Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCorrespondence - #18Orozco, Norma From: Libro Mobile <libromobile@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, November 02, 2021 3:34 PM To: eComment Subject: Public Comment: Adopt Resolution of Intent to Levy 2022 Assessment for Downtown Santa Ana Business Improvement District Dear Mayor Sarmiento, Mayor Pro Tem Penaloza and Council Members, LibroMobile (business representatives Sarah Garcia and Marilynn Montano) has been attending Santa Ana Business Council meetings consistently since July 2021 and Marilynn has attended in the years prior outside of representing LibroMobile. What drove us to attend consistently as a downtown business are the recent events being hosted in downtown, like Patches & Pins that brought over 5K people to downtown during the pandemic in February 2021 and OC Vegan Fest, which used the parking lot on 3rd and Bush to host events and ultimately brought down our sales extensively and deterred patrons from visiting our bookstore due to lack of public parking and cost increase in parking garages. Since then, I have learned that the SABC and Downtown Inc. fail to make meeting information, agendas and minutes accessible in Spanish. Our downtown businesses demographics demand such a consideration. Additionally, I have been told in a SABC meeting not to raise my concerns during a live meeting then told by email that they do not have the capacity to provide information via email. It was also pointed out in a meeting that I am one of two businesses that attends these meetings, which adds to my concerns on how inaccessible these meetings have been over the years. For example, we do not have access to September's minutes and meeting recordings since June, they are not posted on the SABC website nor have any been available in Spanish: http://www.callecuatromarketplace.com/meetings.html Please note, over 75% of the 100K SABC BID funding goes to two consultants. In total, SABC and DTI are proposing to use $124, 600 out of $200K to pay three consultants. What I am requesting is transparency through financial accountability for both entities and accessibility for the majority of our downtown businesses and community organizations. I am also requesting a full list of grants received by SABC and DTI with amounts and budgets. A SABC consultant had offered this information for Boca de Oro's California Arts Council 2019 grant that funded activities in 2020 in July's meeting but never transpired the information into a report. Along with details on who attends training listed as a line item in budgets. Profit & Loss reports and Balance Sheets could be easily provided as public records by the accountant paid by SABC funds given that 10% of BID funds are used for this line item in comparison to DTI who pays $3,600. Such reports would give the details of funds coming in and how they are used to benefit the local businesses. Providing pie charts on websites would also offer transparency. Why the need for two entities to do the same type of event planning and promotion? One compromise would be to have the two entities unite and not double up on line items and consultants, add terms for consultants and expectations to rotate board members to be more inclusive of local businesses on a broader scale. Designate $100K of the funding to solely support collaborations between local businesses and LOCAL artists. This alone will help boost the local economy and reinvest in the folks who already create collaborative events like LibroMobile who pays local artists all year round, Alta Baja Market who also contracts local artists and offers free pop-up opportunities for vendors, State Farm Insurance who hosts a Tamalada and the annual Dia de Los Muertos events that are also founded and funded by local organizations. Another option is to not fund either entity and open it up for multiple organizations to apply for smaller portions of the $200K (such as four locally -based and led entities at $50K) - since plenty already are placemakers, offer newsletter and social media that cross market various local businesses, artists, and events. I do hope the city council reconsiders this process. As a business owner, I am requesting more equitable practices for our community. Accountability and transparency is where these two entities should start, a thorough audit should be requested and made public instead of paying the same people year after year to do the same type of work for only a few of the businesses downtown. Sincerely, Sarah Garcia iMuchas Gracias! LibroMobile Arts Co-op Upcoming Events: All times are PST, unless stated otherwise All our events are hybrid - in -person & on IG live! On -going —Artifying the Alley with Local Artist Spm PST/7pm CST Thursday, Nov. 4th Poetry Reading: Memorias from the Beltway by Mauricio Novoa - IG Live 12-10pm PST Saturday, Nov. 6th Special Art Activity in collaboration with Viva La Vida at Crear Studio Save the Dates: 6-7pm PST Thursday, Dec. 16th From Drama to Sci-Fi: Meet Playwright Diana Burbano @ Alta Baja Market Parklet 4-8pm