Benjamin VazquezVoted no
5:01:47Said he would rather spend the money on parks, children and families, and wants each piece of equipment reviewed by the police oversight commission.
21July
2026
2026
Regular City Council Meeting · One key issue
Most of the evening turned on two questions: whether to accept the police department's annual report on its military equipment, and whether to fight a county plan to house people leaving jail in Santa Ana.
▶ Check this moment · 4:28:12
6.4 hours
25 agenda items
24 located in video
63% attributed to a named speaker
Brief
What happened
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
- 01
The equipment report was accepted five votes to two, after one councilmember moved to reject it outright and told the council his cousin had been killed by police in 2021.
▶5:06:53Explore this issue
Related agenda item 18Open agenda item →Santa Ana Police Department’s Annual Military Equipment Use Report for 2025-26
Member positions
Johnathan Ryan HernandezVoted no4:28:12Said the equipment has not made the city safer, and described his cousin being killed in 2021 by officers from another city using an armoured vehicle and a concussion grenade in Santa Ana.
Thai Viet PhanRaised concerns4:55:39Voted for the report but asked for detail the report leaves out, including when and where equipment was deployed during the immigration protests.
Valerie AmezcuaVoted yes4:35:39Made the substitute motion to accept the report, arguing the equipment is what lets officers end standoffs without shooting anyone.
Jessie LopezVoted yes4:53:54Framed her vote as simply receiving information state law requires, and thanked the chief for staying out of the federal surplus military equipment programme.
Phil BacerraVoted yes4:52:11Said the state-mandated report is a rare mandate worth having because it gives the community transparency about what the department holds.
- 02
On the reentry centre the council was unanimous in opposition, but split openly over whether to negotiate with the county or fight it.
▶5:38:08Explore this issue
Related agenda item 19Open agenda item →Direction Regarding the Proposed Orange County Coordinated Reentry Center at the Former Youth Guidance Center Site in Santa Ana
Member positions
Thai Viet PhanRaised concerns5:34:52Asked colleagues to lower the temperature and talk to the county supervisor, saying the letters suggested everyone was already on the same side.
Valerie AmezcuaSupported5:14:43Said Santa Ana already carries the county jail, a large shelter and the probation offices, and should not take this too.
Phil BacerraSupported5:25:01Said the county's promises of meaningful engagement have previously ended with facilities placed in Santa Ana anyway.
Johnathan Ryan HernandezSupported5:43:20Supported the opposition but argued the city does need reentry services, and that the real objection is being cut out of the decision.
David PenalozaSupported5:38:08Answered her directly that the city should raise the temperature, because in his experience the county only listens to Santa Ana when it fights.
- 03
Residents from Cornerstone Village and a university researcher said the city's zoning rewrite has not delivered the environmental protections promised to their neighbourhood in 2022.
▶3:28:14Explore this issue
Related agenda item 2Open agenda item →July 17-19, 2026 Councilmember Bacerra – 2026 Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) LEAD National Summit, Los Angeles, CA
No named councilmember contribution could be reliably linked to this item.
- 04
Four tenants, speaking through an interpreter, described rats, mould and broken plumbing in Ward 2 apartments and asked the city to start inspecting rental properties.
▶3:55:29Explore this issue
Related agenda item 2Open agenda item →July 17-19, 2026 Councilmember Bacerra – 2026 Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) LEAD National Summit, Los Angeles, CA
No named councilmember contribution could be reliably linked to this item.
- 05
The routine business of the night was approved together in a single vote, with four items pulled out for separate discussion.
▶4:04:22Explore this issue
Related agenda item 5Open agenda item →Excused Absences
What councilmembers said
Representative transcript excerpts—not inferred positions.
Phil BacerraCouncilmember4:06:32Thank you, Madam Mayor. And I want to thank the folks that came out tonight to speak about about the upcoming zoning code update. I wish they hadn't left because what I was gonna ask staff to do is actually give your presentation on this item. I know it was…
Valerie AmezcuaMayor4:02:53much I really appreciate it at this time we're going to the consent calendar items 5 through 18 are before us council members please announce any items that you'll be abstaining from due to conflict and if there are any requests to pull an item from the…
Alvaro NuñezCity Manager4:08:00Dr. Yes. Thank you, Council Member Becerra. We're going to have our director of planning and building do a pre-presentation. You said it correctly. One of the reasons why we're doing it this way, presenting as a receiving file or a formal presentation as a…
Jennifer L. HallCity Clerk4:04:22Motion by Mayor Meskwa, seconded by Councilmember Hernandez to approve consent calendar items number 5 through 18 with the exceptions of items 9, 11, 15, and 18 that have been pulled for separate discussion and consideration. consideration. Council Member…
- 06
The meeting opened with about two and a half hours of closed session and ceremonial awards before regular business began.
