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YEAR IN REVIEW <br />¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ <br />Dear Downtown Stakeholder, <br />As our first year comes to a close, we recognize this year has been tough for many downtown stakeholders - <br />business and property owners, developers and public partners alike. The realities of the new economy have caused <br />many of us to pause and analyze our priorities and strategies. <br />While the economy has taken a toll, our commitment to our core fundamentals of public safety, advocacy and <br />marketing for Downtown has not wavered. Our clean and safe teams patrol the district seven days a week to provide <br />our stakeholders with public safety and maintenance services. We've also launched our website that includes a <br />social media presence on Facebook, Twitter and real time blogs, to communicate with our downtown patrons and <br />connect with our stakeholders. Our staff remains engaged in providing assistance to our community to include: <br />increased benefits for our Associate Members, co-op advertising and event sponsorship, retail recruitment, expanding <br />our Art and Entertainment district, advocacy with the City of Santa Ana staff and council, strengthen our partnership <br />with the Santa Ana Police Department and code enforcement. <br />If we make good strategic decisions in this down economy, we can maximize opportunities in the next economic cycle. <br />Downtown Santa Ana is not unlike most large American cities. The 1950's retail environment focused on the <br />downtown. The advent of the mall in the early seventies brought a mass exodus of core department stores relocating <br />to large undeveloped areas of the city. Downtown Santa Ana is reinventing itself to accommodate a new market <br />without alienating our established market. <br />Earlier this year, Downtown Inc. held a mini retreat with our Board of Directors to embark on an action plan for the <br />future of the district. We began working with the City of Santa Ana Economic Development, OPIS, Edwardo Figueroa <br />and Francisco Valle to equip our stakeholders as to trends that would benefit their businesses. All experts believe we <br />have the basic ingredients for success. We have a strong local market with adequate retail space inventory and a <br />growing demand for urban experiences. The experts recommend a need for a mix of complementary uses and a <br />focused approach to improving the retail market <br />As we look to the year ahead, there are many opportunities on the horizon. We will continue to inform you of our <br />efforts and we look forward to working with you to create a strong and vibrant Downtown. <br />Sincerely, <br />Vicky Baxter <br />Executive Director Downtown Inc.