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Mitre -Ramirez, Norma From: Brandon Le < Sent: Monday, April 2, 2018 10:16 AM To: DOC_Chambers@cacd.uscourts.gov Cc: Andrew.do@ocgov.com; aurdra.fishel@ocgov.com; michelle.steel@ocgov.com; lisa.bartlett@ocgov.com; todd.spitzer@ocgov.com; eComment; Solorio, Jose; Pulido, Miguel Subject: A Call For Justice, Fairness, and Equity in Regards to the Homeless Problem in Orange County Categories: Correspondence Dear Judge David 0. Carter and All Orange County Leaders, I want to thank you for your attention and time in addressing my letter in advance. Please hear my request for fair treatment and action across the county that we all share. I've been a resident of Santa Ana, since I was 6 years old. My family moved here from Wausau, WI for better job opportunities and the wonderful weather. I went up North for college, but once again returned. I had thought about leaving, but I had a pride and loyalty to a city that at one point was the major hub of commerce, trade, transport, and product and that has so much diversity and beauty. It was frustrating and troubling growing up during the virulent gang wars of the 90's, but we've since seen that subside. I remember my intermediate school being shot up and I remember people I went to high school that were shot or killed. More recently, I've also been encouraged, by the resurgence of downtown Santa Ana, and felt hope and optimism in that. Now I'm seeing it worse than it ever was. There's been an influx of homelessness and drug addicts and I'm hearing and reading about the opiod epidemic. I sleep with ears listening and often wake up if I hear something to go look through the window or run outside. I've had friends that have had derecicts deliriously trying to enter their home (they have a baby) as have I (and I do not live in a "bad area" persay.) I've had packages stolen from my front door. I've had shoes or slippers stolen as well. I may have even had mail taken as well, but I'm not positive on that. I've installed security camers and have purchased firearms. I pay my taxes fairly, and I probably pay more than the person next to me. I tip generously, and try to impart positive ripple effects outward and onward into however little or far my sphere of influence can reach. I'm doing everything I can, my part, and I'm doing my civic duty. But I have to ask, what are others doing, what are my peers doing? Not just my neighbor down the street, but my peers and neighbors in neighboring cities. I do not believe it fair for a lower income area to be forced to bear all of the burden and brunt of this epidemic. Arguably, economics and rampant profiteering are at play, both in the cause of what we're seeing with the wealth disparity as well as the opiod epidemic. Of course, this is to the benefit of those in the communities not assisting with the problem and who are instead expecting Santa Ana to be custodians of the problem (without the any recompense.) And this is of course at the expense of everyone in this increasingly "undesirable city" and these "expendable people." In terms of economics, cuttthroat capitalism, greed, maximization of profits at any cost—even human collatoral—has spread and flamed the fires for homelessness. Coupled on top of that, is the opiod epidemic, which one has to ask, who are those prescribing these all -too -convenient panaceas that are instantly FDA greenlit, touted from the mountain tops, and whose W