text:
Garden Grove, California

Garden Grove is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States. The population was 171,949 at the 2020 census. State Route 22, also known as the Garden Grove Freeway, passes through the city in an east–west direction. The western portion of the city is known as West Garden Grove.

19th century
Garden Grove was founded by Alonzo Cook in 1874. A school district and Methodist church were organized that year. It remained a small rural crossroads and farming community until the arrival of the Pacific Electric Railroad in 1905. The rail connection helped the town prosper with the influx of tourists, visitors and eventually settlers, and it was noted for its crops of oranges, walnuts, chili peppers and later strawberries.

20th century
In 1933, much of the town's central business district was destroyed by the Long Beach earthquake, and one person was killed at the high school. The post-World War II boom led to rapid development, and Garden Grove was incorporated as a city in 1956 with about 44,000 residents.

In 1956, Orange County Plaza (now The Promenade) was opened at Chapman and Brookhurst, and upon its expansion in 1959, it had 60 stores, including a J. C. Penney, 2 variety stores and 2 supermarkets, and billed itself as both the largest and the first regional shopping center in Orange County.

Geography
Garden Grove has a rugged set of boundaries with many panhandles. The West Garden Grove neighborhood is west of Beach Boulevard and is largely separated from the rest of Garden Grove by the city of Stanton, with a small bridge of jurisdiction linking the two along Garden Grove Boulevard. A panhandle in the southern part of the town's borders situated between Westminster's Ward Street to the west and Santa Ana's Euclid Street to the east creates a small border with the city of Fountain Valley. Other neighboring cities include Cypress and Anaheim to the north, Orange to the east, and the cities of Seal Beach and Los Alamitos to the west.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 46.5 km2, 0.10% of which is water.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Garden Grove had a population of 170,883. The population density was 9,515.3 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Garden Grove was 68,149 (39.9%) White, 2,155 (1.3%) Black, 983 (0.6%) Native American, 63,451 (37.1%) Asian, 1,110 (0.6%) Pacific Islander, 28,916 (16.9%) from other races, and 6,119 (3.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 63,079 persons (36.9%). Non-Hispanic whites were 22.6% of the population, down from 90.6% in 1970. Vietnamese Americans numbered 47,331 of the population. At 27.7% this was the highest concentration of any city in the United States except for adjacent Westminster.

The Census reported that 168,942 people (98.9% of the population) lived in households, 1,234 (0.7%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 707 (0.4%) were institutionalized.

There were 46,037 households, out of which 21,361 (46.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 26,659 (57.9%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 6,866 (14.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 3,588 (7.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 2,025 (4.4%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 269 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 6,491 households (14.1%) were made up of individuals, and 2,842 (6.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.67. There were 37,113 families (80.6% of all households); the average family size was 3.94.

The population was spread out, with 43,763 people (25.6%) under the age of 18, 17,383 people (10.2%) aged 18 to 24, 49,105 people (28.7%) aged 25 to 44, 42,106 people (24.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 18,526 people (10.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 7.7 males.

There were 47,755 housing units at an average density of 2,659.1 /sqmi, of which 26,240 (57.0%) were owner-occupied, and 19,797 (43.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.6%. 96,308 people (56.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 72,634 people (42.5%) lived in rental housing units.

According to the 2010 United States Census, Garden Grove had a median household income of $59,988, with 15.5% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

Economy
According to the city's 2021 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Arts and culture
Garden Grove is home to two stage theaters, the Gem Theater and the Festival Amphitheater. The Festival Amphitheater hosts Shakespeare Orange County, which presents an annual Shakespeare Festival each summer. Both venues are owned by the City of Garden Grove, but operated by outside entities. The Gem Theater is currently operated by Damien Lorton and Nicole Cassesso of 'One More Productions'. The Festival Amphitheater is managed by Thomas Bradac, the producing artistic director of Shakespeare Orange County.

The Garden Grove Playhouse used to be an active theatre, now closed down. It was operated by a non-profit group of the same name.

An annual event held over Memorial Day weekend, the Garden Grove Strawberry Festival is one of the largest community festivals in the western United States, attracting an estimated 250,000 visitors. It began in 1958 and celebrates the city's agricultural past, which includes cultivating crops such as chili peppers, oranges, walnuts and strawberries. Part of the festivities include the cutting of the world's largest strawberry shortcake, carnival rides, food vendors, live music, and a celebrity-filled parade. Numerous Garden Grove organizations, including the Miss Garden Grove Scholarship Program, are part of the Memorial Day weekend festivities every year. In commemoration of Garden Grove's 50th anniversary, the city painted some of its fire hydrants with a design that featured a strawberry, recognizing the festival as a big part of Garden Grove's history.

Local government
Garden Grove uses a council-manager form of government. In July 2015, the city was sued by a resident who claimed that the longstanding at-large elections had affected the Latino vote and was in violation of the California Voting Rights Act. On January 26, 2016, the city council voted to settle the lawsuit, and therefore adopted that council members would be voted by district (six districts total) and no longer at-large; the mayor, however, will continue to be elected at-large. The city council consists of mayor Steve Jones, Phat Bui, George S. Brietigam III, John R. O'Neill, Thu-Ha Nguyen, Stephanie Klopfenstein, and mayor pro tem Kim B. Nguyen. According to the city's most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city's various funds had $206.0 million in revenues, $193.0 million in expenditures, $1,098.9 million in total assets, $251.5 million in total liabilities, and $196.3 million in cash and investments.

State and federal representation
In the California State Senate, Garden Grove is in.

In the California State Assembly, Garden Grove is in.

In the United States House of Representatives, Garden Grove is in.

Politics
According to the California Secretary of State, as of October 22, 2018, Garden Grove has 72,768 registered voters. Of those, 26,604 (36.56%) are registered Democrats, 21,449 (29.48%) are registered Republicans, and 21,941 (30.15%) have declined to state a political party/are independents.

Although Democrat Kamala Harris easily won California and also won Orange County in the 2016 United States Senate election, Democrat Loretta Sanchez easily won Garden Grove by a 67%–33% margin, her widest margin of victory for any city in Orange County.

Education
The Garden Grove Unified School District (GGUSD) serves most of the city. Other school districts with portions in Garden Grove include: Westminster School District (elementary only) Huntington Beach Union High School District (includes the Westminster SD area), Anaheim Elementary School District, Anaheim Union High School District, and the Orange Unified School District

GGUSD operates the following high schools in Garden Grove:
 * Bolsa Grande High School
 * Garden Grove High School
 * Pacifica High School
 * Rancho Alamitos High School
 * Santiago High School

King of Kings Christian Academy is an accredited private school (preK–8th grade) associated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) in Garden Grove.

Asahi Gakuen, a part-time Japanese school, leases La Quinta High School in Westminster (another high school operated by GGUSD) on Saturdays for its Orange County campus. Previously Bolsa Grande High, and later Santiago High, housed the Asahi Gakuen Orange County campus.

Emergency services
The Garden Grove Police Department provides law enforcement, with mutual aid assistance offered at times by the Anaheim Police Department's helicopter and the Orange County Sheriff's Department Air Unit.

In August 2019, the city of Garden Grove entered into a 10-year contract with the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) for fire and rescue services, and merged all existing Garden Grove Fire Department personnel and equipment into the OCFA.

Entertainment

 * Justin Chon, actor
 * Wally George, talk-show host
 * Scott Klopfenstein, backup singer, keyboardist, trumpeter and guitarist for the ska-punk band Reel Big Fish
 * Dexter Holland, lead singer, The Offspring, also wrote the song "The Kids Aren't Alright" about the city
 * Steve Martin, actor, comedian, musician and writer; graduate of Garden Grove High School
 * Jennette McCurdy, podcaster, author and actress, iCarly and Sam & Cat
 * Monique Powell, lead singer, Save Ferris
 * Eunice Pringle, actress, notably who accused movie mogul Alexander Pantages in 1929 of rape
 * Kevin 'Noodles' Wasserman, lead guitarist, The Offspring
 * Atreyu, a metalcore band
 * Kieu Chinh, actress
 * Poreotics, dance crew
 * Dave Mustaine, lead singer, Megadeth; played baseball in Garden Grove Eastside Little League, lived on Pearce Ave
 * Vicky Nguyen, news reporter, KFYR-TV, NBC Affiliate
 * Shubhendra Shankar, musician, composer and graphic artist
 * Mick Mars, musician and guitarist for Mötley Crüe
 * David J. Peterson, creator of the Dothraki and Valyrian languages from HBO's Game of Thrones

Sports

 * Bert Blyleven, Major League Baseball pitcher, Hall of Famer, color commentator, graduate of Santiago High School
 * Ed Caruthers, Olympic silver medalist, 1968 Mexico City. Taught at Bolsa Grande High School.
 * Bobby Crosby, MLB Rookie of the Year (2004), attended Pacifica High School and La Quinta High School
 * Mary Decker, runner in National Track and Field Hall of Fame; grew up in Garden Grove
 * Lenny Dykstra, MLB player with Mets, Phillies; graduate of Garden Grove High School
 * Amanda Freed, Olympic gold medalist in softball (2004), attended Pacifica High School, Bell Intermediate and Patton Elementary
 * Luis Gil, soccer player for Union Omaha
 * Gary Hall Sr., Olympic swimmer, silver medalist
 * Lorrin "Whitey" Harrison, legendary surfer and surfing innovator
 * Mike Iupati, football player
 * Jeremy Jackson, mixed martial artist
 * Norm Johnson, NFL kicker
 * Darryl Kile, MLB pitcher
 * Leah O'Brien, softball infielder, Olympic gold medalist 1996
 * Craig Paquette, MLB third baseman, graduate of Rancho Alamitos High School
 * Nam Phan, mixed martial artist
 * Troy Polamalu, NFL player with the Pittsburgh Steelers
 * Dennis Sigalos, motorcycle speedway rider, winner of the 1982 Speedway World Pairs Championship
 * Leo Sutherland, MLB player
 * Ed Templeton, professional skateboarder and artist
 * Alan Trammell, MLB shortstop and manager for the Detroit Tigers
 * Matt Treanor, MLB catcher
 * Randy Vataha, football player at Stanford, Jim Plunkett's favorite receiver

