News

City of Santa Ana achieves 74% of new housing goals for 2021-2029

Posted on April 25, 2024

Santa Ana continues to lead California in creating much-needed housing. SANTA ANA, Calif. – The City of Santa Ana is on pace to meet and exceed its State-mandated housing goals well ahead of the 2029 deadline, thanks to a business-friendly development planning process and over $60 million in affordable housing investments by the City over...

Santa Ana sees record development surge with $772 million permit valuation in 2023

Posted on April 23, 2024

The city is undergoing a transformation of new and innovative development. SANTA ANA, Calif. – The City of Santa Ana has reached a historic milestone in its development trajectory, issuing over 9,500 building permits for an all-time high construction valuation of $772 million in 2023. This remarkable achievement – more than double the construction valuation...

Santa Ana City Council announces ‘strenuous opposition’ to proposed needle distribution program

Posted on April 17, 2024

SANTA ANA, Calif. – The Santa Ana City Council on Tuesday, April 16, unanimously approved a resolution announcing its “strenuous opposition” to a proposed needle distribution program that would threaten public health and safety. “This resolution reaffirms the City Council’s commitment to protecting the health, safety and welfare of our residents,” Mayor Valerie Amezcua said. “We...

City Council bans short-term residential rentals

Posted on April 17, 2024

The ordinance is intended to curb impacts on neighborhoods and increase available housing supplies. SANTA ANA, Calif. – The Santa Ana City Council has voted to ban short-term residential rentals to preserve the character of neighborhoods, address the negative impacts caused by these unpermitted business operations, and to open up much-needed housing supplies. The proliferation...

César Chávez Day observed April 1: No street sweeping and City Hall, libraries, community centers closed

Posted on March 27, 2024

On Monday, April 1, 2024, we celebrate César Chávez Day to honor the iconic leader of the labor and civil rights movement. In observance of the state holiday, Santa Ana City Hall, libraries, senior centers and community centers will be closed on Monday. There will be no street sweeping, but trash and recycling will be...

Tuesday, February 6: City Hall closed due to power outage; street sweeping canceled

Posted on February 6, 2024

Update: The February 6, 2024, regular meeting of the Santa Ana City Council has been canceled. Learn more here. Street sweeping is canceled on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024, due to the rain. Santa Ana City Hall, Ross Annex and the Main Library are all closed due to a power outage. City staff are not able...

Planning and Building Agency counters will close early on December 15, 2023

Posted on December 7, 2023

The Planning and Building public counters will close early at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 15, 2023. Regular counter hours will resume on Monday, December 18, 2023. Click here for more information about online plan check services.

People stand in a gymnasium looking at large displays with information.

City reimagining Memorial Park and Pool

Posted on September 12, 2023

Residents can share their ideas at a community design workshop on September 14. SANTA ANA, Calif. – The time has come to reimagine Memorial Park and the various ways it serves the community. The aquatics facility at the park is the original 1956 installation and the City needs community input to design a new facility...

Apply to Join Our Environmental Justice Action Committee

Posted on August 31, 2023

Residents and local nonprofits in Santa Ana are encouraged to apply to the Environmental Justice (EJ) Action Committee. This committee will develop continuous engagement for disadvantaged environmental justice communities and host quarterly meetings with local stakeholders to guide and evaluate environmental justice policy implementation. This is part of the City of Santa Ana General Plan...

A graphic with an illustration of a mosquito above text that says "Fight back OC ocvector.org."

West Nile virus found in Santa Ana mosquitoes

Posted on August 8, 2023

The Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District (OCMVCD) has confirmed the presence of West Nile virus in mosquitoes in Santa Ana. Inspectors will check known sources for mosquito breeding and try to identify unknown sources. West Nile virus advisory posters will be placed in affected areas. You can check Vector Control’s West Nile virus...

Santa Ana wins 2023 Award of Excellence for Legacy Square affordable apartments

Posted on June 1, 2023

On May 17, 2023, the City of Santa Ana was honored with a 2023 Award of Excellence by the Orange Section of the American Planning Association (APA) for the Legacy Square apartments project. This recognition was in the Excellence for the Innovation in Green Planning category. Legacy Square is a new affordable, multifamily apartment community...

OC Health Care Agency offers free lead testing and removal for older homes

Posted on May 10, 2023

The Orange County Health Care Agency is offering a free lead testing and removal program that is available to Santa Ana households. Priority is given to families with a child under 6 years old or with a pregnant woman who might have been exposed to lead in the home. Program participants must be low income,...

Santa Ana wins 2023 Sustainability Award for Legacy Square affordable apartments

Posted on May 2, 2023

The City of Santa Ana is being honored with a 2023 Sustainability Award by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) for the Legacy Square apartments project. Legacy Square is a new affordable, multifamily apartment community that offers 93 high-quality apartment homes – 30 one-bedrooms, 39 two-bedrooms, and 24 three-bedrooms. The transit-oriented development replaced two...

Santa Ana lowers fee for home-based business permits

Posted on January 11, 2023

The Santa Ana City Council recently approved reducing the Home Occupation Permit (HOP) fee from $320 to $50.32 to better serve and make it more affordable for modern, small home-based business needs. The Santa Ana Municipal Code requires that every business operating from residential premises needs to secure a HOP and comply with all applicable...

Men remove food from tables under a red tent canopy on a sidewalk at night.

City, County shut down over 100 sidewalk vendors selling unsafe food in Santa Ana

Posted on December 20, 2022

The public is urged to check for health permits when buying from street vendors. SANTA ANA, Calif. – In response to community concerns, the City of Santa Ana and the Orange County Health Care Agency investigated and shut down over 100 sidewalk food vending locations that were found to be selling food unfit for human...

New cannabis law lowers tax rates, allows consumption lounges and events

Posted on December 12, 2022

Santa Ana is the top destination for legal cannabis in Orange County. SANTA ANA, Calif. – Santa Ana will continue to be the top destination for legal cannabis in Orange County thanks to several new measures approved by the Santa Ana City Council that will lower tax rates and allow marijuana consumption lounges and events....

New 2022 California Building Standards Code

Posted on December 6, 2022

The State updates the California Code of Regulations (Title 24) every three years. The current edition is the 2019 California Code of Regulations. The new 2022 California Building Standards Code will go into effect on January 1, 2023. All construction project applications submitted on or after that date must comply with the provisions of the...

Become one of multiple partners helping CalEPA co-create a community science model

Posted on November 23, 2022

The California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) is inviting Community Based Organizations (CBOs) from throughout California to co-create a community science model to inform future CalEPA community research projects. The model is intended to be widely relevant to any California community interested in community science work and youth engagement. They are looking for CBOs interested and/or...

Five people stand in front of a red curtain and a large white sign. A woman in a red coat holds a glass award sculpture.

City wins Orange County Business Council award for MainPlace Mall plan

Posted on November 18, 2022

At last night’s annual awards ceremony, the Orange County Business Council (OCBC) awarded City of Santa Ana the top Turning Red Tape into Red Carpet award for Building & Land Reuse Community Revitalization for the MainPlace Specific Plan. The award recognizes jurisdictions and government agencies for their efforts to adopt streamlining measures that enhance customer...

Revised Housing Element available for public review

Posted on July 12, 2022

The General Plan Housing Element provides a long-range policy guide on the production, improvement, and preservation of housing for the next eight years (2021-2029 planning period). The revised July 2022 Housing Element Draft is now available for public review on our website. The latest draft includes revisions addressing comments received on the February 2022 Draft...