In the February 13, 2025, edition of the City Manager’s newsletter, see updates on library and zoo projects, get free help for businesses at City Hall, share your ideas about fair housing and street lighting, and find more Santa Ana news and events.
Spotlight photo
UCI Learning Landscape
Photo Credit: City Staff
City Manager’s Highlights
Know Your Rights
The City of Santa Ana is committed to the safety of all residents, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, country of origin, or immigration status. Immigrants who are stopped, arrested or detained by immigration or other law enforcement agencies have certain rights. Please watch a community message from Santa Ana Chief of Police Robert Rodriguez and visit our Know Your Rights page to learn more below.
News
Santa Ana Public Library construction updates
Exciting changes are happening at your library! Stay tuned as these projects come to life and bring new opportunities for learning and connection. Take a look at our progress:
Main Library transformation
For the first time in over 35 years, the historic Main Library is getting a major upgrade! This transformation will create a more modern and accessible space to better serve the community. The library is expected to reopen in April 2026.
New Delhi Library Branch
We’re thrilled to partner with the Delhi Community Center to bring the first library branch to the south side of the city! This new space will feature an inviting outdoor seating area open to everyone, along with classes and programs for all ages. The Delhi Library Branch is expected to open in July 2025.
Outdoor Library at Jerome Park
This unique project will enhance Jerome Park with a book kiosk for borrowing and returning books, interactive family-friendly seating, and free public Wi-Fi. Our goal is to create a welcoming space where youth and families can gather, read, and learn together.
Santa Ana Zoo River Otter & Primate Habitat construction update
We’re excited to see construction on the Santa Ana Zoo’s Giant River Otter and Primate Trails Habitat nearing completion! The new exhibit will showcase giant river otters swimming through a waterfall, an underwater viewing area, and monkeys playing above in a new treetop trail system and habitat. Watch the latest construction update above from Zoo Manager Ethan Fisher.
Subscribe to Santa Ana Zoo’s YouTube channel for future updates.
Santa Ana selected as only California city to receive Mural Mosaic installation
The City of Santa Ana is proud to announce its selection as the only city in California to receive a new public arts installation provided by international arts organization Mural Mosaic in its winter 2025 tour. Santa Ana’s Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Agency (PRCSA) and Mural Mosaic’s Global Roots Project will unveil the new America Connects Heart & Home National Mural Mosaic on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 1:30 p.m. at the Jerome Community Center, 726 S. Center St.
Learn more about the Mural Mosaic
Get free business assistance at City Hall
Our Economic Development team is here to help our local business community. Whether you’re just starting a business, need help with a marketing plan, or have questions about growing your business, our experts are ready to provide guidance.
Stop by Santa Ana City Hall for Business Assistance Office Hours from 8 to 11 a.m. Monday through Thursday. This free service is your opportunity to get personalized advice and take the next step toward building your dream business.
Call the Economic Development Division at (714) 647-5477 for more information.
10 Steps to Starting Your Business
Public meetings for 2025-2029 Orange County Regional Assessment of Fair Housing
Join a public meeting in March to share your ideas about fair housing issues in Santa Ana and Orange County.
The 2025-2029 Orange County Regional Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH) is a five-year plan that looks at housing patterns and population data to address unfair housing practices and make sure everyone has equal access to housing. The plan’s goals include finding issues with fair housing, removing obstacles to housing choices, and ensuring all residents, no matter their race, ethnicity, gender, disability, or income, have equal opportunities.
Led by the City of Santa Ana, and involving 27 other cities and areas, the AFH focuses on ending housing inequalities and expanding access to important resources like jobs, transportation, and education to create lasting fairness in housing across Orange County. Join the upcoming public meetings, both in-person and virtual, for an opportunity to provide feedback on fair housing issues. Learn more at the link below.
