Meet Isuri

Isuri S. Ramos is the Chair of the Santa Ana Planning Commission and a long-time advocate for renters, affordable housing, and all who call Santa Ana home.

Born and raised in Santa Ana, she is the proud daughter of Mexican immigrants who first laid roots in the City on Minnie Street. 

Isuri’s passion for public service began at a young age, serving on the City’s Youth Commission when she was at Santa Ana High School and mentoring Santa Ana students when she was in college; which is why, after graduating from UC San Diego, she chose to continue her service in Santa Ana. 

Isuri began her career advocating alongside residents of Ward 6’s Lacy Neighborhood for better living conditions in existing apartment units, affordable rents, and park space for families in our neighborhoods. This work resulted directly in the creation of 93 affordable housing units in the Legacy Square project, the creation of Mariposa Park, and the Garfield Wellness Center. Her work alongside Santa Ana residents spans over a decade. 

Today, Isuri is the Executive Director of a local nonprofit that builds the leadership of young Latinos in Orange County, and has been at the forefront of fighting ICE since the start of the Trump Administration.

As a member of the Santa Ana Planning Commission for the last five years, Isuri has led with working families in mind. She has championed and delivered the development of affordable housing, supported good paying union jobs in city projects, and advanced environmental justice since 2021.

Isuri is bringing her experience to the City Council to continue fighting on behalf of everyday families who call Santa Ana home by making the city more affordable, transparent, and welcoming of economic development. As an experienced leader who has led fights for human rights, she is the council candidate we can trust to stand up for our rights and all of our community members, regardless of immigration status.

Isuri’s Track Record of Delivering for Santa Ana Families

As Vice Chair of the Youth Commission, Isuri has the foresight to lead a discussion on making Santa Ana a Sanctuary City to protect immigrant families. The city council would eventually adopt a Sanctuary Ordinance in 2017.

2009 - Sanctuary City

Isuri mentors youth as a Santa Ana Youth & Government Advisor and serves as a two-time volunteer Camp Counselor for the City’s summer Camp Catalina excursion for 9 - 14 year olds.

2014 - 2019: Mentoring Santa Ana Youth

Isuri works with the Santa Ana Parks and Recreation Department and residents in the Lacy Neighborhood to entirely re-design Mariposa Park to match the neighborhood vision and include a skating bowl.

2017 - Mariposa Park

Isuri mobilizes neighborhood residents, successfully pushing the developer to make the project 100% affordable with the lowest rents, and to increase the number of affordable 2-bedroom units and also including 3-bedroom units to the Legacy Square Project in Downtown Santa Ana.

2019 - Legacy Square Affordable Housing

Isuri organizes alongside señoras from Ward 6 and residents throughout the City to get rent control on the ballot in 2018. The effort falls short of necessary signatures, but community continued the fight. Rent Control was adopted by Council in 2021 and enshrined in the City Charter by the voters in 2024.

2018 - Rent Control Fight

Isuri is the Chair of the Community Development Commission and leads the Commission to prioritize organizations that provide tenant services for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding. As a result, a local legal services provider is awarded CDBG funding and expands their legal services for renters fighting unlawful evictions.

2019 - Legal Services for Renters

Isuri leads advocacy efforts for the creation of a Rental Assistance Fund by the City of Santa Ana that was accessible as possible. These efforts ensure quick COVID respone in Santa Ana, the only city in Orange County with a system in place to immediately help residents struggling to pay rent during the shutdown.

2019 - Rental Assistance Fund

At the Planning Commission, Isuri leads the creation of the strengthening City’s affordable housing funding ordinance, ensuring developers pay their fair share to build homes residents can actually afford in Santa Ana and that they are incentivized to include union labor.

2021 - Affordable Housing Funding

Through her role at Chispa, Isuri helps write the City’s Police Oversight Ordinance. Adopted unanimously by the Santa Ana City Council, the ordinance creates an independent system to hold problem officers accountable for misconduct and improve community trust.

2022 - Police Oversight Ordinance

As Planning Commission Chair, Isuri leads the effort to regulate smoke shops in residential neighborhoods after hearing of the issue directly from Delhi and Memorial Park residents at a neighborhood meeting. The ordinance is adopted by the City Council later in 2026.

2025 - Smoke Shop Ban