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Sheila Anderzunas <br />411 Street Market <br />201 East 4tn Street, DTSA 92701 <br />December 7, 2020 <br />City Manager, Council and Mayor <br />City of Santa Ana <br />20 Civic Center Plaza <br />Santa Ana, CA 92701 <br />Dear City of Santa Ana Staff and Elected Officials, <br />RE: PLEASE SUPPORT DOWNTOWN SECURITY PROGRAM IN 2021 <br />Downtown Santa Ana is hanging on by a thread through pandemic, civil unrest, massive <br />construction, homeless impacts and wild economic uncertainty. Despite all these challenges, <br />downtown businesses continue to open and serve the public as best they can despite very <br />difficult times. <br />As one of the most important economic engines of the City, DTSA has been able to create our <br />own revenue funds (both parking and BID revenue) to sustain Downtown Clean and Safe <br />Operations, marketing and communications and even capital improvement costs like building <br />public restrooms. We also contribute to the City of Santa Ana through sales taxes, property <br />taxes, permits and fees. <br />During the pandemic, Downtown's self -generated revenue has been deeply impacted: in <br />particular parking revenues are down nearly 75% due mostly to the coronavirus and in part due <br />to popular programs promoting 2 hour free parking in downtown parking garages. <br />Due to the revenue shortfall, the City of Santa Ana is proposing to help downtown sustain its <br />Downtown Clean Team operations which clean nearly 86 blocks of downtown on a daily basis. <br />But the City is proposing not to cover the cost of the $100,000 annual Downtown Security Team <br />and to let that contract lapse. <br />While we deeply appreciate the protection of the critical Downtown Clean Team program, we <br />are appealing to you to one-time gap fund the Downtown Security program as well. <br />The Downtown Security program is a cornerstone of downtown's success. The program is <br />already 50% underfunded from what is needed, but still provides an affordable full-time <br />protective force to downtown. <br />Security is vital as a service to businesses and for visitor perceptions as "Lack of safety" and <br />"Homelessness" remain two of the primary reasons people don't like to visit downtown <br />according to studies conducted by the City. <br />This year, downtown vandalism costs have tripled including over $40,000 in costs of vandalism <br />paid out by the City alone. Reducing our Downtown Security force will increase the burden on <br />