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CRIME SURVIVORS PVU uhee Ce;'l, a AWARENESS I PREVENripN I I prr..IIJS November 11, 2019 Santa Ana City Council 20 Civic Center Plaza P.O. Box 1988, M31 Santa Ana, CA 92701 Dear Mayor and Council Members, My name is Patricia Wenskunas, I am the Founder/CEO of Crime Survivors Inc. My group has gained national renown for our advocacy on behalf of the victims of violent crime and we are dedicated to the idea that with community support, respectful advocacy and hopeful healing, one can survive a violent crime, and thrive in their personal lives. The mission of Crime Survivors is to provide hope and healing to victims and survivors of crime through advocacy and the support of resources, information, and empowerment from the critical time after a crime occurs through the challenges and successes of surviving and thriving. My civic involvement extends well beyond Crime Survivors. I was one of the early proponents of California's Victim's Bill of Rights known as "Marsy's Law," a state constitutional amendment that was passed into law by California's voters in 2008. I am the Founder and former CEO of Orange County Crime Stoppers, an Advisory Board member at Ca1VCP, an Advisory Board member at Crime Victims United, a Board Member for The Children's Advocacy Center, and a Past Board Member of California Crime Stoppers. As an engaged, informed and active member of this community, I believe that progress is the key to creating safe communities. The under-utilized building located at 2525 N. Main Street is serving no one in this community and I believe a rezone should be approved. This type of vacant building, attracting nothing but crime and decay, becomes a core for criminal behavior and creates a strain on ever -important city services. Conversely, the benefits to the community of redevelopment at this site are vast: • The development will pay into affordable housing fund (HOO) approximatley $3mm. • The development will bring more than $500k annually to the City's general fund. • This particular area has a very high concentration of homeless and vagrants at the adjacent park and this area of Santa Ana has seen a significant increase in crime. Having a new beautiful community at the park with a full time presence, will serve to mitigate many of the current issues that plaque the park and this community. • We are deep in the midst of a housing crisis, and Santa Ana in need of 25k more housing units, of all types. (844) 853-HOPE Santa Ana, CA 92705 info@crimesurvivors.org Twitteccom/crimesurvivors (949) 872-7895 0 PO 80x 54552, Irvine, CA 92619 O www.crimesurvivors.org �.@ Facebook.com/crimesurvivors I nstagra m.com/crimesurvivors