News and Updates
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Rent Stabilization Program Updates
The Rental Registry Registration Period Has Arrived—Act Now!
The annual registration period for the City of Santa Ana’s Rental Registry is officially open from June 2, 2025, through July 1, 2025. All landlords with rental units in the City must complete their re-registration to comply with the Rent Stabilization and Just Cause Eviction Ordinance. Don’t wait—secure your compliance today!
Note: If you already know your APN/PIN, there is no need to wait for the Registration Letter to finalize your registration. You can complete the process immediately by using your APN/PIN
Key Dates:
- Registration Period: June 2, 2025 – July 1, 2025
- Deadline to Submit: July 1, 2025
- Billing Period: July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026
Steps to Complete Your Registration:
- Update Property Profiles: Log in to your account and access your Property Profiles and update owner and property manager contact information. Report any changes such as rent increases, new tenants, or evictions in your Unit Inventory.
- Claim Applicable Exemptions: If your property or unit(s) qualify for an exemption, submit your exemption request with supporting documents by the deadline for review.
- Submit Registration or Exemption: Once all updates to the Property Profile have been made, utilize the “Action” button to formally submit Rental Registration/Apply for Property Exemption.
- Pay the Rental Registry Fee: Payments should be made online by signing into your account on the Rental Registry portal. An invoice will be generated automatically upon submitting your registration. For balances exceeding $5,000.00, payment must be made by check. Please ensure check payments are written exclusively for the Rental Registry Fee and separate checks are provided for each property/invoice. Additionally, please do not combine payments for other City fees, such as Business License or the Proactive Rental Enforcement Program (PREP) with the Rental Registry Fee.
Important Notice: If you choose to pay the Rental Registry Fee through BillPay, please note that the payment (and completion of Rental Unit Registration) may be delayed or rejected due to the lack of an invoice. Invoices are required for processing payments and are available in the Documents section of your property’s profile.
Important Reminders for Landlords:
- Registration Is Not Considered Complete if There Are Unpaid Balances: Any unpaid fees from previous registration cycles must be resolved before registration is deemed complete.
- Pass-Through Fee Option: Landlords who pay the registration fee by the deadline may pass through up to 50% of the fee to tenants in twelve equal installments. This option is not available for tenants in subsidized housing. To ensure compliance and foster transparency, landlords are encouraged to maintain clear and accurate tenant ledgers. Each pass-through fee charge should be explicitly associated with the appropriate registration program year to avoid confusion and support accountability.
Act now to keep your rental units in good standing! For more information or assistance, visit the Rental Registry portal or contact our team directly.
| Rental Registry (RR) | Contact Us | RR User Guide |
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Pass-Through Fees: Transparency Matters!
As part of the City of Santa Ana’s commitment to tenant protections and landlord compliance under the Rent Stabilization and Just Cause Eviction Ordinance, we want to ensure clarity around the Rental Registry Pass-Through Fee for Fiscal Year 2025-26.
Landlords may recover up to 50% of the Rental Registry Fee by charging tenants in 12 equal monthly installments. For FY25-26, this amounts to $4.16-$4.20 per month, not to exceed $50. This pass-through fee is not considered part of the rent for calculating rent increases, and only landlords who pay the Rental Registry Fee on time can implement the pass-through fee.
Important for Landlords:
To maintain transparency and avoid confusion, ensure your tenant ledgers clearly associate each pass-through fee charge with the correct fiscal year, especially as overlapping charges may occur for FY24-25 and FY25-26. Accurate documentation not only aids compliance but fosters trust with your tenants.
For more details or assistance, visit the Rental Registry portal or contact our team. Let’s work together to promote transparency and fairness in our community!
| Contact Us |
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Eviction Prevention Program: Supporting Santa Ana Residents in Need
The City of Santa Ana is committed to addressing housing challenges, including those caused by rising costs and the COVID-19 pandemic. The Eviction Prevention Program (EPP) offers one-time payments to landlords to cover rental arrears, helping tenants stay in their homes.
