Becerra, Alexis
From: Dale Helvig <
Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2026 10:48 AM
To: eComment; Amezcua, Valerie; Phan, Thai; Vazquez, Benjamin; Lopez, Jessie; Bacerra, Phil; Hernandez, Johnathan; Penaloza, David
Cc: Nunez, Alvaro; Carvalho, Sonia R.; Thai, Minh; Vazquez, Sylvia; Hall, Jennifer Subject: 2026- 07- 21 Letter to City Council - Item 10 Attachments: 2026- 07- 21 Letter to City Council - Item 10.pdf Attention: This email originated from outside of City of SantaAna. Use caution when opening attachmentsor links.
See attached document.
Dale Helvig
Resident, Santa Ana
1 Dale Helvig
Resident, Santa Ana CA 92706
July 21, 2026
Mayor Amezcua and Santa Ana City Councilmembers
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, 81' Floor
Santa Ana CA 92702
Subject: Items 10, Proposed City Response to Orange County Grand Jury Report Titled " California Housing Mandates: The Unintended Reshaping of Orange County Neighborhoods" The Orange County Grand Jury 2025- 2026 report, California State Housing Mandates states that, Since 2017, the California Legislature has enacted more than one hundred housing- related bills designed to establish clearer production expectations...". This statement alone says the state doesn' t have an answer to the housing issue. How do cities comply with state requirements when the more than hundred bills are presented to them?
The legislative changes have shifted the balance between state authority and local governance. Most parts of Satna Ana are already built out, leaving limited land available for new development. It is good to see Orange County Council of Governments ( OCCOG) taking proactive steps now to address the next RHNA cycle.
The report covers Penalties for Not Meeting Housing- Plan Construction Goals ( RNHA goals). but does not reward cities that exceed RHNA, THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. Until is addressed, Santa Ana should not approve any housing development that exceeds the housing requirements mandated by RHNA.
Respectfully,
Dale A Helvig
Resident, Santa Ana
cc: Alvaro Nunez, Minh Thai,
City Manager, Santa Ana Deputy City Manager, Santa Ana
Sonia Carvalho, Sylvia Vazquez,
City Attorney, Santa Ana Deputy City Manager, Santa Ana
2026- 07- 21 Letter to City Council- Item 10