Mayor’s Newsletter: November 2026

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Official newsletter of Santa Ana Mayor Valerie Amezcua.

Keeping the community informed about local events, City news, and resources.

Dear Neighbors,

As we welcome the month of November, I am reminded of how fortunate we are to be part of such a wonderful community. November is a special time of year when we begin to reflect on our blessings, appreciate the people around us, and embrace the spirit of gratitude, kindness, and togetherness.

I hope everyone had the opportunity to make their voices heard and participate in the democratic process by casting their vote on November 3. Voting is one of the most meaningful ways we can shape the future of our community, and I thank everyone who took the time to participate and make their voices count.

November brings with it many meaningful celebrations and opportunities to recognize the things that make our community strong. Throughout the month, we celebrate Native American Heritage Month, honoring the rich history, traditions, and contributions of Native American communities. On November 11, we observe Veterans Day, a time to recognize and express our deepest gratitude to the brave men and women who have served our country. Their courage, sacrifice, and dedication deserve our appreciation every day.

As we move closer to Thanksgiving on November 26, I encourage everyone to take a moment to reflect on what they are thankful for. Whether it is family, friends, good health, or the kindness of a neighbor, there is always something to appreciate. Thanksgiving also reminds us of the importance of sharing, giving back, and extending a helping hand to those who may need a little extra support.

Also, as we approach the holiday season, I am excited to invite everyone to one of our community's special annual celebrations!

Please join us on Saturday, November 21, 2026, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Plaza Calle Cuatro for our Plaza Navideña Tree Lighting! This festive celebration is a wonderful opportunity to gather with family, friends, and neighbors as we welcome the holiday season. I look forward to seeing our community come together, share in the holiday spirit, and create special memories.

As your Mayor, I remain incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve this community. It is the people who make our city special: the families, small business owners, volunteers, students, seniors, and everyone who contributes to making our community a welcoming place to live, work, and grow.

May this November bring you moments of joy, meaningful connections, and countless reasons to be thankful. Let us continue to support one another, celebrate our shared accomplishments, and move forward together with hope and kindness.

Wishing you and your loved ones a safe, blessed, and Happy Thanksgiving!

With gratitude,

Mayor Valerie Amezcua

Email: [email protected]

MAYOR & COMMUNITY IN ACTION

Follow the Mayor on social media for daily updates! Stay connected to learn about upcoming news, meetings, and community events.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY GIVES 6 NEW HOMES & CARS TO 6 FAMILIES

Habitat for Humanity has done it again! Six Santa Ana families qualified for new homes and participated in the build of their homes, creating pride and true ownership of their beautiful homes that you can see behind me. But wait, all six families were blessed with a brand new car that was a surprise as they opened their garages! Welcome to our families.

PRESENTATION TO BARBERS FOR VOLUNTEERISM TO OUR COMMUNITY

Contreras Grooming for Gentlemen, OC's Finest Barbers and Barberia El Catrin were recognized for their outstanding contribution at the Mayor's Annual Back-to-School Resource Fair. Thanks to our Barbers that prepared our children for the first day of school and boosted their confidence. It was a great reminder to our children that their community cares about them.

CONVERSATIONS ON THE BENCH WITH BRYAN CRAIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE RESCUE MISSION

I was invited to sit with Bryan while he asked questions about Santa Ana's approach to homelessness. What works and what doesn't. Our work overlaps as we both have the same goal of helping people and giving them a second chance to succeed.

LATTER DAY SAINTS DELIVERS 4 TONS OF FOOD TO OUR COMMUNITY IN HONOR OF AMERICA'S 250th BIRTHDAY

Thank you to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints who donated 4 tons of food to our local Santa Ana non-profits and soup kitchens that distribute food to our families. With Latter Day Saints leadership and over 80 volunteers, Santa Ana Parks and Recreation and Santa Ana Police Department, the truck behind us was unloaded at Centennial Park. What a special day it was.

MAYOR'S 4TH ANNUAL INFLUENCE HER GIRLS CONFERENCE

In partnership with Girl's Inc. and SAUSD, we had 200 girls from SAUSD, Charter Schools in Santa Ana and for the first time from Irvine, Fountain Valley, and Rancho Santa Margarita, AMAZING the reach we had. Thank you to our panelist, speakers, our resource fair, sponsors and volunteers. It truly takes a village, and all of our girls walked away with new ideas and opportunities to succeed!

PFAS CHECK PRESENTATION FROM CONGRESSMAN CORREA

Thank you to Congressman Lou Correa for bringing PFAS Treatment dollars to Santa Ana. Santa Ana takes great pride in having the best drinking water in the country. With these monies, we can continue to maintain a high standard quality of water for our residents.

