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Advancing sodal justice and empowering low-income Vietnamese and immigrant communities in Orange County. rmGarden Grove, CA 92843 I www.vietrise.o% I aeneralPvietrise org I @vietriseoc • Worker cooperatives are a successful manner in which low-income communities of color can build wealth and thrive. More than half of worker cooperatives in the United States today were designed to improve low -wage jobs and build wealth in communities most directly affected by inequality, helping vulnerable workers build skills and earning potential, household income and assets. • According to the New York Times, "by placing workers' needs ahead of profits, they address the root cause of economic disparity." (3/23/14) Small businesses and workers have been hard hit by COVID-19, and many will struggle to reopen. • Businesses with fewer than 100 workers make up about one-third of national employment, and serve as vital anchors in local communities. Cities like Seattle and New York have mobilized efforts in support of their small businesses, and we need Santa Ana to be a much needed first responder for ours. Workers need to be protected now and always. COVID-19 revealed the importance of paid sick leave and access to health care and coverage for all workers. Housing_ While there are moratoriums on evictions, housing costs are still a major concern, particularly for lower -income households who may be at risk of homelessness once the moratorium is lifted. Affordable Housing and Homelessness prevention must be a community priority to prevent increase in homelessness as housing protections are lifted. We support the proposed amendment allocating $1,310,435 to start up the new permanent emergency shelter to help house homeless individuals during COVID-19. Our recommendation would be that these investments are made in a way that addresses immediate housing needs and creates opportunities that can be leveraged in the near future to create permanent affordable housing opportunities. The amendments also include an allocation of $500,000 for an Emergency Rental Relief Fund. There is a need for such a fund in the City of Santa Ana and it is important that it is accessible to residents with the greatest need. This includes residents that are undocumented and have very -low and extremely -low incomes. We recommend the following actions: 1. Renew the Safely Home in Santa Ana rental assistance program to target undocumented tenants that will not be able to access the CDBG funded Emergency Rental Relief Fund. To increase accessibility: a. Remove the 3-day pay or quit notice trigger as evictions have been paused. b. Remove W-9 requirements when possible or have the tenant sign the W-9 (requiring the landlord to sign the W-9 adds an unnecessary barrier). The tenant can be made responsible for delivery of the payment to the landlord and provide a receipt of payment to the organization running the program. c. Remove the requirement for the tenant to prove that they will be able to pay rent the following month as COVID-19 makes this difficult. Page 2