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Category Archives: Civic Affairs

South Main Street Corridor Project Construction virtual update set for Dec. 2

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Development, Public Works, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana neighbors are invited to an interactive virtual community meeting with the City of Santa Ana Public Works Agency on Thursday, December 2, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. for an update on the construction activity for South Main Street Corridor project.
 
Please use the link below to join the virtual meeting via Zoom
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86040115965 or Dial-in at 1 (253) 215-8782 and Enter Webinar ID: 860 4011 5965#
Spanish translation will be available.
 
We value your attendance at the meeting for an update on the construction activity for the South Main Street Corridor. The project is 2.5 miles along South Main Street between First Street and Dyer Road.  For additional information on the project, visit https://www.santa-ana.org/SouthMainVision.
 
Should you have questions, please contact Public Works Agency Community Liaison Michelle Micallef at (714) 647-5091 or mmicallef@santa-ana.org.

Reunión de la comunidad virtual: Actualización del proyecto de construcción del corredor de South Main Street

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No street sweeping in Santa Ana this Thursday and Friday

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Santa Ana, Street Sweeping, Waste Leave a comment

In observance of Thanksgiving, there will be no street sweeping and Santa Ana City Hall will be closed on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 25-26. Thursday and Friday trash pickup will be delayed by one day. Libraries will be closed on Thanksgiving.

More information:

Cierres del Día de Acción de Gracias

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The Santa Ana Winter Village is starting on Dec. 8

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Entertainment, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

The City of Santa Ana will host the city’s first public ice-skating rink during a month-long family-friendly holiday event with live entertainment, shopping, food trucks and more.

SANTA ANA, Calif. – Residents and visitors in California’s famously sunny and warm Orange County will soon find themselves in the middle of a winter wonderland – all thanks to a month-long event presented by the City of Santa Ana.

Starting December 8, the City of Santa Ana will host the first Santa Ana Winter Village, a celebration of holiday fun in the heart of Orange County’s downtown. Located next to Santa Ana City Hall at the Civic Center Plaza, the event will offer a wide variety of activities and fun for guests of all ages through January 2, 2022.

Residents and visitors to Santa Ana will be able to rent ice skates and test their skills at a world-class outdoor ice-skating rink in the middle of Orange County. The Santa Ana Winter Village aims to offer a wide variety of activities for visitors of all ages, with live entertainment, holiday shopping and merchandise from specialty vendors and local community groups, cuisine from local food trucks, and much more.

A special focus of the Santa Ana Winter Village will be family-friendly activities that appeal to the whole family. Parents and kids can ride in a festive trackless train, read a story with Mrs. Claus, or enjoy a warm treat under the festive holiday lights. On select days of the month-long event, visitors may even have an opportunity to meet Santa Claus.

The community event is presented by the City of Santa Ana as part of the City’s Revive Santa Ana pandemic recovery initiative funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The Santa Ana Winter Village will bring residents and new visitors to downtown, where they can enjoy local shops and restaurants and support our business community.

The Santa Ana Winter Village will host a special Grand Opening event and official tree- lighting ceremony on the evening of Thursday, Dec. 9, which will be attended by Santa Ana Mayor Vicente Sarmiento, Santa Ana City Councilmembers and other VIP guests.

“I invite all of our residents and neighbors to join us at the Winter Village, step out onto the ice and discover the many joys of downtown Santa Ana,” said Santa Ana Mayor Vicente Sarmiento. “The Winter Village will provide a fun, healthy outdoor activity that our community greatly deserves after the past two years.”

As the signature attraction of Santa Ana Winter Village, an outdoor ice rink will allow attendees to enjoy a very atypical Southern California winter activity: outdoor ice-skating.

Guests aged 3 and up can ice-skate in 90-minute sessions, with both general skating admission and discounted Santa Ana resident rates available. Tickets can be purchased in advance to reserve a specific date and time. A limited number of tickets will also be available to walk-up guests each session. General admission for ice-skating is $12 for adults (13+) and $8 for kids (3- 12). Santa Ana residents are offered discounted admission prices on Mondays; $10 for adults and $5 for children. Visit https://santaanawintervillage.simpletix.com/ to purchase advance ice-skating tickets.

Admission to Santa Ana Winter Village is free of charge, with separate costs for specific activities, such as ice-skating, food trucks and merchandise vendors. Family activities such as story time with Mrs. Claus, meeting Santa Claus and live entertainment are available at no cost to attendees.

Throughout the four-week event period, the Santa Ana Winter Village will host several dedicated special events that bring in community partners and VIP appearances including the Anaheim Ducks Street Team and others. More info will be announced with details prior to these events.

