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August _, 2016 <br />Mayor Pulido and Councilmembers <br />City of Santa Ana <br />20 Civic Center Plaza <br />P.O. Box 1988, M31 <br />Santa Ana, CA 92701 <br />RE: OPPOSE —Amendment to Housing Opportunity Ordinance <br />Dear Mayor Pulido and Councilmembers: <br />I am a Santa Ana resident writing to you because I see the great need for decent and affordable housing <br />every day. We are currently facing a housing affordability crisis in Santa Ana. Rent prices in our city are <br />very high and they continue to rise. Santa Ana residents are rent -burdened; most are paying over 50% of <br />their household income towards housing costs. This is not affordable and it is not sustainable. Santa Ana <br />residents need affordable housing today. We ask you, our elected leaders, to address our need for <br />affordable housing and keep the Housing Opportunity Ordinance as is. <br />Recent market -rate projects in our City, similar to the Heritage Village, are not accessible. The Marke, <br />market -rate apartments located very close to the Heritage Village, has rent prices of $2,000 per month for <br />a one bedroom and over $3,900 per month for a three bedroom; we cannot afford these rent prices. This <br />is why it is necessary that affordable housing that I can access and live in be developed alongside market <br />rate housing. The Heritage Village project developer's request to phase the payment of inclusionary <br />housing in -lieu fees will cause uncertainty and significant delays for affordable housing that Santa Ana <br />residents need. <br />Amending the Housing Opportunities Ordinance does not support the City of Santa Ana's efforts to <br />meet the Strategic Plan Goal No. 5 and Objective No. 3. If the Ordinance is amended it will not <br />facilitate diverse housing opportunities and it will not support efforts to improve livability in Santa Ana <br />for my neighbors and me. The proposed amendment to the Housing Opportunity Ordinance will hurt <br />local residents in desperate need. <br />The Planning Commission is not recommending that the City Council adopt this proposed amendment. <br />We, Santa Ana residents, oppose this amendment. We strongly urge the City Council to oppose and <br />reject the proposed amendment to the Housing Opportunity Ordinance. <br />Sincerely, <br />Name <br />% -- <br />Address <br />Phone Number <br />