Dear Ward 5 neighbors,
Summer is almost here! I’m excited to share our May 2025 newsletter. Our city continues to make significant strides in enhancing public safety and improving daily life for all Santa Ana residents. From the recently completed Fremont Elementary and Spurgeon Safe Routes to School project to our ongoing Green Spaces initiatives, we’re committed to creating neighborhoods where families can thrive safely and comfortably.
This month, we’re highlighting the Alex Odeh Memorial Statue and offering resources for arts education, including several local organizations where you and your family can explore your creativity. Our community calendar is also packed with events! Be sure to check them out below.
Showcasing the best of Santa Ana, I’m proud to announce our city has received the Excellence in Wellness Award 2025 and the Carmen Ramirez Award for Equity for our Environmental Justice initiatives. Don’t forget to download the mySantaAna app to stay connected.
Your councilmember and neighbor,
Johnathan Ryan Hernandez
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Building Community through the Arts
Community Art Feature:
Alex Odeh Memorial Statue
Khalil Bendib created the Alex Odeh Memorial Statue in 1994 in honor of the Palestinian activist who was assassinated in a bombing as he opened the door of his office at 1905 E. 17th St., Santa Ana. Odeh’s death is considered to have been the culmination of the “Los Angeles Intifada,” in which a series of terrorist attacks were carried out against Palestinian-American activists and institutions in the 1970s. Born into a Palestinian Christian family in Jifna, Palestine, Odeh immigrated to the United States in 1972. He was a lecturer and poet who became the West Coast regional director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC).
Bendib’s sculpture is dedicated to Odeh’s memory and legacy. The sculpture is a larger-than-life-size representation of Odeh, sitting above the onlooker on a pedestal, with a book in his right hand and a dove in his left hand. Through these symbols, the sculpture wants to emphasize Odeh’s legacy in the letters, education, and peace. As we are in a time where Palestinian lives are being decimated, I want to highlight this statue and the impact a Palestinian-American has made in our local community.
Bridging the G.A.P: Graffiti Arts Programs
Monday, May 19, marked a special occasion as the final mural from our Bridging the G.A.P.: Graffiti Arts Program was unveiled! Our Arts & Culture Office, in collaboration with SAUSD, provided a five-part workshop series to students from Lorin Griset Academy and Cesar E. Chavez High School.
This program introduced students to professional mural arts skills and business practices, fostering creative expression and valuable career-ready skills. The vibrant new mural, located on the top floor of the City’s garage at 420 N. Main St., stands as a testament to the talent and hard work of these dedicated students.
If you would like your art to be featured in future newsletters, please submit it to ycruz5@Santa-Ana.org
Community News
Arrival of OCTA Streetcar for Testing
The OCTA Streetcar has reached a new phase in its development! The first of eight streetcars was delivered this past month as OCTA gets ready to test the cars later this year. This modern, electric vehicle has room for more than 200 passengers and will provide frequent service for riders traveling between Santa Ana and Garden Grove. Keep an eye out as more cars arrive and testing begins later this year!
Check out this @goocta video on its arrival
WISEPlace Grand Opening!
On May 14, we celebrated the grand opening of WISEPlace, a permanent supportive housing solution for unaccompanied women experiencing houselessness, including survivors of domestic violence. This development, a project of Jamboree Housing, provides 47 units along with amenities including a community garden, an outdoor pet area, and a gym for their residents to seek enriching and healthy lives. I’m happy to welcome this housing option in Ward 5 and hope their residents find enjoyment in our beautiful city.
Click here to find out more about WisePlace and their services
Completed Project: Fremont Elementary and Spurgeon Safe Routes to School
Exciting news in Ward 5! Our Public Works Agency’s Construction Services Division completed Project 20-6964 Fremont Elementary and Spurgeon Safe Routes to School last month. This $5.2 million project creates safer routes for students going to and from Fremont Elementary and Spurgeon Intermediate.
Our children’s safety and access to education has always been a priority to my office — it’s incredibly rewarding to see this project come to life.
