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lI <br /> September 19, 2023 <br /> Mayor Amezcua and City Councilmembers <br /> 20 Civic Center Plaza <br /> Santa Ana, CA 92701 <br /> ecommentC&,Santa-ana.ors <br /> Via Email <br /> RE: ITEM 26 - Directing the City Attorney to Prepare a City Council-Initiated Ballot <br /> Measure for Voter Approval Affirming the City of Santa Ana's Rent Stabilization and Just <br /> Cause Eviction Ordinance for the November 2024 <br /> Dear Mayor Amezcua and City Councilmembers, <br /> I write on behalf of Chispa to express our support for the requirement of a supermajority <br /> approval of total council members for certain future amendments to the Rent Stabilization <br /> Ordinance (RSO) and Just Cause Evictions Ordinance (JCEO). The City of Santa Ana (City) <br /> must commit to safeguarding housing stability and the tenant protections that provide it. <br /> As an organization based in the City, Chispa seeks to engage with excluded peoples to uproot <br /> systems of oppression and cultivate systems grounded in community accountability, solidarity, <br /> and self-determination for our communities to thrive. We are a membership based organization <br /> for young Latinxs advocating for systemic changes across Orange County. We are strong <br /> advocates for tenant protections and affordable housing at both the Local and State level. As <br /> such, we support the preservation of the City's RSO and JCEO. <br /> Chispa urges you to provide direction to amend the City's RSO and JCEO to require a <br /> supermajority approval for certain future amendments. It is necessary that these ordinances are <br /> protected as the crucial tools they are to maintain and increase housing stability; and that certain <br /> amendments are only made with a supermajority vote. The City's RSO and JCEO policies are <br /> the result of decades of community advocacy that has included support from community <br /> members impacted by housing instability, charitable organizations, faith-based organizations, and <br /> more. These efforts must be respected and providing this direction will do just that. The City <br /> must do everything in its power to safeguard these policies and follow the requirement of <br /> supermajority approval that is required for other City items such as certain budget actions. <br /> 1 <br />