Politics

 * Jim Silva, former California Assemblyman, former Member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, former Mayor of Seal Beach
 * Bill Thomas, retired U.S. Congressman and former Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee (and alumnus of Garden Grove High School)
 * Robert K. Dornan, former U.S. Congressman.
 * Janet Nguyen, Orange County supervisor
 * Curt Pringle, former State Assemblyman, Speaker of the California State Assembly and former mayor of Anaheim
 * Paul Jeffrey Watford, Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Assumed office May 22, 2012, born in Garden Grove August 25, 1967

Others

 * Steve Fossett, aviator and adventurer
 * Michael A. Monsoor, Navy SEAL, Medal of Honor recipient
 * Tibor Rubin, Medal of Honor recipient
 * Robert H. Schuller, television evangelist
 * Nicole Brown Simpson, murder victim and former wife of O.J. Simpson

Sister City

 * 🇰🇷 Anyang, South Korea

title: Garden Grove, California


text:
La Habra, California

La Habra – archaic spelling of – is a city in the northwestern corner of Orange County, California, United States. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 60,239.

Origin of name
The name referred to the "Pass Through the Hills," the natural pass through the hills to the north first discovered and used by Spanish explorers of the Portola expedition on July 30, 1769.

In 1839, when the area was part of Alta California, vast herds of cattle and horses grazed over the hills and valleys of Southern California. Mariano Reyes Roldan was granted 6698 acre in that year and named his land Rancho Cañada de La Habra. In the 1860s, Abel Stearns purchased Rancho La Habra.

Historical information
La Habra was founded in 1896. The first post office in the town was established in 1898 in a corner of Coy's Store at Central (now La Habra Boulevard) and Euclid Street.

The city was incorporated under general law on January 20, 1925, with a population of 3,000. The police force was organized in 1926 and employed a chief, traffic officer and patrolman. By 1928, the city was the largest avocado center in Southern California. In 1930, the first fire department building was constructed followed by the original City Hall in 1935. By 1950, the population reached nearly 5,000. The Civic Center took shape when the existing County Library was dedicated in 1966, followed by the present administration building in 1969.

For more than 70 years, La Habra was known as the city just south of La Habra Heights, where the 'Hass' avocado, of the 'Hass' avocado mother tree, was planted by Rudolph Hass in the 1920s. The fruit from this tree has since become one of the most popular avocado cultivars worldwide. The 'Hass' mother tree succumbed to root rot in 2002.

The La Habra Stakes, run since 1973 at the Santa Anita Park Thoroughbred race track, is named for La Habra.

The city contracts with the Los Angeles County Fire Department for EMS and fire protection.

Law enforcement is provided by the La Habra Police Department, which in 2008 employed about 70 officers. From 2004 to 2008, they ranked third in the number of officer-involved shootings among twenty Orange County municipal police departments. One case among these, the 2007 death of Michael Cho, resulted in a wrongful death lawsuit against the city which was settled in September 2010 for $250,000.

A shopping plaza and post office were built in the 1970s on the site of a lake built by a rancher with Monkey Island where he let feral monkeys roam.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.4 sqmi, with 0.08% covered by water.

It is bordered by La Habra Heights on the north, Brea on the east, Fullerton on the south and southeast, La Mirada on the west and southwest, East Whittier on the west, Whittier on the northwest, and a small unnamed section of unincorporated Los Angeles County on the northeast.

Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification, La Habra has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate, Csa on climate maps.

2010
At the 2010 census, La Habra had a population of 60,239. The population density was 8,166.8 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of La Habra was 35,147 (58.3%) White (30.2% non-Hispanic White), 1,025 (1.7%) African American, 531 (0.9%) Native American, 5,653 (9.4%) Asian, 103 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 15,224 (25.3%) from other races, and 2,556 (4.2%) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 34,449 persons (57.2%).

The census reported that 59,899 people (99.4% of the population) lived in households, 169 (0.3%) lived in noninstitutionalized group quarters, and 171 (0.3%) were institutionalized.

Of the 18,977 households, 7,937 (41.8%) had children under 18 living in them, 10,078 (53.1%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 2,905 (15.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,327 (7.0%) had a male householder with no wife present, 1,158 (6.1%) were unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 119 (0.6%) were same-sex married couples or partnerships; 3,651 households (19.2%) were one person and 1,440 (7.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.16. There were 14,310 families (75.4% of households); the average family size was 3.58.

The age distribution was 16,062 people (26.7%) under 18, 6,353 people (10.5%) 18 to 24, 17,349 (28.8%) 25 to 44, 13,926 people (23.1%) 45 to 64, and 6,549 people (10.9%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 33.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 94.0 males.

The 19,924 housing units had an average density of 2,701.2 per square mile, of the occupied units 10,941 (57.7%) were owner-occupied and 8,036 (42.3%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.2%. About 33,609 people (55.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units, and 26,290 people (43.6%) lived in rental housing units.

According to the 2010 United States Census, La Habra had a median household income of $60,954, with 14.0% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2000
At the 2000 census, 58,974 people in 18,947 households, including 14,020 families, lived in the city. The population density averaged 8,045.8 inhabitants per square mile (3,106.4/km$2$). The 19,441 housing units had an average density of 2,652.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 41.4% White, 1.4% Black or African American, 1.0% Native American, 6.0% Asian, 2.4% from other races, and 4.7% from two or more races. About 49.0% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race. Of the 19,042 households, 39.3% had children under 18 living with them, 54.5% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.0% were not families. About 21.0% of households were one person and 8.0% were one person 65 or older. The average household size was 3.08 and the average family size was 3.56.

The age distribution was 29.1% under 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% 65 or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.1 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 94.7 males.

The median household income was $47,652 and the median family income was $51,971. Males had a median income of $36,813 versus $30,466 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,923. About 19.1% of families and 22.9% of the population were below the poverty line.

Top employers
According to the city's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Government
La Habra's mayor is rotated among current city council members. The mayor for 2023/2024 is Daren Nigsarian. Current council members include Mayor Pro-Tem Rose Espinoza, James Gomez, Steve Simonian and Jose Medrano.

In the California State Legislature, La Habra is in, and in.

In the United States House of Representatives, La Habra is in.

Politics
According to the California secretary of state, as of October 22, 2018, La Habra has 27,439 registered voters. Of those, 10,369 (37.79%) were registered Democrats, 8,745 (31.87%) were registered Republicans, and 7,150 (26.06%) have declined to state a political party/are independents.

Education
The city of La Habra is mainly served by the La Habra City School District for elementary and middle-school students and the Fullerton Joint Union High School District for high-school students, but portions of La Habra are also redirected to other school districts closer to homes of some residents.

Public schools:
 * La Habra City School District
 * Brea Olinda Unified School District
 * Fullerton School District
 * Lowell Joint School District
 * Fullerton Joint Union High School District
 * Sonora High School
 * La Habra High School

Private schools:
 * Whittier Christian High School

Transportation
Though La Habra has no freeways and three California state highways; SR 39 (covers Whittier and Beach Boulevards), SR 90 (Imperial Highway), and SR 72 (Whittier Boulevard) serve the city. The four major thoroughfares include Whittier Boulevard, Beach Boulevard, Imperial Highway, and Harbor Boulevard. Idaho Street, Euclid Street, and Palm Street are local north–south arterials and La Habra Boulevard and Lambert Road are local west–east arterials.

Notable people

 * Rusty Anderson - a guitarist, singer, songwriter and music producer, was born and raised in La Habra.
 * Librado Andrade - a Mexican boxer in the super middleweight division and older brother of Enrique, was raised in La Habra.
 * Brent Boyd - a graduate of Lowell HS 1975, played football at UCLA, Minnesota Vikings 1980–86, considered the "father of concussion awareness"
 * Boyd Coddington - hot rod builder
 * Cathy Cooper - stylist, artist, model
 * Jack Cooper - composer, arranger, woodwind player
 * Jeanette Dimech - Spanish singer
 * Jesse Sandoval Flores - a Major League Baseball pitcher (1942–50), played for the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Athletics, and Cleveland Indians.
 * The Funeral Pyre - Blackened death metal band
 * Greg Gaines- LA Rams Super Bowl LVI-winning NFL player
 * Natalie Golda - water polo player, Olympian
 * Jennifer Hanson - country music singer
 * Jenna Haze - adult film actress
 * Ronnie Hillman - NFL running back
 * William Hodgman - lawyer and prosecutor known for his work in the O. J. Simpson murder case
 * Daniel Hoffman - musician, film producer
 * Mark Kostabi - modern artist and composer
 * John N. Lotz - Air National Guard brigadier general
 * Ann Meyers - basketball player, Olympian, first player to be part of the U.S. National team while still in high school
 * Dave Meyers - basketball player, two-time NCAA Champion teams at UCLA, played for Milwaukee Bucks 1975-80
 * Margarita McCoy - urban planner
 * Alan Newman - Major League Baseball (MLB) player
 * Richard Nixon - U.S. President, opened a law office in La Habra in 1938
 * Enrique Ornelas - Mexican boxer in the middleweight division and younger brother of Librado; raised in La Habra.
 * Anne Ramsay - actress
 * Cruz Reynoso - first Latino Justice on California Supreme Court
 * Bubby Rossman - MLB pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies
 * Josh Staumont - MLB pitcher for the Kansas City Royals
 * Nadya Suleman - mother of the longest-living octuplets, also known as the "Octomom"
 * Diane Wakoski - poet and essayist, winner of the William Carlos Williams award for her book Emerald Ice
 * Jonwayne - rapper and producer, previously signed to Stones Throw Records, more recently released music via his Authors Recording Company imprint
 * Zebrahead - punk rock/pop punk band
 * Norma Zimmer - honorary mayor of the City of La Habra in 1975 and featured singer and "Champagne Lady" of the Lawrence Welk Show

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: La Habra, California


text:
La Palma, California

La Palma (Spanish for "The Palm") is a city in Orange County, California, United States. The population was 15,568 at the 2010 Census, up from 15,408 at the 2000 census.

