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April 7, 2020 <br />Mayor Pulido and City Councilmembers <br />City of Santa Ana <br />20 Civic Center Plaza <br />P.O. Bo 1988, M31 <br />Santa Ana, CA 92701 <br />• M M I S S 1 • <br />www.kennedycommission.org <br />17701 Cowan Ave., Suite 200 <br />Irvine, CA 92614 <br />949 250 0909 <br />Fax 949 263 0647 <br />Re: 60B: APPROVE PRE -COMMITMENT OF $3,904,341 OF AH FUNDS TO COMMUNITY <br />DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS AND MERCY HOUSE — WESTVIEW HOUSE PROJECT <br />Dear Mayor Pulido and Members of the Council, <br />The City of Santa Ana has taken decisive action in the last few weeks to respond to COVID-19 impacts, and we <br />thank you for the initial, critically important steps that have been taken to prepare the city for this crisis. <br />Lower -income families in Santa Ana are likely to bear the brunt of the economic impacts of this expanding crisis - <br />with significant numbers of workers expected to lose their jobs and find themselves unable to pay for high rent, <br />health care, and other necessities. This is a crucial time to continue investment in affordable housing development <br />For these reasons we support Community Development Partners and Mercy House's Westview House <br />project, which will include affordable and permanent supportive housing for Santa Ana's residents. <br />We strongly urge the City Council to support its residents by approving the pre - <br />commitment of $3,904,341 in affordable housing funds to Community Development Partners and <br />Mercy House for Westview House Project. <br />The Westview House Project will develop 84 new affordable units for residents in the City of Santa Ana. It is <br />especially important to highlight that 58 of these units will be three and four bedroom affordable units designated <br />for large families and 75% of the total units will be set aside for extremely low-income households at 30% Area <br />Median Income. These larger homes for lower income families are a growing need highlighted in the City's <br />housing assessments and analysis. In addition to providing much needed housing, Westview House Project will a] <br />provide a public pocket park and engage local residents to collaboratively develop community -enhancing projects <br />During economic downturns, investments like this one will ensure that housing is built, while providing hundreds <br />of critically needed jobs and much needed affordable housing. <br />Your actions can address urgent, growing concerns about housing and economic insecurity —while promoting <br />ongoing development of the affordable homes our residents desperately will need, during and after this crisis. <br />The Kennedy Commission thanks you for your partnership and all your ongoing efforts to improve quality of life <br />and expand affordable housing options for residents in Santa Ana. <br />If you have any questions please contact Cesar Covarrubias at cesarc@kennedycommission.org <br />Sincerely, <br />I;� Cesar Covarrubias <br />v Executive Director <br />