Thursdays & Fridays, 12-4pm Saturdays, December 2021 - Makers' Month at Crear Studio - Support Local BIPOC Artists, buy your gifts from them! Ipm PST/4pm EST Saturday, Jan. 8th Storytime: What Every Child Should Know by Lark Sontag - IG Live Location: 220 E. 4th Street, Ste. 107, Santa Ana, CA 92701 Hours: 12-6pm Tuesday -Saturday & Special Events (back alley of building #220 off 4th & Spurgeon, next to the public parking lot on 3rd Street between Bush & Spurgeon) Currently open in -person & virtually via our website & IG! LibroMobile: Cultivating Diversity in Santa Ana through Literature FB/Twitter/IG/Venmo: @libromobile DOWN TOWN; Downtown Inc 201 E 4th St. Santa Ana, CA 92701 Nov 2, 2021 City Council, Mayor and City Staff City of Santa Ana 20 Civic Center Plaza Santa Ana, CA 92701 RE: SUPPORT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR DOWNTOWN LEVY (ITEM # 18 ) Dear City Council, Mayor and City Staff I am excited to write on behalf of all of our Downtown Inc boardmembers, a dozen stakeholders who make up a diverse representation of those to be levied, in support to move forward with the processes to renew the business improvement district. The Downtown Santa Ana business improvement district has been around for nearly 40 years and it proved itself once again during the toughest year downtown has probably ever seen. Our board, services, teams and programming continued and adapted all through the pandemic: we worked with the city to establish outdoor dining and created safe protocols for downtown activation. Our communications and outreach network proved critical as we all dealt with unknowns and varying levels of being able to open and welcome visitors to downtown. We continue to work well with our partners, the Santa Ana Business Council and the City of Santa Ana's Community Development Agency and we hope for downtown to recover stronger than before. However, this will require us being able to raise support from mechanisms like the business assessment, solutions for the dip in parking revenue that has crushed our Downtown Merchant Fund, and we need to continue to find additional grants, improve operational budgets, make visionary plans, maintain partnerships and collaboratively secure new investments that help downtown build back better. In closing, I think a great testament to the spirit of downtown and the belief in our business district and this self -assessed levy is that most businesses have paid their business license and BID fees even during the darkest year we've faced together.) look forward to our continued work together! Sincerely, Ryan Chase President Downtown Inc. J+ti- -- 1 ' • is • ttrre*�' s t a 1 AA dt •S3 i Al _ OUR 2021 BOARD s r , LONIPANIAOUA VERONICA ALVAREZ WON CHA ALEXIS OARCEZ MIKE HUSAIN CLAUDIA ARELLANES ARTURO ARELLANES BOBBY ROOKER 3 SASC i SANTA ANA BUS I NESS COUNCIL, INC SAM ROMERO ARTURO LOMELI ROBYN MACNAIR MARIO REYES KIM TAPFER ALFREDO AMEZCUA BETHANY SCHERMER RAULYANEZ The geographical area of focus for this project is central Santa Ana, an area of 3.5 square miles that makes up the 92701 zip code. Demographically, Santa Ana is 79% Latino, with many foreign -born households, and a relatively young population. The area encompasses the city's civic center, the Downtown Santa Ana business district, and residential homes and apartment complexes. Central Santa Ana was designated as one of The California Endowment's Building Healthy Communities sites and parts of this focus area fall within the Santa Ana Federal Empowerment Zone designation that concluded in 2013. Residential areas are predominantly low-income and have high population densities. This area is also the location of the Wellness Corridor, the development of which has seen over $500,000 in investments from the California Endowment, the James Irvine Foundation and UCLA and consistent investments of time and resources by local community members working to create a built environment that promotes health, wellness, education to job pipelines, and climate action. t M M C, A-1, L L X CUTA Y RO = NIARKEIPLACE = 1" j 400 EAST 4TH STREET SANTA ANA, CA 92701 714-973-2000 CALLE CUATROMARKETPLACE. COM MISSION SABC is a 501 (c) 6 Organization Serving Business & Community We actively serve our downtown community by building its social life and visualizing its stories through marketing and promotions . These tasks are accomplished by stimulating positive social interaction in a diverse urban setting through innovative and socially motivated community engagement. We seek a stronger vibrant community by exploring and investing in our shared public spaces and population of all ages through socially engaged marketing, business incubation, entrepreneurship training professional development as well as the creation and implementation of educational opportunities including arts outreach and cultural programming. All of our programs, activities and events are free and accessible to the community. Our outreach provides the much needed opportunities for our underserved residents of the city and the community at large. Our many