History
La Palma was incorporated on October 26, 1955. It was originally incorporated as Dairyland, and was one of three dairy cities in the region (the other two being Dairy Valley, now Cerritos, and Dairy City, now Cypress) but when the dairies moved east in 1965, the name of the community was changed to La Palma, after the region's Spanish heritage and its main thoroughfare, La Palma Avenue.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.83 sqmi. 1.8 sqmi of it is land and 0.02 sqmi of it (1.32%) is water. This makes it the smallest city in Orange County in terms of area.

2010
The 2010 US Census reported that La Palma had a population of 15,568. The population density was 8,499.1 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of La Palma was 5,762 (37.0%) White (27.8% Non-Hispanic White), 802 (5.2%) African American, 56 (0.4%) Native American, 7,483 (48.1%) Asian, 41 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 760 (4.9%) from other races, and 664 (4.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2,487 persons (16.0%).

The census reported that 15,548 people (99.9% of the population) lived in households, 14 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 6 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 5,080 households, 1,949 (38.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 3,331 (65.6%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 641 (12.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 240 (4.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 134 (2.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 26 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 716 households (14.1%) were one person and 389 (7.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.06. There were 4,212 families (82.9% of households); the average family size was 3.37.

The age distribution was 3,423 people (22.0%) under the age of 18, 1,418 people (9.1%) aged 18 to 24, 3,805 people (24.4%) aged 25 to 44, 4,445 people (28.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,477 people (15.9%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 41.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.

There were 5,224 housing units at an average density of 2,852.0 per square mile, of the occupied units 3,648 (71.8%) were owner-occupied and 1,432 (28.2%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.0%. 11,315 people (72.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 4,233 people (27.2%) lived in rental housing units.

According to the 2010 United States Census, La Palma had a median household income of $87,289, with 7.2% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2000
At the 2000 census there were 15,408 people in 4,979 households, including 4,227 families, in the city. The population density was 8,499.3 PD/sqmi. There were 5,066 housing units at an average density of 2,794.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 44.6% Asian, 36.3% White, 10.3% Hispanic, 4.5% Black, .3% Pacific Islander, .2% Native American, .2% from other races, and 3.5% from two or more races. Of the 4,979 households 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.5% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.1% were non-families. 11.6% of households were one person and 3.6% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.09 and the average family size was 3.35.

The age distribution was 23.8% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.

The median household income was $68,438 and the median family income was $74,524. Males had a median income of $50,988 versus $36,242 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,598. About 4.0% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.0% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.

Top employers
According to La Palma's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were:

Government
According to the California Secretary of State, as of February 10, 2019, La Palma has 8,358 registered voters. Of those, 2,998 (35.87%) are registered Democrats, 2,637 (31.55%) are registered Republicans, and 2,446 (29.27%) have declined to state a political party/are independents.

In the United States House of Representatives, La Palma is in.

Education

 * Los Coyotes Elementary: Centralia Elementary School District
 * G.B. Miller Elementary: Centralia Elementary School District
 * Steve Luther Elementary: Cypress School District
 * Walker Junior High School: Anaheim Union High School District
 * John F. Kennedy High School: Anaheim Union High School District
 * Beacon Day School for Children with Autism and Related Disorders: Private

Infrastructure
Los Cerritos Community News serves the city.

Emergency services
Fire protection in La Palma is provided by the Orange County Fire Authority with ambulance transport by Care Ambulance Service. The La Palma Police Department provides law enforcement services.

title: La Palma, California


text:
Laguna Beach, California

Laguna Beach (Laguna, Spanish for "Lagoon") is a city in Orange County, California, United States. Located in Southern California along the Pacific Ocean, this seaside resort city has a mild year-round climate, scenic coves, and environmental preservation efforts. The population in the 2020 census was 23,032.

Historically settled by Paleoindians, the Tongva people, and then Mexico, the location became part of the United States following the Mexican–American War. Laguna Beach was settled in the 1870s, officially founded in 1887, and in 1927 its current government was incorporated as a city. The city adopted the council–manager form of government in 1944. The city has remained relatively isolated from urban encroachment by its surrounding hills, limited highway access, and dedicated greenbelt. The Laguna Beach coastline is protected by 5.88 mi of state marine reserve and an additional 1.21 mi of state conservation area.

Tourism is the primary industry with an estimated six million people visiting the community annually. Large annual events include the Pageant of the Masters, Festival of Arts, Sawdust Art Festival, Art-A-Fair, Bluewater Music Festival, and Kelpfest.

History
Laguna Beach was the site of a prehistoric paleoindian civilization. In 1933, the first fossilized skull of a paleoindian found in California was uncovered during construction on St. Ann's Drive. Known as "Laguna Woman", the skull originally was radiocarbon dated to more than 17,000 BP, but revised measurements suggest it originated during the Holocene era, 11,700 years BP. Subsequent research has found several prehistoric encampment sites in the area.

The indigenous people of the Laguna Beach area were the Tongva. Aliso Creek served as a territorial boundary between Gabrieleno and Acjachemen groups, or Juanenos, named by Spanish missionaries who first encountered them in the 1500s. The area of Laguna Canyon was named on an 1841 Mexican land grant map as Cañada de las Lagunas (English: Glen of the Lagoons). After the Mexican–American War ended in 1848, the area of Alta California was ceded to the United States pursuant to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The treaty provided that Mexican land grants be honored and Rancho San Joaquin, which included north Laguna Beach, was granted to José Antonio Andres Sepúlveda prior to the war. Following a drought in 1864, Sepúlveda sold the property to James Irvine. The majority of Laguna Beach was one of the few parcels of coastal land in Southern California that never was included in any Mexican land grant.

Settlers arrived after the American Civil War. They were encouraged by the Homestead Act and Timber Culture Act, which granted up to 160 acre of land to a homesteader who would plant at least 40 acre of trees. In Laguna Beach, settlers planted groves of eucalyptus trees. In 1871, the first permanent homestead in the area was occupied by the George and Sarah Thurston family of Utah on 152 acre of Aliso Creek Canyon. In 1876, the brothers William and Lorenzo Nathan "Nate" Brooks purchased tracts of land in Bluebird Canyon at present-day Diamond Street. They subdivided their land, built homes and initiated the small community of Arch Beach. In his book, History of Orange County, California (1921), Samuel Armor cited the permanent homestead of Nate Brooks as the beginning of the modern day town and described Brooks as the "Father of Laguna Beach".

The community in Laguna Canyon and around the main beach expanded during the 1880s. The city officially founded a post office in 1887 under the name Lagona, but the postmaster in 1904, Nicholas Isch, successfully petitioned for a name correction to Laguna Beach. By then Laguna Beach already had developed into a tourist destination. Hubbard Goff built a large hotel at Arch Beach in 1886, which later was moved and added to Joseph Yoch's Laguna Beach Hotel built in 1888 on the main beach. Visitors from local cities pitched tents on the beaches for vacation during the warm summers.

The scenic beauty of the isolated coastline and hills attracted plein-air painters in the early 1900s. William Wendt, Frank Cuprien, and Edgar Payne among others settled there and formed the Laguna Beach Art Association. The first art gallery opened in 1918 and later became the Laguna Beach Art Museum. Precursors to The Festival of Arts and the Pageant of the Masters began in 1921, and eventually were established in their present-day form by Roy Ropp in 1936. Due to its proximity to Hollywood, Laguna also became a favorite filming location. Starting in 1913, dozens of silent films were made at local coves with Harold Lloyd, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., and others. Actors and film crews stayed during long production shoots at the Arch Beach Tavern on the hillside above Moss Street.

The arrival of painters, photographers, filmmakers, and writers established Laguna Beach as a noted artist community. Although there only were approximately 300 residents in 1920, a large proportion of them worked in creative fields. The small town remained isolated until 1926 because the long, winding Laguna Canyon road served as the only access. With the completion of the Pacific Coast Highway in 1926, a population boom was expected. To protect the small-town atmosphere of the art colony, residents who called themselves "Lagunatics" pushed for incorporation. The municipal government for Laguna Beach incorporated as a city on June 29, 1927. The city has experienced steady population growth since that time, rising from 1,900 residents in 1927 to more than 10,000 in 1962, and becoming four times larger in area.