For updated event information, advance ice-skating ticket sales, parking information and more, visit the Santa Ana Winter Village page at www.santa-ana.org/wintervillage.

Prepaid Visa debit cards worth $300 will be sent to 20K poor Santa Ana renters

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SANTA ANA, Calif. – The City of Santa Ana will distribute $6 million in prepaid Visa debit cards to households in the most impoverished areas of the city under the Revive Santa Ana Resident Stimulus Program.

About 20,000 rental units will each receive a prepaid card valued at $300 that can be spent at any Santa Ana business that accepts Visa. The Santa Ana City Council on Tuesday, November 16, unanimously approved the program and increased the total amount to be distributed in order to include more households. This program is part of the $160 million Revive Santa Ana pandemic recovery initiative, which is funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on the residents of Santa Ana, especially those who live in high-poverty neighborhoods with overcrowded living conditions,” Mayor Vicente Sarmiento said. “The Resident Stimulus Program will help families recover from the economic effects of the pandemic while also putting money back into our local economy.”

Due to strict federal guidelines, a data-driven analysis was conducted to determine the eligible areas that are most in need of additional financial support. Rental units in census tracts with poverty rates above Santa Ana’s median poverty rate of 42% will qualify to receive a prepaid card.

The City will distribute the prepaid Visa cards door-to-door to rental units in the eligible areas in the coming weeks. If staff is unable to contact a head of household at an address, they will be contacted to arrange for delivery at a later date.

More details will be made available.

About Santa Ana

Santa Ana is downtown for the world famous Orange County, California. It is the County Seat, the second-most populous city in Orange County, and is home to a vibrant evening scene and arts community. Over 1,200 City employees work hard every day to deliver efficient public services in partnership with our community to ensure public safety, a prosperous economic environment, opportunities for our youth, and a high quality of life for residents. Learn more at www.santa-ana.org.

A ban on flavored tobacco will be discussed at tonight’s Santa Ana City Council Meeting

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Santa Ana 1 Comment

The Santa Ana City Council will meet on Tuesday, Nov. 16. Closed session begins at 5 p.m. and open session at 5:45 p.m. (or later after closed session ends.)

The agenda includes:

  • Discuss a ban on flavored tobacco
  • Discuss an ordinance to ban unlawful possession of catalytic converters
  • Increasing the amount for the Revive Santa Ana Resident Stimulus Program to $6 million
  • Expand the Sunshine Ordinance
  • Changing the City’s Housing Opportunity Ordinance relating to Number, Timing, and Noticing of Community Meetings for Certain Development Projects, Lobbyist Disclosure Policy, and Publishing Timeline for City Council Meeting Agendas
  • Adopt a Resolution Approving the Events Permit Policy, including Park Facility Permits, Film Permits, Land Use Certificates, and Special Event Permits
  • Vote on an agreement with Patrol Solutions, LLC for unarmed security guard services for Downtown Santa Ana and Civic Center area
  • Approve an Amendment to Agreement with Salvation Army to Operate a Temporary Shelter at the Hospitality House for One Additional Month (Non-General Fund)
  • Approve a Second Amendment to Illumination Foundation Agreement to Operate a Temporary Shelter at the Fullerton Recuperative Care Center for up to Two Additional Months

Participate in person, online, or via phone. Watch the meeting on YouTube, Zoom, or on TV. To join by Zoom click on or type the following address into your web browser https://us02web.zoom.us/j/315965149; or Call (669) 900-9128 and enter Meeting ID: 315-965-149#.

See the meeting agenda and learn how to watch and participate: https://www.santa-ana.org/cc/city-meetings.

El Concejo Municipal de Santa Ana se reunirá el martes 16 de noviembre. La sesión cerrada comienza a las 5 p.m. y la sesión abierta a las 5:45 p.m. (o más tarde después de que termine la sesión cerrada). La agenda incluye aumentar la cantidad para el Programa de Estímulo para Residentes Revive Santa Ana a $6 millones, expandir la Ordenanza de Transparencia, cambiar la Ordenanza de Oportunidades de Vivienda de la Ciudad, hablar de la prohibición del tabaco aromatizado y hablar de una ordenanza para prohibir la posesión ilegal de convertidores catalíticos. Participe en persona, en línea o por teléfono. Vea la reunión en YouTube, Zoom o en la televisión.

Vea la agenda de la reunión y aprenda a ver y participar: https://www.santa-ana.org/cc/city-meetings?tid=es

Reunión del Concejo Municipal el martes 16 de noviembre | Họp Hội đồng Thành phố vào Thứ Ba

Santa Ana public hearing on Ward Redistricting set for tonight

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The City Council will have a special meeting on Monday, Nov. 15, 2021, for City Council ward redistricting. The City Council will have a public hearing on draft map adoption and the pre-final map.

