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Santa Ana adopts public art preservation policy to inventory and protect murals
Summary
Council voted unanimously to receive and file a public art and preservation policy that establishes an inventory, annual inspections, and artist consultation before restoration or removal; members urged creation of a public art trust fund to fund preservation work.
The Santa Ana City Council voted unanimously on May 10 to receive and file a public art and preservation policy that creates a framework for maintaining and preserving public artworks and murals across the city.
Councilmember Jesse Lopez, who sponsored the council discussion, said the policy fills a long‑standing gap by establishing an annual inspection schedule, a city inventory of public art, and required community outreach and artist consultation before any alteration or removal. "Maintenance and the preservation framework is exactly what has been missing," Lopez said.
Speakers from the arts community urged the council to fund restoration work and proposed a public art trust fund. Alicia Rojas of the Santa Ana Community Artist Coalition urged the council to commit initial funding to ensure long‑term conservation. Councilmember Lopez asked staff to return with a concrete proposal for a trust fund so the policy would be implemented and not merely filed.
Councilmembers also discussed the relationship between the policy and the Historic Resources Commission and asked staff to coordinate implementation across departments. The motion to receive and file the policy passed 7–0; staff will follow up on funding options and implementation steps.
