LOS ANGELES — A new survey released by the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at Cal State Los Angeles reveals severe economic impacts of COVID-19 in Southeast Los Angeles County and neighboring communities served by the university.

The area is home to one of the highest concentrations of Latino residents and undocumented individuals in California, according to a recent report by the Pat Brown Institute.

Since early March, low-income communities in Los Angeles County, including the survey area, have seen COVID-19 infection rates that are higher than those in wealthier neighborhoods, according to reports by Advancement Project California and theLos Angeles Times.

The poll, conducted under the direction of Latino Decisions co-founder and managing partner Matt Barreto, follows a companion survey conducted last Dec. 5-27, by Latino Decisions for the Pat Brown Institute, the California Community Foundation and the SELA Collaborative before the onset of the pandemic.

The Living and Working in SELA survey of 1,017 residents depicted an economically stressed community, but also showed some signs of optimism — with a majority of respondents saying they believed their economic situation had improved over the last five years.