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<br />Brateil Aghasi <br />Chief Executive Officer WISEPlace <br />baghasi@wiseplace.org <br />For Delivery to Santa Ana City Council <br /> <br />Tuesday, June 21, 2022 <br /> <br />SUBJECT: Consent Calendar Item #62 - Support for WISEPlace <br /> <br />Dear City Council and Special Housing Authority, <br /> <br />On behalf of the Elder Law and Disability Rights Center, I am writing to <br />express enthusiastic support of WISEPlace supportive housing project for women <br />experiencing homelessness. Women (especially senior women) are among the <br />fastest growing unhoused communities. They are also some of Orange County's <br />most vulnerable residents. The longstanding housing shortage in our County leaves <br />this community with no where to turn. WISEPlace demonstrated dedication to <br />serve women (often trauma survivors) with qualified on site supportive services is a <br />critical piece of the housing solution. <br /> <br /> The ELDR Center is a dedicated advocate for housing justice and civil <br />rights. We work closely with cities to take evidence-based steps through <br />collaboration and litigation to increase housing and end criminalization of poverty. <br />We are a driving force in Orange County to increase both emergency and longterm <br />solutions. Our commitment to work directly with people where they are allows us <br />to remove legal barriers to housing while partners like WISEPlace provide case <br />management and housing. ELDR Center’s unique approach to legal services <br />provides wrap around support to clients even after they are housed as new issues <br />arise including accountability in the agencies that place them. <br /> <br /> As active members of the Santa Ana community, we are pleased to support <br />this part of the solution – the step toward ending homelessness. The proposed <br />development will create 47 units of supportive housing to bring extremely <br />lowincome individuals out of chronic homelessness. This supportive housing will <br />provide stability to ensure residents can meet their rent obligations with onsite <br />access to a variety of other needs. This represents a meaningful continuation of <br />WISEPlace’s longstanding community impact and includes vital wrap-around <br />services to address residents’ disabling conditions. This will provide a stable <br />environment where residents can thrive long-term. <br /> <br />1535 E. 17th Street, Suite 110 (714) 617-5353 Santa Ana, CA 92705