Rossmoor
census-designated place
Location in Orange County and the state of California
Coordinates: 33°47′20″N 118°4′47″W / 33.78889°N 118.07972°W / 33.78889; -118.07972Coordinates: 33°47′20″N 118°4′47″W / 33.78889°N 118.07972°W / 33.78889; -118.07972
Country	United States
State	California
County	Orange
Area[1]
• Total	1.538 sq mi (3.983 km2)
• Land	1.538 sq mi (3.983 km2)
• Water	0 sq mi (0 km2)  0%
Elevation[2]	13 ft (4 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	10,244
• Density	6,700/sq mi (2,600/km2)
Time zone	PST (UTC-8)
• Summer (DST)	PDT (UTC-7)
ZIP code	90720
Area code(s)	562
FIPS code	06-63050
GNIS feature ID	1661336

Rossmoor is a working class planned census-designated place located in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 10,244, down from 10,298 at the 2000 census. The gated Leisure World retirement community in the city of Seal Beach is to the south of Rossmoor, Los Alamitos is to the east and north, and Long Beach is to the west (on the other side of the San Gabriel River, the 605 freeway and the border with Los Angeles County). The community of Rossmoor has two shopping centers within its boundaries, but only one—the Rossmoor Village Square, is now within the political boundaries of the Rossmoor Community Services District. A larger shopping center, the Rossmoor Business Center, has been remodeled and renamed the Shops at Rossmoor; it was annexed, despite many protests, by the City of Seal Beach in 1967.

History[edit]

The Rossmoor community was developed from 1955 through 1961 by Ross W. Cortese, who had earlier developed the architecturally-significant Lakewood Rancho Estates in Long Beach (1953) and the Frematic Homes (1954) in Anaheim, just north and west of Disneyland. Cortese's original partners in securing the first large parcels of land that would become Rossmoor included California governor Goodwin Knight and Judge Alfred Gittelson, who had also partnered with him in the Lakewood Rancho Estates and the Frematic homes. (It was Gittelson who later agreed to annex his Rossmoor Shopping Center property to Seal Beach in the late 1960s.) After Rossmoor, Cortese would construct the first of his very successful Leisure World gated retirement community in that part of Seal Beach which is immediately south of Rossmoor. The Rossmoor community is easy to recognize because of its red brick "signature wall" that borders the entire unincorporated community. It is a signature of the Rossmoor community that differentiates it from neighboring cities Los Alamitos and Seal Beach.

There are 3,430 single family homes, 1 apartment complex (Rossmoor Manor), and 1 town house complex (Rossmoor Town Houses) within Rossmoor.

Rossmoor annexation debates[edit]

History[edit]

According to a June 2006 consultant's report to the Rossmoor Planning Committee, the most cost effective solution for Rossmoor would be to be annexed by the city of Seal Beach.^[3]

Although it is not part of the city of Los Alamitos, it is served under the Los Alamitos "sphere of influence" and was proposed to be annexed to the city by 2007 after the Local Agency Formation Commission reviews the proposal.^[4]

Another proposal would combine Rossmoor with adjacent Seal Beach and Los Alamitos to form one city.^[5]

Rossmoor is served by the Rossmoor/Los Alamitos Area Sewer District. The mainly residential area is also served by the Rossmoor Community Services District (RCSD), which serves the community as an independent functionary does. The RCSD provides services related to public recreation facilities and park development for Rush Park, Rossmoor Park, two mini parks and the Montecito Center. The RCSD also administers street lighting, road rights-of-way services, sewer services and, subject to the consent of the County of Orange, the collection and disposal of garbage or refuse matter, and street sweeping.^[6] However, the RCSD cannot make decisions about the future of the community, which is all delegated to the County of Orange's Unincorporated Islands Program.