Business, Arts and Culture events, programs & activities include:Public Market Development, Involving K thru 12 and adult arts and educational programming (arts in the schools and at off site venues ), Art Exhibitions, Multi- arts workshops and festivals (ie. art, music, dance, writing, music, literature etc.). We also engage in Placemaking & the Environmental Arts and Climate Action through (public space development; sustainable creative urban spaces & gardens, greenways). We are committed to reinvigorating our District's position as the County's preeminent leader of commerce and services introducing all the amenities of urban community life, including social services and facilities and programs in education, recreation, and the multi -arts and culture. Over the past years we have provided a wide variety of annual free arts and culture programming to both our local and regional audience. Tli 4 y� _- � CUT A R0 400 EAST 4TH STREET SANTA ANA, CA 92701 714-973-2000 CALLECUATROMARKETPLACE. COM SABC DIVERSITY STATEMENT SANTA ANA BUSINESS COUNCIL believes that all must strive to end systemic racism and injustice, and that through the collective achievement of racial equity, we can help create a world that truly reflects and embraces diversity, inclusion and justice for all. The Santa Ana Business Council is intentional about equity and inclusion. We have made it our duty to take a strong stance on issues of equity, race relations, inclusion and accessibility. We work consistently to bridge and unify otherwise fractured and fragmented groups in our region, and work together to build a more vibrant community around creative Placemaking in our Downtown Arts District. We welcome all races, religions, countries of origin, sexual orientations, genders, and abilities to participate in and facilitate our programs and stakeholders to help create a shared vision for our community. Through our programs and community engagement, we consciously cultivate an environment that promotes, procures, and supports diversity, inclusion and accessibility. We support artists and multi arts outreach programs that nourish and transform our shared public spaces and stimulate social engagement, creative expression and community empowerment. Santa Ana Business Council Supports Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), (LGBTQIA) and woman, we also work with individuals who are documented and undocumented, housed and unhoused. Our Boca de Oro Festival of Literary Arts and Culture, is the first free and annual Literature and Arts Festival in Orange County that specifically features authors and visual and performing arts of BIPOC artists. Our board members and staff reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. We are predominately POC with an equal number of males to females from myriad diverse ethnicities including Latino, Asian, African American and Caucasian races. Our board does not discriminate against any person on the basis of Gender, Race, Religion, Age, Class, Ethnicity, Sexuality, Origin, Disability, and Education THE PROBLEM Comparison of race and ethnicity, Opportunity Zones and national White Hispanic r. Black Asian Mher and Mixed 2a% M Native American 43', Opportunity Zones cetthedana cmaied with oat —We, p bt t r7 R` United Siates Continued disinvestment and low levels of economic mobility threaten the vast majority of Opportunity Zones and residents Data from Harvard University's Opportunity Insights, the research organization associated with Raj Chetty's pothbreaking studies into equality of opportunity in the United States, shows that today's Opportunity Zones are overwhelmingly places that have struggled to deliver economic opportunity to their residents for at least a generation. Downtown Santa Ana IS In An Opportunity Zone Opportunity Zones are a new community development incentive established to encourage investment in low-income communities around the country. Opportunity Zones provide a tax Incentive for investors to re -invest their unrealized capital gains into dedicated Opportunity Funds. This program represents a unique opportunity to generate much -needed economic activity in historically overlooked communities. The two-tier incentive structure rewards patient, long-term investment and flexibly applies to a wide range of asset classes and investment use cases, including in operating businesses and real estate. Here's how it works: INITIAL /5 YEARS/ 7 YEARS/ 10 YEARS • Defer capital gains tax for holding period of Opportunity Fund investment. • Temporary Deferral • 10% step-up in basis on original gains. • Additional 5% step-up in basis on original gains. • Exemption on any taxes for capital gains earned through Opportunity Zone Investment. A THEMATIC OVERVIEW SABC INVESTMENTS AND INITIATIVES Our board has a double focus on creating greater visibility in the marketplace for our 800 small business and stabilizing our local economy through stopping brain drain, building entrepreneurship acceleration and retention programs, building social capitol within our community and working on policy