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Dear Neighbor,
2025 is off to a great start, and we have some exciting changes at City Hall. I am happy to announce that Robert Rodriguez has been promoted to Chief of Police. Chief Rodriguez has selected Roland Andrade, Chuck Elms and Julian Rodriguez to become Deputy Chiefs of Police. City Manager Alvaro Nuñez has promoted two new Assistant City Managers: Minh Thai and Kathryn Downs. Assistant City Manager Thai previously served as the Executive Director of the Planning and Building Agency. Assistant City Manager Downs previously served as the Executive Director of the Finance and Management Services Agency.
I look forward to seeing you at my Monthly Community Office Hours on Saturday, April 5, 2025, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at George Upton All Access Park, 1801 W. Segerstrom Ave.
Municipally Yours,
Phil Bacerra, Councilmember, Ward 4
Working to make Ward 4 even better
- To make St. Andrew Place a safer residential neighborhood street, traffic calming measures have been installed between South Greenville Street and South Fairview Avenue. This portion of St. Andrew Place sees heavy school-related traffic from Godinez Fundamental School and Valley High School. Our Public Works staff has installed traffic roundabouts at the intersections of St. Andrew Place and South Sullivan Street and at St. Andrew Place and South Marine Street.
- The improvements at George Upton All Access Park are now complete and available for everyone to enjoy. Thank you to Senator Tom Umberg for securing a $2 million dollar grant that went specifically to the improvements for this park that include slides, spinners, swings, a seesaw, shade structures, and interconnecting ramps and walkways to provide ADA accessible ingress and egress between parking areas and the playground. The “All Access” in All Access Park means this park is designed with amenities accessible to all children, regardless of physical ability.
- After students from MacArthur Intermediate School were assaulted by criminal trespassers from the County’s Flood Control Channel adjacent to Flower Street, I worked with Mayor Amezcua and our City Manager to install new reinforced fencing between the County’s Flood Control Channel and the bike trail. If you see encampments and debris within the County’s Flood Control Channels in Santa Ana, please contact OC Public Works at (714) 955-0200.
Ward 4 & City News
Your Chair of the OCFA Board of Directors
Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) Board Members from throughout Orange County selected me to serve as the Chair of the OCFA Board. I have been fortunate to serve as Santa Ana’s representative on the OCFA since 2023. I want to thank my OCFA Board colleagues who put their faith in me to lead this great agency that serves a vital role in providing fire safety and emergency medical services that ensure the safety and well-being of residents in Santa Ana and county wide.
Compassion and celebration
I attended an event hosted by the Santa Ana Lions Club at Century High School where they provided free vision screenings and distributed eyeglasses to our community. Remember to get your eyes checked and your prescription up to date!
I also attended a retirement ceremony at American Legion Post 131 in Santa Ana for young Marine Gunnery Sergeant Diego Johnson. We were honored to present him with an American flag that had been flown over Santa Ana City Hall.
I presented OCFA Assistant Chief and Fire Marshal Lori Smith with a Certificate of Recognition for her 44 years of service in the fire services. Assistant Chief Smith began her career with the Santa Ana Fire Department in 1980. She served as Fire Marshal for Santa Ana from 2002-2012. When Santa Ana fire services were moved under the Orange County Fire Authority, she joined OCFA and served as Assistant Chief and Fire Marshal. Thank you, Assistant Chief Smith, for your incredible contributions to the fire service and to our community.
Sponsor a Hometown Heroes military banner
I am proud to have begun the Hometown Heroes military banner program to recognize Santa Ana’s military heroes for their service. Family members and loved ones may nominate an active duty service member from any branch of the military to be honored with a street banner with the service member’s name and photo. The banner will be prominently displayed on one of the City’s streetlight poles along MacArthur Boulevard. Additionally, businesses are invited to sponsor these banners to show their support for our service members.
Hometown Heroes Business Sponsorship
Share your ideas in our City Budget Priorities Survey
Which City of Santa Ana services and programs are important to you? Take our Community Budget Priorities Survey to share your ideas!