Program Update
As of May 15, 2025, the Eviction Prevention Program is no longer accepting new applications due to a high volume of submissions. Currently, all previously submitted applications are under review. The program team is assessing funding availability, and if additional funds remain after processing these applications, the program may reopen for new submissions. Please stay tuned for further announcements.
What You Need to Know
Applications already submitted are being reviewed by Families Forward, a trusted local nonprofit. Approved applicants will receive one-time payments made directly to their landlords to cover rental arrears.
For future updates and details, visit the Eviction Prevention website!
| EPP Webpage | Contact Us |
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Upcoming Community Events
Join us to learn about your rights and responsibilities under the Rent Stabilization and Just Cause Eviction Ordinance (RSJCEO). Our staff will be attending local events to assist tenants and landlords in understanding the ordinance and how it impacts housing stability.
Rental Registry Workshops – Owners & Property Managers
City of Santa Ana invites property owners and managers to join our Rental Registry Workshops and gain valuable skills to navigate the City’s Rental Registry system. These virtual workshops, hosted via Zoom, are designed to provide step-by-step guidance for completing registration.
Virtual Webinars – No Pre-Registration Required
Attend from the comfort of your home—simply click the webinar link on the Community Workshops Webpage at the scheduled time to join the session.
- 📆 Tuesday, June 10, 2025 | ⏰ 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM | 🔗 Click to Join Webinar
- 📆 Wednesday, June 18, 2025 | ⏰ 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM |🔗 Click to Join Webinar
- 📆 Thursday, June 26, 2025 | ⏰ 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM |🔗 Click to Join Webinar
For the most up-to-date information, visit our Community Workshops Webpage.
| Community Workshops Webpage |
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Community Partner Spotlight: FACE / SAUSD
The City of Santa Ana’s Rent Stabilization Division (RSD) extends a heartfelt appreciation to the Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) for its unwavering commitment to educating parents about the City’s Rent Stabilization and Just Cause Eviction Ordinance (RSJCEO).
What begin as a simple outreach to SAUSD’s Family and Community Engagement (F.A.C.E.) and McKinney-Vento Community Liaisons evolved into 36 impactful community presentations across various SAUSD sites. This collaboration exemplifies SAUSD’s dedication to strengthening a learning environment for all students by ensuring parents have access to vital housing protections that support family stability within our community.
The F.A.C.E. team has played an essential role in securing locations and promoting educational efforts, ultimately enabling parents to better understand the City of Santa Ana’s Rent Stabilization and Just Cause Eviction Ordinance. Recognizing the growing need for legal guidance, RSD worked with Community Legal Aid of SoCal to expand outreach efforts, hosting six additional workshops focused on informing residents about their tenant rights.
Through this partnership, SAUSD and the RSD have made significant strides toward empowering Santa Ana residents – one household at a time.
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Serving our Residents
City staff serves the public on a daily basis by responding to telephone and email inquiries about the Rent Stabilization and Just Cause Eviction Ordinance and general landlord/tenant issues. Persons contacting the City include landlords, tenants, real estate brokers, prospective tenants and prospective property owners. The most common topics of concern are evictions, allowable rent increases, and the City’s Rental Registry.
Public Inquiries & Interactions
April 2024 to April 2025
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Community Outreach
- SAUSD FACE Tenant Rights Workshops: The Rent Stabilization Division continued its collaboration with the Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Department through a series of Tenant Rights Workshops. These interactive sessions took place at Muir Fundamental Elementary on May 1 and Esqueda TK-8 on May 6. Families who attended received valuable information about the Rent Stabilization and Just Cause Eviction Ordinance, including rent increase limits, just cause eviction requirements, and tenant resources available to them. The workshops provided a welcoming space for meaningful discussions, allowing participants to engage, ask questions, and connect with our team to better understand their rights and protections. We thank all the families who participated and look forward to continuing these impactful workshops in the future!