▶43:21
How this brief was made
The current summaries were prepared during an in-session review of the transcripts. This prototype shows only sentences with a timestamp citation. 0 uncited sentences were withheld from this page.
Focus
Where they differed
Splits in votes or reasoning
Two members voted against accepting the police department's military equipment report, and one of them had moved to reject it outright.
Said he would rather spend the money on parks, children and families, and wants each piece of equipment reviewed by the police oversight commission.
Said the equipment has not made the city safer, and described his cousin being killed in 2021 by officers from another city using an armoured vehicle and a concussion grenade in Santa Ana.
Voted for the report but asked for detail the report leaves out, including when and where equipment was deployed during the immigration protests.
Made the substitute motion to accept the report, arguing the equipment is what lets officers end standoffs without shooting anyone.
Framed her vote as simply receiving information state law requires, and thanked the chief for staying out of the federal surplus military equipment programme.
Said the state-mandated report is a rare mandate worth having because it gives the community transparency about what the department holds.
The council voted unanimously against the county's reentry centre, but divided openly over whether to negotiate with the county or fight it.
Asked colleagues to lower the temperature and talk to the county supervisor, saying the letters suggested everyone was already on the same side.
Said Santa Ana already carries the county jail, a large shelter and the probation offices, and should not take this too.
Said the county's promises of meaningful engagement have previously ended with facilities placed in Santa Ana anyway.
Supported the opposition but argued the city does need reentry services, and that the real objection is being cut out of the decision.
Answered her directly that the city should raise the temperature, because in his experience the county only listens to Santa Ana when it fights.
Public voice
Recurring resident concerns
Repeated themes only
This section omits one-off remarks. It appears only when several separate public-comment voice tracks return to the same topic, or repeated comments connect a councilmember with criticism or calls for accountability. It is not a representative survey of residents.
Housing5 recurring voice tracks
Several public comments returned to housing.
…the unit is in good condition and make an annual visit, because an tenant, yes or yes, without fail, has to pay their rent, if they are not thrown out on the street, regardless of whether they have children in between.
▶3:41:25…the city to be able to come in and check them before they are being rent as well as to check them yearly. And also the little girl, her name is Itzel. and she wanted to say that she's very proud of the community and she wants to make sure that…
▶3:43:08
Land use3 recurring voice tracks
Several public comments returned to land use.
…notably there are 77 environmental justice policies in the city's general plan update of 2022. It's a huge accomplishment, in part largely the result of community engagement and community input. Since 2022, the city has been, the communities…
▶3:21:52…and its neighborhood is active and solid in the vision of the zoning code. We are ready to make our comments and make it clear. Thank you very much.
▶3:26:55
How recurring concerns are selected
The prototype groups unidentified speech inside the general public-comment block by transcript voice track. A topic must recur across at least three tracks; criticism involving a named councilmember must recur across at least two. Voice tracks are an approximation and may include interpretation of another speaker, so excerpts remain linked to the recording.
