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Latino <br />Health <br />�e Access <br />i^�� <br />May 1, 2018 <br />3 VIRJ-eHil;j <br />257Ye s <br />Santa Ana City Council and Mayor <br />450 West Fourth Street <br />City of Santa Ana <br />Suite 130 <br />20 Civic Center Plaza <br />Santa Ana, CA 92701 <br />Santa Ana, CA 92701 <br />Ph: 714-542-7792 <br />Fax: 714-542-4853 <br />RE: In support of ENA with THRIVE Santa Ana <br />lati nohealthaccess. org <br />Mayor Pulido and Councilmembers, <br />Latino Health Access is writing this letter in support of THRIVE Santa Ana and the City of <br />Santa Ana's approval of an Exclusive Negotiation Agreement for the parcel of vacant land at <br />1901 W. Walnut Street. We wholeheartedly support THRIVE's vision of economic <br />development led by local residents, and we have pledged to support future projects on land <br />acquired by this community land trust (CLT). Working together with residents, businesses, <br />nonprofit and public agencies, we can foster sustainable development that benefits all Santa <br />Ana residents. <br />The THRIVE Santa Ana community land trust will grow to provide space for parks, affordable <br />housing, commercial spaces, and other community benefits that are direly needed in Santa <br />Ana. We have one of the youngest populations in the county, yet rank 2 r in leastavailable <br />park land among cities our size (Trust for Public Land, 2016 City Park Facts). 67.6% of our <br />children are living in crowded households (Kidsdata.org) and in a worsening housing crisis. <br />Job opportunities are scarce for Santa Ana residents, as only 20% work within the city, We <br />know that these conditions have a direct consequence on our community's health and <br />wellness: The creation of spaces like parks, affordable housing and commercial spaces will <br />significantly improve the quality of life for many low-income and working families in the city. <br />These types of projects are a priority for community members. In a survey conducted by LHA <br />to 1,444 voters in October 2017, 87.2% expressed that their neighborhood needs more <br />parks, gardens, and affordable housing. The CLT is committed to working with residents in <br />deciding the use for land that is acquired. Partnership between the City and THRIVE will <br />exemplify community -led development and re-establish the City's leadership in this respect. <br />We encourage the City of Santa Ana to seek out further opportunities to allocate resources — <br />including land or supportive funds —to the community land trust model. The CLT is a key <br />strategy to engage local residents in the development process. The City holds over 90 vacant <br />lots, similarto the Walnut and Daisy property, which could make a tremendous impact in the <br />community's need for diverse economic development. <br />PREVENTION EDUCATION ACTION <br />