changes that are necessary to make this work sustainable. It is important to seek out investments that address local conditions to improve the health of vulnerable populations and reduce health disparities, build equity and access to resources and connect our community with opportunity for greater success. • Supporting Small Businesses and Enterpreneurship • Downtown Sector Organization & Development • Some examples of Building Entrepreneurship Pipelines • Educational Pipeline Development • Building and Supporting Education and Business Pipelines • Partnering With Anchor Institutions and Local Government • Placemaking • Ecosystem Building • Building Collaborative Design Strategies Across Sectors CITY Our Business Council inspires city building. As one of two BID groups we are Downtown Santa Ana's champions for business BUILDING improvement, community building and act as urban place professionals who are shaping and activating our dynamic city center. Our members are business and property owners, downtown residents, artists who are downtown leaders inspired to maintain and foster a vibrant and connected social life for the urban core of our city. Urban district managers bridge the gap between the public and private sectors, setting the stage for their district's economic development as well as building the community commons through cultural programming. You need passion and dedication, innovative best practices and proven strategies to get this job done. EDUCATIONAL PIPELINES EDUCATIONAL PIPELINE DEVELOPMENT We have been working diligently for the past 7 years now to create solid pipelines for youth within our city. Some of these pipeline projects have included: INDUSTRIAL ARTS ROUNDTABLE The Industrial Arts Roundtable connecting youth with local industry and design in the arts here in Santa Ana. CODING WITH COMMUNITY Coding with the Community A project where former SAUSD student Chris Camacho now a student of computer science at Tufts University came back for the summer and shared with the community the basics of coding in a series of workshops at SAUSD and at the Garfield Community Center. FOUNDING TEAM XQ SUPER SCHOOL CIRCULOS Being on the Founding Team that brought Circulos to SAUSD an XQ funded program of piloting a school without walls. CONNECTING STUDENTS WITH LOCAL INDUSTRIAL DESIGNERS Circulos is connected to the OC Juego Project as Segerstroms and worked with designers from the Industrial Arts Roundtable at Stacy Dukes Design and Oval Integrations to Engineer their own conceived of creation. ESTABLISHING THE FIRST CHILDREN'S BUSINESS FAIR Bringing the Children's Business Fair to Downtown Santa Ana. Where youth learn to develop their product line and entrepreneurship skills with the public through pop-up vending. EDUCATIONAL PIPELINE DEVELOPMENT —1 I L I"". s FOUNDING TEAM SAUSD #LITCON Established SAUSD UtCon the first District -Wide literature competition throughout the Santa Ana Unified School District. 18 Schools compete. Finalists across the district after a unified performance with Judges are selected to perform at our Annual Boca de Oro Festival of Literary Arts and Culture the first week of March. ASSISTING ARTS OC IN BRINGING BACK POETRY OUT LOUD OC Working with Arts OC to bring back our Poetry Out Laud Program. An initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, California proudly holds court as home to the largest Poetry Out Loud competition in the country. DOWNTOWN SANTA ANA GREEN ALLEY PROJECT Establishing a Sustainability Project of creating Green Alleys for Downtown designed by the community and for the community. The community being SAUSD Circulos Students working with local Architecture Firm, Visioneering Studios In Downtown to develop a full proposal to green the alleys adding green space as well as a sustainabllity component into a Downtown whose alleys become rivers when it rains. DOWNTOWN THREADS SANTA ANA IN DESIGN Downtown Threads: Santa Ana In Design. This project connects a pipeline between SAUSD Fashion and Merchandising Group and Santa Ana College Fashion and Merchandising with Local Professional Designers in Downtown Santa Ana. PILOT DEVELOPMENT OF THRIVE & GO -LIVE The newest project which continues a pilot begun with SAUSD Career and Technical Institute now taken on by Ryan Forster in collaboration with LearningFuze is a Small Business Technology Program Thrive & GO -LIVE where businesses, making up 10 % in Downtown, who require help with websites and all social media are given a team to work with to set up a website, start up a social media presence and market themselves. These interns build their portfolios and are being drawn from 4 District programs that support buildina these pipelines. 