Presidents Day, February 17: City Hall closed, no street sweeping
In observance of Presidents Day on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, Santa Ana City Hall, libraries, community centers and the Santa Ana Work Center are closed. Street sweeping is canceled on Feb. 17, but trash and recycling will be collected on their regular schedule.
Police, fire and emergency services will operate normally. Call 911 for emergencies.
2025 holiday street sweeping schedule
Street closures and permitted events February 13-19
Find the locations of upcoming permitted events and road closures in Santa Ana at the link below. Please drive slowly and safely in construction zones and around crowded events. If a weather event occurs on the anticipated start date, the street closures for construction activity will be delayed until the weather clears.
Street closures and permitted events
Tales of the City
UCI unveils learning playground
Last week, UC Irvine’s School of Education, in partnership with the City of Santa Ana Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Agency and the Santa Ana Early Learning Initiative, held a community celebration to unveil four interactive learning installations at Madison Park and Angels Park. These installations are designed to transform public spaces into playful learning environments, sparking conversations about science and math while promoting family engagement and informal STEM education.
Featured installations include:
- “Parkopolis” at Madison Park: a life-size board game that promotes STEM language use, caregiver-child interaction and physical activity
- “How Tall Am I” at Angels Park: an interactive height comparison tool introducing math concepts
- “Giant Lotería Game” at Angels Park: a cultural twist on math and science learning through play
- “Eye Spy Mural” at Madison Park (coming soon): an interactive mural encouraging observation and engagement with hidden objects
The Playful Learning Landscape project was funded entirely by UCI, with support from our Parks and Recreation staff. We want to give a big thanks to UCI for their generous donation. Through partnerships like these, we are adding innovative activities to our local parks. Bring your kids by to check out these fun new learning activities!
Photos of the UCI Playful Learning Landscape unveiling
City Council meetings
In their regular meeting on February 4, 2025, the City Council:
- Authorized the City Manager to execute the first amendment to the standard agreements with AKM Consulting Engineers, Anser Advisory Management, LLC Ardurra Group, Inc., Cannon, and Willdan Engineering to increase the contract amount by $3 million for a total not to exceed $6 million for on-call construction management and inspection services to manage fluctuating workloads.
- Approved resolutions disbanding the Joint School City Council Standing Subcommittee, the Legislative City Council Standing Subcommittee and the Public Safety and Homelessness City Council Standing Subcommittee.
- Adopted a resolution repealing a resolution regarding 2019 environmental approvals for a multifamily residential project located at 2525 N. Main St.
- Adopted an ordinance amending Chapter 2 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code prohibiting the award of agreements, contracts, or grants to immediate family members of the Mayor, City Council Members, or City Officials.
Attend City Council meetings
Subscribe here to receive City meeting agenda notifications. City Council meetings are typically held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month in the City Council Chamber, 22 Civic Center Plaza, 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
Find more City of Santa Ana events on our website.
X-STREAM Lab Air Dry Clay Distribution – Begins February 18
Enjoy the Santa Ana Public Library’s X-STREAM Lab at home! Children ages 5 and up are invited to pick up a free Air Dry Clay Kit and use it to make something fun and unique. Air dry clay is a versatile material that doesn’t require baking simply shape your design, let it dry overnight, and watch your creation come to life! This activity is a wonderful opportunity to learn, experiment, and create together with family and friends.
- Distribution begins Tuesday, Feb. 18
- Monday – Thursday: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- Friday – Saturday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Newhope Library, 122 N. Newhope St.
America Connects Heart & Home National Mural Mosaic unveiling- February 19
Our Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Agency (PRCSA) will unveil a mural through a collaboration with Mural Mosaic’s Global Roots Project. This mural showcases the creative collaboration of hundreds of individual artists from across the United States and around the world.
- Wednesday, Feb. 19
- 1:30-3 p.m.
- Jerome Center, 726 S. Center St.
Madison Park Pop-up – February 19
Join Santa Ana Parks and Rec and Santa Ana Zoo at Madison Park for animal meet-and-greets, wildlife talks, fun games, arts & crafts, and more! Don’t miss out as we bring the best of our community centers and the Santa Ana Zoo directly to you – come explore, create, and play with us!
- Wednesday, Feb. 19
- 1:30-3:30 p.m.
- Madison Park, 1528 S. Standard Ave.
Register for Madison Park Pop-up.
For questions, please contact (714) 647-5220 or email wellness@santa-ana.org.
OC Bus fare payment system community meeting – February 20
Join Orange County Transportation Authority for an in-person meeting to learn more about the new Wave fare payment system that will use pay-as-you-go technology that lets you pay for rides on OCTA transit based on what you use versus the fixed amount on a paper pass. The new system will include a contactless reloadable smart card, new robust mobile app and a new account-based system. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback on the new Wave fare payment system.
- Thursday, Feb. 20
- 6 p.m.
- Santa Ana College, 1530 W. 17th St., Room A128
RSVP for OCTA Wave fare payment meeting
Learn more and take the Wave survey
Kids Night Out – February 21
Get ready for an unforgettable Kids Night Out with Shake It Off: Team Edition! Join Santa Ana Parks and Rec for a Taylor Swift-themed evening where all activities will be centered on teamwork, with exciting challenges and games that help build new friendships while having a blast! Dinner and snacks will be provided, and don’t forget to show up in your favorite Taylor Swift swag!
- Friday, Feb. 21
- 5-8 p.m.
- Salgado Community Center, 706 N. Newhope St
- Cost: $10 per participant, $5 per additional child
Register below to reserve your spot. For more information, call Salgado Center at (714) 571-4267.
Quarterly Neighborhood Cleanup – February 22
Our Public Works Agency (PWA) is proud to host their first quarterly neighborhood cleanup event. Every three months, PWA, in partnership with Republic Services, will be hosting cleanup days throughout Santa Ana in an effort to help residents properly dispose of bulky items such as furniture, mattresses, carpets, and non-donatable clothes, bedding, books, and toys. This event is free to Santa Ana residents and no appointment is necessary. Proof of Santa Ana residency will be required. Event may end before 12 p.m. if capacity is reached.
Items NOT accepted include, but are not limited to, hazardous waste, such as paints, oils, chemicals, pesticides, and batteries; concrete, dirt, rocks, brick, asphalt; and tires, refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioning units. For more information, call (714) 647-5411.
- Saturday, Feb. 22
- 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
- Rosita Park, 706 N. Newhope St.
League of Adventurers D&D: Miniature Painting Workshop – February 25
Bring your favorite Dungeons & Dragons characters to life. The Santa Ana Public Library’s D&D program is hosting a Miniature Painting Workshop that will teach the simple basics of miniature painting and essential techniques for shading and highlighting, and will offer tips and tricks for free-hand designs for your miniature. All materials will be provided, and you’ll leave with your own painted miniature to take home!
- Tuesday, Feb. 25
- 6–7:45 p.m.
- Newhope Library, 122 N. Newhope St.
Register for D&D Miniature Painting
Illuminate Santa Ana Community Meeting – February 27
Join us to learn about the Santa Ana Street Lighting Master Plan and provide feedback at a virtual community meeting hosted by Latino Health Access.
- Thursday, Feb. 27
- 5:30-6:30 p.m.
- Zoom Meeting ID: 863 8720 0125
- Passcode: 090081
Santa Ana Street Lighting Master Plan
Wilderness Club: Laguna Coast Wilderness – March 1
Join the Laguna Canyon Foundation and the Santa Ana Parks and Recreation crew for an unforgettable 4-mile hike through the South Coast Wilderness! With only 500 feet of elevation gain, this is the perfect beginner-friendly hike for every nature lover. Free and open to all participants ages 7 and up. Meet up at the Roosevelt-Walker Community Center where transportation will be provided to the hike and back.
Reserve your Wilderness Club spot now
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 (657) 467-6220