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CCM 11/04/2013 CLOSED SESSION Mitre - Ramirez, Norma From: Huizar, Maria Sent: Monday, November 04, 2013 2:11 PM To: Mitre - Ramirez, Norma (NMitre- Ramirez @ santa - ana.org); Norma Orozco; Trujillo, Rose Ann Subject: FW: Grand Avenue Widening and Impact on Small Businesses Attachments: H- Ltr_SACityCouncil20131104.docx FYI From: Zeke Hernandez [ Sent: Monday, November 04, 2013 12:12 PM To: Amezcua, Angelica; Benavides, David; Martinez, Michele; Pulido, Tinajero, Sal Cc: Cavazos, David; Huizar, Maria; Carvalho, Sonia R. Subject: Grand Avenue Widening and Impact on Small Businesses To: Santa Ana City Council Miguel; Reyna, Roman; Sarmiento, Vince; For today's Closed Executive Session of the City Council - Please accept the following correspondence (below & attachment) relating to the Grand Avenue widening and the impact on local businesses. Regards, Zeke Hernandez November 4, 2013 Mayor and Santa Ana City Council 20 Civic Center Plaza Santa Ana, California Re: Grand Avenue Businesses Impacted by Street Widening NOTE: For City Council Closed Executive Session, November 4, 2013 Mayor Pulido and Council Members: As you are well aware, I have brought to the City Council's attention since early 2012 of the need for the City to work more closely in assisting the small businesses impacted by the City's plans to widen Grand Avenue. I believe the initial plan for this street widening project has been in the works for well over 20 -25 years and is now in place with the assistance of additional funding from a variety of sources - Orange County Transportation Authority, and federal funds. I have noted that the city's contracted relocation firm (OPC) was lacking in their performance and representation of the City in assisting the affected small businesses. Indeed, it can be said they done very little to assist the small businesses and a review of their contract obligations should be made to ascertain if they met the City's goals and how they were able to minimize the intent of state and federal statutes. A quick review of occurrences are provided: N OPC's adamant pressure for small businesses to sign relocation and financial agreements early on so as to provide basement -level settlements. As the Council is aware, OPC warned businesses they had to vacate their businesses and /or properties by June 2012, then as this timeline passed - the pressure was to have those impacted out by December 2012. All this without regard to the future of the businesses or feeble assistance to keep the businesses within the City of Santa Ana Our business tenant at 1221 East 3rd St., 7 -Day Tire stayed through the last days as the City of Santa Ana took 11/4/2013 4:34 PM 4:34 PM