2010 Orange County Community Indicators Report released
Santa Ana, CA - The Children and Families Commission of Orange County, the County of Orange and the Orange County Business Council released the 2010 Community Indicators report today at the Orange County Board of Supervisors meeting. The annual report tracks quality of life issues including Orange County’s business climate, community health, education, and public safety.
The far-reaching impacts of the economic recession are beginning to show in the trend report that chronicles the health of OrangeCounty. However, some indicators reveal a silver lining:
- Housing affordability improved for the third year in a row meaning that more first-time buyers can afford a home in OrangeCounty
- Orange County’s solid and household hazardous waste production reached the lowest level in a decade
- Water consumption fell in spite of prolonged drought conditions
“We have a unique opportunity to carry the positive trends forward,” said Michael Ruane, Executive Director of the Children and Families Commission and project director for the report. “We need to focus on the fundamental, long-term attributes of a strong regional economy including workforce development, closing educational achievement gaps, and not letting up on our efforts to make affordable housing a regional priority.”
- Still, Orange County has felt the effects of the economic recession:
- Welfare enrollment grew by 13%
- 43% of students are eligible for free/reduced-price school meals - an increase of 8% in one year
- Rail ridership declined for the first time in 10 years
In addition, Orange County’s business climate ranking continues to fall, now in the bottom half of 200 metro areas compared. The 2010 report takes advantage of having 10-years of data, featuring a decade in review that examines key long-term trends such as changing demographics, narrowing achievement gaps, falling crime, and fewer deaths due to heart disease and cancer. A sustainability indicator places the county as a leader in green jobs, but suggests there is room for improvement in renewable energy development.
The Community Indicator Report is a collaborative project developed by the Children and Families Commission of Orange County, County of Orange, and Orange County Business Council and is available on-line at www.oc.ca.gov/ceocommunity.asp
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