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The Police Department has repeatedly responded to calls in the last few years at the two motels and a <br /> restaurant in the same one-block stretch of First Street east of Grand Avenue, city staffers say in a report to <br /> the City Council. <br /> The motels, the Royal Roman Motel and the Royal Grand Inn, are across the street from each other and the <br /> restaurant space, which officials identified as Mariscos El Tapatio y Antojitos, according to city records, is <br /> next to one of the motels. <br /> "Over the past three years, these properties have been the source of a staggering number of calls for service <br /> by the Santa Ana Police Department. Since 2022, there have been 765 calls for service at the Royal Roman <br /> Motel, 584 calls for service at the Royal Grand Motel, and 92 calls for service at El Tapatio," the staff report <br /> said. "Many of the calls for service involve the investigation and enforcement of narcotics violations that <br /> have taxed police resources." <br /> Owners the city listed for the properties and businesses could either not be located or reached for <br /> comment. <br /> Santa Ana Councilmember David Penaloza said the "blight" on First Street has existed and impacted <br /> residents for years, with complaints of open drug use, prostitution, vandalism and battery. <br /> "We've accumulated hard evidence we can now present to a court and say, 'Help us here,"' Penaloza said, <br /> alleging the property owners have been absentee landlords. "The only way that we could eventually get <br /> them to address the nuisance that their properties bring is by going this route with the court." <br /> While opening new parks, expanding libraries and installing new bus benches should excite residents, <br /> Penaloza said he often hears frustration instead. <br /> "I've heard it in every language. Why are you opening a new park? Look at how First Street looks. We just <br /> want the mess on First Street cleaned up," he said. "So we're going full steam ahead, hoping to get it done." <br /> To "preserve public safety," the city attorney's office wants to seek the authority to potentially get a <br /> temporary restraining order, a closure order for up to one year, civil penalties up to $25,000 per defendant <br /> and the appointment of a receiver to take control of the properties and possibly sell the properties to <br /> responsible owners. <br /> 2 <br />