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Salas, Diana From: Nathaniel Greensides <mynci90@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, May 04, 2020 12:31 PM To: Pulido, Miguel; Sarmiento, Vicente; Penaloza, David; Solorio, Jose; Bacerra, Phil; Villegas, Juan; Iglesias, Cecilia; Gomez, Daisy; Ridge, Kristine; Carvalho, Sonia R.; eComment Subject: Temporary Rent freeze and related emergency measures (upcoming agenda item 60A) Dear City Council I am Nathaniel Greensides and I am a taxpaying resident and tenant of Santa Ana. I have reviewed some of the initially received eComments and correspondence of those who oppose the temporary rent freeze and determined that they do not understand the difference between a rent freeze and rent cancellation/forgiveness. I wish to state for the record that I am in favor of a temporary rent freeze as well as (to any extent possible at the city level) mortgage and tax freezes throughout this pandemic. I wish to clarify here for you all the difference between a freeze and cancellation/forgiveness as well as counter against the opposition's claim that the rent freeze is in violation of the Costa Hawkins state law. A rent freeze means just that —to freeze the rate of any unit being rented out. It does not mean to imply cancellation or forgiveness of any rent unpaid. In this COVID-19 crisis, people are struggling with paying the base rents already established before the emergency orders were declared. Allowing for rent increases while folks remain unemployed would be a slap in the face to the residents which city council is supposed to represent. The fact that many of those who are opposed to the temporary rent freeze fail to understand this distinction should serve to embolden the Council to uphold the rent freeze in Santa Ana since both the city manager and the city attorney performed excellent due diligence in considering and drafting such an action. Furthermore, upon reviewing the correspondence and eComments thus far received by those in opposition, (aside from their lack of understanding of the definition of a rent freeze) I wish to note that many who have made their opposition to the temporary rent freeze public are not from Santa Ana. While they may manage rental properties in the city of Santa Ana, I do believe each and every Council member holds the belief that the voices and experiences of City residents themselves should matter more than any other entity and I urge the Council to remain with that belief. The argument that the temporary rent freeze is in violation of the Costa Hawkins state law act does not hold grounds due to the temporary state of emergency the world currently exists in due to COVID-19. State charter allows for local municipalities to enact measures in the safety and health interests of the public at large. Additionally, I urge you to consider the legal basis of both the city attorney as well as that of Public Law Center's Ugochi Nicholson - both of which align with many other cities' legal bases for rent freezes as well. Lastly, being a part of Tenants United Santa Ana, a coalition which includes renters and homeowners of Santa Ana, I have been witness to unjust and many times illegal tactics employed by landlords here in Santa Ana resulting in the destabilization of our communities and lives. Many landlords who do not understand housing laws and rights afforded to both landlords and tenants, attempt to bully and otherwise persuade tenants to leave their rental units in Santa Ana in the interest of profit and greed. To this extent, I urge the council members to maintain active lines of communication with their respective ward constituencies. I hope that you all will remain to serve our beautiful city in positive capacities so that those who have contributed to its success can remain, thrive, and prosper together. Please maintain the rent freeze for residential tenants, and to that extent, any local emergency ordinances in favor of homeowners receiving reduced taxes and fees associated with loss of income throughout this pandemic. Please also extend such measures for six months past emergency orders being lifted. Without it, even you as elected officials, will struggle to remain economically stable in Santa Ana.