- Community Legal Aid SoCal – Tenant Rights Workshops: In partnership with the Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD), Community Legal Aid SoCal hosted two Tenant Rights Workshops to empower community members with essential knowledge about housing stability and tenant protections. The workshops were held at McFadden Institute of Technology on May 14 and Segerstrom High School on May 20, providing participants with valuable insights into their rights as tenants, including protections under Santa Ana’s Rent Stabilization and Just Cause Eviction Ordinance, as well as resources to address housing challenges. Each session was presented in the preferred language of attendees, ensuring accessibility and fostering meaningful engagement. These interactive workshops created opportunities for attendees to ask questions, connect with housing experts, and gain tools to support their housing security. We appreciate everyone who participated and remain committed to tenant education and advocacy.
- SAUSD & CAC Resource Fair: The Rent Stabilization Division participated in the Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) and Special Education Parent Community Advisory Committee (CAC) Annual Resource Fair on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at Godinez Fundamental School. During the event, our team engaged with families, providing essential information about the Rent Stabilization and Just Cause Eviction Ordinance, including tenant rights, rent increase limits, and eviction protections. Attendees also learned about the resources available to support tenants and landlords in the community.
(Pictured: Left –Community Legal Aid SoCal at Segerstrom HS / Right – CAC Resource Fair at Godinez Fundamental School)
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Rental Housing Board – Now Accepting Applications
The Rent Stabilization and Just Cause Eviction Ordinance (“Ordinance”) establishes a Rental Housing Board to administer and enforce renter protections for Santa Ana tenants.
Under Section 8-3180 of the Ordinance, the Rental Housing Board (“Board”) is comprised of seven (7) members appointed by the City Council, with each Councilmember selecting one (1) member through an equitable random lottery process. The Board includes:
- Three (3) Tenants, including at least one (1) Mobilehome Tenant;
- Two (2) Landlords with rental property experience; and
- Two (2) At-Large Members with no financial interest in or ownership of income-generating rental housing (e.g., an owner-occupant of a single-family home).
Currently, there are three (3) vacancies on the Board. If you or someone you know is interested in serving your community by contributing to the oversight of renter protections and housing policies, we encourage you to apply.
Applications are available on the City Clerk’s Office website. Join us in supporting fair and equitable housing practices in Santa Ana—apply today!
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Know Your Rights
If you believe the owner or property manager of your rental unit or mobile home may not be in compliance with the Ordinance, or if you need assistance interpreting the Ordinance, please reach out to one of the City’s community partners:
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Fair Housing Council of Orange County 2021 E. 4th Street, Suite 122 Santa Ana, CA 92705 Phone: 714-569-0823 Option 4 |
Community Legal Aid SoCal 2101 North Tustin Avenue Santa Ana, CA 92705 Phone: 714-571-5200 |
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Public Law Center 601 Civic Center Drive West Santa Ana, CA 92701 Phone: 714-541-1010 x 303 |
Latino Health Access 450 W 4th Street Santa Ana, CA 92701 Phone: 714-542-7792 |
Seek Mediation Services
Mediation is a voluntary collaborative process wherein the landlord and tenant(s) who have a disagreement can develop options, consider alternatives, and develop a consensual agreement. The role of the Mediator is to facilitate open communication to resolve a dispute in a non-adversarial and confidential manner.
Contact us to access mediation services in collaboration with our community partner Groundswell.
The California Courts Self-Help Guide assists landlords and tenants by offering the following resources:
- Landlords: Starting an eviction case (an unlawful detainer court case)
- Tenants: Understanding your options if you get a Notice to Quit or Summons and Complaint
Click here for more eviction and housing self-help resources.
Please be advised, the City does not recommend or endorse any particular law firm or agency, but leaves it up to tenants to determine their best course of action and chosen representation, if necessary.
Contact Us:801 W. Civic Center Drive Suite 200 Santa Ana, CA 92701 Email: rso@santa-ana.org Tel: (714) 667-2209 Fax: (714) 547-5411 |
Quick Links: |
If you have any difficulty connecting with the links in this Newsletter, enter the following website address into an internet browser to explore the City’s website – www.santa-ana.org/renter-protections