Why Did Santa Ana Officials Give Up a $7 Million Grant for Child Care?

['Hosam Elattar', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow', 'Class', 'Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus', 'Display Inline', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar', 'Where Img', 'Height Auto Max-Width', 'Vertical-Align Bottom .Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow .Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar', 'Vertical-Align Middle .Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar Is .Alignleft .Alignright'] Voice of OC 2025-09-22 20:00:00

As Irvine officials move to look at starting a child care program for residents, their counterparts in Santa Ana are increasingly facing questions on why city staff quietly returned a nearly $7 million state grant intended for the same purpose. “I would highly recommend Santa Ana Unified apply for this. It’s just not in our wheelhouse.”According to the census bureau, about 17% of kids under 18 in Santa Ana live in poverty. Child Care & Safety in Santa AnaKids play at Gerardo Park on Dec. 11, 2024, in Santa Ana. Her reasoning came after City Manager Alvaro Nuñez informed city council members of the decision in an August email – months after relinquishing the $7 million in May.