CLIPBOARD : Several Rooms, Lots of Views

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of vacant housing units in the county increased almost 43% between 1980 and 1990. During this same period, the total stock of housing units increased just less than 22%.

Six cities saw their percentage of vacant homes increase more than 100%, led by the nearly 243% increase in Laguna Niguel. The group of 100%-plus increases had a strong South County flavor. On the other hand, five cities had decreases in their residential vacancy rates--the biggest drop, 67%, occurring in Brea.

Here’s how the cities and some of the major unincorporated areas compare:

City 1980 1990 % Change Aliso Viejo N/A 556 -- Anaheim 2,935 5,589 +90.4 Brea 1,284 424 -67.0 Buena Park 669 990 +48.0 Costa Mesa 1,338 2,144 +60.2 Coto de Caza N/A 143 -- Cypress 254 436 +71.7 Dana Point 599 1,965 +228.0 El Toro 842 1,092 +29.7 Fountain Valley 233 612 +162.7 Fullerton 1,620 2,084 +28.6 Garden Grove 1,210 1,446 +19.5 Huntington Beach 2,464 3,857 +56.5 Irvine 1,157 1,964 +69.7 Laguna Beach 806 1,759 +118.2 Laguna Hills 937 1,756 +87.4 Laguna Niguel 502 1,720 +242.6 La Habra 650 558 -14.2 La Palma 63 120 +90.5 Los Alamitos 100 166 +66.0 Mission Viejo 1,253 1,219 -2.7 Newport Beach 3,120 4,001 +28.2 Orange 1,169 1,227 +5.0 Placentia 583 364 -37.6 Portola Hills N/A 32 -- Rancho Santa Margarita N/A 367 -- Rossmoor 49 88 +79.6 San Clemente 1,355 2,025 +49.4 San Juan Capistrano 670 597 -10.9 Santa Ana 3,125 3,362 +7.6 Seal Beach 538 1,037 +92.8 Stanton 432 449 +3.9 Trabuco Highlands N/A 278 -- Tustin 426 968 +127.2 Tustin Foothills 168 183 +8.9 Villa Park 29 59 +103.4 Westminster 702 775 +10.4 Yorba Linda 397 567 +42.8 COUNTY TOTAL * 33,633 48,006 +42.7

* Includes unincorporated areas not shown above

N/A: Comparative information not available

Source: U.S. Census Bureau