Many creative, bohemian, and wealthy people have made Laguna Beach their home. They have added to the local culture by providing a theme for the small town. Adventurer Richard Halliburton built his Hangover House on the slopes of South Laguna. Hildegarde Hawthorne, granddaughter of the novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne, described Laguna "as a child of that deathless search, particularly by persons who devote their lives to painting or writing, or for some place where beauty and cheapness and a trifle of remoteness hobnob together in a delightful companionship."

Laguna Beach was the Southern California epicenter of the 'alternative' hippie culture in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In early 1967, John Griggs and other founding members of the Brotherhood of Eternal Love relocated from Modjeska Canyon to the Woodland Drive neighborhood of Laguna Beach, which they later renamed "Dodge City". Timothy Leary lived in a beach house on Gaviota Drive. The Utsava Rajneesh Meditation Center was located on Laguna Canyon Road and was the last remaining commune in the United States for followers of the spiritual teacher and guru Osho, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh.

The city was deemed a smoke-free place by Laguna Beach Council on May 23, 2017. Ordinance 1624 was imposed by the Beach Council to prohibit smoking in all public places in the city.

1993 fire
In October 1993, a fire in Laguna Beach destroyed or damaged 441 homes and burned more than 14,000 acre. The National Fire Protection Association listed it as the seventh-largest loss wildland fire in the United States. To avoid a recurrence of the damage to animals that occurred during the fire, a wildlife corridor is being created between Laguna Beach and the Cleveland National Forest in order to ensure that animals can retreat fire safely if needed.

Geography
Laguna Beach is part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. According to the United States Census Bureau, Laguna Beach has a total area of 25.4 km2, of which 22.9 km2 are land and 2.5 km2 are covered by water. Its coastline is 7 mi long and includes 27 beaches and coves. It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the southwest, Crystal Cove State Park on the northwest, Laguna Woods on the northeast, Aliso Viejo and Laguna Niguel on the east, and Dana Point on the southeast. It also borders the unincorporated community of Emerald Bay, which divides the northernmost part of its coastline (Irvine Cove) from the rest of the city's coast.

The land in and around Laguna Beach rises quickly from the shoreline into the hills and canyons of the San Joaquin Hills. The town's highest point, at an elevation of 1007 ft, is Temple Hill in the Top of the World neighborhood. Because of its hilly topography and surrounding parklands, few roads run into or out of town; only the Coast Highway connecting to Newport Beach to the northwest and to Dana Point to the south, and State Route 133 crossing the hills in a northeastern direction through Laguna Canyon. Parts of Laguna Beach border the Aliso/Wood Canyons Regional Park.

The natural landscape of beaches, rocky bluffs, and craggy canyons have been noted as sources of inspiration for plein air painters and landscape photographers who have settled in the Laguna Beach since the early 1900s. The hills also are known internationally for mountain biking. Laguna Coast Wilderness Park is a 7,000 acre wilderness area in the hills surrounding Laguna Beach. This park features coastal canyons, ridgeline views, and the only natural lakes in Orange County. Wildlife that can be found on Laguna Beach includes the Lined Shore Crab, Black Oystercatchers, Barred Sand Bass, Spiny Lobsters and the Great White Egret.

Climate
Under the Köppen climate classification, Laguna Beach has a Cold semi-arid climate classified as BSk. The weather is considered mild with abundant sunshine all year. The average daily high temperature ranges from 68 F in January to 80 F in August. Mean annual precipitation is relatively low, at 13.56 in. The average ocean water temperatures range from about 59 F in February to 68 F in August, with early to mid-September water temperatures often peaking at about 72 F. However, the ocean surface temperatures along the beaches of Laguna Beach may vary by several degrees from the average, dependent upon offshore winds, air temperature, and sunshine.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that 22,723 people, 10,821 households, and 5,791 families resided in the city. The population density was 2,313.8 PD/sqmi. The 12,923 housing units averaged 1,315.9 /mi2. The racial makeup of Laguna Beach was 90.9% White (85.7% non-Hispanic White), 0.8% African American, 0.3% Native American, 3.6% Asian, 1.51% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races. About 7.3% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

The census reported that 99.6% of the population lived in households, and 0.4% lived in noninstitutionalized group quarters. Of the 10,821 households, 20.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 43.6% were opposite-sex married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present. 5.2% of households were unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 2.8% were same-sex married couples or partnerships. About 35.2% of households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.09. The average family size was 2.72.

The population was distributed as 16.1% under the age of 18, 4.8% aged 18 to 24, 23.4% aged 25 to 44, 37.4% aged 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50.6. For every 100 females, there were 100.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.8 males.

Of 12,923 housing units, 60.0% were owner-occupied and 40.0% were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.7%, and 64.6% of the population lived in owner-occupied housing units and 35.0% lived in rental housing units.

During 2009–2013, Laguna Beach had a median household income of $94,325, with 6.3% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 23,727 people, 11,511 households, and 5,778 families residing in the city. The population density was 1035.1 PD/sqkm. There were 12,965 housing units at an average density of 565.6 PD/sqkm. The racial makeup of the city was 91.99% White, 0.80% African American, 0.36% Native American, 2.08% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 2.21% from other races, and 2.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 6.62% of the population.

There were 11,511 households, out of which 18.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.9% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.8% were non-families. 36.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.05 and the average family size was 2.69.

In the city, 15.8% of the population was under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 32.9% from 25 to 44, 33.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.0 males.

According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $90,017, and the median income for a family was $146,562. Males had a median income of $66,221 versus $46,138 for females. The per capita income for the city was $58,732. About 2.8% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

Crime rate
According to an analysis by NeighborhoodScout.com, Laguna Beach has a higher crime rate than the national average of communities of all population sizes in the United States. The chance of becoming a victim of a violent crime is 1 in 200 and of a property crime is 1 in 36.

Arts and culture

The Laguna Art Museum is rooted in the development of Laguna Beach as an art community with the creation of the Laguna Beach Art Association in 1918. Located beside the main beach, the museum focuses on the art of California. The Pageant of the Masters, founded in 1933, is held annually during the summer months. The unique show presents recreations of famous artworks using real people as models. Community organizations also host several long-running art festivals during the summer season.

The Festival of Arts Fine Art Show, which underwent a major renovation in 2017, originated in the 1930s. It showcases juried works by 140 Orange County artists, and its stage provides a venue for daily musical performances in July and August of each year. The Sawdust Art Festival was founded in 1965 as a counterculture alternative to the Festival of Arts. It exhibits non-juried crafts and arts on a dedicated 3 acre site. The Art-A-Fair began in 1966, built an exhibition site in 1977 and exhibits juried works of 125 artists from outside the area.

The Laguna Playhouse, founded in 1920, is noted as the "oldest continuously running theatre on the west coast". The playhouse provides professional stage productions in its 420-seat Moulton Theater, as well as performances by the Laguna Playhouse Youth Theatre program. The Irvine Bowl is a 2600-seat amphitheater used for the Pageant of the Masters program and for occasional concerts.

The Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational is held annually in October. Some of North America's plein air landscape painters are invited to participate in the week-long events including public paint outs, artist meet and greets, and educational activities.

The Laguna Beach Arts Commission sponsors a weekly Summer Concert in the Park series at Bluebird Park and Heisler Park. The Laguna Beach Chamber Music Society holds an annual chamber music festival during the winter season. Laguna is also home to the annual Bluewater Music Festival, and Kelpfest held on Earth Day, to raise awareness of the importance that kelp plays in ocean habitat.

Sports

Laguna Beach has a surfing history centered on a five-block stretch of rocky reefs between Brooks and St. Ann's Streets. The Brooks Street Surfing Classic, begun in 1955, is a "contender for the world's longest running surf competition," according to the Encyclopedia of Surfing. The competition is held only when peak swell conditions occur during a four-month-long window in the summer and has been held 52 times from 1955 to 2015. Participation is open only to Laguna Beach residents. Notable participants have included Hobie Alter, Mickey Munoz, and Tom Morey.

Started in 1976, the 'Vic' Skimboarding World Championship is held at Aliso Beach in Laguna Beach and is the longest running skim boarding contest on the pro circuit.

The Laguna Open Volleyball Tournament began in 1955 and, according to tournament directors, it is the second oldest volleyball tournament in the United States. Participants have included several Olympic gold medalists, including Chris Marlowe, Dusty Dvorak, Scott Fortune, Dain Blanton and Gene Selznick, who won the first seven competitions.

Parks and recreation
Laguna's foothill trails are known internationally for mountain biking. Mountain bike hall of fame legend Hans Rey makes his home in Laguna Beach, as do the Rads, pioneers of mountain biking going back to the 1970s.

The U.S. Open for Lawnbowling is held annually at the lawn bowling field at Heisler Park. There is a historic tower, built in 1926, at Victoria Beach.

Government
Laguna Beach was first settled in the 1870s, but was founded officially in 1887 and, in 1927 it incorporated as a city. Beginning in 1944, a council-manager form of government was adopted. Residents of Laguna Beach elect five non-partisan council members who serve four-year staggered terms, with elections occurring every two years. The position of mayor is non-elected and chosen annually among the members of the city council. The council serves to pass ordinances, approve a budget, and hire the city manager and city attorney. The city manager oversees administrative operations and the appointment of department heads. In 2011 Ken Frank retired after 31 years, one of the longest-serving city managers in Orange County history.

The city clerk and city treasurer are elected by popular vote and serve four-year terms.

County, state, and federal representation
Laguna Beach is located in the Fifth District of the Orange County Board of Supervisors and is currently represented by Republican Lisa Bartlett.

