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CHAPTER IX. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION The recent signing by President Ford of the Community Development Act of 1974 marked the first major United States housing and co,~m~unity development legislation since 1968. The Act proposes that local govern- ments significantly expand their endeavors in housing planning and community programming as a prerequisit to the receipt of community development grants. In conjunction with the preparation of the City's Conmunity Develop- ment {CD) Application, a Go,,,,l~nity Participation Plan was developed and im- plemented on three district levels. The first level of implementation was aimed at the City at large. The second was the neighborhood and target area level and the third was the public input during the official review and adoption of the CD application. The purpose of the Plan was to measure citizen opinion on proposed CD projects and to generate a policy direction for fnture housing and co~m~nity needs. The first level, which was aimed at the City at large, required a full measure of assistance from the Public Information Officer (PIO) of the City of Santa Ana. A special edition of the newsletter was printed on the CD Law in that issue and delivered to every house in the City. The Law was explained; potential target areas and possible projects w~re identi- fied. Finally, the issue provided for a postage free questionnaire that asked people to identify needs in the following categories: neighborhood needs, City needs, public/social service needs and housing needs. The CD issue and questionnairewereprinted in both Spanish and English to insure reaching as many people as possible (See Appendix 1.). Three radio interviews from the local radio station were broadcasted by the PIO and CD coordinator. Each interview was fifteen minutes long and was broadcasted six times over a one week period, for a total of one and one-half hours air time per interview. The first broadcast, aired during the week of December 9-14, 1974, explained the CD Imw in broad, general terms. The second broadcast aired during the week of December 16-21, 1974, explained the effects of the CD Law on Santa Ana, identified possible target areas, and the potential money allocations were explained. The third and final broadcast, aired during the week of December 23-28, 1974, focused on the co, m,iunity meetings that had been held; what people in the co~m~nity were saying and what they would like to see acco~lplished in their area. People were encouraged to attend and participate in the remaining cu~lunity meetings. It was e~hasized hew vital cu~lanity participation ~as to the development of the CD Plan (See Appendix 2. ). 000lB0