Floral Park Homeowner Guide: Santa Ana Historic District Rules and Permits

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Last updated November 13, 2026. Reviewed by the Cash Home Buyers CA team.

Floral Park is a historic district in the City of Santa Ana, and the city says improvements or alterations to a contributing property in a historic district must meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and require a Certificate of Appropriateness. This guide explains how that review works, who to call, how Santa Ana handles permits and rent rules, and what it all means when you sell a Floral Park house. Confirm details for your property with the city’s Historic Preservation staff.

Floral Park at a glance

Jurisdiction	City of Santa Ana (Orange County)
Historic review	Certificate of Appropriateness for contributing properties in a historic district or on the Santa Ana Register of Historic Properties
Standard applied	Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation
Who approves major work	Historic Resources Commission (major alterations, relocations or demolitions)
Contact	Planning Division, (714) 647-5804, HistoricPreservation@santa-ana.org
Rental rules	Santa Ana has its own local rent control ordinance

How the historic review works

Santa Ana’s Historic Preservation page says any improvements or alterations to a property on the Santa Ana Register of Historic Properties, as well as contributing properties located in a historic district, must meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and will require a Certificate of Appropriateness.

Major alterations, relocations or demolitions go to the Historic Resources Commission, which the City Council created by ordinance in August 1998. The city publishes Design Guidelines and Historic Application information that explain the process for new construction, repairs and alterations to a historic resource.

Find out whether the house is contributing. Ask Historic Preservation staff at (714) 647-5804 whether your property is a contributing structure in the district.
Read the Design Guidelines. They explain how the city judges repairs and alterations.
Get the Certificate of Appropriateness first. Work that needs one should be approved before the building permit.
Ask about timing. Major work that goes to the Historic Resources Commission takes longer than staff-level work.

What this means for repairs and remodels

In a historic district, exterior details are the point: windows, porches, siding, rooflines and original materials. A well-meant replacement of wood windows with vinyl, or an addition that does not follow the guidelines, can put a house out of compliance.

If a prior owner made changes without review, the next owner inherits the problem. Before you spend money to make a Floral Park house ready to sell, ask the city which repairs need approval and which do not, and weigh that against selling as-is.

Building permits and zoning

Santa Ana issues building permits through its Building and Safety function, and zoning is handled by the Planning Division. Because historic review comes first for contributing properties, a permit application on a Floral Park house should be coordinated with Historic Preservation.

Look for the permit history on any addition, garage conversion or rear unit, and check whether the work was permitted and approved at the time. Our statewide guide on selling as-is with unpermitted work explains how disclosure works.

ADUs in a historic district

California law requires cities to approve qualifying ADUs, but a historic district can add design review for exterior changes.

If you are thinking about a rear unit or a garage conversion on a Floral Park lot, ask Santa Ana’s Planning Division how the historic review and the ADU rules apply together, and whether the unit would be visible from the street.

If a unit already exists without a permit, ask what it would take to legalize it before you list.

Rentals and rent control

Santa Ana is one of a small number of California cities with its own local rent control ordinance, and many older Floral Park houses and duplexes are rentals. If a tenant lives in the home, the sale does not end the tenancy by itself. Read our tenant-occupied home sale guide before you list, and check the city’s rental requirements for your unit.

Selling in Floral Park

Floral Park is a small historic district where the buyer pool is narrower and more particular about original character. A restored house with approved work sells well to a financed buyer, while a house with deferred maintenance, unapproved alterations or a tenant is harder to sell the usual way.

California sellers generally must disclose known problems, including work known to have been done without a permit. A cash buyer can purchase the house as it is and price the review and repair risk. See also seller closing costs and the probate home sale guide.

How to sell a house in Floral Park

Ask Historic Preservation whether the house is a contributing property and whether any past work lacked approval.
Gather permits, plans and approvals for additions, windows and any rear unit.
If the house is rented, confirm the tenancy and the city’s rent rules.
Compare the cost of repairs and approvals with selling as-is.
Request a no-obligation cash offer, choose your closing date and close with no repairs or showings required.

More local pages: We Buy Houses in Floral Park, Santa Ana and the Orange County hub.

Own a Floral Park house with unapproved changes or a tenant? Sell as-is for cash.

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Frequently asked questions

Do I need approval to change a Floral Park house?

Santa Ana says improvements or alterations to a contributing property in a historic district require a Certificate of Appropriateness and must meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

Who approves major changes?

The Historic Resources Commission considers major alterations, relocations and demolitions.

Who do I call about historic review in Santa Ana?

The Planning Division at (714) 647-5804 or HistoricPreservation@santa-ana.org.

Does Santa Ana have rent control?

Yes. Santa Ana is one of a small number of California cities with its own local rent control ordinance, which affects rental properties in Floral Park.

Can I sell a Floral Park house that has unapproved changes?

Yes. You can disclose the changes and sell as-is, including to a cash buyer.

More guides

Sources

This guide is general information from public sources, not legal advice. Confirm current rules, fees and hours with the city.