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OVERCROI~D!NG One-fifth (20%) of the City's dwelling units had three or fewer rooms in 1970. There were an average of 4.8 rooms per dwelling unit in Santa Aha and 5.2 rooms in Orange County. Renters, blacks, Spanish-Americans, and low income areas all have significantly above average incidences of overcrowding. Overcrowding is primarily associated with large households. Over 60% of six or more person households were overcrow- ded (1.01 or more persons per room). There were an average of 3.2 persons per room in owner occupied units and 2.4 persons per room in renters occupied units. The household types with the largest average size had the highest levels of overcrowding. These were husband- wife households in the prime child bearing years. Overcrowding was highest among units with the fewest rooms, and the lowest home values or rents. The income groups with the highest overcrowding rates were those between $5,000 and. S15,000 annual income. One person per room is not a fully adequate measure of overcrowding. No more than two persons per bedrooms is also a useful standard. A combination of these two standards is a better indicator of the social functiona- lity of a housing unit than either taken alone. Mea- suring overcrowding by use of a two person per bed- room standard results in higher levels of overcrowding. With the exception of rental units large enough for seven or more person households, there are enough large housing units in the housing stock to house all large households without overcrowding. However, since the largest units tend to be above average in value or rent, a majority of large households are unable to compete successfully in the housing markets for them. There are few suitably large vacant units, regardless of price, that large overcro- wded households could have moved into. 0000113