MATER DEI GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY

Mater Dei held a groundbreaking for a new campus construction project as part of its Spirit of Mater Dei Campaign. This includes: A Performing Arts Center, Five new Tennis Courts and a new Campus Security Center Hub. It was wonderful to attend and support.

MEMORIAL PARK AQUATIC CENTER RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY

The first of its kind in our city, the Memorial Park Aquatic Center includes an exercise channel, water slide, lap pool and a kiddie area. I'm looking forward to many of our families learning to swim here or compete on a swim team. Many new memories will be made at the Aquatic Center!

OUTSTANDING CULTURAL CONTRIBUTIONS PRESENTATION TO LEGADO 7

I was honored to present a Proclamation to Legado 7, a distinctive musical identity that blends traditional norteno influences with a contemporary sound that resonates with a new generation. Congratulations and we wish you continued success in your musical journey!

OCBC/CSUF 32ND ANNUAL 2026 ECONOMIC FORECAST CONFERENCE

It was educational to listen to nationally recognized economists Dr. Anil K. Puri and Dr. Mira Farka who shared insights into the current economic outlook for Orange County, the region and the nation. Link to report: https://csuf-2026-economic-forecast-report.pdf

SAPD TRUNK or TREAT

One of my favorite events of the year! Close to 4,000 adults and children dressed up and came Halloweening down the street in the most scary, cutest and creative costumes for some treats! This year, some of the Girl Scouts stopped by to say BOO!

GRAND RE-OPENING OF THE SANTA ANA MAIN LIBRARY

Our Main Library has re-opened. It has been creatively redesigned with everyone in mind. There is a Teen Space, Community Room, Study Rooms, History Room, Design Room with sewing machines and six 3-D printers, Gaming Room, and Video/Audio Editing Room. We have books in Vietnamese, Spanish and English and now we have an outdoor play area for our families. In the Lounge with the renovated fireplace where I met one of our servicemen and was so honored to say thank you for his service.

WEST FLORAL PARK ANNUAL SPOOKYFEST

One of our residents, Eddie Quillares, came up with a great idea! Use a golf cart to decorate and give treats from. Here I am with the First Place winners for most Decorative. It was colorful and touching to see their doggie's photo on their Dia de Los Muertos Altar.

MAYOR'S NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PRESIDENTS MEETING

This was our last quarterly meeting of the year. We had engagement, questions and ideas shared and answered by City staff and myself. I look forward to the next one. Thank you to our residents that showed up and I am grateful for your input.

UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS

DTSA ArtWalk - November 7

Spend an evening exploring galleries, meeting artists and discovering the creative businesses of Downtown Santa Ana. The City of Santa Ana is proud to sponsor DTSA ArtWalk.

• Saturday, Nov. 7, 5-10 p.m.
• Downtown Santa Ana

Veterans Day: City Hall closed, no street sweeping - November 11

In observance of Veterans Day, Santa Ana City Hall will be closed on Wednesday, Nov. 11. There will be no street sweeping on this day. Regular City Hall hours and street sweeping schedules will resume on Thursday, Nov. 12.

My First Home Workshop - November 13

This online information session introduces My First Home - a first-time homebuyer program for those looking to purchase a home in Santa Ana. The presentation includes information on eligibility, the application process, and frequently asked questions. The My First Home Program provides 0% interest down-payment assistance loans.

Register in advance for this meeting here.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Phone: (714)667-2250

Learn more about My First Home

SAPD Hiring Expo - November 21

Check out the Santa Ana Police Department Hiring Expo! Whether you're looking to become a police officer, dispatcher, or correctional officer, this is a great opportunity to meet our personnel, learn about the hiring process, and explore what SAPD has to offer.

• Saturday, November 21, 2026, 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
• SAPD Community Room, 60 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana

RSVP for the SAPD Hiring Expo

Third annual Kickball Turkey Bowl - November 21

Get ready to kick off some friendly competition at Santa Ana's third annual Kickball Turkey Bowl! Gather your friends, family or coworkers and put your teamwork to the test during this exciting recreational tournament.

• Saturday, Nov. 21
• Santa Ana Stadium, 602 N. Flower St.
• Registration: $300 per team
• Learn more

Plaza Navideña - November 21

Join us in celebrating the start of the holiday season and supporting local businesses, as we light a tree right in the heart of downtown Santa Ana. This free community event is open to all and will feature:

• Tree lighting ceremony
• Live entertainment
• Photo opportunities with Santa
• Story time with Mrs. Claus
• Arts and crafts
• Tamale, hot chocolate, and cookie giveaway (while supplies last)

Event details:

• Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026, 5-8 p.m.
• Downtown Santa Ana
• Learn more

CITY NEWS AND RECOGNITIONS

Take our Community Priorities Survey

Share your voice! Take our Community Priorities Survey to share which City services and programs are most important to you. Your feedback helps guide our budgeting and planning processes for 2026 and beyond.

