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PUBLICLAW CENTER <br />_ P <br />PROVIDING ACCESS TO JUSTICE <br />FOR ORANGE COUNTY'S LOW INCOME RESIDENTS <br />December 4, 2018 <br />VIA PERSONAL DELIVERY <br />Mayor Pulido and Members of the Santa Ana City Council <br />City of Santa Ana <br />20 Civic Center Plaza <br />P.O. Bo 1988, M31 <br />Santa Ana, CA 92701 <br />RE: 8513: Support - Just Cause Eviction Ordinance <br />Dear Mayor Pulido and Honorable Members of the Santa Ana City Council: <br />We write to submit a letter of support for the following item Santa Ana City Council Item 85B— <br />Just Cause Eviction Ordinance. The Public Law Center is a non-profit pro bono law firm in <br />Orange County that provides access to justice for low-income and vulnerable residents. In our <br />Housing and Homelessness Prevention Unit, we represent low-income families in housing - <br />related matters and advocate for sensible strategies to end homelessness in Orange County. We <br />also collaborate with community organizations, statewide advocates, and law firms to push <br />Orange County jurisdictions to create and maintain effective housing policies for lower-income <br />working families. We seek to promote comprehensive solutions to the housing crisis including <br />policies designed to keep tenants housed and further prevent homelessness. <br />Our advocacy work includes helping tenants lmderstand their legal rights as renters, and <br />providing legal representation in the eviction process, with the hopes of protecting them from <br />unjust evictions. Upon information and belief, we understand that during the years of 2011- <br />2016, there were 2,201 evictions carried out by the Orange County Sheriffs Department. <br />However, we know that the number of evictions is much higher, as many evictions go <br />unreported, or tenants are evicted without any lawful notice or full understanding of their rights. <br />The City of Santa Ana has the ability to aid its constituency and help prevent unlawful <br />evictions, which can lead to displacement and homelessness by implementing a Just Cause <br />Eviction Ordinance and providing protection from unjust evictions to its most vulnerable <br />tenants. <br /> <br />