CORRESPONDENCE - #9 - Laserfiche WebLink

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behalf of the absentees. A couple of minutes ago, you have listened to several personal stories of hardship. Yes, they are all true stories. All our Balihi residents are seniors and most of us lived on fixed income and limited financial resources. And the biggest problem for us is the rent increase every year. Based on our new rent and income ratio, it's really very very difficult for us to live on. You see, we are paying up to an excess of 70-80% of our income on rent. This rent increase is pushing us deeper and deeper, under the poverty level. With this rent increase, our quality of life, being already at the lowest level, is going to get worse by the day. Low income families deserve to live with a dignity. But now, instead of living our life, the only thing we are living with is the constant fear on Rent Increase. Do we call it a LIFE after all? How do you expect us to survive with the ever- increasing rent? This is always a nightmare for us, to think about paying the rent every every single day. No time for us to live our lives. We have no quality of life anymore. We, the seniors from Balihi Mobilehome Park, would like to show you our situation as a typical one, that is affecting everyone in the same situation. This is happening to all of the low income mobilehome park within Santa Ana. That is why we are asking you to set up a common single policy on Rent Control, not only for us, but for everyone having the same situation. Something needs to be done to protect its most vulnerable, low income households. While the landlords were worried about making less money, the residents in the city were worried about keeping a roof over their heads. We know that at present, Homelessness is one of crisis that weighs heavily on the shoulder of city authorities. The county's homeless population increased 43% between 2017 and 2019, or 4,792 to 6,860, with Santa Ana's share jumping to 26% from 20%. Putting the cap on rent with a common sense Rent Control will help to stop the runaway Homelessness Rate. If you do not support the Rent Control, a huge number of low income people will become homeless in future, including us, the seniors from Balihi Mobile home will get kicked out to the streets. You have the power to prevent that to happen ! So, all of us here, would like to ask for your strong support for the Rent Control. We thank you everyone for your time and your patience listening to our stories. Particularly Mayor and all members of City County, we look forward to your approval for Rent Control Ordinance ! Thank you very much !