{"id":15842,"date":"2025-10-21T13:11:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T13:11:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/15842\/"},"modified":"2025-10-21T13:11:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T13:11:10","slug":"controversial-streetcar-forever-changes-the-face-of-downtown-santa-ana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/15842\/","title":{"rendered":"Controversial Streetcar Forever Changes the Face of Downtown Santa Ana"},"content":{"rendered":"

Orange County leaders are celebrating as they\u2019re about to open a long overdue street car railway in Santa Ana \u2013 but many of the business owners who live and work right next to it say the project wrecked their businesses and disrupted their lives.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cTo all the politicians who approved this, truthfully, with all respect, I hope you do not get offended; this is the stupidest thing that could have been done,\u201d said Minerva Alvarez, who\u2019s owned a dress shop for over 32 years in downtown Santa Ana. \u201cIt has brought the worst for us, a lot of my friends have had to close their businesses down.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Minerva Alvarez has been in business in downtown Santa Ana over three decades. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC<\/p>\n

A county grand jury also took a look at the issue earlier this year and questioned why it took over a decade to build a rail line that stretches just over four miles at a cost of over $156 million per mile, with no clear answer on who will be riding on it.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

[Read: How Did the Santa Ana Streetcar Construction End up Costing Over $150 Million Per Mile?<\/a>]<\/p>\n

\u201cDespite (Orange County Transportation Authority)\u2019s oft-repeated statement that \u2018this is what Santa Ana wanted,\u2019 the Grand Jury is uncertain that Santa Ana would have been as eager to proceed with this project had the city known there would be this level of construction delays, continuing cost overruns, monetary damages to local businesses, and an unknown completion date,\u201d jurors wrote.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Leaders at the county transportation agency have continued to defend the project for over a decade, arguing it was what the people wanted in statements and interviews including county Supervisor Doug Chaffee, the current chair of the agency\u2019s board.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe businesses wanted the route where it is,\u201d Chaffee said in a Friday interview. \u201cThis was where people seemed to want it, particularly the businesses.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Supervisor Doug Chaffee at the OCTA Board of Directors meeting on April 8, 2024. Credit: ERIKA TAYLOR, Voice of OC<\/p>\n

But the people who own businesses next door paint a much different picture.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Businesses Close Amid Construction and Pandemic\u00a0<\/p>\n

While conversations about a rail car running down Fourth Street started in 2004, construction crews didn\u2019t break ground until 2018.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Construction quickly ran into problems, including the 2020 pandemic closures, a lawsuit between the lead contractor and the county, inaccurate utility survey maps and the discovery of an unknown Native American burial ground on the construction site.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The first piece of actual track wasn\u2019t laid down until the final days of 2020, when the agency staff claimed it would be up and running by 2022.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Orange County Streetcar construction site at Fourth Street in downtown Santa Ana on March 30, 2022. Credit: OMAR SANCHEZ, Voice of OC <\/p>\n

Now, the rail line isn\u2019t set to open until spring 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Many of the business owners who are still there say the construction has been one of the hardest periods of their lives.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Carlos Rodriguez, who\u2019s run his own computer business in downtown Santa Ana since 2003, said the individual merchants never heard from OCTA about the closures and that the streetcar has cut down the amount of parking available near his shop while complicating traffic.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what to expect now, because the streetcar is taking too long, and customers are going everywhere but here,\u201d Rodriguez said in a September interview. \u201cWe were closed for months during the construction, then we would open and no one would come.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Printed out signs are visible across multiple different storefronts in downtown Santa Ana. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC<\/p>\n

Some businesses didn\u2019t survive to see the rail line open.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Maria Perez saved up for years to open her own store in downtown Santa Ana, but was ultimately forced to close in 2023 due to the construction and pandemic closures.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Perez now operates a smaller version of her juice-and-bagel shop at another restaurant in downtown Santa Ana.<\/p>\n

[Read: Battling to Survive Santa Ana\u2019s Street Car<\/a>]<\/p>\n

\u201cThey didn\u2019t contemplate the economical disaster that it created to the businesses of Fourth Street and in these moments we are an economic disaster provoked by the construction of the train,\u201d Perez said at the Santa Ana City Council\u2019s April 18, 2023 meeting.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Promise of a Bright Future Questioned\u00a0<\/p>\n

In May, county transit leaders celebrated the arrival of the rail line\u2019s first rail car, hosting a public exhibition of the vehicle that can hold over 200 people and hailing it as the next big thing in Orange County.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Chaffee praised the rail line, noting that while the construction was a painful process it now would hopefully turn around and invited people to take a ride on it when it opens.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cTime may tell it is worth it. Who knows. We\u2019re excited about actually getting it going after all we\u2019ve been through,\u201d Chaffee said. \u201cWe think in time it will be appreciated.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

County Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento, a former Santa Ana mayor who voted against the project when he was on city council, declined an interview but issued a short statement on Friday acknowledging the hardship businesses faced and highlighting the path ahead.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento at the OCTA Board of Directors meeting on April 8, 2024. Credit: ERIKA TAYLOR, Voice of OC<\/p>\n

\u201cNow that the system is complete in the area, we must do the additional work to ensure it operates as a true public system connected to other transportation options, that it benefits the businesses along the route, and that it operates to serve the needs of residents in the area,\u201d Sarmiento wrote.\u00a0<\/p>\n

OCTA staff also claimed the project was called for by Santa Ana.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 2014, the Santa Ana City Council unanimously adopted the Locally Preferred Alternative, including route, station locations, and vehicle type, after a transparent process with extensive public input,\u201d wrote agency spokesperson Eric Carpenter in a Friday statement.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But the project was not approved unanimously, with four out of seven council members approving it in Aug. 2014, while the other three members were absent.<\/p>\n

Then Mayor Miguel Pulido and Councilmembers Angelica Amezcua, P. David Benavides and Michele Martinez were present and voted for the project, while then-Councilmembers Roman Reyna, Vicente Sarmiento and Sal Tinajero were absent.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Some residents, business owners and union leaders praised the proposal while some residents had concerns it could erase the history of downtown.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to continue the latino influence downtown. We don\u2019t want to be lost,\u201d said Sam Romero, a longtime local activist<\/a> known for speaking out for small businesses, at that meeting. \u201cA lot of us are concerned we may be losing that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

A city staff report from that meeting noted just 30 people reached out to the city before that to talk about the project publicly while they were looking for input on the route.<\/p>\n

Shelsye Alvarez, owner of the Perfect Day shop and Minerva\u2019s daughter, grew up on Fourth Street and said the construction has hollowed out what was once a vibrant community.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI was in the womb when she started here,\u201d Shelsye said in an interview last month. \u201cIt was great, the culture, it was super lively. And that\u2019s what we hope this area comes back to be.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Shelsye Alvarez, owner of the Perfect Day shop in downtown Santa Ana on Sept. 30, 2025. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC<\/p>\n

She also pointed out how most of the foot traffic they once had now never comes through, and that even their long-time customers weren\u2019t sure they\u2019d survive.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had to make sure to tell our clientele, \u2018hey, we are here. We\u2019re not leaving, we\u2019re not closing. Please trust us and come in\u2019 and you know,\u201d Shelsye said. \u201cWe haven\u2019t seen anything that was promised from this project. There has been no proof. Nothing that we were promised is visible today. So I think it was a waste of money.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Transportation Leaders Ignore Recommended Improvements<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also unclear if any future transportation projects will go any smoother for impacted businesses.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Grand jurors recommended a series of changes for potential future projects, including a broader outreach campaign and possibly setting up a fund to support businesses who were impacted by street closures.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But transportation authority CEO Darrell Johnson brushed off their concerns in the agency\u2019s response to the grand jury\u2019s report, arguing that they did a lot to support local businesses, including radio and newspaper advertising along with a program dubbed Eat, Shop, Play.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cOCTA proactively launched and sustained multiple initiatives to assist affected businesses,\u201d Johnson wrote. \u201cThese efforts reflect OCTA\u2019s ongoing commitment to supporting local businesses and maintaining open communication with the community throughout construction.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The agency\u2019s response also dubbed the proposal of a fund for businesses as \u201cunreasonable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"A OC Streetcar station faces the iconic Spurgeon clock tower along Fourth St. in downtown Santa Ana on Nov. 16, 2024. Credit: QUINCI CARTMELL, Voice of OC<\/p>\n

