Central OC: $2.9 Billion Related Bristol Development Prepares for 2026 Groundbreaking
Related Bristol moves toward groundbreaking on South Bristol Street: $2.9B project bringing 3,750 apartments, 350k sq ft retail, hotel to replace Metro Town Square shopping center.
Market Intel
📏 Price/SqFt: $652 (Costa Mesa: $802 | Santa Ana: $557)
⏱️ Days on Market: 55 days (slightly slower than last year)
📦 Active Listings: 3,300 homes (↑238 vs last week)
💰 List-to-Sale Ratio: 98.5% (buyers have slight leverage)
What This Means: Central OC remains a seller's market at roughly 2.6–3 months of supply, though conditions are softening compared to a year ago. The most active price band is $1M–$1.5M, which accounts for about 30% of buyer demand countywide. Inventory has climbed steadily from roughly 2,200 homes at the start of the year, giving buyers more options heading into the spring season—but supply still sits well below pre-COVID norms.
Top Stories
[Santa Ana] $2.9 Billion Related Bristol Project Targets 2026 Groundbreaking Near South Coast Plaza
The Santa Ana City Council's unanimous October 2024 approval of the Related Bristol specific plan has moved the project into active pre-construction financing, with groundbreaking on phase one now expected to begin this year along South Bristol Street between Sunflower Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard. The 41-acre redevelopment of the Metro Town Square shopping center will deliver 3,750 apartments, 200 senior living units, a 250-room hotel, and 350,000 square feet of retail across three phases through 2036, making it the largest private investment in Santa Ana's history. The project includes 13 acres of publicly accessible open space, a police substation with 24/7 security coverage, $22 million in community benefit payments, and approximately $18 million in affordable housing in-lieu fees, with Related California projecting $500 million in net new city revenue over 30 years and up to 5,529 permanent jobs upon full buildout.
The development sits immediately adjacent to South Coast Metro, one of Orange County's most established live-work-shop districts, and represents a significant long-term shift in housing density and commercial activity in south Santa Ana.
[Costa Mesa] City Council to Vote February 24 on Mixed-Use Rezoning That Could Reshape Major Corridors
The Costa Mesa Planning Commission voted 6-1 on February 9 to recommend a mixed-use overlay district to the City Council as part of the city's 6th Cycle Housing Element compliance, with a final council decision expected at the February 24 meeting. The proposed zoning amendment would require a minimum density of 20 units per acre and at least 50 percent residential use in any new mixed-use project along major commercial corridors, with buildings permitted up to four stories. Notably, the Planning Commission carved out an exemption for Segerstrom-owned properties, including South Coast Plaza, after the company's attorneys submitted removal requests on January 30 and February 7. The rezoning is classified as statutorily exempt from environmental review under SB 131, meaning the path to adoption is legally streamlined.
[Orange] Orange Unified Commits $50 Million to Campus Safety and Modernization Following Student Walkouts
In response to recent student walkouts, Orange Unified School District leadership reaffirmed a $50 million commitment to campus safety upgrades, school modernization, and facilities improvements across the district, while emphasizing that no school closure decisions have been finalized. The district's Resource Optimization Coalition, known internally as ROCK, is a committee-driven initiative using enrollment and fiscal data to align spending with instructional quality and long-term campus viability. Superintendent messaging focused on transparency and community inclusion as the district works toward a new strategic plan, with student well-being and staff retention identified as core priorities alongside physical facility upgrades.
What's Developing
[Fountain Valley] City Secures $11 Million in Federal Infrastructure Investment
Fountain Valley announced on February 9 that Representative Tran secured $11 million in federal infrastructure and public safety funding for the city, coinciding with the February 12 launch of a Strategic Planning Community Engagement initiative designed to align municipal priorities with resident feedback. The city is also monitoring the Parkside FV development at 8550 Warner Avenue, which remains under planning review as a commercial project along a major retail and industrial corridor. The convergence of federal investment, community planning, and active development review signals a period of meaningful infrastructure activity in Fountain Valley heading into the spring.
[Tustin] KB Home Delivers First Occupancies at Tustin Legacy While New Projects Queue Up
Homeowners began occupying finalized units at the KB Home condominium project at 14042 Newport Avenue in Tustin Legacy in late 2025 and early 2026, marking active delivery within the master-planned community as additional projects move through the pipeline. The city is also reviewing plans for Bonita Townhomes, a four-unit three-story residential development, alongside the 2441 Michelle project, which proposes a 180,813-square-foot industrial facility. The Planning Commission is scheduled to review ongoing land-use applications on February 24, keeping Tustin Legacy's development pipeline active across both residential and industrial uses.
[Orange] CDBG Committee Reviews Federal Community Development Allocations
Orange's Community Development Block Grant Program Committee met February 12 to review federal funding allocations for community projects including low-income housing assistance and community facility maintenance, with the Audit Advisory Committee meeting simultaneously to ensure municipal financial compliance. The Design Review Committee is scheduled to convene February 18 to evaluate new project aesthetics in the city's historic districts. These overlapping review sessions reflect active municipal management of both federal resources and architectural standards in one of Orange County's most historically distinct cities.