In the California State Legislature, the city is in, and in.

In the United States House of Representatives, Laguna Beach is in.

According to the California Secretary of State, as of February 10, 2019, Laguna Beach has 17,064 registered voters. Of those, 6,509 (38.12%) are registered Democrats, 5,042 (29.55%) are registered Republicans, and 4,620 (27.07%) have declined to state a political party/are independents.

Laguna Beach is a Democratic stronghold in presidential elections due to its cultural liberalism and LGBTQ+ community, as no Republican has won the city since George H. W. Bush in 1988. In 2008, Laguna Beach was one of only four incorporated cities in Orange County (along with Aliso Viejo, Costa Mesa, and Irvine) to reject Proposition 8, the ballot initiative that revoked marriage rights for same-sex couples in California. That same year during the Democratic presidential preference primary, Laguna Beach was one of three cities in Orange County where Democrats favored Barack Obama over Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Primary and secondary
The Laguna Beach Unified School District manages public education for city residents. The district includes one high school (Laguna Beach High School), one middle school (Thurston Middle School), and two elementary schools (El Morro Elementary School and Top of the World Elementary School). One private elementary school, St. Catherine of Siena Parish School, is overseen by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange. Students who live in the sall portion of Laguna Beach that borders Aliso Viejo, although contracted to the city's schools, may choose to attend the Capistrano Unified School District, as the schools are closer and much more accessible to their homes.

Higher education
The Laguna College of Art & Design (LCAD) is a small private college located in Laguna Canyon. It was founded in 1961 by the Festival of Arts and Laguna Art Museum as the Laguna Beach School of Art. LCAD offers Bachelor of Arts degrees in drawing and painting, illustration, animation, graphic design, and game art, and master of fine arts degrees in painting and drawing. In 2013, enrollment was approximately 450 students. The nearest public college is Saddleback College in Mission Viejo.

Media
Laguna Beach is part of the Los Angeles media market. Laguna Beach also has its own FM community radio station, KXRN-LP. The community is served by an online newspaper, Stu News Laguna, and one weekly print newspaper, the Laguna Beach Independent.

Infrastructure

Fire protection in Laguna Beach is provided by the Laguna Beach Fire Department, and law enforcement by the Laguna Beach Police Department. Marine safety services are provided by Laguna Beach City Lifeguards.

Laguna Beach has used goats for its fuel reduction and vegetation management program since the early 1990s.

Conservation and environment

Laguna Beach is the only Orange County city protected by a dedicated greenbelt inland and bluebelt seaward. In 1968, local conservationists founded Laguna Greenbelt and began a drive to conserve a horseshoe of hills and canyons surrounding Laguna Beach. As of 2011, more than 20000 acre of contiguous wildlands constituted The Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Jim Dilley Preserve, Crystal Cove State Park, and the Aliso-Wood Canyons Wilderness Park.

The creation of the 7000 acre Laguna Coast Wilderness Park as a protected area began in the late 1980s and early 1990s when local artists, activists and politicians rallied to preserve Laguna Canyon. With the environmentally focused Laguna Canyon Project and its photographic mural, "The Tell," as backdrop and stimulus, Laguna citizens forged a partnership to prevent construction of a 3200 acre housing project in the canyon. An exhibition on the Laguna Canyon Project, titled "The Canyon Project: Artivism," was held at Laguna Art Museum in 2015–16. Today the Wilderness Park and Laguna Canyon within it are designated as open space in perpetuity.

The Laguna Beach State Marine Reserve (LBSMR), which extends from Irvine Cove to Treasure Island Beach, was established in 2012, to make most of the coastal area a no-take zone. Docents of the Laguna Ocean Foundation provide monitoring and education at tidepools within the LBSMR. In addition, the 3.2 mi Crystal Cove State Park abuts the northern border of Laguna Beach.

As a result of Laguna's Marine Protected Area "no-take zones" the local waters teem with fish, including sheepshead and large calico bass.

American Craftsman Bungalows from the early 1900s dot the downtown and South Laguna areas. Between 1980 and 1981, the city conducted the Laguna Beach Historic Survey, a citywide block-by-block study which noted the location of pre-1940 buildings and determined which had historic significance. 706 homes and structures in Laguna Beach were classified as historically significant.

Laguna Beach is the tenth official Transition Town in the U.S. In February 2007, Laguna's city council unanimously voted to join the U.S. Mayors Climate Initiative, and in April 2013 became the first Orange County city to make a formal request that the San Onofre Nuclear Reactor not be restarted after its January 2012 shutdown. The Aliso Creek Water Reclamation Facility went into operation in 2014. The facility removes polluted runoff in Aliso Creek, improves ocean water quality, and creates locally recycled water. With a grant from Cal Trans, the city is undertaking a transition plan to implement Complete Streets for all users. A north–south bicycle route with signs and sharrows was completed through town in 2014. Laguna Beach passed a citywide "Idaho stop" ordinance for cyclists, a no-plastic-bag ordinance and a no-plastic-bottle purchasing policy for its government.

In popular culture
The 1972 instrumental by Black Sabbath "Laguna Sunrise" was inspired by a sunrise guitarist Tony Iommi witnessed after a night of partying. In 2004, MTV created a reality television show entitled Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County, which aired for three seasons.

Laguna Beach is the setting for the Netflix television series Dead to Me.

Sister cities
Laguna Beach has three sister cities:

 * 🇫🇷 Menton, France
 * 🇲🇽 San José del Cabo, Mexico
 * 🇬🇧 St Ives, United Kingdom

title: Laguna Beach, California


text:
Laguna Hills, California

Laguna Hills (laguna being ) is a city in southern Orange County, California, United States. Its name refers to its proximity to Laguna Canyon and the much older Laguna Beach. Other newer cities nearby—Laguna Niguel and Laguna Woods—are similarly named. The population was 31,374 at the 2020 census.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.7 sqmi. 6.7 sqmi of it is land and 0.025 sqmi of it (0.37%) is water.

History
Laguna Hills is built on one of the major land grants developed during the rancho era. Following Mexico's independence from Spain in 1821, those who had served in the government or who had friends in authority, were given vast lands for cattle grazing. Rancho Lomas de Santiago, Rancho San Joaquin, and Rancho Niguel covered much of the western portion of the Saddleback Valley. Don Juan Avila was granted the 13,000-acre Rancho Niguel on which Laguna Hills is located.

In 1894, Lewis Moulton purchased Rancho Niguel from Don Juan Avila and increased the original grant to 22000 acre. Moulton and his partner, Jean Piedra Daguerre, used the ranch to raise sheep and cattle. The Moulton Ranch was eventually subdivided in the early 1960s, and part of the division became today's Laguna Hills.

Incorporation efforts began in 1987 and on March 5, 1991, 86% of the residents voted in favor of forming the City of Laguna Hills. On December 20, 1991, Laguna Hills officially became a City. Subsequent annexations have included the North Laguna Hills (1996) and the "Westside Annexation" (2000) areas. The latter included 149 acre of residential land, including the Aliso Viejo Community Association's Sheep Hills Park.

In 2004, Laguna Hills' City Hall was moved to an existing office building at 24035 El Toro Road, which was bought and renovated by the city. The city also rents out commercial space in the building, providing the city with a positive net income.

Roads
Interstate 5 travels along the eastern border of Laguna Hills, forming the border with Lake Forest and Mission Viejo. I-5 has five interchanges in the city, from south to north: Oso Parkway, La Paz Road, Alicia Parkway, El Toro Road (Highway S18), and Lake Forest Drive.

County Route S18, also known as El Toro Road, is a major road in Laguna Hills, encompassing the border of Laguna Hills at the 5 Freeway, up to the 73 Toll Road.

In addition to the highways listed above, Alicia Parkway and Oso Parkway (which turns into Pacific Park Drive at the Laguna Hills-Aliso Viejo border) are major north-south thoroughfares and Moulton Parkway is a major east-west thoroughfare.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Laguna Hills had a population of 30,344. The population density was 4,532.4 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Laguna Hills was 22,045 (72.7%) White (61.7% Non-Hispanic White), 420 (1.4%) African American, 101 (0.3%) Native American, 3,829 (12.6%) Asian, 58 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 2,470 (8.1%) from other races, and 1,421 (4.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6,242 persons (20.6%).

The Census reported that 29,975 people (98.8% of the population) lived in households, 233 (0.8%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 136 (0.4%) were institutionalized.

There were 10,469 households, of which 3,637 (34.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 6,278 (60.0%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 983 (9.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 472 (4.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 445 (4.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 101 (1.0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 2,041 households (19.5%) were made up of individuals, and 822 (7.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86. There were 7,733 families (73.9% of all households); the average family size was 3.25.

6,762 people (22.3%) were under the age of 18; 2,617 people (8.6%) aged 18 to 24; 7,638 people (25.2%) aged 25 to 44; 9,437 people (31.1%) aged 45 to 64; and 3,890 people (12.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males.

There were 11,046 housing units at an average density of 1,649.9 /sqmi, of which 7,820 (74.7%) were owner-occupied, and 2,649 (25.3%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 11.2%. 22,307 people (73.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 7,668 people (25.3%) lived in rental housing units.

2000

At the 2000 census, there were 31,178 people, 10,895 households and 7,942 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,911.1 PD/sqmi. There were 11,303 housing units at an average density of 1,780.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 76.83% White, 1.38% African American, 0.44% Native American, 10.20% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 7.19% from other races, and 3.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.40% of the population.