COSA Excellence in Wellness Award 2025
The City of Santa Ana was named as a winner of the Excellence in Wellness Award 2025 by Marquee Health. This award celebrates an organization’s commitment to org wellness initiatives: providing a best-in-class health and wellness program to its employees and for promoting a culture of health and well-being throughout the entire organization. Winners were were selected from a pool of more than 1,800 companies determined using an aggregate score in four categories:
- Being an Impact Player: Program Engagement
- Total Wellbeing Support: 5 Pillars of Well-being & Benefit Integration
- Strong Leadership Support and Participation
- Improvements in Clinical Outcomes
COSA wins equity award for Environmental Justice Action Committee
The City of Santa Ana has been honored by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) with the prestigious Carmen Ramirez Award for Equity, recognizing its trailblazing efforts to address environmental inequities in neighborhoods disproportionately impacted by pollution. The award was presented during SCAG’s Regional Conference and General Assembly, held May 1–2. SCAG is the nation’s largest metropolitan planning organization, representing six counties and 191 cities across more than 38,000 square miles.
Santa Ana received this award for the work of its Environmental Justice Action Committee, a coalition of local residents, public agencies, and community-based nonprofits working together to prioritize cleaner air, safer housing, and equitable access to parks and green spaces.
Upcoming Events & Meetings
May 25 – Party for the Planet/Endangered Species Day
Come celebrate with the Zoo! Party for the Planet combines Earth Day and Endangered Species Day with informational and activity stations for all ages. Discover a new species, learn how you can help conserve water and other resources, and connect with local organizations that are doing their part too! The Zoo will be full of fun activities, all included with Zoo admission.
Party for the Planet takes place on a bonus Santa Ana Residents’ Day! Santa Ana Residents receive free general admission to the Zoo. Proof of residency is required.
June 6 – Movies in the Park #1: ‘The Garfield Movie’
Come to El Salvador Park on June 6 for the first screening of the Movies in the Park series this summer 2025. We’ll be watching “The Garfield Movie” and served by local Santa Ana vendors. Join us at 6:30 p.m. for food and fun, and the movie will start promptly at dusk.
June 7 & 8 – Garage and Yard Sale Weekend
Residential garage and yard sales are allowed the weekend of Saturday, June 7, and Sunday, June 8, 2025. Sales may begin at 8 a.m. and must end at 5 p.m. each day. Garage and yard sales for residential properties are permitted in Santa Ana on the first full weekend of March, June, September and December each year. No permit is required. Please follow the rules and regulations at the link below.
Save the Date for the 4th annual Chicano Heritage Festival: August 24, 2025!
The Chicano Heritage Festival is back this summer! Save the date on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2-7 p.m. at Centennial Park, as we celebrate Santa Ana’s rich Mexican-American history. Guests can look forward to live musical performances, food, community art, a kids’ zone, cultural exhibits, and much more. This celebration will be free, family-friendly, and open to all.
Watch a video of the 2023 Chicano Heritage Festival
City of Santa Ana Resources
Upcoming WORK Center Orientation Dates
This orientation will provide information about the Santa Ana WORK Center’s programs, educational opportunities, tools, and resources to help your job search. You will also learn about the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and services available at the Center through community resources and partners.
Location: Santa Ana WORK Center | 801 W. Civic Center Drive, Suite 200 | Santa Ana, CA 92701
📅 Save the date: 6/9, 6/23, 7/7, 7/21, 8/4
Click here to learn more about the WORK Center
Need help with an ongoing problem? Report it on the mySantaAna app!
Free Santa Ana Days
Resident Days at the Zoo • Third Sunday of each Month
Bowers Museum free Sundays • Santa Ana residents get in free each Sunday
Discovery Cube Waste Free Days • Santa Ana residents get free admission to the Discovery Cube on the first Tuesday of the month
Finding Art Near You
Everyone should be able to create and be creative in their own way. Below are a few Santa Ana resources for art and arts education: