CITY ATTORNEY
Sonia R. Carvalho
CITY MANAGER
Alvaro Nuñez
CITY CLERK
Jennifer L. Hall
20 CIVIC CENTER PLAZA - P.O. BOX 1988, M31 - SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92702 TELEPHONE (714) 647-6900 - FAX (714) 647-6954 - www.santa-ana.org June 23, 2026
Orange County Board of Supervisors
400 W. Civic Center Drive
Santa Ana, CA 92701
RE: Opposition to Coordinated Reentry Center Proposed for Santa Ana Honorable Chair and Members of the Board:
I write to express my strong opposition to the County of Orange's proposal to develop a Coordinated Reentry Center at the former Youth Guidance Center site in Santa Ana.
As a Santa Ana City Councilmember, I have heard directly from residents, neighborhood leaders, business owners, and community stakeholders who are deeply concerned about the County's continued effort to advance this project despite no recognizable outreach by the County and despite significant local opposition. Their concerns deserve to be heard and respected.
Let me be clear: this opposition is not rooted in a lack of compassion for individuals seeking to successfully reenter society. Reentry services are an important component of rehabilitation, public safety, and long-term community stability. Rather, the issue before us is whether this is an appropriate location given its proximity to residents and whether Santa Ana should once again be asked to be the location of yet another countywide facility while other communities are not being asked to share in that responsibility.
Santa Ana has served as Orange County's seat of government since our County’s incorporation and has continuously hosted its civic center since William Spurgeon donated land to the County for that purpose. Our community is already the location for a significant concentration of county facilities, social services, behavioral health programs, correctional infrastructure, and homeless services that serve residents from throughout the region. In addition, our City invests tens of millions of dollars annually of our City funds to address homelessness, public safety concerns, housing instability, and quality-of-life issues that affect not only our residents, but Orange County as a whole.
Our residents are proud of Santa Ana's tradition of service and leadership. However, leadership should not be confused with an expectation that our community must continue to shoulder a disproportionate share of the County's most impactful facilities and programs.
EXHIBIT 3
Opposition to Proposed Coordinated Reentry Center at the Former Youth Guidance Center Site in Santa Ana
The concerns raised by residents extend beyond the proposed use itself. Many have expressed frustration with a process they believe has lacked meaningful community engagement and a transparent and serious evaluation of alternative locations. Before committing additional public resources to this project, the County should undertake a countywide search for and evaluation of alternative sites and conduct robust outreach with all affected communities.
I urge the Board of Supervisors to not move forward with the proposed Coordinated Reentry Center at the former Youth Guidance Center site in Santa Ana and work collaboratively with local stakeholders to identify a more appropriate location elsewhere in Orange County.
Our residents deserve a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their neighborhoods and their quality of life. They also deserve to know that regional responsibilities are being shared throughout Orange County rather than concentrated in a single community.
Thank you for your consideration of this important matter.
Sincerely,
Phil Bacerra
Councilmember – Ward 4
EXHIBIT 3