Historic Preservation

Currently, planning staff is only accepting applications for both the local historic register and Mills Act after the completion of a required site visit/inspection. Before an application is accepted and considered, staff must conduct a site visit, determine historic eligibility, and confirm there is no unpermitted work on the property. Please note that there is a non-refundable fee required to begin the process. Any applications submitted prior to the require site visit will not be accepted and will be returned. Please reach out to HistoricPreservation@santa-ana.org to begin the site inspection process.

Please note that the final deadline to submit applications for consideration of a Mills Act contract is July 14, 2025, in order to be included in the agenda for the September 4, 2025, Historic Resources Commission (HRC) hearing. This will be the last HRC hearing that considers Mills Act contract applications for the 2025 calendar year. All Mills Act contracts that are approved in 2025 will not see a reduction in property taxes until the following year, in 2026. For local register listing applications only (those that are not applying simultaneous with a Mills Act contract application), the final deadline to submit applications is September 15, 2025, in order to be included in the agenda for the November 6, 2025 HRC hearing.

For additional information regarding the local historic register and Mills Act contract, see the dropdown menus below titled Historic Property Applications and Historic Preservation Initiatives.

If you have any questions, please contact HistoricPreservation@santa-ana.org

Historic Properties and Districts

The City of Santa Ana has three National Register Districts: Downtown Santa Ana (listed in 1984), French Park (listed in 1999), and Floral Park (listed in 2023). In addition to National Register listing status, the French Park Neighborhood also maintains zoning protection for its structures through Specific Development 19 (SD-19). While not a National Register District, the Heninger Park Neighborhood also has zoning protection for its historic buildings though Specific Development 40 (SD-40).

The Citywide Historic Resources Map provided below highlights Santa Ana's historic properties and districts. The properties on the Santa Ana Register of Historic Properties list correspond to the Citywide Historic Resources Map, by referencing the local Register number assigned to each historic property.

In the fall of 2024, the City initiated a research project to have a greater understanding of historic resources in Santa Ana. To conduct the research, the City contracted a subject matter expert, Architectural Resources Group, Inc. (ARG), to prepare a citywide historic context statement and a citywide historic resource survey. In addition, the City tasked ARG with providing insight for how the Comprehensive Zoning Code Update may incorporate standards for infill development in eight Historically Sensitive Areas, the vicinity of West Santa Ana Boulevard, and the vicinity of South Main Street.

Because of the connection between historic resources and the Comprehensive Zoning Code Update, the City conducted community outreach for this research in concert with the Comprehensive Zoning Code Update. You may find boards from the Community Workshops below along with a questionnaire that you may complete to inform the City’s research. The comment sheet is available in Spanish, Vietnamese, or Khmer by request.