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December 14, 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: REQUEST TO SUPPORT DOWNTOWN SECURITY PROGRAM IN 2021 <br />WE SUPPORT ITEM 20C, BUT WITH THE REQUEST TO FUND ITEM AT $500, 000 (THE <br />NORMAL, FULL FUNDING LEVEL FOR CLEAN AND SAFE OPERATIONS DOWNTOWN). <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. We have experienced this directly in the Historic Spurgeon Building. <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. This year, <br />service calls to security increased from 2,600 to 5,200 (50% increase) and trash bags collected <br />rose from 45,000 to 90,000 (50% increase). <br />206 W. 4th Street, Santa Ana, CA 92701 <br />www.spurgeonl913.com - www.santaanalawsuites.com <br />