In the final edition of the City Manager’s newsletter in 2023, learn about new housing opportunities, get a $500 rebate on your vehicle purchase, and find lots of fun activities like winter camps for kids, dancing in the new year, and even reading to a dog!
Spotlight Photo
Sunset at Thornton Park
Photo Credit: Nancy O @nancy_plants
To submit your own original photo of Santa Ana to be featured in the next newsletter, complete this form.
City Manager’s Highlights
Happy holidays from the City of Santa Ana
On behalf of our 1,400 City staff who work tirelessly days, nights and weekends to provide the best possible service to the Santa Ana community, we want to wish you happy holidays and a prosperous New Year! It’s been a busy year as we’ve worked to upgrade and maintain our streets, sewers and water lines, opened new parks and park amenities, created new housing opportunities, invested in public art, stepped up public safety efforts, and hosted numerous amazing community events.
For more City news, go to our news webpage, follow us on social media and sign up for our other newsletters.
Holiday closure
The City’s holiday closure is back this year, so please note that next week will be the last chance to do business at City Hall until 2024.
Santa Ana City Hall will be closed from Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, through Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. Regular hours will resume on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. For all of the service impacts and facilities closures, including street sweeping and trash/recycling pickup, please visit the link below.
City of Santa Ana holiday closure
News
Project-Based Voucher rental assistance waitlist now open
The City of Santa Ana Housing Authority has opened the waitlist for the Project-Based Voucher Program (PBV), which provides rental vouchers to help low-income families pay their rent at specific housing locations. Currently, the Housing Authority is accepting applications for two apartment projects, Andalucía and Crossroads at Washington, both reserved for large, low-income families.
PBV waiting lists are open for those who live or work in Santa Ana. Persons who live in unincorporated areas do not qualify for the live or work preference.
Project-Based Voucher information
Putting a car under the Christmas tree? Buy it in Santa Ana!
Some experts say December is one of the best times to buy a car! Or maybe you’re looking for a big present for the holidays?
Santa Ana residents and business owners can receive a $500 rebate if you purchase a vehicle from one of 10 franchised Santa Ana auto dealers with our Vehicle Incentive Program. It pays to shop in Santa Ana! For more information about the program, including a list of the eligible dealerships and how to qualify, please visit the link below.
Last chance to help name our new mascots!
The community poll to select the names of the new Parks and Rec mascots closes on Sunday, Dec. 17! The mascots include a red-crowned amazon parrot, golden-headed lion tamarin and a giant river otter. Parrots are famously known for soaring across the city, tamarins have a long-admired history inside the zoo, and otters will become Santa Ana’s newest residents. All three animals will perfectly embody the spirit of Santa Ana.
Selected names will be announced on January 1, 2024, to ring in the new year.
Vote in the Parks and Recreation mascot poll
Street closures and permitted events Dec. 14-20
Here are the locations of upcoming permitted events and road closures at the link below so you can plan accordingly. Please drive slowly and safely in construction zones and around crowded events.
Street Closures and Permitted Events
Metrolink trains are not in service Dec. 26-29
Metrolink and Arrow trains will be out of service from Dec. 26 through Dec. 29. They will resume regularly scheduled train service on December 30. Metrolink is using the closure to clean, repair and upgrade their rail network, including a new signal system that will provide better operational throughput and reliability in and out of Union Station for our trains.
Metrolink rail service closure
Tales of the City
Turning Red Tape into Red Carpet Award
The City of Santa Ana has won a Turning Red Tape into Red Carpet Award from the Orange County Business Council (OCBC) for its My First Home down payment assistance loan program.
The City’s OCBC award was in the category of Building & Land Reuse And Community Revitalization, the fourth year in a row the City has been nominated in this category and the third time it has won.
The My First Home Program offers qualified first-time homebuyers 0% interest down payment assistance loans of up to $120,000 to help purchase a home in Santa Ana. Over the past two years, the City has awarded $2.5 million in down payment assistance for 23 families to purchase homes.
In November, the Santa Ana City Council approved an additional $2.3 million for the program, part of a new $10 million investment in affordable homeownership opportunities.
Learn more about the My First Home Program here.
City Council Meetings
At their regular meeting on December 5, 2023, the Santa Ana City Council:
- Adopted a resolution declaring the results of the Special Recall Election held in Ward 3 on November 14, 2023
- Adopted a resolution authorizing the Executive Director of the Public Works Agency to execute a $2 million grant agreement with the California Department of Transportation for the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center Painting and Wrought Iron Fencing Project
- Approved additional contingency funds in the amount of $3.5 million for an existing construction contract with Byrom-Davey, Inc. for the Santa Anita Park improvements, including new synthetic soccer field and community center renovations, with an estimated project cost of $18 million (Revive Santa Ana program)
- Approved an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2023-24 Capital Improvement Plan and an amendment to the agreement with ELS Architecture and Urban Design to increase the contract amount for the Memorial Park and Aquatics Facility Renovation, for a total budget of $11.3 million (Revive Santa Ana program)
- Denied a request for a fee deferral agreement for the Central Pointe Mixed-Use Development at 1801 E. Fourth St.