The meeting is at 5 p.m. at City Council Chambers, 22 Civic Center Plaza. Participate in person or virtually on Zoom. The meeting can be viewed on TV and YouTube.

To join by Zoom type the following address into your web browser https://us02web.zoom.us/j/315965149; or Call (669) 900-9128 and enter Meeting ID: 315-965-149#.  

See the agenda and learn more about how to participate at https://www.santa-ana.org/cc/city-meetings.

To watch or listen:


For more information please visit santa-ana.org/redistricting.  For language interpretation requests, please contact us 72 hours in advance of the meeting at cityclerk@santa-ana.org or by calling (714) 647-6520 during business hours as listed at https://www.santa-ana.org/holiday-and-closed-friday-schedule.

Yet another protected bike lane is coming to Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Bicycles, Civic Affairs, Public Works, Santa Ana, Traffic Leave a comment

Santa Ana neighbors are invited to an in person Community Meeting with the City of Santa Ana Public Works Agency to learn about the design details for the McFadden Avenue Protected Bike Lane and Bicycle Boulevard Project. The meeting details are as follows:

Monday, November 15, 2021
6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
St. Anne’s Catholic Church, Campbell Center
1344 S. Main Street, Santa Ana

The McFadden Avenue Bike Project will provide a safe, as well as, a healthy way for pedestrians and bicyclists to access neighborhood assets from Harbor Boulevard to Grand Avenue. The McFadden Avenue Bike Project will be designed to include different bicycle and pedestrian facilities that will improve the connectivity to locally owned businesses, schools, and Jerome Park.

We value your attendance at the meeting to learn about the planned aspects and overall benefits of the project, and provide feedback on the design concepts.

Spanish and Vietnamese translation will be available. For more information, please contact Gabriel Guerrero-Gabany at (714) 647-5613 or gguerrero-gabany@santa-ana.org.

Mayor Sarmiento says you don’t need to pull city permits for public events because of the First Amendment

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Johnathan Ryan Hernandez, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 1 Comment
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You may recall our previous post about the unpermitted concern that was held in honor of a felon who was fatally shot after a police pursuit that ended in Santa Ana. In that post we alluded to a response by Santa Ana Mayor Vince Sarmiento, to a resident, regarding that event. We now have a copy of that response and it is unbelievable.

Sarmiento wrote:

  • Yes the City did receive notice of an unpermitted activity that was planned to take place on Saturday, Oct. 23.
  • In response, and to ensure public safety, staff took precautions and closed Bristol Street in both directions between Civic Center Drive and First St.
  • Although the activity was not permitted by the City of Santa Ana, the First Amendment to the Constitution protects individuals’ right to assemble and express their views and this includes assemblies in public spaces
  • Governments, like the City of Santa Ana, cannot necessarily stop individuals from assembling in public spaces to express their views.
  • While our council members are elected officials…their actions outside of City Council meetings…are outside their scope of their official capacity as council members
  • The City of Santa Ana has a process by which members of the public can apply to receive a permit to conduct a special event on public property.
  • However the process to obtain a permit for a special event does not preclude an individual’s First Amendment right to assemble in public spaces

Remember that Mayor Sarmiento is a bankruptcy lawyer. He is so successful at this that his law firm does not even have a website but you can confirm what he does here.

Sarmiento is of course dead wrong in his response about the unpermitted event. That event was a concert and the only reason that Santa Ana City Council Member Johnathan Ryan Hernandez and his homies did not pull a permit for that event was that they could not afford to pay the City back for the money that was spent on that event. I am told by city insiders that the City spent perhaps as much as $100K on police services and public works on that unpermitted event.

The First Amendment by the way has limits. You cannot go in a crowded movie theater, for example, and yell that there is a fire when there is no fire.

By Sarmiento’s logic no one should ever have to pull a permit again for any event using his specious First Amendment argument.

Shutting down a portion of a busy street like Bristol is a big deal. That was an inconvenience for the residents and the businesses in that area. And it tied up police resources too!

Here is the response we got from an attorney today about Sarmiento’s poor grasp of the law:

The government may place reasonable restrictions on the time, place, and manner of free speech expression so long as they are content neutral, narrowly tailored and provide alternate means to express the views. Remember, even the ACLU acknowledges that the first amendment does not give you a right to block traffic or entrances to buildings. This is unbelievable!

Sarmiento is a scofflaw and so is Hernandez. It is beyond disturbing that we have elected officials who don’t support our local ordinances.

