HA - Item 03 - Pre -Commitment of Affordable Housing Funds for Illumination Foundation

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Pre -Commitment of Affordable Housing Funds for Illumination Foundation July 18, 2023 Page 7 In the early phase of development, this will include attending City Council meetings, scheduling town halls, and creating questionnaires and informative flyers to distribute to stakeholders and community members. Forays into the surrounding community will be made to canvass residents, neighborhood associations, community groups, and nearby businesses to provide information and allay concerns that stakeholders may have. Once the surrounding neighborhood has been canvassed, Illumination Foundation will facilitate town hall meetings, including both virtual and in -person. This will ensure accessibility and ample opportunities for stakeholder voices to be heard. Letters of support from stakeholders will be gathered as needed. Opportunities for focus groups and to answer questionnaires will be made available to individuals with lived experience of homelessness to provide their insight and inform the project. Frontline staff with experience working directly with clients will be afforded opportunities to provide feedback and engage in the program design and Project development process, as Illumination Foundation recognizes the critical importance of their perspective. Throughout all stages of this Project, Illumination Foundation will seek input and establish collaborative efforts with agencies and nonprofits operating in and near the project, such as Mercy House Living Centers, Fresh Beginnings, and CityNet, among others. Along with development partners, Illumination Foundation will seek to allay any community concerns and incorporate critical feedback into the design and implementation that augments and strengthens their ability to serve the needs of the community. Through a partnership with Head Start, an affordable preschool resource will be available to the surrounding community. Illumination Foundation will actively consider barriers that stakeholders may experience to attending scheduled town halls and other community engagement efforts, providing accommodations such as coordination of childcare, coordinating transportation, providing meeting locations that are convenient for stakeholders, and providing video or phone conferencing. To best reach all stakeholders, informative flyers will be produced in both English and Spanish, and additional linguistic accommodations will be made as needed. By utilizing direct outreach, social media, and newsletter marketing strategies, leveraging existing relationships and creating new ones, actively involving stakeholders in discussions, and implementing a Good Neighbor Plan, Illumination Foundation will ensure the level of community engagement necessary for a successful Project that benefits the target population and integrates seamlessly into the broader community. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT Pursuant to the Adaptive Reuse Ordinance (Ordinance No. NS-2874), the proposed project is found and determined to be consistent with the General Plan of the City of Santa Ana. Therefore, in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act, the recommended action is exempt from further review under Section 15194 (Affordable Housing Exemption), as this project meets all the required criteria as a 100-percent affordable/permanent supportive housing development.