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Santa Ana City Council and Mayor <br />City of Santa Ana <br />20 Civic Center Plaza <br />Santa Ana, CA 92701 <br />THRIVE Santa Ana <br />P.O. BOX 1935 <br />Santa Ana, CA 92702 <br />May 1, 2018 <br />RE: In support of ENA with THRIVE Santa Ana <br />To Whom It May Concern: <br />The Santa Ana Active Streets (SAAB) Coalition is writing this letter in support of THRIVE <br />Santa Ana and the City of Santa Ana's approval of an Exclusive Negotiation Agreement for the <br />parcel of vacant land at 1901 W Walnut St. We wholeheartedly support THRIVE's vision of <br />economic development led by local residents, and we have pledged to support future projects on <br />land acquired by this community land trust (CLT). Together, we can create sustainable <br />development that benefits all Santa Ana residents. <br />The community land trust will provide space for parks, affordable housing, and other community <br />benefits that are direly needed in Santa Ana, including commercial spaces. This will <br />significantly improve the quality of life for many low-income and working families in the city. <br />Further partnership between the City and THRIVE will exemplify community -led development <br />and re-establish the City's leadership in this respect. <br />Further, we encourage the City of Santa Ana to seek out further opportunities to allocate <br />resources — including land or supportive funds — to THRIVE Santa Ana. The community land <br />trust is a key strategy to engage local residents in the development process. The City holds over <br />90 vacant lots, similar to the Walnut and Daisy property, which could make a tremendous impact <br />in the community's need for economic development. <br />According to the Safe Mobility Santa Ana plan, most collisions happen in areas with higher <br />concentrations of poverty, low education, youth, and Latino populations. As a coalition <br />comprised of residents, community members, and local organizations SAAS believes that all <br />development must be seen from the lens of equity, therefore, the most impacted community <br />should be the one to decide and be the most benefited. THRIVE's vision is well aligned with our <br />coalition goals. <br />