You've got an awful lot of people trying to come in and out at the same time. The church is just one example of life in a city bursting at the seams. Santa Ana, one of most densely populated cities in the state's fourth-densest city of at least 100,000, according to census 2000. In Orange County, Santa Ana stands out as a city that continues to grow even though it doesn't have room to expand. Between 1990 and 2000, Santa Ana added 44,000 people, a 15 percent increase.
Density creates a strain on governmental services and alters residents' lives in surprising ways.
Crowded conditions aren't isolated to the city's apartments and low-income neighborhoods. Schools are maxed out, churches overflow, and there aren't enough parks and ball fields to go around. Principal Mary Marquez contemplates creating classroom space out of a storage closet. City officials also worry about providing emergency services and adequate sewer and water service in a place that was never meant to hold this many people. In the meantime, many residents find their everyday schedules must take into account the thousands of other people they share their city with.