Planning and Building Agency
www.santa-ana.org/pba
Item # 11
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Staff Report
August 5, 2025
TOPIC: Trash, Weeds, Rubbish, Sanitation Abatement, and Board-Up Services
AGENDA TITLE
Agreements with SLS Property Solutions, Inc., Real Estate Consulting & Services, Inc., Quality Sprayers, Inc., and Hunter Consulting, Inc. DBA HCI Environmental & Engineering Services for On-Call Trash, Weed, Rubbish, Sanitation Abatement, and Board-Up Services for the Planning and Building Agency (Specification No. 25-025) (Non-General Fund)
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Authorize the City Manager to execute agreements with SLS Property Solutions, Inc., Real Estate Consulting & Services, Inc., Quality Sprayers, Inc., and Hunter Consulting, Inc. DBA HCI Environmental & Engineering Services for citywide on-call trash, weeds, rubbish, sanitation abatement and board up services in an aggregate amount not to exceed $450,000 for a term beginning August 5, 2025 and expiring August 4, 2028, with provisions for two, one-year renewal options (Core Agreement No. A-2025-XXX).
GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: Yes
DISCUSSION
The Code Enforcement Division is the primary division within the City of Santa Ana responsible for resolving public nuisances related to abandoned properties, illegal occupancy, vacant land, and unsecured buildings on residential, commercial, and public right-of-way areas, following approval from the Executive Director of the Planning and Building Agency. Beyond these, the Division addresses weed abatement, sanitation, and rubbish removal on occupied properties through legal administrative means. Large- scale abatement efforts may need the use of specialized machinery, including track loaders, truck and semi-end dump trailer combinations, water trucks, high-reach forklifts, stake bed trucks, and backhoes, especially when biohazardous materials are involved.
Unmaintained properties—whether abandoned, substandard, or neglected—attract crime and vandalism, posing a significant threat to the health and safety of the surrounding community. These dangerous structures often become public nuisances, attracting graffiti, vermin, overgrown vegetation, dumping, encampments, and trespassing. Even abandoned swimming pools can become breeding grounds for
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insects and a serious drowning risk.
The Code Enforcement Division is responsible for investigating and resolving these hazardous conditions. This includes, but is not limited to, issues such as unsecured or open structures, vacant lots, unfenced parcels, overgrown vegetation, accumulated trash and debris, and unkempt swimming pools. As defined by California Health and Safety Code (Section 17920.3), these conditions create immediate dangers, severe blight, and threaten public life, health, property, and safety.
In addition to the California Health and Safety Code, the Santa Ana Municipal Code (SAMC) designates all dangerous buildings or portions thereof as public nuisances.
These nuisances must be corrected through repair, rehabilitation, demolition, or removal. When City inspections uncover such hazardous conditions, a formal notice is issued to the property owner, requiring them to remedy the issues promptly. If the owner fails to correct the hazardous conditions within the specified timeframe, the City may hire a contractor to perform the necessary abatement. This can include weed and sanitation clean-ups, boarding up structures, and other measures to secure the property. All costs associated with the abatement, along with administrative fees authorized by Santa Ana Municipal Code Chapter 17, are then billed to the property owner.
Cost Recovery and Legal Action
The City actively pursues reimbursement of all resulting abatement costs from the property owner. If these costs are not repaid in a timely manner, they are referred to the Orange County Tax Assessor to be recorded as a lien on the property. Furthermore, the City Attorney's Office may initiate criminal action against the property owner.
Consultant Selection
In some cases, the Code Enforcement Division hires qualified, experienced consultants for specific projects. Being on the City’s pre-approved list does not guarantee work.
Firms are selected based on their ability to perform the required work within specific timeframes and budget constraints. This streamlined approval process allows the City to quickly engage expert assistance, respond effectively to fluctuating demands, and ultimately provide better service to the City of Santa Ana.
Request for Proposals (RFP) No. 25-085 was issued on June 3, 2025 on the City’s online bid management and publication system. A summary of vendor participation and results is as follows:
1 Santa Ana vendor notified
22 Vendors downloaded the RFP packet
6 Proposals received
1 Proposal received from Santa Ana vendor
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Proposals were solicited, opened on June 17, 2025, and evaluated. Six proposals were submitted by the RFP deadline and four (4) were determined to be responsive to the specifications and met the City’s requirements. An evaluation committee reviewed and rated the proposals according to the criteria listed in the RFP. The proposal submitted by the vendor from Santa Ana was disqualified because it was incomplete and was not responsive to the RFP’s pricing requirements.
Staff recommends awarding the four (4) agreements with: SLS Property Solutions, Inc.; Real Estate Consulting & Services, Inc.; Quality Sprayers, Inc.; and Hunter Consulting, Inc. DBA HCI Environmental & Engineering Services, which provided complete and qualifying responses to the City’s RFP (Exhibits 1-4).
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
There is no environmental impact associated with this action.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding will be available in current FY 25-26 budget and funding for subsequent fiscal years will be included in the proposed budgets for the city Council Consideration. As noted in the Cost Recovery and Legal Action section, these costs are expected to be reimbursed by the property owner. Reimbursements will be deposited into Account 12116002-53507 (Planning’s Special Repair / Demolition – Emergency Repair Assessment).
Fiscal Year Accounting Unit-
Account #
Fund Description Accounting Unit, Account
Description
Amount
FY 25-26
August - June
12116540-62300 Non-General Fund Planning & Building,
Community Preservation,
Contract Services -
Professional
$100,000
FY 26-27 12116540-62300 Non-General Fund Planning & Building, Community Preservation,
Contract Services -
Professional
$100,000
FY 27-28 12116540-62300 Non-General Fund Planning & Building, Community Preservation,
Contract Services -
Professional
$100,000
FY 28-29 12116540-62300 Non-General Fund Planning & Building, Community Preservation,
Contract Services -
Professional
$75,000
FY 29-30 12116540-62300 Non-General Fund Planning & Building, Community Preservation,
Contract Services -
Professional
$70,000
FY 30-31
July - August
12116540-62300 Non-General Fund Planning & Building,
Community Preservation,
$5,000
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Fiscal Year Accounting Unit-
Account #
Fund Description Accounting Unit, Account
Description
Amount
Contract Services -
Professional
Grand Total $450,000
EXHIBIT(S)
1. Agreement - SLS Property Solutions, Inc.
2. Agreement - Real Estate Consulting & Services, Inc
3. Agreement - Quality Sprayers, Inc.
4. Agreement - Hunter Consulting, Inc. DBA HCI Environmental & Engineering Services Submitted By: Ali Pezeshkpour, AICP, Executive Director of Planning and Building Agency
Approved By: Alvaro Nuñez, City Manager