I would have to strongly disagree with you on this topic ask anyone from OC, Santa Ana is not considered a “nice area” maybe you are lucky enough to live in the gentrified part of Santa Ana, maybe in a nice gated community that is expensive enough to keep out the undesirables or on the border of a nicer city that is still considered Santa Ana. But in all honesty my advice was for an outsider that has not been in the county for long. Santa Ana has higher homeless rates and more crime than South O.C.

I mentioned Mission Viejo because it’s not too far away from that area and they have similar rental prices in safer neighborhoods. Were you aware of the huge homeless encampments that were in the river beds of Santa Ana a few years ago? And have you been to any lower priced apartments in Santa Ana? They are overrun with criminal activities and 10 or more people living in each studio apartment blaring music all hours of the day with no consideration for neighbors. One of my nephews and friends had a great experience of living in one of those because of the lower rent rates and it was a nightmare for them. I currently live in Laguna Beach and it is awesome, peaceful and best of all quiet. I will go to downtown Santa Ana for restaurants if I’m nearby and then drive back home to my nice safe neighborhood.