In this edition of the City Manager’s newsletter, learn the latest about our Revive Santa Ana pandemic recovery program, check out new heart monitors from the library, see the newest murals around town, sign up for Coastal Cleanup Day, and find more Santa Ana news and events.
Spotlight Photo
Alex with Mariachi Los Santaneros
Photo Credit: Jerry Nunez, Tutto Fresco
To submit your own original photo of Santa Ana to be featured in the next newsletter, complete this form.
City Manager’s Highlights
Read the Revive Santa Ana report
We continue to make significant strides in utilizing state and federal recovery funds authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to drive our comprehensive pandemic-recovery plan, Revive Santa Ana. Our third annual report outlining the Revive programs and spending is now available online.
Our commitment to the well-being and revitalization of our community is reflected in projects we have been able to complete over the last three years. Last year alone, we expanded from having 56 planned projects to 72! Some highlights include:
- Financial assistance to residents and businesses
- Food distributions
- New park restrooms
- Youth programs and early childhood education
- Renovation and expansion of libraries
- Adding and improving parks and green space
And there’s so much more! We’ve even been supporting local artists. Today’s spotlight photo is of mariachi performers funded by Revive to provide free music downtown. You can also scroll down to Tales of the City to see some of the new Revive-funded murals around Santa Ana.
Read the revive Santa Ana report
News
Library to unveil new blood pressure kits at health fair
The Santa Ana Public Library (SAPL) will showcase new blood pressure kits donated by the American Heart Association during a health resource fair, Libraries with Heart: A Healthy Start to a New School Year, on Saturday, Aug. 12.
As the American Heart Association’s first Libraries with Heart partner in Orange County, SAPL is proud to offer support to community members focusing on their health journey. The blood pressure kits will be available for the public to check out as part of its Library of Things collection.
The health resource fair is offered in partnership with the American Heart Association and the Orange County Health Care Agency. The free health fair will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Main Library, 26 Civic Center Plaza.
Get a low-interest loan with new ADU program
At the end of August, the Orange County Housing Finance Trust, of which the City of Santa Ana is a member, will be offering the only subsidized construction-to-permanent loan specifically for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) for Orange County homeowners. ADUs are smaller, independent residential dwelling units located on the same lot as a single-family home and are often referred to as granny flats, mother-in-law units, or carriage units. In this innovative loan program, homeowners looking to add a backyard rental agree to lease their new ADU to a very low-income tenant for 10 years. In return, they receive a deferred, low-interest, and partially forgivable loan of $100,000 to reduce their construction costs.
Learn more about ADU Loan Program
Sign up for ADU loan interest list
City collecting vehicle data for permit parking study
You might notice a City vehicle driving through your neighborhood with a cell phone being held out the window. This is part of the Public Works Agency Traffic Engineering section’s efforts to collect data for our Permit Parking Program study so we can update the program guidelines and requirements that were established in the early 1990s.
City staff use an app to capture an image of a vehicle license plate, which transforms the image into alphanumeric characters. We aren’t storing the license plate information or any personally identifiable information from the license plate number, including the name or address of the registered owner. The data we collect is only being used for the Permit Parking Program study. The data collection is scheduled three times a day on Wednesdays and Saturdays for about the next six months.
Read more about parking data collection
West Nile virus found in Santa Ana mosquitoes
The Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District (OCMVCD) this week reported the presence of West Nile virus in some mosquitoes in Santa Ana. Inspectors will check known sources for mosquito breeding and try to identify unknown sources. West Nile virus advisory posters will be placed in affected areas.
You can check Vector Control’s West Nile virus map for the latest updates.
OCMVCD began administering residential mosquito control applications via truck this week in the area around East 5th and Bush streets to reduce the number of mosquito-borne diseases in the community. Vector Control informs residents with door hangers before conducting mosquito spraying operations.
Tips on how to prevent mosquitoes
Volunteers needed for Coastal Cleanup Day
Inner-Coastal Cleanup Day is your chance to give back to the ocean, beaches, and creeks that make Orange County such a beautiful place to live.
