A $20 million consultant cost estimate to rebuild an equestrian center at the OC Fair and Event Center is drawing controversy and questions about a master plan for the future of the 150-acre property in the midst of Costa Mesa.
Author Archives: Norberto Santana Jr.
Norberto Santana, Jr. is an experienced investigative reporter, serving as founding publisher and editor-in-chief for Voice of OC, overseeing newsroom, engagement and fundraising operations.
He’s also an award-winning columnist, focusing his efforts on First Amendment issues and local government, being recognized multiple years by the Orange County Press Club as the region’s best columnist.
The LA Press Club has named him a Journalist of the Year (2018) and the Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists has recognized him as a “Distinguished Journalist.” The California Chicano News Media Association has honored him with a lifetime achievement award and the national News Leaders Association has recognized him for his commitment to diverse staffing and coverage.
Santana is a pioneer in the field of nonprofit news having served on the board of directors for the national trade group for nonprofit newsrooms, the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN). He also has served on boards of the national nonprofit advocating investigative journalism, Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) and the California First Amendment advocacy group, CalAware.
In addition to journalism, Santana also teaches public affairs and investigative journalism as an adjunct faculty professor at Chapman University.
Before founding Voice of OC in 2009, Santana was a lead investigative reporter for the Orange County Register, focusing on county government. He spent nearly two decades covering local governments across Southern California, previously as a staff writer at the San Diego Union Tribune and San Bernardino County Sun.
Santana began his journalistic career as an apprentice reporter with Congressional Quarterly in Washington, D.C. covering daily floor action in the U.S. Congress and followed that up with a stint covering the territorial Senate for the U.S. Virgin Islands Daily News.
Languages spoken: English and Spanish
Posted inOn OC
On OC: Does OC Need a Housing Bond?
Cesar Covarrubias, from Orange County’s Kennedy Commission, talks about the challenges of building affordable housing in Orange County.
Posted inNorberto Santana Jr.
Santana: Could OC Use a Regional Housing Agency?
With the OC Board of Supervisors incapable of leading a regional affordable housing solution, business and civic leaders are asking whether it’s time for a regional housing agency — to manage expected state, county and private resources and actually build needed affordable and permanent-supportive housing across Orange County?
Posted inOn OC
On OC: Yes In My Backyard on Housing
Elizabeth Hansburg, who started a chapter of the group, Yes In My Backyard (YIMBY), in Orange County, talks with On OC about her goal of getting elected officials to stand […]
Posted inNorberto Santana Jr.
Santana: OC Faces Stark Accountability Crisis
Local & Fed OC law enforcement agencies apparently target each over political investigations, prompting many to question who can be expected to regulate elected officials in Orange County. Meanwhile, south county mayors ignore the Orange County Board of Supervisors’ mandate on homelessness, insisting other cities continue to cover them on shelters. And with hundreds of millions being considered for affordable housing construction, voices are already calling for a new regional housing construction agency – independent of the Board of Supervisors.
Posted inHousing & Homelessness, On OC
On OC: How Anaheim Tackles Homelessness
Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait talks about how the City of Anaheim has approached homelessness, given the fact that most federal and state funds go to the County of Orange. The […]
Posted inNorberto Santana Jr.
Santana: Homelessness Showcases County Supervisors’ Weakness
As Orange County Supervisors have increasingly abandoned their regional responsibilities, they’ve largely been left with a one job they seem to hate: combating the effects of poverty.
Posted inOn OC
On OC: How to Build More Affordable Housing in California
On OC with Bill Witte, chairman and CEO of Related California, a real estate development company that focuses on all sorts of urban multi-family housing developments, including affordable housing and mixed income housing.
Posted inOn OC
On OC: Congressman Correa Updates D.C. Immigration Debate
On OC talks with Congressman Lou Correa, who represents Central Orange County in the 46th District, about the recent immigration debate in D.C. over DACA as well as the latest in OC civic news.
Posted inNorberto Santana Jr.
Santana: Part-Time County Supervisors
After publicly confronting their own inability to craft a regional solution to the local homelessness crisis last week, Orange County Supervisors should face some hard questions about their own political futures. Yet instead of the usual recall talk, Orange County should think big picture…as in Part Time County Supervisors.
