WS-A - WORK STUDY - WELLNESS DISTRICT

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ATTACHMENT WHEREAS, the residents of central Santa Ana engage out of necessity in active transportation, such as walking and biking, and they seek safer opportunities for such active forms of commuting or recreation; and, WHEREAS, the residents of central Santa Ana only buy a portion of their Wellness Goods and Services in downtown Santa Ana but have expressed their interest in accessing additional affordable and culturally relevant Wellness Goods and Services in the downtown; and to advance wellness initiatives they have been organizing into groups and committees such as the Wellness Corridor Steering Committee, the Santa Ana Building Healthy Communities (SABHC) Equity for All Workgroup, the Santa Ana Business Council and Comite Familias Corazones Verdes, among others; and, WHEREAS, the development and strengthening of locally -owned and small businesses in the downtown benefits the Santa Ana community not only through the production of revenue and provision of Wellness Goods and Services, but also through the re- investment of profits within Santa Ana both directly and indirectly; and, WHEREAS, cities throughout the United States have been establishing supportive programs for street vendors and food trucks to increase the availability of affordable, high- quality prepared food in their downtown areas; and, WHEREAS, the City is already in an exclusive negotiating agreement with St. Joseph's Health and Taller San Jose to establish a Wellness Center in the downtown; and, WHEREAS, other North American cities have successfully applied a "Wellness District" strategy for the renewal of their downtown areas based on partnerships with hospitals, employers, downtown retailers, property owners developers and resident associations, thereby improving the quality of life and amenities for residents, increasing local retail and services sales, and reducing health care costs for employers. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The City resolves to hereby establish a downtown Wellness District strategy. This strategy will be based upon the further development of a differentiated, distinctly Latino downtown as a retail and activities destination that in particular serves and retains the customer loyalties of central Santa Ana residents and other underserved resident communities and households while remaining inclusive of commuting, visiting and newly settling populations. Through the Wellness District strategy, the City will foster downtown retail, services and activities that are healthy, vibrant, and of an authentic Latino character, thereby also attracting and retaining a broader base of destination visitors and customers to Santa Ana's historic and unique downtown. The City further resolves to work in collaboration with Santa Ana residents and community based organizations and businesses that historically have served them to: A. Implement wellness policies in planning and economic development: Last Modified: 3/4/2015 WS -A -92 Page 2 of 5