Fill out the survey and learn more

CITY AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Serve the People: Free Thanksgiving Celebration

Join Serve the People for a free Thanksgiving Day celebration in Santa Ana. Families and individuals throughout Orange County are invited to enjoy a hot Thanksgiving meal, games, pony rides, a petting zoo, and festive activities for all ages!

Reserve Your Free Thanksgiving Meal. Early registrations will help prepare enough meals and activities for everyone attending.

Admission is free, and everyone is welcome.

Space and parking are limited, so advance registration is strongly recommended.

Thanksgiving 2026 Celebration | Serve the People

SEVA Collective: Thanksgiving Turkey Drive

Join SEVA Collective for a free food distribution- Thanksgiving Turkey Drive! SEVA Collective offers free drive through food pantry/distributions each month. Walkups are welcome and no pre-registration is required.

Thanksgiving Turkey Drive

Date: Saturday, November 21

Time: 9:30 - 11:30am

Location: Villa Fundamental School

Raymond A. Villa Fundamental Intermediate School, 1441 E Chestnut Ave, Santa Ana, CA 92701, USA

SEVA Collective Calendar

Science of Gingerbread & Gingerbread Wonderland

Discovery Cube OC & LA are bringing back Southern California's largest gingerbread competition! Bakers of all ages can submit creative gingerbread masterpieces November 21-29, with awards on December 4. Creations will be displayed at Discovery Cube Orange County December 5-January 3 and Discovery Cube Los Angeles December 5-January 10.

Enjoy even more holiday fun at Discovery Cube Orange County's Gingerbread Wonderland, featuring a holiday sing-along, Runaway Sleigh Theater, indoor toboggan slide, and Sugar Rush Arcade with festive games and challenges.

Location: Discovery Cube Orange County
2500 N. Main St., Santa Ana, CA 92705
Contact: 714-542-2823

Competition and display details coming soon!

Science of Gingerbread - Discovery Cube

KidWorks Annual Christmas Store

KidWorks collects over 1,500 gifts each year for its Annual Christmas Store, giving parents the opportunity to purchase affordable holiday gifts for their children. This cherished tradition empowers families to experience the joy, dignity, and pride of providing Christmas gifts for their loved ones. Proceeds support KidWorks' benevolence fund, helping families in need throughout the year.

Christmas Store - KidWorks

KidWorks Flyer

KidWorks Amazon Christmas Store

Catholic Charities of OC

Catholic Charities of OC continues to support members in our community with a variety of programs and services such as food distributions, citizenship and immigration services, health and wellness services, counseling, peer-to-peer support line, and a garden of hope. Catholic Charities of OC mission is to exist to serve God's people in need without regard to their religious affiliation.

Cantlay Food Distribution Center

Programs Flyer- Catholic Charities of OC

Edible Food Recovery

Edible food recovery is important to prevent edible food from going to waste and instead go to individuals and families to combat food insecurity. OC landfills states, "more than 30% of material that enters California landfills is considered organic material. Organic material includes edible food…" With a collective effort on educating and taking action, recovering edible food preserves valuable landfill space and serves back to our community.

View a list ofFood Recovery Organizations that service Orange County.

For more local options, please contact your City Recycling Coordinator.

City Recycling Coordinator

Oscar Gudino
[email protected]
20 Civic Center, Plaza M-21
Santa Ana, CA 92702

(714) 647-3328

Solid Waste and Recycling - City of Santa Ana

Edible Food Recovery | OC Waste & Recycling

City Recycling Coordinator List

Food Assistance: Santa Ana & OC

Santa Ana residents can access a variety of food support through community partners, upcoming food distributions events, senior meal programs, and countywide food resources all within the link below.

For a most up-to-date list of food pantries and distribution sites, visit the 2-1-1 Orange County Food Resource Search Portal by visiting 2-1-1 Orange County Search Portal. Providing real-time information on food pantries, walk-up distributions, drive-thru events, and emergency food services throughout Orange County.

If you need additional assistance, call 2-1-1 Orange County or visit 2-1-1 Orange County. for countywide food support.

Food Assistance

Meals on Wheels

Meals on Wheels mission is to nourish the wellness, purpose, and dignity of older adults and their families in our community. Offered throughout Orange County, Santa Ana Seniors and families can have confidence and trust that their loved ones will be taken care of by the various programs offered for Seniors by Meals on Wheels, such as Home Delivered Meal program, Adult Day Services and more!

Programs Offered:

Lunch Café - Meals on Wheels Orange County

Home Delivered Meals - Meals on Wheels Orange County

CHOICE - Meals on Wheels Orange County

Our Services - Meals on Wheels Orange County

Adult Day Services - Meals on Wheels Orange County

Friendly Visitors & Friendly Callers - Meals on Wheels Orange County

Meals on Wheels Orange County

Southwest Community Center X Community Action Partnership

The Southwest Community Center in collaboration with Community Action Partnership offers community members a variety of services such as support, youth, and food/resource distributions.

Support Services

• Medi-Cal and CalFresh Enrollment Support (by appointment)
• Financial Empowerment Workshops
• Information & Referral Services
• Free Tax Preparation for Qualifying Individuals (Feb-Apr)

Youth Services

• Youth (Ages 7-18) Empowerment Program
  • Mon & Wed: Afterschool - 5:00 PM
  • 3rd Friday of Every Month: Afterschool - 5:00 PM
  • "Friday Night Live" on Wednesdays
• Kids Café, Free Afterschool Meals (Mon & Wed 3:30 - 4 PM)
• "Be a Bookworm" Free Book Library

Food & Resource Distribution

• Free Hot Meal Served from Monday - Friday (Lunch Mon-Fri 12-1PM)
• Free Diaper Distribution (Mon & Wed 9-11 AM)
• TEFAP Food Distribution (Mon & Wed 9-11 AM)

https://www.capoc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SWCC-Flyer-2025-040126.pdf

SAUSD Food Distribution

Check the link for the updated November calendar soon.

FACE Food Resources

Free Resident Day at Santa Ana Zoo

Santa Ana residents, enjoy a wild day at the Santa Ana Zoo - for FREE!

When: Every third Sunday of the month
Where: Santa Ana Zoo, 1801 E. Chestnut Ave., Santa Ana

Free admission with proof of residency (driver's license or utility bill required).

Learn more: Santa Ana Resident Days

Bowers Museum free admission for residents

Offers free general admission to all Santa Ana residents on Sundays through a generous donation in memory of Dorothy Goerl and courtesy of the Lockhart Family. Santa Ana residents will need to provide proof of residency through an ID, driver's license or utility bill.

Learn more here

City Hall

Upcoming Holiday and Closed Friday schedule: (City Hall non-essential offices are closed on alternating Fridays throughout the year)

• November 6, 2026 (Closed Friday)
• November 11, 2026 (Veterans' Day)
• November 20, 2026 (Closed Friday)
• November 26, 2026 (Thanksgiving Day)
• November 27, 2026 (Friday following Thanksgiving Day)

The next City Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 17, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. (open session) at the Santa Ana Council Chamber, 22 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana. Official City meetings are open to the public and I encourage you to participate. Council agendas and minutes may be accessed here.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

The Santa Ana City Council and City leadership remain steadfast in their commitment to protecting the rights, safety, and dignity of every member of our community.

Ayuda Sin Fronteras (Help Without Borders)
The City Council approved an additional $150,000 in funding to provide financial assistance for residents impacted by recent immigration enforcement operations.

Call: (714) 565-2655
Learn more: https://santa-ana.gov/ayuda-sin-fronteras

Immigration Legal Defense Services
The City Council approved funding for deportation legal defense services through the Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef). Santa Ana residents in need of assistance can contact ImmDef directly.

Call: (213) 634-0999
Email: [email protected]
Learn more: https://immdef.org/

Know Your Rights

Food Assistance

Community Resources

ICE Detainee Locator

Find additional community resources here.

Request City Services Online & Important City Contacts You can request City services.

Important City Contacts:

• City Hall Main Line - (714) 647-5400
• Code Enforcement - (714) 667-2780
• Emergency Water Services - (714) 953-8026
• Graffiti Hotline - (877) 786-7824
• Homeless Services - (714) 242-3706 or report via the mySantaAna app.
• Public Works Dispatch (street sweeping, tree maintenance) - (714) 647-3380

Download the SantaAna app today

Stay connected with your city right from your smartphone. The mySantaAna app now supports English, Spanish and Vietnamese, making it easier than ever to report issues and request City services.

Download or update the app today to:

• Report street or park issues
  
• Request City services
  
• Stay informed about important City updates
  

Available on: App Store | Google Play

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The City of Santa Ana's Human Resources Department, Talent Acquisition Division, works with City departments to identify staffing needs and recruit talented individuals to serve our community.

We are looking for people who are results-oriented, creative, and passionate about public service.

Explore career opportunities: Career opportunities

Learn about our internship program: Internship program

Invite me

If you'd like to invite me to attend an event in your neighborhood or in connection with your organization, please feel free to make that request via email: [email protected]

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