\u201cDirect financial assistance to individual businesses is restricted under both federal and state law,\u201d Johnson wrote. \u201cIn light of those findings, the Board of Directors directed staff to continue pursuing non-financial mitigation strategies, including support for marketing and promotional activities\u2026this recommendation cannot be implemented.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

But grand jurors highlighted how the Los Angeles Metro Transit Authority offered their own fund for businesses<\/a> who were impacted during construction of projects like the Crenshaw\/LAX Transit Project, annually handing out over $10 million to businesses impacted by construction.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Chaffee said he was unaware of how LA was able to fund that program, but said that it wasn\u2019t a possibility in Orange County.\u00a0<\/p>\n

When asked if he had any statement for businesses that closed due to the construction, he said \u201cI don\u2019t think any of them were required to shut down.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was maybe more of their concern they weren\u2019t getting business because of a lack of access,\u201d Chaffee said. \u201cI\u2019m not sure who are gone. Some may have closed and are reopening. I\u2019m not a Santa Ana resident\u2026I don\u2019t know whose come and gone but I think it\u2019s unfortunate.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cEach would have a particular circumstance. I\u2019d rather address each circumstance separately so as to understand,\u201d he continued. \u201cI don\u2019t know whether they went into retirement or relocated. I don\u2019t have that information.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mimi Mar, who\u2019s owned and operated a Pizza Press in downtown Santa Ana for over seven years, invested over half a million dollars in her business and said the rail car construction has \u201cinflicted extreme financial turmoil,\u201d in a statement earlier this month.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile acknowledging the financial assistance provided by the City and County, it is unequivocally stated that these funds were woefully inadequate,\u201d she wrote. \u201cThe aid, though appreciated, was a temporary band-aid on a gaping wound, failing to address the systemic financial hemorrhage caused by the Streetcar project.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"\u201cIt\u2019s like a war happening without arms.\u201d Javier Meneses of Latino American Services in downtown Santa Ana said that the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) did not ask for the input of small business owners regarding the OC Streetcar project before beginning construction. March 30, 2022. Credit: OMAR SANCHEZ, Voice of OC<\/p>\n

She also noted that not one entrepreneurs she spoke with supported the project, and asked the leaders who approved the project one question.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHow could a project of such immense scale and potential for disruption be consciously approved without a thorough and empathetic consideration of its profound effect on the very livelihoods of the business owners it claimed to serve?\u201d Mar wrote.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe lack of foresight and empathy has not only crippled businesses but has also eroded the trust between the local government, transportation authorities, and the vital small business community that forms the backbone of downtown Santa Ana.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Noah Biesiada is a Voice of OC reporter. Contact him at nbiesiada@voiceofoc.org. <\/p>\n

\n\tRelated<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Orange County leaders are celebrating as they\u2019re about to open a long overdue street car railway in Santa…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15843,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[163,165,164,6703,13768,13769,13770,13771,7895,13772,13773,2267],"class_list":["post-15842","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-anaheim","tag-anaheim","tag-anaheim-headlines","tag-anaheim-news","tag-county-government","tag-doug-chaffee","tag-miguel-pulido","tag-oc-streetcar","tag-oc-transportation-authority","tag-santa-ana-city-council","tag-santa-ana-streetcar","tag-streetcar","tag-voice-of-oc"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15842","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15842"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15842\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15843"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15842"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15842"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15842"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}