A Toxic Legacy in an Orange County Neighborhood

The contaminated soil and neglected infrastructure in Santa Ana's Barrio Logan community are a result of decades of land use decisions and willful disinvestment, one journalist writes.

2 minute read

January 31, 2022, 8:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Yvette Cabrera recounts the history of Barrio Logan, a predominantly Latino neighborhood in Orange County, California. Logan, known as the "Plymouth Rock of Santa Ana" for its early ties to the Mexican American community, has long experienced neglect from the city. Local activists here have banded together to fight against polluting businesses and secure safety and infrastructure improvements such as speed bumps and sidewalks.

Zoned for industrial use, Barrio Logan has experienced waves of environmental degradation and soil contamination from petroleum, heavy metals, pesticides, and other harmful substances. Yet "Residents knew little about this soil contamination, despite the city’s environmental assessments calling for a deeper exploration of potential lead exposure in the neighborhood in the late 1970s." Cabrera notes that "Comprehensive citywide soil test results were not publicly available until 2017, when I published an investigation that found hazardous levels of lead in the soil in neighborhoods across Santa Ana, which today is Orange County’s second-largest city."

Cabrera argues that Logan's degradation was a result of conscious zoning and land use decisions made throughout the last century, decisions that allowed harmful industrial businesses to build facilities adjacent to residential neighborhoods without much public disclosure. And this isn't limited to Barrio Logan. Around the country, millions of people live in areas similarly contaminated by toxic substances, unaware of the danger beneath their feet, in the air, or in their water supply.

Thursday, January 20, 2022 in High Country News

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

4 hours ago - Real Change

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

5 hours ago - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

6 hours ago - Cities Today