There were 10,895 households, of which 37.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.0% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.1% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.29.

26.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.0 males.

According to a 2007 estimate, the median household income was $89,781 and the median family income was $102,191. Males had a median income of $59,144 versus $38,761 for females. The per capita income for the city was $36,133. About 3.6% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.3% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.

Government
In the California State Legislature, Laguna Hills is in, and in.

In the United States House of Representatives, Laguna Hills is split between, and.

Laguna Hills is historically a Republican stronghold in presidential elections. In 2020, however, Joe Biden became the first Democratic presidential nominee to win the city since its incorporation.

According to the California Secretary of State, as of February 10, 2019, Laguna Hills has 18,217 registered voters. Of those, 7,002 (38.44%) are registered Republicans, 5,261 (28.88%) are registered Democrats, and 5,143 (28.23%) have no political party preference/are independents.

The Laguna Hills Civic Center was an existing office building at 24035 El Toro Road – near the Laguna Hills Mall – which was bought and totally renovated by the city. The city moved its City Hall there in 2004, but also rents out space in the building on a commercial basis, providing the city with a positive net income on the building.

Laguna Hills is home to one of the California DMV field offices, where driving tests and other services are administered. The office serves much of south Orange County as the only other location in the region is in San Clemente.

Emergency services
Fire protection in Laguna Hills is provided by the Orange County Fire Authority with ambulance service by Care Ambulance Service. There is also the MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center, a hospital equipped with a full emergency room. Law enforcement is provided by the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

Economy
Centers of economic activity include:
 * Laguna Hills Mall, closed in 2018, to be razed and redeveloped into the Five Lagunas mixed-use development
 * El Toro Road at the I-5 freeway, an area busy with vehicular traffic and long-distance travel stops, thus being heavily populated with strip malls and fast-food restaurants.

Education
Laguna Hills is served by the Saddleback Valley Unified School District. Laguna Hills students attend a variety of high performing elementary schools; Lomarena Elementary School, San Joaquin Elementary School and Valencia Elementary School. Laguna Hills middle schools are La Paz Intermediate School and Los Alisos Intermediate School in neighboring Mission Viejo. The city has its own high school, Laguna Hills High School, the smallest school in the district built in 1978 and one of the smallest in south Orange County with fewer than 1,700 students. LHHS has been named a National Blue Ribbon School and a California Distinguished School on multiple occasions.

Notable people

 * Shane Bieber, major league pitcher for the Cleveland Indians, MVP of the 2019 Major League Baseball All-Star Game and 2020 American League Cy Young Award winner
 * Aloe Blacc, singer and songwriter best known for his single I Need A Dollar
 * Chad Carvin (1974), Olympic medalist swimmer
 * Phil Collen (current resident), guitarist for the band Def Leppard
 * Russ Conway, actor
 * Fieldy (current resident), bass guitarist for the band Korn
 * Steve Gibson, computer programmer and co-host of Security Now
 * Jenna Haze (1982), pornographic actress
 * Mike Hopkins, Syracuse Orange men's basketball assistant coach and former player
 * Jeff Keane, Family Circus cartoonist
 * Tyler Krieger (1994), baseball player in the Cleveland Indians organization
 * John Lamb, major league pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds
 * Michael Novales (1985), former US figure skating competitor, currently skating for Philippine Skating Union
 * Carson Palmer (1998), NFL quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner for the University of Southern California
 * Kaitlin Sandeno (1983), Olympic medalist swimmer
 * George Sixta, cartoonist of the syndicated Rivets (1953–1985)
 * Reece Ushijima (2003), Japanese-American racing driver
 * Zacky Vengeance (current resident), rhythm guitarist for the band Avenged Sevenfold

title: Laguna Hills, California


text:
Laguna Niguel, California

Laguna Niguel is a city in Orange County, California, United States. The name Laguna Niguel is derived from the words "Laguna" (Spanish for "lagoon") and "Niguili" (the name of a Native American village once located near Aliso Creek). As of the 2020 census, the population was 64,355. Laguna Niguel is located in the San Joaquin Hills in the southeastern corner of Orange County, close to the Pacific Ocean, and borders the cities of Aliso Viejo, Dana Point, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, and San Juan Capistrano.

Laguna Niguel has its origins in the Rancho Niguel Mexican land grant, which was acquired in 1959 by the Laguna Niguel Corporation to develop one of California's first master-planned communities. As a predominantly residential city, Laguna Niguel serves as a bedroom community for the job centers of northern and central Orange County. Laguna Niguel has a median household income 31 percent above the Orange County average and nearly double the U.S. average. It is known for its mild coastal climate, low crime rate, and its numerous parks and public trails.

Early inhabitants and settlers
The first recorded inhabitants of the Laguna Niguel area were the Acjachemem Native Americans, who may have had a village called "Niguili" near the confluence of Aliso Creek and Sulphur Creek. Aliso Creek marked the boundary between the Acjachemem and Tongva people. In the 1700s, during the Spanish colonization of the Americas, Spanish missionaries established the nearby Mission San Juan Capistrano to convert the Acjachemem (called the Juañeno by the Spanish) to Christianity. The Mission lands, which included the present-day boundaries of Laguna Niguel, were divided into private land grants in 1821 upon Mexico's independence from Spain.

In 1842, the 13316 acre Rancho Niguel was granted to Juan Avila; he retained ownership of the land through the Mexican–American War (when California became part of the United States) until 1865, when a severe drought forced him into bankruptcy. In 1895 Lewis Moulton and Jean Pierre Daguerre bought the Rancho Niguel and other portions of the surrounding area from farmers who were struggling due to persistent drought conditions. The Moulton Company was established to oversee 19000 acre of local land which was used, mainly for orchards and sheep ranching, well into the mid-20th century. In 1951 the land was divided between the Moulton and Daguerre families, the latter inheriting 8056 acre in the future location of Laguna Niguel. In 1954 the Daguerres sold 7200 acre to the Shumaker Group and 856 acre of oceanfront to George Capron, a former Major League Baseball player who established the Capron Ranch.

Laguna Niguel Corporation
The completion of Interstate 5 in 1959 enabled easy access to job centers in Los Angeles County, creating a boom in the Orange County housing market. In 1959, Cabot, Cabot & Forbes and Paine Webber partnered to form the Laguna Niguel Corporation, which purchased the Daguerre land to develop one of California's first master planned communities. The initial 7100 acre town plan was created by Viennese architect Victor Gruen and expanded beginning in 1971 by AVCO Community Developers after they acquired the Laguna Niguel Corporation. The name of the city was created from "Laguna", a reference to the tidal lagoon that once formed at the mouth of Aliso Creek, and the name of the Acjachemem village Niguili that once occupied the area. As the city would be developed in stages, ranchers and farmers signed annual leases with the Laguna Niguel Corporation to use the land until the planned communities were built.

In contrast to a traditional bedroom community, Laguna Niguel was designed so that "families should have most of their economic needs and their social and cultural interests met by facilities within the community". The plan was also notable for its emphasis on parks and open space – comprising nearly a third of the land to be developed. The Laguna Niguel Corporation went public in April 1959 and raised an initial $8.2 million from investors. In 1962 the first tracts of Monarch Bay and Niguel Terrace were completed, consisting of 565 homes. In 1960, the Moulton Niguel Water District (which today serves all of Laguna Niguel) was established by a conglomerate of ranchers, to import water from the Colorado River Aqueduct as the area lacked a sufficient natural water supply. In 1964, Crown Valley Parkway was completed from I-5 to the Pacific Coast Highway, facilitating transport through the growing city. By 1965 the population of Laguna Niguel reached 1,000.

The Laguna Niguel Homeowner's Association was formed in 1966 as an advisory to the Orange County Board of Supervisors (which governed the unincorporated community). In 1973 Laguna Niguel Regional Park opened to the public. The Chet Holifield Federal Building (a local landmark popularly known as the "Ziggurat"), designed by William L. Pereira, was constructed for Rockwell International in 1971 and was meant to bring 7,000 jobs to the area. It was traded to the US General Services Administration in exchange for industrial facilities elsewhere.

Incorporation and conflict with Dana Point
In 1965 the Laguna Niguel Corporation had purchased George Capron's oceanfront property and began to develop the Niguel Shores neighborhood, known in its early days as the "Coastal Strip" and today as Monarch Beach. By the 1970s, unincorporated Dana Point began expressing interest in including the Niguel Shores in a new city. In 1977 Dana Point briefly proposed incorporation with Laguna Niguel as a single city. Both cities submitted incorporation requests in December 1986, when a controversy immediately erupted over the coastal Monarch Beach community. Although Monarch Beach had been developed by the Laguna Niguel Corporation, its residents voted 61 percent in favor of joining with Dana Point. Laguna Niguel filed a lawsuit, which was ultimately turned down by a judge. Laguna Niguel was formally incorporated on December 1, 1989, without the coastal strip, as Orange County's 29th city.

Incorporated city
The population increased quickly during the last few decades of the 20th century, from 12,237 in 1980 to 61,891 in 2000. Growth since 2000 has been slower, with an estimate of 65,806 in 2015, due to the fact that the city has been fully built out. In 1992, Alicia Parkway was completed to I-5, providing a shorter route for northbound commuters; in 1996 the 73 San Joaquin Hills toll road opened, linking Laguna Niguel to the Interstate 405 in Costa Mesa. The Laguna Niguel City Hall, which had been planned as early as 1989, finally opened on October 15, 2011.

