2014-006 - Santa Ana General Plan Housing Element and Public Safety Element Updates

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INTRODUCTION Stakeholder Workshops. The City held a special workshop (June 20, 2013) with community-based organizations (nonprofit legal advocates, service organizations, interested parties, developers, stakeholders, etc.). This workshop focused on the topic of healthy communities and the integration of policies and programs into the City's Housing Element to support "healthy housing." The purpose of this workshop was to discuss integrating health and wellness into the Housing Element and to solicit input from the diverse and specialized perspectives of each of the participants. ■ Housing Commission Workshop. The City held a study session (October 1, 2013) with the Community Redevelopment and Housing Commission to provide an overview of the Housing Element update. The study session took place during their regularly scheduled monthly meeting time and was open to the public. Planning Commission and City Council Study Sessions. The City conducted study sessions with the Planning Commission (September 23, 2013) and the City Council (October 7, 2013). These sessions provided an overview of the Housing Element and key community needs, and then solicited input on issues of concern from each respective commission. All commission meetings were duly noticed to the public. Appendix E contains a summary of the results of the outreach. SUMMARY OF PARTICIPATION Participants at the community workshops, study sessions, stakeholder meetings, and other gatherings provided a wealth of information regarding the City's future direction and the most pressing needs, program ideas, and priorities for action. Key themes included: Santa Ana's Future. The City Council's vision for Santa Ana is to strengthen the City's historic role as Downtown Orange County, benefitting from its location, employment centers, rich heritage, and diversity. Participants voiced a desire for the City to continue its commitment to job creation and to provide desirable places for people to live and work. Santa Ana is recognized as a unique and diverse City in Orange County, and its future will depend on leveraging its wealth of resources. The City's housing vision supports the notion of uniqueness, inclusiveness, and sustainability through housing policy and programs. ■ Housing Santa Ana's Residents. Housing plays an important role in achieving the City's vision. Participants at workshops clearly emphasized the need for encouraging the widest possible choices of housing— single - family, apartments, townhomes, senior housing, housing for people with disabilities, and housing for homeless people affordable at all levels. Improved housing conditions and neighborhood safety were also important topics to the City's residents. In response to increased interest in the relationship between health and housing, a focused stakeholder meeting explored health and wellness. 4 CITY OF SANTA ANA GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT