Revive Santa Ana, an unprecedented, comprehensive pandemic recovery initiative that will provide short-term financial assistance and address long-term health, education, youth and other service needs, is moving forward after receiving the Santa Ana City Council’s unanimous approval.
“Revive Santa Ana will allow the City of Santa Ana to not only offer some immediate relief to our community, but also will help us create solutions for many inequities that have affected the health and well-being of our residents,” Mayor Vicente Sarmiento said. “The City Council’s goal is to look beyond the pandemic to broader issues, such as access to health care, green space, broadband internet and digital literacy education.”
The City Council gave final approval to the first phase – $80 million – of the Revive Santa Ana spending plan on Tuesday night, July 20. The Council also authorized spending almost $64.2 million received from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) to help fund the program.
The City of Santa Ana is expected to receive a total of $128,360,813 from ARPA. Additionally, the City is receiving federal housing funding of $21.5 million, as well as $10.6 million in federal money from the state for emergency rental assistance, all of which will be put toward Revive Santa Ana. These funds must be spent by the end of 2026.
The spending plan approved Tuesday had been revised to address changes requested by the City Council, including increasing spending for mental health recovery, early childhood support, and after-school and youth programs, as well as expanding parking structure improvements to include safety enhancements, among other changes.
Among the highlights of Revive Santa Ana:
- $26.8 million in direct financial assistance: includes $14 million in emergency rental assistance, $4 million in direct payments such as gift cards for essential needs, $3 million in business and non-profit support
- $9.5 million for youth-related programs: includes adding an early childhood learning center at the Main Library, more after-school and youth programs, day care, and youth violence intervention
- $1.5 million for expansion of library accessibility
- Over $10 million for parks: expand parks and open space, renovate park restrooms and community center security cameras
- $3.5 million for broadband internet access
- Pandemic health recovery programs, including mental health services, local health clinic support, and expansion of City communications
- A memorial to lives lost in the pandemic
- And much more!
Go here to see the full spending plan for the first part of Revive Santa Ana.