By the way we have turned in official requests to City Hall for specific data regarding the money spent on the unpermitted concert for a felon. Once we get that info we will post it here.

Santa Ana Blvd. to close from Flower St. to Ross St., starting on Nov. 15

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, OCTA, Public Works, Santa Ana, Traffic, Transportation Leave a comment

Starting as early as Monday, November 15, 2021, there will be a full closure of Santa Ana Boulevard from Flower Street to Ross Street. The closure will be in effect during the day and night for the duration of the work. Please follow detour signage. Local access to businesses will be maintained.

We recommend using alternate routes or plan for possible delays since this street closure will impact traffic flow. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for understanding.

For any questions about the OC Streetcar project, please contact OCstreetcar@octa.net or (844) 746-6272.

Cierre completo de la calle en Santa Ana

Why are Santa Ana City Council Members Hernandez and Lopez reporting no income on their Form 700s?

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Jessie Lopez, Johnathan Ryan Hernandez, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 8 Comments

Did you know that our Santa Ana City Council Members have to file an annual Form 700, which is a statement of their Economic Interests? That statement includes details regarding their Real Estate holdings, Investments and Business Income. You can pull them up online here.

While Mayor Vince Sarmiento’s Form 700 runs a few pages and includes plenty of info about his properties, investments and his bankruptcy law practice we found that two of his colleagues, Johnathan Ryan Hernandez and Jessie Lopez turned in essentially blank Form 700s.

How in the world do Hernandez and Lopez own nothing and have no jobs to report? If they are at all employed within the City of Santa Ana they must report that income!

Hernandez’ own City Council bio says he works as a “Community Health Worker and Youth Partner for a mental health program where he works with children within the foster care system.” I am told that his employer is operating with a grant from the County of Orange. How is this not reportable income?

Lopez reportedly works for a non-profit in Santa Ana. Her own City Council bio says “Jessie now works as a community health worker. ” Why is this not reported on her Form 700?

Form 700 reports help to keep our City Council members honest about any conflicts of interest they may have when voting on city ordinances and other city matters. As such it does not help when City Council Members like Hernandez and Lopez turn in essentially blank Form 700s.

Who is going to hold these elected officials accountable? What are they trying to hide?

Why are we electing politicians with no reported income, investments or real estate holdings? Wouldn’t such broke people be easier to bribe?

No street sweeping in Santa Ana on Veterans Day, Nov. 11

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In honor of Veterans Day, Santa Ana City Hall, libraries and senior centers will be closed and there will be no street sweeping on Thursday, November 11. However, trash pickups will happen as regularly scheduled.

For more information, see the Holiday and Friday Closure Schedule: www.santa-ana.org/holiday-and-closed-friday-schedule.

Nonprofits can now apply for 2022-2024 CDBG grants from the City of Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Charities, Civic Affairs, Federal Government, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The City of Santa Ana’s 2022-2024 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Public Service Application is now available for qualified nonprofit organizations. The application window will close on Monday, December 20, 2021, at 5 p.m.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program is a flexible program that provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs. The program provides annual grants on a formula basis to entitled cities and counties, which then award grants to local nonprofits to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- to moderate-income persons.

Access the application at https://www.santa-ana.org/cd/what-cdbg.

Nonprofit applicants must meet one or more of the following guidelines and criteria:

  • Develop crime prevention and suppression programs that assist in the development of suitable living environments by targeting specific Santa Ana neighborhoods that have a long-standing history of crime involving children, youth and families. For example, crime prevention education programs or community-oriented policing programs such as establishing a neighborhood watch programDevelop programs that target victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking
  • Services that will benefit children (generally under age 13), including parenting skills classes
  • Health services – services addressing the physical health needs of residents
  • Mental health services – services addressing the mental health needs of residents
  • Youth services – services during and after-school programs that target teens (ages 13 to 19) that include recreational programs with a counseling/mentorship program that addresses healthy lifestyles, substance abuse prevention, crime prevention, dating violence and anti-bullying. Programs with current Memorandum of Understandings with Santa Ana Unified School District will have priority over other youth service programs.
  • Legal services that provide legal aid to low- and moderate-income residents
  • Senior services for the elderly age 62 or older

For more information, contact:
David Flores
Senior Community Development Analyst, City of Santa Ana
dflores@santa-ana.org
(714) 647-6561

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Council Member Phan will defend her vote for rent control and just cause eviction at a Town Hall meeting on Nov. 13

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Rent Control, Santa Ana, Thai Viet Phan 3 Comments

Santa Ana City Council Member Thai Viet Phan, who represents Ward 1, is hosting a Town Hall meeting on Saturday, Nov. 13, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Newhope branch of the Santa Ana Public Library, located at 122 N. Newhope St.