Our Public Works Agency is hosting an Inner-Coastal Cleanup Day event at Jerome Park, 2115 W. McFadden Ave., on Saturday, September 23, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The cleanup will focus on the removal of trash and debris from the Santa Ana Gardens flood control channel and the adjacent park area so it does not flow out to the ocean when it rains. The Public Works Agency is in need of volunteers to help participate in the cleanup. For more information, contact Craig Foster at (714) 647-5659 or cfoster@santa-ana.org.
Santa Ana Inter Coastal Cleanup
Sports field closures for scheduled maintenance
To effectively provide and sufficiently maintain City athletic fields, scheduled rotating field closures occur during the year for turf recovery, field maintenance and overall improvements. Understanding that our valued sports organizations desire optimum use of City athletic fields, the City coordinates the schedule with the various sports leagues to minimize the impact.
The sports fields at the following parks are currently closed due to annual turf renovation:
- Angels Community Park, 300 N. Flower St. – Through Aug. 14
- Centennial Park, 3000 W. Edinger Ave. – Through Sept. 6
- Riverview Park, 1817 W. 21st St. – Through Sept. 11
- Cesar Chavez Park, 3311 W. 5th St. – Through Sept. 13
- Adams Park, 2302 S. Raitt St. – Through Oct. 2
- Delhi Park, 2314 S. Halladay St. – Through Oct. 9
The fields will be fenced off completely and will not be open to the public. Please use alternate athletic fields nearby while these park fields are under construction.
Sign up for OCFA Girls Empowerment Camp
OCFA is offering a free, two-day camp for girls ages 14 to 18. The camp introduces teens to the fire service by providing a realistic, hands-on overview of firefighting and all aspects of public safety. More importantly, the Girls Empowerment Camp provides participants with valuable life skills that will serve as a foundation in their future careers and encourages them to pursue a career in public safety. The camp will take place Saturday, October 7, and Sunday, October 8, at OCFA Headquarters in Irvine. Online registration is now open through Sept. 3.
Street closures and permitted events
Here are the locations of upcoming permitted events and road closures so you can plan accordingly. Please drive slowly and safely in construction zones and around crowded events.
Street closures and permitted events
Tales of the City
Revive Santa Ana mural beautify community
A vital component of our Revive Santa Ana program was investing in art for community enrichment. Our Investing in the Artist program distributes small but impactful grants to artists and organizations in Santa Ana of up to $10,000. Our City is home to one of the most vibrant art scenes in the county, with murals bringing every corner of Santa Ana to life. Four new murals were unveiled for this last grant cycle in various locations throughout the community.
Santa Ana artist Jonathan Martinez was awarded a grant for a mural project at the Santa Ana Zoo that focused on the importance of protecting and creating awareness for our local wildlife. Jonathan hopes that his mural informs the community that conservation can begin here at home.
Damin Lujan created a mural on the back of the building at 501 N. Main St. in DTSA that will be visible to pedestrians, drivers, and passengers of the OC Streetcar as it travels on Santa Ana Boulevard.
Alex Sanchez designed and installed a mural of his grandmother and local street vendor outside of Tacos y Carnitas Sahuayo. Sanchez’s mural aims to inspire our youth and “represent the idea of the progression our elders sought in the City of Santa Ana.”
Kimberly Duran created a custom art banner exhibit in the Myrtle Alley public art space behind the Park Town Apartments in the Pacific Park Neighborhood. Her goal is to continue to add art to this space to promote healing through art, enrich the walk through the neighborhood, and create a magical family-friendly atmosphere for all to enjoy.
The Investing in the Artist grant program advances the Justice 40 initiative by meeting the emergency needs of independent artists, art businesses, and arts and culture nonprofit organizations that have been impacted financially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To get more information about the program, visit the link below.
