CORRESPONDENCE - 50A - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Mitre -Ramirez, Norma From: Dave and Darren < Sent: Monday, October 2, 2017 8:40 PM To: eComment Subject: Public Comments - City Council Meeting Agenda Item 50A; Emergency Ordinance Public Comments Santa Ana City Council Meeting October 3, 2017 RE: Agenda Item 50A; Emergency Ordinance: AMENDING AND ADDING NEW SECTIONS TO SANTA ANA MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 10, ARTICLE 10 RELATED TO STORAGE OF PROPERTY, PROHIBITION OF ANIMALS, VEHICLE ACCESS AND SERVICES IN THE CIVIC CENTER AREA Dear Councilmembers, First of all, thank you for coming up with a plan to address the rampant homelessness that is taking over our City. I belong to a group called Gay Neighbors, Families and Friends of Santa Ana and as such have been involved in many volunteer activities. Several years ago we participated in a monthly homeless outreach to feed homeless at Christ Chapel in French Park. It was an eye opening experience and education. Initially we thought we were providing a "hand -up", but soon learned we were doing nothing more than enabling continued bad behavior. And it was never enough. During the same time, we also participated in a downtown beautification project along Broadway. Planting and caring for plants and cleaning up debris (including feces, drug paraphernalia, vomit, etc.). Much of our volunteer work was done in the early mornings on weekends and it was literally like "Night of the Living Dead" with all the "zombie" homeless people stumbling about. We actually got to know some of them. There was Joe the Vietnam Vet, the Blanket Brothers, Nancy from New York and Poopie Pants. This was before the bus terminal opened as a homeless shelter. Now it is even worse! We have a zombie apocalypse going on in our City. Just a few short years ago I used to be able to run on the River Trail and would see maybe a half dozen homeless people. Now the numbers are in the hundreds and the River Trail is unusable except between 17th and Memory Lane (for now). The recent declaration by the City of Anaheim and the County will probably mean even more homeless will converge in Santa Ana. We cannot continue to be the dumping ground for the entire County.