2 SAUSD interns are paired with PUBLIC MARKET D E V E LOPME NT DTSA PUBLIC MARKET DEVELOPMENT THE BE1NER IS OF PUBLIC MARKETS PUS MART ' ''LJC �F._�PACE5 Placemaking practitioners concerned with the social life of public spaces and urban revitalization of underserved communities - whether supported by government, the private sector, or from community -based organizations - are beginning to recognize that new definitions of what is understood as "urban revitalization' and "economic development" are needed today. New strategies understand the importance of public spaces that connect everything together, and that public gathering places are inextricably related to the potential for economic opportunity and upward mobility. One of the most obvious, but perhaps least understood, methods of enhancing social integration in public spaces and encouraging upward mobility are public markets. Increasingly, community leaders and enlightened local government leaders see public markets as a means of addressing some of the more vexing problems of our cities: the need to bring people of different ethnic groups and incomes together; the need to make inviting and safe public spaces; the need to ' reinvigorate low- and moderate -income neighborhoods and to support small-scale economic activity; the need to provide fresh, high -quality produce through farmers markets, create spaces for cottage industry and makers to sell their products; and the need to protect open space and preserve urban farms within and around cities. s li .g DOWNTOWN SANTA ANA PUBLIC MARKETS E.- �rsA� `D BMW This public morPATCHWORK FESTIVAL (LOCAL CURATOR) ket was started by local business owner Dehlila Snell (and her niece Nicole Stevenson in Santa Ana . It is a public market in which over the next decade offer its inception, Patchwork Show evolved into a multi -city biannual festival. In 2011, they launched Craffcation Conference, giving small business owners and creatives support and education. This is the Patchwork is not in first year that the City of Santa Ana. In 2019 the firsfG sNTE1 NIGHT arket a MARKETT (LOCALCURAich TOR)CUR ATORlocal art-u s, musicians, and community members showcasing their talents and producs. Overs the Post year, despite the pandemic, Genie Market has been able to not only survive but THRIVE. Having worked with over hundreds of different vendors, artists, and community members the vision of Genie continues to grow. Local Residents Husband &Wife, Mario and Alexis Garcez work tirelessly behind the scenes on all aspects of Gente Market. WITCHWALK (LOCAL CURATOR) Witch Walk DTSA offered over too curated vendors showcasing tarot readers, Psychics, clothing, healers, curanderos, botanicos, apothecaries, crofters, artists, Witch Walk DTSA was proudly created, and independently run and organized by Lacey Conine oka Hype Priestess who owns a business in dow cntown . Started in June 2019 to honor her friends and muses. Giving loal vendors a friendly space to work, create, sell, and network their gifts was the goall FIRST SATURDAY ARTWALK (LOCAL CURATOR) An business improvement district sponsored event that has been going on in Downtown Santa Ana for over 20 years. Arfwalk is like a free happening across downtown Santa Ana from 6pm-IOpm on the First Saturday of each month. It brings together local artists with downtown galleries and performances by community members and visitors. There are a series of activated spaces throughout downtown including outdoor golleries, promenades, poseos and parks these areas feature vendors, pop-up artists and performances, over 20 art galleries and studios with rotating art shows and performances and live music, GOLDEN YEARS VINTAGE MARKET (LOCAL CURATOR) Local business owner Sara Sunderman has for years brought clothing vendors to sell their wares together in a Golden Years Market 3 times i yeae downtown Santa Ana in this is the first time that the festival has left downtown Santa Ana to move to Anaheim. BLUE LOT (LOCAL CURATOR) A vacant lot in downtown re -imagined by a local artist where events with Vendors, Music, Food, Family -Friendly, Art and the space that has been used for overflo community come together. q summer solstice festivals and much morearking, food distribution, carwash, DOWNTOWN SANTA ANA PUBLIC MARKETS MOCAJETE DOMINGERO (NEW NON -LOCAL CURATOR) Molcojete Dominguero is an outdoor Lotlnx flea market with incredibly innovative vendors. It's the largest Latinx Pop-up in the country, ringin d riot an experience and some fun events along the way. registration Los Castro Ca dlengas to comento San Angeles a Ana and tap iCity our localmarket during the Pandemic. CO-OP (LOCAL CURATOR) In 2019 Clayton from local business Slushcult presented The Co -Op Sale which is an event where like minded businesses with T-Shirts and other male clothing weare wordk together to create and awesome experience for .d group of designers to got customers. Ana toedo hand p�bkanded wareh use safer all in one eplace! ther in downtown Sant PATCHES & PINS EXPO (LOCAL CURATOR) Since 2015, p&p has become The essential platform connecting pin makers with the public and most importantly st ieir irect has fans. onus event idly inco iporates ng on array of pins, patches, a rt organically for The post couple of years, while staying true to our roots, Pins o making our event the successful platform it is todaay. d networklrng event is the nation's largest public trade show, conferencdedicated to