In 1994 local residents first noticed damage to retaining walls and roads near an artificial slope on Via Estoril in the Niguel Summit community, and geologists warned that the area could be subject to a landslide. After heavy rains caused by the 1997–98 Super El Niño, the hill collapsed on March 19, 1998, destroying 5 or 6 homes at the top and five condominium units at the bottom. There were no deaths as the area had been evacuated only a few hours prior to the collapse. An investigation revealed that the company responsible for development, J.M. Peters Inc., had improperly packed and graded the 275,000 tons of fill supporting the Niguel Summit homes. In addition, the project had been plagued by instability throughout its construction, and halted repeatedly "after complaints of mudslides, slope washouts, erosion and dust." The Los Angeles Times reported that "according to county records, the developers were warned that building on "ancient landslides" could be unsafe, but they were able to continue construction after producing their own geological report that persuaded county officials to let the project go forward." However the most recent disaster to the Niguel Summit Subdivision has been the coastal fire in 2022 which flattened 20 homes and damaged many more. This fire started after problems and circuit activity was reported on a Southern California Edison short distance electricity tower in Laguna Beach.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 14.9 sqmi. 14.8 sqmi of it is land and 0.05 sqmi of it (0.35%) is water.

Laguna Niguel consists of mostly hilly terrain, being located within the San Joaquin Hills. The average elevation is 400 ft; elevations range from near sea level to 936 ft at the summit of Niguel Hill, in the southwest corner of the city. Neighboring cities are Aliso Viejo and Laguna Hills to the north, Mission Viejo and San Juan Capistrano to the east, and Laguna Beach and Dana Point to the south. On the west, it borders the significant unincorporated acreage of Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park.

The main watercourses in Laguna Niguel are Salt Creek, which flows through the southern part of the city, and Sulphur Creek, which drains much of the northern half. Sulphur Creek is a tributary of Aliso Creek, which flows through the wide and deep Aliso Canyon before reaching the Pacific Ocean. Laguna Niguel Lake, formed by damming Sulphur Creek, is the largest body of water in the city. Although Laguna Niguel is located very close to the Pacific, it does not border it, the result of a controversy over the coastline with Dana Point in 1989 (see ).

Climate
Like much of coastal Southern California, Laguna Niguel has pleasant weather year-round. On average, August is the hottest month and December the coolest. The highest recorded temperature was 108 F, which occurred in 1963, and the lowest temperature was 21 F, which was recorded in 1949. Precipitation is sparse in Laguna Niguel, as only five months out of the year receive rainfall greater than one inch, with an annual average of 14.2 in. The highest monthly rainfall on average occurs in February and is 3.4 in.

Neighborhoods
Neighborhoods include Bear Brand Ranch, San Marin, El Niguel Heights and Golf Course, Ocean Ranch, Laguna Crest, Laguna Sur. Coronado Pointe, South Peak, Crest de Ville, Niguel Coast, Palmilla, Beacon Hill, Monarch Point, and the Highlands, which offer city, canyon, and ocean views. Other neighborhoods include Rancho Niguel, Marina Hills, Concord Hill, Niguel West, Niguel Summit, Kite Hill, Rolling Hills, and San Joaquin Hills.

Roads
Interstate 5 travels along the eastern border of Laguna Niguel, forming the border with Mission Viejo. I-5 has two interchanges in the city: Avery Parkway and Crown Valley Parkway.

The San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor is a major toll road travelling through Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, Aliso Viejo, Newport Beach, and Irvine, respectively. The toll road, managed by the Transportation Corridor Agencies and maintained by Caltrans, starts as a toll road at Interstate 5, and becomes a freeway at Bison Avenue, and provides a toll alternative to the busy Interstate 405, terminating in Costa Mesa at said freeway.

In addition to the highways listed above, Alicia Parkway and Crown Valley Parkway are major north-south thoroughfares and the Street of the Golden Lantern/Moulton Parkway is a major east-west thoroughfare. Minor thoroughfares include Camino del Avion, Marina Hills Drive, Aliso Creek Road, Niguel Road, Cabot Road, La Paz Road, and Pacific Park Drive (Oso Parkway at the Laguna Hills-Laguna Niguel border).

2020
The 2020 United States Census reported that Laguna Niguel had a population of 64,239. The racial makeup of Laguna Niguel was 72.6% White, 1.9% African American, 11.3% Asian, and 15.8% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Laguna Niguel had a population of 62,979. The population density was 4,231.1 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Laguna Niguel was 50,625 (80.4%) White (72.5% Non-Hispanic White), 777 (1.2%) African American, 219 (0.3%) Native American, 5,459 (8.7%) Asian, 87 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 3,019 (4.8%) from other races, and 2,793 (4.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8,761 persons (13.9%).

The Census reported that 62,731 people (99.6% of the population) lived in households, 248 (0.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 24,232 households, out of which 8,085 (33.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 14,077 (58.1%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 2,271 (9.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 886 (3.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 994 (4.1%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 237 (1.0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships; 5,390 households (22.2%) were made up of individuals, and 1,790 (7.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59. There were 17,234 families (71.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.06.

The population was spread out, with 14,216 people (22.6%) under the age of 18, 4,722 people (7.5%) aged 18 to 24, 14,667 people (23.3%) aged 25 to 44, 21,177 people (33.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 8,197 people (13.0%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.

There were 25,312 housing units at an average density of 1,700.5 /sqmi, of which 17,453 (72.0%) were owner-occupied, and 6,779 (28.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.4%. 45,029 people (71.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 17,702 people (28.1%) lived in rental housing units.

During 2009–2013, Laguna Niguel had a median household income of $99,771, with 6.3% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 61,891 people, 23,217 households, and 16,785 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,221.0 PD/sqmi. There were 23,885 housing units at an average density of 1,629.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 83.50% White, 1.25% African American, 0.29% Native American, 7.73% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 3.48% from other races, and 3.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.38% of the population.

There were 23,217 households, out of which 38.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.2% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.7% were non-families. Of all households 20.6% were made up of individuals, and 4.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.6% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 32.9% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.

According to the Census Bureau's 2008 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $98,072, and the median income for a family was $150,963. Males had a median income of $68,640 versus $40,487 for females. The per capita income for the city was $50,980. About 2.8% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 4.1% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics
The City Council consists of five members, elected from the city at-large, who serve staggered four-year terms. Annually, the City Council appoints a Mayor and a Mayor Pro Tempore from its own membership to serve a one-year term. The City Council currently consists of:

 * Kelly Jennings (Mayor)
 * Rischi Paul Sharma (Mayor Pro Tempore)
 * Ray Gennaway (Council Member)
 * Stephanie Oddo (Council Member)
 * Sandy Rains (Council Member)

The City Hall is located at 30111 Crown Valley Parkway.

County, state and federal
In the Orange County Board of Supervisors Laguna Niguel is part of the 5th District and represented by Supervisor Lisa A. Bartlett.

In the California State Legislature, Laguna Niguel is in, and in.

In the United States House of Representatives, Laguna Niguel is in.

According to the California Secretary of State, as of February 10, 2019, Laguna Niguel has 40,461 registered voters. Of those, 16,071 (39.72%) are registered Republicans, 11,615 (28.71%) are registered Democrats, and 10,843 (26.80%) have no political party preference/are independents.

Laguna Niguel is historically a Republican stronghold in presidential elections. In 2020, however, Joe Biden became the first Democratic presidential nominee to win the city since its incorporation.

Economy
As a bedroom community, most residents commute outside of Laguna Niguel to central and north Orange County cities, such as Irvine and Newport Beach. Most jobs within Laguna Niguel are in the service industry. According to the city's 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Education
The city is served by the Capistrano Unified School District.

Elementary schools
 * Moulton Elementary School
 * Marian Bergeson Elementary
 * Crown Valley Elementary School
 * Hidden Hills Elementary School
 * Laguna Niguel Elementary School
 * John S. Malcom Elementary School
 * George White Elementary School
 * Orange County Academy of Sciences and Arts (K-8)

Middle schools
 * Niguel Hills Middle School
 * Aliso Viejo Middle School (in Aliso Viejo)
 * Orange County Academy of Sciences and Arts (K-8)

High schools
 * Aliso Niguel High School (in Aliso Viejo)
 * Dana Hills High School (in Dana Point)

Colleges
 * Saddleback College (in Mission Viejo - Served by the South Orange County Community College District)
 * Chapman University (in Orange)
 * Soka University of America (in Aliso Viejo)
 * University of California, Irvine (in Irvine)
 * California State University, Fullerton (in Irvine)
 * California State University, Fullerton (in Fullerton)
 * Southern California Institute of Technology, SCIT (in Anaheim)
 * Pepperdine University (in Irvine)

Private schools
 * St. Anne School

Emergency services
Laguna Niguel is protected by Orange County Fire Authority with ambulance services provided by Care Ambulance Service. Police services are provided by Orange County Sheriff. Although there are no hospitals in Laguna Niguel proper, nearby hospitals include Mission Hospital, Saddleback Memorial Hospital and South Coast Medical Center.

Utilities
Electricity in Laguna Niguel is provided by Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric. Water is provided by the Moulton Niguel Water District, which is supplied by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California's Colorado River Aqueduct and the State Water Project. Gas is supplied by San Diego Gas & Electric and The Gas Company. Waste management is provided by CR&R (Solag Disposal).

