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homeownership rate in the country.' According to recent reports by the Southern California
<br />Association of Governments (SCAG), the City of Santa Ana has a homeownership rate of just
<br />over forty-six percent (46%), compared to a homeownership rate of over fifty-two percent (52%)
<br />in Orange County generally per 2018 statistical data2.
<br />(d) The Novel Coronavirus (A.K.A. COVID-19) has further exacerbated the precarity of the
<br />local rental and housing economy. As a result of the pandemic caused by COVID-19, on March
<br />4, 2021, the State of California declared a State of Emergency and instituted shutdown orders.
<br />Even though the State of California has eased the shelter -in -place orders as of May 2021, the
<br />physical, economic, and psychological impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to persist
<br />on the low-income residents of Santa Ana, who were among the hardest hit by this disease. In
<br />California, although Latinos make up about thirty-nine percent (39%) of the total population,
<br />they constitute about fifty-five percent (55%) of the total confirmed COVID-19 cases'. The city
<br />of Santa Ana, with a majority Latino population, has had a total of over 44,500 confirmed
<br />COVID-19 cases, experiencing the highest COVID-19 cases in Orange County'.
<br />(e) Due to shelter -in -place orders, many businesses shut down and many workers experienced
<br />significant reduction of work hours and job loss. A majority of Latinos work in occupations such
<br />as food preparation and service, maintenance, and hospitality, have experienced negative
<br />economic impacts. According to the December 2020 report from California Latino Economic
<br />Institute, in California, about ten percent (10%) of Latinos are unemployed, a six percent (6%)
<br />increase from 2019. Further, nearly two-thirds (63%) of Latinos reported experiencing
<br />significant loss of employment income. This has resulted in many tenants being unable to pay
<br />their rent. Estimates are that of the 40 million renters in the US, 20 million of those renters
<br />expressed no -confidence in being able to pay their rent, placing them at risk of eviction and
<br />displacements.
<br />(f) Eviction has been a risk for many tenants in Santa Ana, who are largely Latino and work in
<br />occupations most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has
<br />highlighted the existing health disparities that have existed within low-income communities like
<br />Santa Ana due to social and structural determinants of health. Evictions and housing instability
<br />have been strongly associated with prevalent chronic conditions such as high -blood pressure and
<br />diabetes, as well as worsened mental health conditions including anxiety and depression, which
<br />'Half of us rent: L.A.-Orange County homeownership rate 2nd lowest in U.S., July 27, 2017
<br />httns'//www_ncreaieterrnm/2017/n7/77/Inc_anoalcc_nranaP_ ..,,.,r.._h...,,o,L,
<br />(accessed May 13, 2021)
<br />'Profile of the City of Santa Ana, SCAG, p3, May 2019,
<br />httns://scae.ca.eov/sites/main/fles/file-attachments/santaana local prof le pdf?1606012682
<br />COVID Racial Data Dashboard, h_hgs://covidtracking cnm/race/dashboard (accessed May 1, 2021)
<br />COVID-19 Case Counts and Testing Figures I Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19),
<br />hgps7//occovid 19 ochealthinfn com/cQroaaylrL s-in-o (accessed May 1, 2021)
<br />' 20 Million Renters Are at Risk of Eviction; Policymakers Must Act Now to Mitigate Widespread Hardship
<br />httns://wwwasneninstitute org/blog-posts/20-million-rep ers-ar -a -risk-of- vic ion/ (accessed May 13, 2021)
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