Current status[edit]

At the May 22, 2008 meeting, OC LAFCO recommended that the Rossmoor Incorporation Plan go to a vote of the community.
A vote by residents on the issue of incorporation was held on November 4, 2008. The proposition for cityhood was resoundingly defeated by a vote of 72% to 28% indicating that the majority of residents desire not be incorporated as a city. Residents also voted down three separate utility tax proposals by a wide margin.^[7]

Climate[edit]

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Rossmoor has a semi-arid climate (abbreviated BSh) with Mediterranean characteristics.

Geography[edit]

Rossmoor is located at 33°47'20" North, 118°4'47" West (33.788917, -118.079721).^[8] It borders the cities of Los Alamitos and Seal Beach.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 1.54 square miles (4.0 km²), all of it land.

Demographics[edit]

2010[edit]

The 2010 United States Census^[10] reported that Rossmoor had a population of 10,244. The population density was 6,660.6 people per square mile (2,571.8/km²). The racial makeup of Rossmoor was 8,691 (84.8%) White (76.6% Non-Hispanic White),^[11] 84 (0.8%) African American, 36 (0.4%) Native American, 838 (8.2%) Asian, 29 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 168 (1.6%) from other races, and 398 (3.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,174 persons (11.5%).

The Census reported that 10,244 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 3,631 households, out of which 1,382 (38.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,456 (67.6%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 326 (9.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 138 (3.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 90 (2.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 20 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 596 households (16.4%) were made up of individuals and 390 (10.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83. There were 2,920 families (80.4% of all households); the average family size was 3.17.

The population was spread out with 2,550 people (24.9%) under the age of 18, 738 people (7.2%) aged 18 to 24, 1,742 people (17.0%) aged 25 to 44, 3,444 people (33.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,770 people (17.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.

There were 3,710 housing units at an average density of 2,412.3 per square mile (931.4/km²), of which 3,180 (87.6%) were owner-occupied, and 451 (12.4%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.6%. 8,998 people (87.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,246 people (12.2%) lived in rental housing units.

According to the 2010 United States Census, Rossmoor had a median household income of $208,807, with 3.3% of the population living below the federal poverty line.^[11]

2000[edit]

As of the census^[12] of 2000, there were 10,298 people, 3,715 households, and 2,975 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 6,583.8 people per square mile (2,548.8/km²). There were 3,761 housing units at an average density of 2,404.5 per square mile (930.9/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 88.88% White, 0.78% African American, 0.34% Native American, 5.72% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 1.36% from other races, and 2.83% from two or more races. 6.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,715 households out of which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.9% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.9% were non-families. 16.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the CDP, the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $86,457, and the median income for a family was $93,500. Males had a median income of $71,875 versus $46,913 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $38,642. 2.0% of the population and 1.3% of families were below the poverty line. 2.5% of those under the age of 18 and 1.3% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Politics[edit]

Rossmoor is in the 2nd Supervisorial District in Orange County, represented by Republican Michelle Steel. As an unincorporated area within Orange County, the Supervisor is the key local elected official for Rossmoor.

In the state legislature Rossmoor is located in the 34th Senate District, represented by Republican Janet Nguyen, and in the 72nd Assembly District, represented by Republican Travis Allen.^[13]

Federally, Rossmoor is located in California's 47th congressional district, which has a Cook PVI of D+13 and is represented by Democrat Alan Lowenthal.^[14]

Education[edit]

The Los Alamitos Unified School District serves Rossmoor.^[15] Four of the six elementary schools of the district, Rossmoor, Weaver, Lee, and Hopkinson, are located within the boundaries of Rossmoor.

Notable residents[edit]

• 
  Rocco Grimaldi, University of North Dakota hockey player and Florida Panthers draft pick


• 
  Landry Fields, former NBA basketball player for the New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Rossmoor Community Services District


• Rossmoor Homeowners Association


• LAFCO's MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW PROGRAM - Los Alamitos / Seal Beach / Rossmoor / Sunset Beach MSR Focus Area