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January 22, 2018 <br />To Whom It May Concern: <br />Until recently selling my house on French and Edgewood, I was a homeowner of a home in Park <br />Santiago, about 2 blocks east of the proposed multifamily development. The reason for selling <br />the home had to do with a family change and nothing to do with the proposed development, <br />that I felt would be a welcome addition to the neighborhood. <br />We listed the house for sale in mid -December 2017, typically a slow time to sell homes in most <br />circumstances. Still, less than 24 hours after the sign went up we have over 70 people come <br />through our open house and multiple offers came in all over asking price. All of the buyers <br />were informed of the proposed residential development nearby but the great interest in the <br />home made it was clear that Park Santiago is a very desirable community and the idea of a new <br />community at 2525 Main Street had no adverse impacts on buyer's perceptions. <br />In fact, it is my strong opinion that the addition of new residents and families will only be a <br />Positive attribute to the community. Hoover Elementary has seen a decline in enrollment and <br />most of the families in the neighborhood elect not to send their kids to the school despite the <br />fact it's walking distance for all of us. New housing can add additional facility dollars to the <br />school district and potentially more operating funds that come with additional enrollment. <br />Beyond schools, I always felt that the presence of residents or daytime workers around the <br />neighborhood was beneficial — many find our neighborhood charming and I noticed on multiple <br />occasions that people were walking through admiring the mature landscaping, unique <br />architectural character and charm of the neighborhood. It made me as a newer Santa Ana <br />homeowner feel safer. While the office building has been vacated, the lack of daytime foot <br />traffic is less satisfying to me. Having more people around the neighborhood, as well as in our <br />parks, will make them more attractive for everyone. <br />Less than a week after listing the home, we were in escrow and sold the home well over asking <br />price. I have witnessed similar sales occurring in the immediate vicinity, and from this I don't <br />believe that the prospect of a quality multifamily project is deterring people at all from <br />investing and moving into this terrific community. <br />Sincerely, <br />Im Simon <br />Former Park Santiago Resident (January 2018) <br />