Santa Ana council authorizes legal action on East First Street properties; approves 86‑unit project and tourism‑marketing renewal; regional outreach MOU fails

The Santa Ana City Council on April 15 authorized city attorneys to file nuisance‑abatement litigation tied to persistent criminal activity at multiple properties along the East First Street corridor, approved a density‑bonus agreement for an 86‑unit apartment project and moved ahead with the process to renew the city’s tourism marketing district. A separate memorandum of understanding to use Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) grant money for supplemental community outreach on the city’s zoning‑code update failed to pass.

The action on East First Street followed years of complaints from residents and more than 1,400 calls for service tied to three properties over a three‑year period, council members said. Councilmember Lopez, who led the motion, said city staff and police had repeatedly worked with property owners and that legal action was now necessary. "This action doesn't have to be the end all be all. I believe in due process," Councilmember Lopez said, while urging owners to cooperate. "But we are not going to tolerate properties that facilitate criminal activity."

Why it matters: Council members framed the East First Street move as a public‑safety and neighborhood‑quality‑of‑life measure intended to reduce drug activity, violent incidents and chronic disorder in a corridor they described as a gateway to the city. Council members also said the area has seen new housing investment nearby, increasing pressure to remove blight and unsafe conditions.

Most important votes and outcomes

- Nuisance abatement, East First Street corridor (consent item 10): Motion to authorize city attorney to prepare and file nuisance abatement actions. Mover: Councilmember Lopez; second: Councilmember Hernandez. Vote: 7–0 (approved). City staff and the city attorney said…