We are currently planning the annual City budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year, which begins July 1, and we want to hear from our residents, business owners and other community stakeholders. Your responses will be shared with the Santa Ana City Council as we work to set spending priorities and approve the new budget for the coming year.
The budget survey is available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. You can also join upcoming neighborhood association meetings where City staff will be discussing the budget and listening to your comments.
Take the Community Budget Priorities Survey
Events & Meetings
City Council Meetings – April 1 & 15 @ 5:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, April 1
- 5:30 p.m. (open session)
- City Council Chamber, 22 Civic Center Plaza
- Tuesday, April 15
- 5:30 p.m. (open session)
- City Council Chamber, 22 Civic Center Plaza
The City Council agenda can be accessed here.
Orange County Job Fair – April 24 @ 11 a.m.
All job seekers are invited to attend the Orange County Job Fair organized by Saddleback Church at Santa Ana College on April 24, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The job fair invites Santa Ana College Students, SAUSD high school students, and all job seekers in Santa Ana to attend. The Santa Ana Work Center is proud to sponsor this event with the Pizza Press and the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce. RSVP required.
- Thursday, April 24
- 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Santa Ana College, 1530 W. 17th St.
Día de los Niños, Día de los Libros – April 26 @ 10:30 a.m.
The Santa Ana Public Library will hold its 17th annual Día de los Niños, Día de los Libros (Children’s Day, Book Day) celebration on Saturday, April 26, 2025, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Plaza of the Sun behind the Main Library. This family-friendly event celebrates the importance of children, literacy, and families.
The free festivities will include a book giveaway for children, trackless train rides, an inflatable Fun Derby, activity stations, 8-track slot car racing, and face painting. Youth will also enjoy a meet-and-greet with our favorite book character, Biscuit, from the popular Biscuit book series.
- Saturday, April 26
- 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Plaza of the Sun (between City Hall and Main Library), 20 Civic Center Plaza
City Council Budget Meetings – May 6 & 20 @ 5:30 p.m.
The Santa Ana City Council is expected to discuss the City budget during work study sessions at the May 6, 2025, and May 20, 2025, City Council meetings. A special City Council meeting dedicated to the budget discussion will also be held on a date to be determined.
- Tuesday, May 6
- 5:30 p.m. (open session)
- City Council Chamber, 22 Civic Center Plaza
- Tuesday, May 20
- 5:30 p.m. (open session)
- City Council Chamber, 22 Civic Center Plaza
Let us know what the City’s budget priorities should be for the Fiscal Year 2025-2026. You can fill out the official City of Santa Ana Budget survey here.
Local Events
Discovery Cube Santa Ana Resident Free Days: On the first Tuesday of every month, Santa Ana residents can receive FOUR free tickets per government issued photo ID with Santa Ana address.
Free Resident Day at Santa Ana Zoo: On the third Sunday of each month, residents of Santa Ana may visit our Zoo for free. Proof of Santa Ana residency (driver’s license, utility bill) will be required upon arrival.
The Bowers Museum: Free general admission to the Bowers Museum to all Santa Ana residents on Sundays through a generous donation in memory of Dorothy Goerl and courtesy of the Lockhart Family. Santa Ana residents will need to provide proof of Santa Ana residency through an ID, driver’s license, or utility bill.
Useful Resources:
Who do I call at City Hall?
- Important phone numbers:
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- 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
Utility services
- City utility services
- Southern California Edison: Call 1-800-447-6620
- Southern California Gas: Call 1-800-207-8567
- Trash pick-up: Call (657) 467-6220
More Resources
- Parking Tickets
- Public Works
- Neighborhood Initiatives
- Utility Services
- Schedule a bulky item pickup: Call Republic Services (657) 467-6220
- Police Non-Emergency Line: (714) 245-8665
- Emergency Water Services: (714) 953-8026
- Who Do I Call?
Download mySantaAna App to Report Issues
The mySantaAna mobile app puts the power of the Santa Ana city government in the palm of your hand! Residents with an iPhone or Android smartphone can now download the mySantaAna application for free allowing them to quickly and easily report issues with photos to the City for clean-up. You can report potholes, downed tree branches, graffiti, trash and much more!