City Council Meetings
At their August 1, 2023, meeting, the Santa Ana City Council:
- Increased the contract for asphalt pothole repairs by $200,000 with All American Asphalt
- Approved a $350,120 agreement with LOC Architects for professional services for the Santa Ana Zoo Education Hub
- Accepted a $210,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice for improving criminal justice response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking
- Accepted a donation of a Police K-9, equipment, and supplies for the Santa Ana Police Department’s K-9 program
City Council meetings are typically held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, with the closed session beginning at 5 p.m. or earlier. The open meeting session begins at 5:30 p.m. Meetings have both in-person and virtual participation and attendance and are live streamed on the City’s YouTube channel and our TV channel, CTV3 (channel 3 on Spectrum.) If you’d like to provide public comments on agenda and non-agenda items, you can email, attend in person, or join the Zoom webinar online or by phone.
Note: The Public Hearing considering the vacation of the alley adjacent to 2383 N. Flower St. scheduled for the August 15, 2023, City Council meeting has been canceled. This public hearing will be re-noticed and heard at a later date.
Events
Libraries with Heart – August 12
In partnership with the American Heart Association and OC Health Care Agency, the Santa Ana Public Library will be the first library in Orange County to add Blood Pressure Monitoring Kits to our Library of Things Collection. Join us as we celebrate this important community resource with a Health Fair at our Main Library. Featuring preventive heart screenings, health-focused Library of Things items, nutrition resources, dental screenings, and more! This event is free and open to all ages.
- Saturday, Aug. 12
- 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Main Library, 26 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana
SAPD Summer Safety Event – August 16
Join Santa Ana Police Department for the last Summer Safety event of the summer! Don’t miss out on summer safety information, meet some of your police officers, giveaways, and vehicle displays!
- Wednesday, August 16
- 12-2 p.m.
- El Salvador Park, 1825 W. Civic Center Drive
Affordable Housing Forum – August 19
The City of Santa Ana Housing Authority is partnering with the housing authorities of Orange County, Anaheim and Garden Grove to present information about Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8) and affordable housing projects. Participants will be able to ask questions and learn about how to apply for new housing opportunities. This event is free and open to the public. Language assistance in Spanish and Vietnamese will be provided on-site.
- Saturday, Aug. 19
- 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Garden Grove Community Meeting Center, 11300 Stanford Ave., Garden Grove
Author Hour: Erika Hayasaki – August 19
Join Santa Ana Public Library for a conversation with award-winning journalist Erika Hayasaki as she shares her latest non-fiction work, “Somewhere Sisters.” Hayasaki uses her expertise in investigative reporting to share the story of identical twins, Isabella and Hà. The two were raised on opposite sides of the world, one in a rural village in their home country of Viêt Nam and one in the United States, adopted into a wealthy, white American family.
- Saturday, Oct. 19
- 1-2:30 p.m.
- Main Library, 26 Civic Center Plaza
Free Resident Day at the Zoo – August 20
Santa Ana residents receive free admission to the Zoo on the third Sunday of every month. Proof of residency (such as ID or a utility bill) is required.
- Sunday, Aug. 20
- 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. (last admission is at 4 p.m.)
- Santa Ana Zoo, 1801 E. Chestnut Ave.
Chicano Heritage Festival – August 27
The City of Santa Ana’s Chicano Heritage Festival is back! Join us for a day full of celebrating our community’s Chicano culture. Admission is free and the event is open to the public. This second annual special event will include festivities celebrating all aspects of Mexican American culture and more.
- Sunday, Aug. 27
- 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
- El Salvador Park, 1825 W. Civic Center Drive
Resources
Report issues with the mySantaAna app
The mySantaAna mobile app puts the power of the City of Santa Ana government in the palm of your hand! Download the app to quickly and easily report issues such as potholes, graffiti, downed trees and much more.
Who do I call at City Hall?
Important phone numbers:
- City Hall main line: (714) 647-5400
- Code Enforcement: (714) 667-2780
- Graffiti Hotline: (877) 786-7824
- Emergency Water Services: (714) 953-8026
- Public Works dispatch (street sweeping, trees): (714) 647-3380
Find more phone numbers for all City services
Utility services
- City utility services
- Southern California Edison: Call (800) 447-6620
- Southern California Gas: Call (800) 207-8567
- Trash pick up: Call (877) 328-2074