AGENDA_2018-03-30_SPECIAL (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

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