Roads
Laguna Niguel is served by Interstate 5 on the northeastern border, and the State Route 73 toll road which runs along the northern border. The Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) is located just outside the southern boundary of the city. Within the city, neighborhoods are connected by a network of four- to six-lane arterial roadways with timed intersections. The main thoroughfare is Crown Valley Parkway, which bisects Laguna Niguel roughly from southwest to northeast, linking the PCH in Dana Point to I-5 in Mission Viejo. The other main roads are Alicia Parkway, Niguel Road, La Paz Road, and Moulton Parkway/Golden Lantern (north-south), and Aliso Creek Road, Marina Hills Drive, and Camino del Avion (east-west). Due to the hilly local geography, Laguna Niguel's streets are not arranged in a grid pattern.

Buses
The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) operates the 85, 87, 187 and 490 bus routes in Laguna Niguel. The 490 bus line provides connecting service to the Metrolink train station.

Rail
The Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo station near I-5 is served by the Orange County Line and Inland Empire–Orange County Line of Metrolink commuter rail, providing service to points in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego Counties. The Amtrak Pacific Surfliner served Laguna Niguel from 2007 to 2012, but has since ceased to stop here. Amtrak continues to serve the nearby Irvine and San Juan Capistrano stations.

Bicycling
Most major arterial roads in Laguna Niguel are marked with bike lanes. There are about 60 mi of such lanes in the city. There are also several dedicated bikeways which link Laguna Niguel's extensive public park system (see ).

Parks and open space
Laguna Niguel is known throughout Orange County for its extensive park and trail system. Over one-third of Laguna Niguel is public open space, a legacy of the original 1959 Gruen plan, and is divided between 31 city parks and 4 county parks. Laguna Niguel's major roads are designated as "scenic highways" within landscape corridors, which includes parks, decorative medians, and grade-separated recreational paths. The 227 acre Laguna Niguel Regional Park is centrally located and includes an extensive trail network, ball courts and Laguna Niguel Lake, a popular fishing and boating venue. Crown Valley Park, visited by about 240,000 people per year, has the city's main public sports facilities. Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, which borders Laguna Niguel on the west, consists of over 4000 acre of canyons, grasslands and riparian forests along Aliso Creek. Aliso and Wood Canyons is part of the larger South Coast Wilderness, 22000 acre of preserved open space in the San Joaquin Hills that also includes the larger Laguna Coast Wilderness Park and Crystal Cove State Park outside the city limits. The interconnected city and regional park systems provide a significant refuge for wildlife in an area of Orange County otherwise filled with suburban sprawl.

There are about 80 mi of non-motorized trails in Laguna Niguel for hiking, biking and horseback riding. Major hiking trails include the Aliso Summit trail, which hugs the rim of Aliso Canyon on the western edge of Laguna Niguel, and the Colinas Bluff Trail on the eastern border, overlooking San Juan Capistrano. The Laguna Ridge Trail passes through Badlands County Park, which exposes the namesake geological formations, and approaches the summit of Niguel Hill, the highest point in the city. The paved Salt Creek Trail, a popular Class I bikeway, follows Salt Creek and Niguel Road from Dana Point to Laguna Niguel Regional Park. The Aliso Creek and Oso Creek trails are mostly outside Laguna Niguel, but link the city via greenbelts to other parts of south Orange County. The Aliso Creek Trail is also known as the "Forest to the Sea Trail", as it is planned to connect the Santa Ana Mountains in the Cleveland National Forest to the Pacific Ocean at Laguna Beach.

Notable people

 * Josh Allen, quarterback for the Buffalo Bills
 * Erik Apple, mixed martial arts fighter
 * Gavyn Bailey, singer-songwriter
 * Patricia Bates, member of the California State Senate
 * Daniel L. Fapp, cinematographer
 * McKayla Maroney, 2012 Summer Olympics medalist
 * Cady McClain, actress, singer and author
 * Frank Rosenthal, professional gambler, former casino boss, and reputed Chicago Outfit associate
 * Mimi Walters, member of the U.S. House of Representatives
 * Rachel Wood, soccer player

Sister cities

 * 🇮🇶 Al-Qa'im, Iraq, since January 2008

title: Laguna Niguel, California


text:
Laguna Woods, California

Laguna Woods (Laguna, Spanish for "Lagoon") is a city in Orange County, California, United States. The population was 17,644 at the 2020 census, up from 16,192 at the 2010 census, with a median age of 74.5 (as of 2021).

Laguna Woods became Orange County's 32nd city on March 24, 1999, after local residents voted to incorporate. About ninety percent of the city consists of Laguna Woods Village, a private gated retirement community, formerly known as Leisure World. The other ten percent consists of businesses, some homes and the city hall, which are accessible to the public. Incorporation efforts in the late 1990s were largely driven by the need for residents to have a stronger voice against the prospective construction of an international airport at the nearby decommissioned Marine Corps Air Station El Toro. The airport proposal was defeated, and the land in question has been tabbed for development as the Orange County Great Park.

History
Laguna Woods, California occupies approximately three-square miles of land that was once a part of South Orange County's expansive Moulton Ranch. Prior to the 1960s, dry farming and cattle grazing dominated the area, with a few scattered ranch dwellings and barns.

In 1962, Ross Cortese, a young developer whose previous projects included Rossmoor and Leisure World Seal Beach, purchased a portion of the Moulton Ranch. His goal was to create a second Leisure World community or, as he said, “to supply the basic needs of life for people aged 52 and older; create a serene atmosphere of beauty; and provide security, recreation, and religious facilities – then leave the living to the individual.” His dream materialized and in 1964 Leisure World Laguna Hills received its first residents.

The prospect of incorporation first arose in 1971 and was a lingering issue until 1996, when the potential for a reduction in county services and the possibility of a commercial airport at the nearby site of the former Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro, became very real concerns. Proponents of cityhood were successful in placing the issue of incorporation on the ballot for a special election on March 2, 1999.

On March 24, 1999, Laguna Woods officially became Orange County's 32nd city.

On May 15, 2022, a shooting occurred at the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods. One person was killed and five others were injured. The attack is believed to have been motivated by anti-Taiwanese sentiment.

Geography
Laguna Woods is located at 33.60917°N, -117.73278°W (33.609165, -117.732791). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.1 sqmi, which is virtually all land.

It is bordered by Laguna Hills, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Beach, and Irvine, as well as and the Laguna Coast State Park and other natural open spaces.

Education
Laguna Woods itself has no public schools. The city is located in the Capistrano Unified School District and the Saddleback Valley Unified School District, as well as the South Orange County Community College District.

2020
The 2020 United States Census reported a population of 17,701. The racial makeup was 74.4% White, 0.5% African American, 21.2% Asian, and 5.2% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2010
At the 2010 census Laguna Woods had a population of 16,192. The population density was 5,196.9 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Laguna Woods was 14,133 (87.3%) White (84.0% Non-Hispanic White), 110 (0.7%) African American, 24 (0.1%) Native American, 1,624 (10.0%) Asian, 10 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 90 (0.6%) from other races, and 201 (1.2%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 650 people (4.0%).

The census reported that 16,025 people (99.0% of the population) lived in households, 167 (1.0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized.

There were 11,302 households, 36 (0.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 3,278 (29.0%) were married couples living together, 482 (4.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 113 (1.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 194 (1.7%) unmarried couples or partnerships, and 54 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 6,924 households (61.3%) were one person and 6,097 (53.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 1.42. There were 3,873 families (34.3% of households); the average family size was 2.07.

The age distribution was 48 people (0.3%) under the age of 18, 56 people (0.3%) aged 18 to 24, 266 people (1.6%) aged 25 to 44, 2,948 people (18.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 12,874 people (79.5%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 77.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 55.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 55.0 males.

There were 13,016 housing units at an average density of 4,177.6 per square mile, of the occupied units 8,730 (77.2%) were owner-occupied and 2,572 (22.8%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 10.2%. 12,456 people (76.9% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,569 people (22.0%) lived in rental housing units.

According to the 2010 United States Census, Laguna Woods had a median household income of $36,818, with 9.9% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2000
At the 2000 census there were 16,507 people in 11,699 households, including 3,989 families, in the city. The population density was 5,158.4 PD/sqmi. There were 12,650 housing units at an average density of 3,953.1 /mi2. The racial makeup of the city was 96.12% White, 0.25% Black, 0.12% American Indian, 2.50% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.06%.

Of the 11,699 households 0.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.7% were married couples living together, 2.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 65.9% were non-families. 62.2% of households were one person and 57.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 1.40 and the average family size was 2.06.

The age distribution was 0.6% under the age of 18, 0.2% from 18 to 24, 2.2% from 25 to 44, 10.6% from 45 to 64, and 86.4% 65 or older. The median age was 78 years. For every 100 females, there were 51.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 51.6 males.

The median household income was $30,493 and the median family income was $46,889. Males had a median income of $56,563 versus $35,188 for females. The per capita income for the city was $32,071. About 2.6% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.

Government
In the state legislature, Laguna Woods is in, and in.

In the United States House of Representatives, Laguna Woods is in, and in California's 47th congressional district, represented by Democrat Katie Porter

According to the California Secretary of State, as of February 10, 2019, Laguna Woods has 14,027 registered voters. Of those, 5,081 (36.22%) are registered Republicans, 5,041 (35.94%) are registered Democrats, and 3,392 (24.18%) have declined to state a political party/are independents.

Public Safety services
Fire protection in Laguna Woods is provided by the Orange County Fire Authority with ambulance service by Care Ambulance Service. Law enforcement is provided by the Orange County Sheriff's Department. Security services within Laguna Woods Village are provided by Laguna Woods Village Security.

title: Laguna Woods, California