Agenda
Every item
25 items in agenda order
Closed Session Items
Not located Closed-session conference with legal counsel
- The council met privately to discuss four lawsuits filed against the city, which the law allows it to do without the public present.43:21
Closed Session Items
▶43:29 Closed-session labor negotiations with city employee organizations
- The council met privately to discuss pay and conditions talks with two unions representing city employees.43:21
Ceremonial Presentations
▶2:27:15 Certificates of Recognition presented by Mayor Amezcua to Jaime Velasco of Mazapán de la Rosa for Outstanding Contributions to the…
- Mayor Amezcua presented a certificate of recognition to Jaime Velasco of the sweet maker Mazapán de la Rosa.2:27:19
Ceremonial Presentations
▶2:42:21 Certificates of Recognition presented by Councilmember Lopez to the student participants of the 2026 Lay's World Cup Soccer…
- Councilmember Lopez presented certificates to the student players in a youth soccer tournament.2:42:46
Ceremonial Presentations
▶2:50:56 Certificates of Recognition presented by Councilmember Phan to M&Ocean Youth Crossover Band from Taiwan for Outstanding…
- Councilmember Phan presented certificates to a visiting youth band from Taiwan.2:51:11
Ceremonial Presentations
▶3:07:55 Proclamation presented by Councilmember Hernandez to Deborah Burke and Tiesha Hutchins-Utai recognizing July 12, 2026, as 714 Unity…
- Councilmember Hernandez presented a proclamation recognising 12 July 2026 as 714 Unity Day, marking Black and Brown community ties in Orange County.3:08:12
Consent Calendar
▶4:02:53 Excused Absences
- A routine item excusing members who missed earlier meetings, approved with the consent calendar.4:04:22
Consent Calendar
▶4:02:59 Minutes from the Regular Meeting of July 7, 2026
- The council approved the written record of its 7 July 2026 meeting, as part of the consent calendar.4:04:22
Consent Calendar
▶4:02:59 Appoint Jacqueline Guzman Nominated by Councilmember Vazquez as the Ward 2 Representative to the Planning Commission for a Partial…
Consent Calendar
▶4:02:59 Appoint Member to the Workforce Development Board
- Alex Zamora was appointed to the Workforce Development Board as a labour representative, replacing Robert Ruiz for a four-year term.4:04:22
Consent Calendar
▶4:11:15 Comprehensive Zoning Code Update Public Communications and Engagement
- Councilmember Bacerra pulled this briefing off the consent calendar so that staff would present it out loud, saying the whole city should hear what outreach had been done on the zoning rewrite.4:06:32
- The planning director said the city had made roughly 800,000 contacts with residents about the rewrite, far beyond the single newspaper advertisement state law requires.4:11:15
- He said the draft code will for the first time set rules for where industrial land backs onto people's homes, the issue Cornerstone Village residents had raised earlier that evening.4:11:15
- Councilmember Lopez told residents in both Spanish and English that accepting the report does not approve the zoning code, and that more chances to comment are still coming.4:14:53
- The briefing was received and filed on a seven to nothing vote.4:16:53
Consent Calendar
▶4:02:59 Proposed City Response to Orange County Grand Jury Report Titled “California Housing Mandates: The Unintended Reshaping of Orange…
- The council approved the city's written reply to an Orange County Grand Jury report criticising how state housing mandates are reshaping local neighbourhoods.4:04:22
Consent Calendar
▶4:17:09 Status Report on the Identification and Historic Evaluation of Public Artworks by Emigdio Vasquez and Sergio O’Cadiz Moctezuma
- Mayor Pro Tem Penaloza asked why the report covered only two artists when the council had discussed protecting murals across the whole city.4:17:13
- The city manager said a citywide mural policy was adopted a month or two earlier and this report was the narrower piece of that work.4:18:13
- Penaloza also asked what happens to murals on private property, and staff said owners keep the right to object and to appeal any listing.4:20:53
- Councilmember Lopez asked that two works be handled first, the Chicano Gothic mural at Memorial Park and the concrete relief at City Hall.4:23:30
- The report was received and filed on a seven to nothing vote.4:25:24
Consent Calendar
▶4:02:59 Certification of Approval by City Engineer of the Final Tract Map No. 2025-01, County Tract Map No. 19337 at 2020 East First Street…
Consent Calendar
▶4:02:59 Agreement with PSI Water Technologies, Inc. for Sodium Hypochlorite Generation, Maintenance, and Equipment (Specification No.…
- The council approved an agreement with PSI Water Technologies to supply and maintain equipment that makes the chlorine used to treat the city's water, worth up to $2,500,000 over five years.4:04:22
Consent Calendar
▶4:04:54 Agreements with AESCO, Inc., Kleinfelder Inc., Koury Engineering & Testing, Inc., and Twining, Inc. for Construction Materials…
- The council approved on-call agreements with four firms to test construction materials and carry out special inspections on city projects, worth up to $4,000,000 over five years.4:04:22
- Councilmember Phan stepped aside from the part of this item involving Kleinfelder, a client of the law firm she works for.4:03:45
