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 the legal step follows repeated noncompliance and that the city will first seek voluntary compliance before filing suit.

- SCAG/Charitable Ventures/Kennedy Commission MOU for zoning outreach (item 19): Motion to authorize the city manager to execute a proposed MOU to accept SCAG funding and contract with Charitable Ventures and the Kennedy Commission to perform supplemental outreach for the comprehensive zoning‑code update. Final vote result: 3 ayes (Councilmembers Hernandez, Lopez, Mayor Pro Tem Vasquez), 3 nays (Mayor Mesquah, Councilmembers Becerra and Penalosa); recusal noted by Councilmember Fan; motion failed on tie. Several council members expressed concern the two nonprofit partners lack technical zoning experience and could create more staff oversight burden.

- Tourism Marketing District renewal (item 23): Motion to declare intent to renew the Santa Ana Tourism Marketing District and set public meeting/hearing dates (public meeting 2025‑06‑03; public hearing 2025‑07‑01). Mover: Councilmember Penalosa; second: Councilmember Hernandez. Vote: 7–0 (approved to proceed with hearings). Travel Santa Ana (the destination marketing organization) and hoteliers have supported a 10‑year renewal; staff said 10 years is common practice for stable funding of destination marketing.

- Density bonus / 86‑unit multifamily at 2020 E. First Street (item 24): Motion to approve a density‑bonus agreement allowing an 86‑unit development with five units restricted to very‑low income households. Mover: Councilmember Lopez; second: Councilmember Hernandez. Vote: 6 ayes, 0 nays, 1 recusal (Councilmember Becerra recused). Councilmembers said the project includes on‑site affordable units and that staff made CEQA determinations per the packet.

- Closed‑session report (settlement): City Attorney (name not specified) reported a closed‑session, reportable action: the council approved a settlement in the case Mendoza v. City of Santa Ana in the amount of $138,000. The city attorney read the action into the public record following closed session.

Context and supporting detail: Council members described a multi‑department response to East First Street that included police, code enforcement, planning and the city attorney’s office. The city attorney told the council a notice package documenting complaint history had already been sent to property owners and that staff wanted authority to file suit if owners failed to remedy conditions. Council members repeatedly described persistent problems at certain properties and said prior outreach and enforcement had not produced lasting change.

Several speakers on the consent calendar praised staff and the police for the coordinated work; others urged continued attention so residents and businesses are not driven out by crime and nuisance activity. Councilmember Becerra noted the numeric scale of calls for service — an average of roughly 480 per year across the three sites — as a justification for stronger legal steps.

What the vote does and what happens next: For the nuisance abatement matter staff said the city will first seek compliance through existing enforcement tools and will file complaint and seek judicial remedies if property owners remain noncompliant. For the zoning‑outreach MOU, staff said SCAG funds would have paid consultants directly (not passed through the city) and that the consultants were selected for grassroots outreach capability; critics said the same outreach could be handled by city staff or more land‑use‑savvy consultants.

Votes at a glance (formal record)

- Item 10 (Nuisance abatement authority for East First Street properties): Mover Lopez; second Hernandez. Vote: Yes — Mayor Mesquah; Mayor Pro Tem Vasquez; Councilmembers Becerra, Hernandez, Lopez, Penalosa, Fan. Outcome: approved.

- Item 19 (MOU with SCAG / Charitable Ventures / Kennedy Commission for zoning outreach): Mover (submotion) Lopez; second Hernandez. Vote: Yes — Councilmembers Hernandez, Lopez; Mayor Pro Tem Vasquez. No — Mayor Mesquah; Councilmembers Becerra, Penalosa. Recusal — Councilmember Fan. Outcome: failed (tie).

- Item 23 (Declare intent to renew Tourism Marketing District; set hearing dates): Mover Penalosa; second Hernandez. Vote: unanimous 7–0. Outcome: approved to proceed to hearings.

- Item 24 (Density bonus agreement for 86‑unit development at 2020 E. First St.): Mover Lopez; second Hernandez. Vote: 6 ayes, 0 nays; recorded recusal by Councilmember Becerra. Outcome: approved.

- Closed session (Mendoza v. City of Santa Ana): Reported settlement of $138,000; vote in closed session was 7–0 to approve the settlement, per the city attorney’s report.

Local reaction and next steps: Councilmembers who supported litigation on East First Street framed it as an overdue step after extended enforcement; critics asked staff to focus on compliance and rehabilitation where possible. The city manager’s office and city attorney will provide updates on the abatement action and on any litigation filings. The MOU failure leaves the city’s zoning outreach to proceed under the existing budget and staff plan unless the council revisits the grant opportunity.

Ending: The council made clear it expects follow‑up briefings from staff on outcomes of the abatement letters and any filed complaints, and it scheduled the tourism‑district hearings for June and July to solicit hotel and public comment before any long‑term renewal.