, especially the young, will be forced to live far from their jobs. That means roads overburdened by large numbers of commuters driving long distances, subject to the stress of driving to and from homes in the Inland Empire.

But it was crime that was most frequently mentioned as the No. 1 problem in the county, despite several years of declining crime rates. Thirty percent of respondents put crime at the top of their concerns; 12% mentioned schools. The third biggest concern was traffic, at the top of the list for 11%. Baldassare said televised reports of crime are a major factor in the fear.

Of special concern should be the finding that Latinos and Asians are more concerned about crime than whites in the county. Just over half the whites said they feel very safe walking alone at night near their homes; only 32% of Latinos and 45% of Asians feel that way.

Although Latinos and Asians were generally confident that the county’s future, and their part in it, are bright, they gave lower marks to job opportunities, housing and leisure activities than did whites.

Latinos and Asians also expressed less interest in politics and were more likely to say they never vote. That is troubling, even with recent high-profile political races. All groups need to take part in the county’s civic life. As the percentage of minorities in Orange County grows, the need for participation in school life, charities and politics will increase. Political parties, nonprofit groups and charitable organizations are learning of the importance of reaching out to minorities.