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[Villa Park] Public Comment Open for Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
Villa Park has opened a public comment period for its Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, the key policy document that determines the city's eligibility for state and federal disaster relief funding following fire or seismic events. Residents can submit comments via email to the City Engineer, with the plan addressing long-term wildfire and earthquake risk management across the city's primarily residential, estate-lot landscape. Maintaining an updated hazard mitigation plan is increasingly relevant to homeowners navigating fire insurance availability and premium pricing throughout Orange County's hillside communities.
Neighborhood Pulse
[Costa Mesa] Westside Corridor Watches for Density Decisions Ahead of February 24 Vote
Westside Costa Mesa residents are closely monitoring the Planning Commission's recommended mixed-use overlay for Harbor Boulevard, which could introduce multi-story residential development along one of the city's most established commercial corridors. The February 24 City Council meeting will determine whether the overlay advances, making this one of the most consequential local zoning decisions of the year for buyers and sellers with holdings or interest along the westside.
[Santa Ana] Floral Park Residents Track Privacy Implications of Approved Drone Program
Residents in Santa Ana's historic Floral Park neighborhood are actively monitoring the implementation of the city's recently approved police drone program, which passed 4-3 on February 3 and authorizes Skydio X10 docked drones for rapid emergency response. The narrow vote reflects ongoing community debate about surveillance technology in established residential areas, with particular attention from Floral Park homeowners whose historic district values are closely tied to neighborhood character and perceived quality of life.
[Westminster] Tet Parade Returns to Little Saigon Today — 250,000 Expected to Watch
Westminster's annual Tet Parade returns today, February 21, along Bolsa Avenue between Magnolia Street and Bushard Street, with the 9:30 AM procession celebrating Lunar New Year and the Year of the Snake within the largest Vietnamese diaspora community outside of Vietnam. More than 15,000 people are expected along the parade route, with over 250,000 additional viewers watching via local television and digital broadcast. The event reinforces Little Saigon's standing as one of Orange County's most culturally distinct and economically active neighborhoods, and consistently generates strong community visibility and foot traffic for businesses along the Bolsa Avenue corridor.
[Newport-Mesa] District Launches AI Education Series for Parents Alongside Summer Program Dates
Newport-Mesa Unified School District announced 2026 Elementary Summer Program dates on February 13 and is hosting an AI Parentology Series on February 26 to help families understand how artificial intelligence tools are being integrated into classroom instruction. The sessions are designed to provide parents with practical knowledge about the district's educational technology direction, a topic that increasingly factors into school quality conversations among families evaluating homes in the Newport and Costa Mesa attendance zones.
Client Conversation Starters
When your client asks whether it's a good time to buy near South Bristol Street in Santa Ana...
The Related Bristol project is expected to break ground along South Bristol Street this year following its unanimous city council approval. The 41-acre development will bring 3,750 apartments, significant new retail, a hotel, and 13 acres of public open space to a site that is currently a largely vacant 1970s shopping center adjacent to South Coast Plaza. The buildout runs through 2036 across three phases, which means near-term buyers are purchasing ahead of a decade-long transformation of that corridor. Depending on location and price point, that carries both upside and near-term construction context worth having an honest conversation about.
When your client asks about what's happening with housing density in Costa Mesa...
The Costa Mesa Planning Commission recommended on February 9 that the City Council approve a mixed-use overlay that would allow up to four-story buildings with at least 50 percent residential use along major commercial corridors including Harbor Boulevard. The City Council votes on this February 24. If it passes, developers will be able to build at significantly higher densities than current zoning allows on properties that were previously commercial-only. South Coast Plaza and Segerstrom properties were specifically exempted. For buyers considering the westside or properties near major corridors, this rezoning could meaningfully change the density and character of adjacent blocks within the next several years.
When your client asks about schools in Orange and whether the district is stable...
Orange Unified recently reaffirmed a $50 million commitment to campus safety upgrades, school modernization, and facilities improvements across the district following student walkouts earlier this year. The district has emphasized that no school closures have been decided, and its Resource Optimization Coalition is working from enrollment and fiscal data rather than making immediate cuts. The message from district leadership is that the priority is transparency, facility investment, and retaining staff. For buyers with school-age children, this is a district that is actively investing rather than contracting, which matters for long-term attendance zone stability.
Ready-to-Post
3,750 apartments are breaking ground in Santa Ana this year. The $2.9 billion Related Bristol project — the largest private investment in the city's history — replaces an aging shopping center next to South Coast Plaza with housing, retail, a hotel, and 13 acres of parks. Phase one starts in 2026. If you have clients asking about the South Bristol corridor, this is the conversation to have right now.
Costa Mesa votes February 24 on zoning that would allow 4-story mixed-use buildings along Harbor Boulevard and other major corridors. The Planning Commission passed it 6-1 earlier this month. South Coast Plaza was specifically exempted. This is the kind of zoning decision that reshapes neighborhoods over the next decade. Worth knowing before your next buyer consultation in Costa Mesa.
Orange Unified is spending $50 million on school safety upgrades and campus modernization. No closures finalized. The district is investing, not contracting. For buyers with kids evaluating homes in the Orange attendance zones, this is the update that answers the question before it gets asked.
Fountain Valley just secured $11 million in federal funding for infrastructure and public safety. The city also launched a community engagement process to shape its next strategic plan, and it has active development review along the Warner Avenue corridor. For buyers who want a city that's investing in its own future — Fountain Valley is showing its work.