Consent Calendar
▶4:26:01 Approve Designated Subrecipient Agreement with California Department of Transportation to Receive RAISE Grant Funds for the Santa…
- This agreement lets the city draw down $25,000,000 in federal grant money for the Santa Ana Boulevard grade separation, a project to separate the road from the railway.4:26:04
- Councilmember Bacerra pulled the item to describe flying to Washington in 2024 to lobby federal transport officials for the money.4:26:04
- It was approved on a seven to nothing vote.4:27:26
Consent Calendar
▶4:02:59 Agreements with Independent Cities Risk Management Authority (ICRMA) and Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services, LLC…
Consent Calendar
▶4:02:59 Purchase Order to Convergint Technologies LLC for Milestone Camera Software License (Specification No. 26-081) (General Fund)
- The council approved a purchase order of up to $158,957 for five years of licensing on the software the police department uses to run its cameras.4:04:22
Consent Calendar
▶4:28:04 Santa Ana Police Department’s Annual Military Equipment Use Report for 2025-26
- Councilmember Hernandez moved to reject the police department's annual military equipment report outright.4:28:12
- He told the council that his cousin Brandon Lopez was killed in 2021 by Anaheim officers who came into Santa Ana with an armoured vehicle, a concussion grenade and tear gas, and that the city has since built the same capability itself.4:28:12
- He said the equipment was used in 36 incidents over the year, seven of them during civil unrest, and that the city is already facing a lawsuit over its use.4:33:19
- Mayor Amezcua made a substitute motion to accept the report and questioned the police chief and a SWAT commander at length about how the equipment is actually used.4:35:39
- The commander described an eleven-hour standoff on 17th Street where armoured vehicles, drones and robots let officers keep talking to a suspect instead of firing, ending in an arrest with nobody hurt.4:44:33
- Councilmember Vazquez said he would rather the money went to parks and families, and asked for every piece of equipment to be reviewed by the police oversight commission.5:01:47
- The report was accepted five votes to two, with Councilmembers Hernandez and Vazquez voting no.5:06:53
Business Calendar
▶5:07:07 Direction Regarding the Proposed Orange County Coordinated Reentry Center at the Former Youth Guidance Center Site in Santa Ana
- The council voted unanimously to formally oppose an Orange County plan to open a centre for people leaving jail at the former Youth Guidance Center on Hesperian Way.5:53:56
- Mayor Amezcua said the county has been working on the site since 2021 without ever consulting the city, which already hosts the county jail, a shelter of several hundred beds, and the probation and parole offices.5:14:43
- The city attorney said the project's environmental review does not appear to mention Santa Ana at all, and that she will examine whether that makes the document defective.5:33:00
- Councilmember Phan asked the council to lower the temperature and talk to the county supervisor, since the letters suggested everyone already agreed.5:34:52
- Mayor Pro Tem Penaloza disagreed with her directly, saying the county only responds when Santa Ana raises the temperature rather than lowering it.5:38:08
- Councilmember Hernandez, who once worked for the county as a reentry worker, said the city genuinely needs these services and his objection is to being excluded from the decision rather than to the programme itself.5:43:20
- The council directed the city manager to draft a resolution of opposition and the city attorney to look at legal options, on a seven to nothing vote.5:53:24
Council Comments Ab1234 Disclosure
▶5:54:42 July 14-16, 2026 Mayor Amezcua – National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) 43rd Annual Conference, Los…
- Mayor Amezcua reported attending a national conference of Latino elected officials in Los Angeles, saying the city paid her registration but she paid for her own hotel.6:14:46
Council Comments Ab1234 Disclosure
▶43:29 July 17-19, 2026 Councilmember Bacerra – 2026 Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) LEAD National Summit, Los Angeles, CA
- Councilmember Bacerra reported that the city paid his registration, but not his travel or lodging, for an Asian American and Pacific Islander leadership summit in Los Angeles.6:11:07
Council Comments Ab1234 Disclosure
▶5:54:42 July 14-16, 2026 Councilmember Hernandez – NALEO 43 rd Annual Conference, Los Angeles, CA
- Listed as a travel disclosure for a national conference of Latino elected officials, though no spoken report was given during the meeting.5:55:50
Council Comments Ab1234 Disclosure
▶5:54:42 July 8-11, 2026 Councilmember Lopez – 2026 Local Progress Impact Lab National Convening, Baltimore, MD
- Councilmember Lopez reported on a policy convening in Baltimore, focusing on a violence prevention programme there that cut homicides among young people by 42 percent.5:59:25
- Mayor Pro Tem Penaloza later questioned whether the city should be paying for travel to politically active organisations, noting this one is structured as a group that can endorse candidates rather than as a charity.6:11:58
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