Reports and Publications

Examining the Impacts of Gentrification on Latino Communities in Costa Mesa, CA

The Examining the Impacts of Gentrification on Latino Communities in Costa Mesa, CA report, in partnership with PhD candidate Tessa Pulido and Resilience Orange County, documents how gentrification is impacting Latino residents’ housing stability, food access, and overall wellbeing. Drawing on participatory mapping with 37 Latino residents in 2025, the report highlights rising food and rent costs, reduced access to culturally relevant foods, and new housing developments that do not meet existing community needs. Grounded in lived experience and community knowledge, the research advances concrete policy recommendations—such as commercial anti-displacement protections and rent stabilization—to prevent displacement and protect cultural and economic resilience in Costa Mesa.

Resilience Orange County (UCLA CSRC, 2023)

The Resilience Orange County report, authored by the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center, shares how youth organizing in Santa Ana has sparked real policy change and community transformation. Through data collected between 2016 and 2020, the report explores how ROC has challenged structural oppression by centering immigrant youth, developing leadership pipelines, and advocating for equitable resources. This research provides a powerful case study on the role of youth in building movements that are culturally grounded, resilient, and forward-looking.

Summary of Findings: Costa Mesa

Resilience OC released a summary of findings that outlines what we heard through our participatory research efforts in Costa Mesa. The summary of findings contains a first look at data collected through surveying and deep canvassing about the most pressing issues that are impacting Latino residents in Costa Mesa. The summary of findings illustrates trends about the day to day life of residents as well as brings to light some barriers for Latino residents to engage in civic processes. The summary of findings is a first step into how to build a more inlcusive future in which all communities are protected and treated with fairness and dignity.

The State of Orange County

Resilience OC, in collaboration with the Immigrant Legal Resource Center and UCI Law’s Immigrant Rights Clinic, released the State of Orange County report—an in-depth look at how local officials have resisted immigrant protections despite shifting public opinion. The report examines the county’s entanglement with ICE, analyzes data obtained through public records, and reveals a deep disconnect between residents’ values and elected leadership. It offers a roadmap for building a more inclusive and just Orange County grounded in transparency, accountability, and immigrant justice.

The Status of Youth Investment in Santa Ana

Resilience OC released The Status of Youth Investment in Santa Ana, a compelling budget analysis that sheds light on the city’s priorities when it comes to its youngest residents. Drawing on data from the Santa Ana city budget, the report reveals that in 2017 the city allocated $19.55 million toward youth arrests and suppression—surpassing the mere $15.3 million invested in positive youth development programs like workforce development, library services, and parks & recreation. These findings highlight a troubling imbalance: the city spends $12,722 per youth arrest compared to just $143 per youth on supportive initiatives. The report brings attention to the crucial need for redirected investment and charts a path toward a more nurturing and trauma-informed future for Santa Ana’s youth—one where prevention and opportunity take precedence over punishment.

Mislabeled

This report by the UC Irvine School of Law Immigrant Rights Clinic sheds light on how gang allegations—frequently made without due process—are used by law enforcement to block undocumented immigrants from accessing legal relief. These allegations, often rooted in subjective assessments and lacking any link to a specific crime, disproportionately impact Black and Latinx immigrants and increase the risk of detention or deportation. The report finds that these allegations are shared across local and federal databases, including with ICE and DHS, and can jeopardize access to programs like DACA. It recommends basic due process protections such as notice, transparency, and neutral review hearings to limit the harms of these flawed designations.

Resilience OC contributed to this report by offering community-informed insight and grounding the analysis in the lived experiences of immigrant youth and families directly impacted by gang allegations and criminalization.