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If you believe that the location of the Irvine 100-acre site, and others throughout the County, is too <br />close to parks where young people gather, then you are also saying that the location of the <br />Courtyard is not properly situated because Santa Ana parks are as close if not closer than those of <br />Irvine and other locations throughout the County. <br />Proximity to the Library <br />I have not heard other communities issue complaints about the proximity of proposed homeless <br />shelters to public libraries. However, it will come if a site is close to one. The Santa Ana Library is a <br />very short walk from the Courtyard, approximately 150 yards, and shares outdoor space with the <br />Plaza of the Flags. 1 believe, as I am sure you do too, that all kids should be able to go to their local <br />library and read and enjoy the programs that the library puts on. The current situation of our Santa <br />Ana library means that families who have the ability to, will go to another city's library. My kids do <br />that and I know that others do too. By having such a concentration of homeless individuals in the <br />area, it is making the library a great site on paper and on the website but one that children and <br />families do not want to go to. <br />Please at a minimum clean up the encampment at the Plaza of the Flags and make it so the Civic <br />Center area, including parking areas and garages, is clean throughout the day and night. The kids of <br />Santa Ana deserve to be able to utilize our great library and the city deserves to be proud of the <br />great library. <br />Proximity to Residential Housing <br />A lot of people have expressed concern over the proximity of the Irvine 100-acre site to residential <br />housing. They feel it is too close and will create unsafe conditions for their children and families. <br />However, just like schools and fields, the Courtyard shelter is as close if not closer to residential <br />housing. In fact, on a density basis, far more people live close to the Courtyard than they would in <br />most any other part of the county, This is because of the density in the downtown area. <br />Additionally, far more families and children in downtown Santa Ana rely upon walking, biking and <br />public transportation instead of private automobile usage. This means that not only are Santa Ana <br />residents as close, if not closer a homeless shelter, Santa Ana will have more residents in close <br />proximity and the likelihood of walking by the homeless shelter or the encampment at the Plaza of <br />the Flags is that much greater in Santa Ana as compared to other locations. <br />If it is appropriate to have the Santa Ana Courtyard shelter as close as it is to residential housing in <br />Santa Ana, then it certainly should be acceptable in other parts of the county also. If it is deemed <br />not to be acceptable in other parts of the County, I am not sure how one can justify it in Santa Ana <br />unless one is valuing certain populations over others. <br />Dilution Effect <br />I am not necessarily calling to abolish or remove the homeless shelter in Santa Ana. I certainly do <br />think that it would be able to operate more effectively and safely if it were not so crowded though. <br />I am calling on leadership to spread the homeless out across the county. Not only in permanent <br />housing which should be the long term goal, but also providing temporary short term emergency <br />housing until permanent supportive housing can be accommodated. We must spread out the <br />homeless population so that one area is not taking on an extra share of the load. A shared load is <br />51Page <br />