Subscribe here to receive City meeting agenda notifications. 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.
Events
Santa Ana Winter Village – Until December 31
The Santa Ana Winter Village continues through the end of the year! This month-long event includes family friendly events and activities, including ice skating, a holiday light show, food vendors, and more. Reserve ice-skating tickets online at the link below.
- Dec. 2-31 (open to the public Thursday through Sunday)
- Civic Center Plaza, 717 W. Santa Ana Blvd. (by City Hall),
4th Annual Downtown Santa Ana Tamalfest – December 16
The 4th Annual Downtown Santa Ana Tamalfest features local restaurants, live entertainment and, of course, lots of tamales! The event is sponsored in part by our Economic Development Division and Arts and Culture Office.
- Saturday, Dec. 16
- 3-10 p.m.
- 4th Street between Broadway and Ross Street
Library of Things Open House: Home for the Holidays – December 16
Take a little bit of Santa Ana Public Library home for the holidays! The Library of Things Open House will be a fun place to borrow things for the holidays.
- Saturday, Dec. 16
- 3-4 p.m.
- Main Library, 26 Civic Center Plaza
Free Resident Day at Santa Ana Zoo – December 17
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, Dec. 17
- 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. (last admission is at 4 p.m.)
- Santa Ana Zoo, 1801 E. Chestnut Ave.
Community Meeting: Redesign Project for Logan Center and Chepa’s Park – December 21
Santa Ana neighbors are invited to an interactive community meeting with the Public Works Agency for an update on the redesign of the Logan Center and Chepa’s Park.
- Thursday, Dec. 21
- 6-7 p.m.
- Logan Community Center, 1009 N. Custer St.
Spanish interpretation will be available. Should you have questions, please contact City of Santa Ana Project Manager Macy Dreizler at (714) 336-1258 or mdreizler@santa-ana.org.
Ride of Lights holiday bike ride – Dec. 21
Join Santa Ana Active Streets (SAAS) for their Ride of Lights, a family-cycling event starting from Latino Health Access. This free event will offer a short 2-mile route for beginners and families, and a long 5-mile route for experienced adults. Both routes will be a flat, slow-paced ride. Don’t forget to show off your holiday spirit by decorating your bike and dressing up! SAS will provide FREE helmets and bike lights to anyone who needs them before the ride. Don’t have a bike? Reserve one in the registration form. Bikes are limited and reserved for those who do not own one. For more information, contact Maria Baeza at 714-202-7393, maria@saascoalition.org or go to https://saascoalition.org/events/.
- Thursday, Dec. 21
- 5:30-6:30 p.m.
- Latino Health Access, 450 W. 4th St.
Read to a Dog – January 4
The Santa Ana Public Library would like to invite our young readers to join us for a delightful and heartwarming experience at our Read to a Dog children’s program! Children of all reading abilities receive the opportunity to improve their reading skills while building confidence in a non-judgmental and supportive environment. Come read, practice, and get to know some amazing canines.
- Thursday, Jan. 4
- 4-5 p.m.
- Main Library, 26 Civic Center Plaza
Winter Break Sports and Kids Camps – December 26-29
If your kids ages 6-13 need something to do over the holidays, check out Parks and Rec’s Winter Break Sports Camp and Kids Winter Camp at Jerome Center! Sign up at the links below.
Rhythm/Ritmo Santa Ana – January 10 & 30
Follow the rhythm of your heart, move your feet, and make a beat at the Santa Ana Public Library. In collaboration with The Segerstrom Center for the Arts, we are pleased to present Rhythm/Ritmo Santa Ana, a vibrant series of dance and music classes suitable for all ages and abilities.
Studio D: Dance & Music Community Class is a great way for friends and families of all abilities to have fun and participate together! All are welcome and no registration/signups are required.
- Tuesday, Jan. 10
- 12-1 p.m.
- Newhope Library, 122 N. Newhope St.
- Tuesday, Jan. 30
- 4-5 p.m.
- Main Library, 26 Civic Center Plaza
Tuesday Night Dancing – January 16, 23 & 30
Join the Santa Ana Public Library and Segerstrom Center for a weekly dance class exploring a range of styles and movements each month. This month will focus on hula dancing. Open to teens and adults.
- Tuesdays, Jan. 16, 23, & 30
- 6-7 p.m.
- Main Library, 26 Civic Center Plaza
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