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Orozco, Norma <br />From: Ismael < <br />Sent: Sunday, August 13, 2023 3:27 PM <br />To: eComment <br />Cc: Irma Yahoo Macias; Vazquez, Benjamin <br />Subject: 08.15.23 Item #14 - Public Intoxication and Substance Abuse Enforcement <br />Members of the Santa Ana City Council, <br />Please act to enhance the enforcement of existing state laws related to public intoxication and substance <br />abuse within the City of Santa Ana. <br />I am a resident of the Pico -Lowell neighborhood, and I write to express the urgency of this matter, particularly <br />as it relates to the Bristol Street corridor stretching from First Street to Edinger Avenue. <br />The green public spaces that run along Bristol Street have become gathering grounds for unhoused individuals <br />and hotspots of public intoxication and substance abuse. Over time, these individuals have found their way into <br />residential streets, hiding behind cul-de-sac walls and roaming in front of our homes. <br />Sharing my personal experience, I have found drug paraphernalia strewn in front of my home and hidden along <br />sidewalks. I have also witnessed intoxicated individuals sitting in front yards —even laying unconscious <br />altogether on a couple of occasions. <br />As a longtime resident of Santa Ana, I have seen the concerning conditions of my neighborhood take root at the <br />intersection of Bristol Street and First Street. More than a handful of years ago, the open spaces at the corners of <br />this intersection drew groups of unhoused individuals who would sit on cartons and boxes drinking at all hours <br />of the day. Without any significant form of accountability, these high -traffic areas were perceived to be <br />unregulated and acts of public intoxication went on unchecked. <br />I'm frustrated to share that today's picture is much worse. I fear that if enhanced enforcement of existing laws <br />does not take hold, inaction will serve as a gateway for our city's issues to fester. <br />I write, with respect, to advocate for not only myself and my family but also for my neighbors who may not <br />have the resources or the knowledge of how to formally express their concerns. <br />Thank you for your time, <br />Ismael <br />11 <br />