The Town Hall meeting will focus on Phan’s support for the Santa Ana Rent Control Ordinance and the Just Cause Eviction Ordinance.

The California Apartment Association is currently working on a signature gathering campaign in order to put a measures on the ballot so the residents can vote on these ordinances. If the referendum qualifies, the Santa Ana City Council will have two choices: Rescind the ordinances or put them on the ballot.

Tenants United of Santa Ana is having a cow over the signature gathering effort but just a few months ago they were asking their supporters to sign a petition to “let the voters decide the future of rent control in Santa Ana.”

“The California Apartment Association and a coalition of business groups, local housing providers and residents, believe the City Council rushed to impose these laws without any meaningful outreach to the community, analysis, or understanding of their impacts on the city’s finances or housing stock,” said Victor Cao, CAA’s senior vice president of local public affairs.

The city developed its proposals in secret meetings and with zero stakeholder outreach. The City Council also had to redo its initial vote on the measures because of alleged violations of the Brown Act, California’s primary open meetings law.

Santa Ana’s rent control proposal is stricter than those in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Santa Monica, and even Berkeley.

Some of the troublesome provisions in the rent control and just-cause proposals:

  • Rent increases capped at 80% of local inflation rate (CPI) or 3%, whichever is less
  • A limited and strict petition process for owners to get a higher rent increase.
  • Just cause eviction requirements starting on the 31st day of tenancy.
  • Prohibiting evictions of households with students during the school year.
  • Requiring the district attorney to prosecute an individual in order to evict for criminal activity.
  • Mandating higher relocation assistance payments to households beyond what’s in state law.
  • Undetermined and unlimited fees on landlords to fund the program development, implementation, and enforcement. Most cities with this type of program charge landlords over $100/unit.

Phan ran for her City Council seat with no opposition from the local Vietnamese American community. Our sources tell us that her constituents are furious at her decision to back rent control and just cause eviction. There is already talk of challenging her in Ward 1 when she runs for reelection in a few years. That is why she is hosting this Town Hall meeting. It is however highly unlikely that she will be able to mollify her upset constituents.

Get a free bike light and helmet on Nov. 4 at Santa Ana Lights Alive

Posted on by Posted in Bicycles, Civic Affairs, Deals, Public Safety, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Join Santa Ana Active Streets (SAAS) on Thursday, November 4, from 4-6 p.m. at the corner of 17th Street and Main Street to receive a free bike light and helmet during the Lights Alive or Luces Vivas event.

In addition, receive free reflective wristbands, learn about COVID-19 information resources from Latino Health Access, and more.

We intentionally set up our stations at intersections in the City of Santa Ana that have recorded high collision rates for bicyclists and pedestrians.

Materials will be distributed until they run out, so please arrive in a timely manner to ensure you receive the items. To volunteer or for more information visit saascoalition.org/events or contact Dorian Romero at (714) 340-5186/ dorian@saascoalition.org.

Santa Ana Active Streets is contracted by the City’s Public Works Traffic Engineering Division to host education and interactive events for traffic safety. Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Tomorrow’s Santa Ana City Council meeting will include a public hearing on redistricting

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The Santa Ana City Council will meet on Tuesday, November 2. Closed session begins at 5 p.m. and open session at 5:45 p.m. (or later after closed session ends.)

The agenda includes a discussion of options to streamline City Council meetings, a 7 p.m. public hearing on redistricting ward boundaries, and a resolution to continue the use of teleconferencing for City Council, board, committee and commission meetings for the next 30 days.

Participate in person, online, or via phone. Watch the meeting on YouTube, Zoom, or on TV.

See the meeting agenda here and learn how to watch and participate here.

Members of the public may provide live comments during the meeting by Zoom or Conference Call. To join by Zoom click on or type the following address into your web browser https://us02web.zoom.us/j/315965149; or Call (669) 900-9128and enter Meeting ID: 315-965-149#. You will be prompted by the City Clerk when it is time for a: i) closed session agenda item(s), ii) general agenda item, iii) public hearing item, iv) special agenda item, or v) Housing Authority item. You may request to speak by dialing *9 from your phone or you may virtually raise your hand from Zoom when the designated public comment period, as listed below, has been opened. After the Clerk confirms the last three digits of the caller’s phone number or Zoom ID and unmutes them, the caller must press *6 or microphone icon to speak. Callers are encouraged, but not required, to identify themselves by name. Each caller will be provided three (3) minutes to speak, unless due to the number of speakers wanting to speak a decision is made to provide a different amount of time to speak;

Reunión del Concejo Municipal el martes 2 de noviembre

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