Grocery stores
While industrial enterprises abound in the Logan community, there are hardly any places for residents to shop. The only retailer in the neighborhood is La Chiquita, a combination liquor store-market-restaurant-party services business that entices residents to sit down to tasty dollar tacos and margaritas. While La Chiquita is a good resource, locals have no other option than to venture out beyond the neighborhood for everything this small store doesn’t carry.
The nearest grocery store, Food4Less, is a five-minute walk from Logan. This warehouse-like store offers low prices and discounts on a limited selection of commonly bought food items. If shoppers can’t find what they’re looking for at Food4Less – and are able to travel farther and spend more – the next-nearest supermarket is Albertsons, a 15-minute drive from the neighborhood.
www.food4less.com.
www.albertsons.com
A bit farther away, at French and 4th streets, a fabulous shopping area offers hard-to-find cultural items and bargain prices. Sadly, these locally owned mom-and-pop shops are struggling to stay afloat due to a combination of the economy and the ongoing effects of Santa Ana’s Renaissance Plan for downtown redevelopment.
Banks & gas stations
Like grocery stores, there is a noticeable absence of banks and gas stations in the Logan Barrio. Residents must travel 10-15 minutes away for these services. It’s hard to speculate whether these services are intentionally zoned out of Logan, or if it’s simply a natural function of economic supply and d
emand.
Hospital
There is also no hospital close to Logan. The nearest, St. Joseph’s Hospital in the city of Orange, is 15 minutes away by car.
Preventative health
Latino Health Access been around for about 15 years and is one of the primary service
agencies available to Logan residents. This preventative health organization provides services such as free mammogram testing and support groups.
Employment servic
es
The Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center has work center offices onsite. Here, unemployed people can find out about Job Training Services, CalWorks, and the Employment Development Department (EDD). EDD provides services such as internet-based job search and help with resume writing, and a variety of employment-related information.
www.ladpss.org/dpss/calworks
Public library
The Santa Ana Public Library, about a 10-minute walk from the neighborhood, provides Logan residents with a vast array of books, including a great collection of Spanish and Vietnamese manuscripts. The library also offers computer access and free services like computer workshops and story time for all ages.
www.ci.santa-ana.ca.us/library
Recreation and learning
A community recreation center is conveniently located in Logan Park, providing services for both adults and children. Adults can take exercise classes and attend community meetings at the park. During the summer, children can enjoy free lunches and field trips to the zoo, beach or water park. This can help build community involvement. And similar to the free resources we saw at the Minnie Street Family Resource Center, the Logan Park Rec Center provides more than 60 children with computer access and tutoring.
Schools
Of Santa Ana’s 36 elementary schools, three serve Logan. There is no school bus transportation; parents are responsible for getting kids to school. Many Logan families strive to send their children to John Muir Elementary, a fundamental school offering greater resources and a rigorous course of study. Muir policies set high expectations for academics, ho
mework, discipline, dress code and attendance. Logan’s other elementary school options are James A. Garfield Elementary or Wallace R. Davis Elementary.
Middle-school students can attend Sierra Intermediate or Raymond A. Villa Intermediate. At the high school level, Logan students are in the Santa Ana High School zone. But due to that school’s poor reputation, many Logan students prefer Century High.
Not all Santa Ana schools are troubled – many boast the Distinguished School seal. The city’s school district is the largest in Orange County and the seventh largest in all of California, with 4,500 employees and 54,310 K-12 students -- 94.6% of whom are Latino. The district’s annual budget is an astonishing $474.3 million, and within its budget are funds covering free or subsidized meals for 80% of students.
www.sausd.us
Public Transportation:
Due to Logan’s convenient location across from Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center, residents have access to trains, buses and taxis that connect Logan with the world. There are buses that travel throughout Southern California, and trips to Tijuana can cost as little as $23 each way. Schedules can be picked up at the station and are available online for those with internet access.
City Hall and Courthouse:
The Santa Ana City Hall and Courthouse are located in the heart of the downtown district. The Santa Ana Courthouse, Central Justice Center and City Hall are just five minutes away from Logan – rendering a stark contrast between downtown’s gleaming ivory towers and Logan’s semi-industrial, old residential neighborhood. Santa Ana’s Renaissance plan continues to affect the Logan Barrio through rezoning, demolition and construction. Moreover, this downtown redevelopment initiative has led to increased traffic and parking difficulties for residents of Logan.