patch and pin makers. This expo brings together thousands of from vendors kers to shop for proucts and servi yguet and ou.ln additiontoour huge exhibitor hall, there are many other networrkinglike opportunities including: social media and curated collaborations. CHILDREN'S BUSINESS FAIR (LOCAL CURATOR) ss improvement district sponsored event providing the opportunity An busine for children to launch their very own startup business! roduct or service, build a marketing strategy, Kids develop a brand, create a p and then open for customers at our one -day marketplace. eloped a chapter of this event locally the Local youth and their parent dev, larger event is sponsored by Acton Academy, the Acton School of Business,who believe that principled entrepreneurs are heroes and role rently locally byrAthe next m gas Social CluIon. This event b professional 1d development t group - imagined WEEKLY FARMERS MARKET (NON -LOCAL CURATOR) acial events and farmers market company. We Native Harvest Events is a sp so speciallze in setting up lunchtime marketplaces Hobuday Boutiqu'essa and organize other events such as Farmers Markets, Y Truck lots. Our markets and events are based in Orange County and Los Angeles County, California. Our goal is to be able to give back to Native American Agriculture. Farming was once a way of life for the Indigenous , we are helping by donating money to peoples. It is now a dying culture elr own farming operations. deserving individuals to start ThSuch as helping with 0 green house and equipment needed. MOBILE BUSINESSES Street Vendors Are Vital Local Businesses Community Love Them, We Love Community At Santa Ana Business Council we understand the essential role food and the food economy play in building stronger and more financially resilient communities. We also understand the importance of access to food culture to diverse communities and why and how assisting and fostering the food economy at all levels is important. It is our belief that street vending enlivens urban public spaces and increases public safety by making streets vibrant and welcoming, Promoting street vending can generate employment, keep people safe and create the vitality and comity that is the hallmark of livable humane cities. Fortunately, the cities municipal code allows for vendors within the Downtown District. "Downtown District. All public property and private property open to the public bounded by Ross Street on the west, First Street on the south, Civic Center Drive on the north, and French Street on the east." Santa Ana Municipal Code Chapter 26-1. THE SIDEWALK CARTS Downtown Santa Ana Hosts a series of sidewalk carts throughout the district and especially on 4th street in Downtown. Rivas Rodriguez and Jose Rodriguez are two of the handfull of food cart vendors in Downtown Santa Ana who have all worked in Downtown for many years. These dedicated vendors are what could be called Santa Ana's new old guard. They manage their food carts seven days a week on two corners of "Celle Cuatro " and are the eyes and ears on the street. They know everything that Is going on In Downtown. PALETEROS Our local Paleteros who sell everything from ice cream to delicious Mexican street corn are regularly savvy business people running careful operations on razor-thln margins, and the money that flows through this sector is a lifeline to people who often cannot find work or earn adequate wages in the formal economy. Paletero's should be given the some permission as all vendors who come into downtown. While many cities opened their Al Fresco Dining initiatives for restaurants they failed to make similar accommodations for street vendors who are regularly targeted for vending. The Palefero culture is important to downtown because if meets the idea of access and inclusion and allows for families at any level of income to be able to enjoy the Downtown district and provide for their family at whatever level they can afford. All options ought to be available to both locals and visitors to our city. FOOD TRUCKS in 2018 The city of Santa Ana conducted a pilot that became more permanent to open up opportunities for "food truck pads" or food truck islands, a groupings of food vending businesses clustered in a sort of outdoor food hall or food court to operate on city -owned as well as private properties. Private properties are able to apply through the planning department for a land use certificate and/or Special Event Permit for these pop -ups. The city looks at everything from possible security concerns to sanitation and general maintenance, and proximity to similar brick & mortar uses when making determinations about where the food trucks can be parked. CONTINUED ADVOCACY EFFORTS • Launching a small-business grant program for street vendors, • Identifying more open street spaces for vendors who cannot sustain their businesses in their usual location due to the loss of foot traffic, • And, finally, ending longstanding permitting issues that have regularly forced vendors to operate in an exploitative underground market. DOWNTOWN SECTOR ORGANIZATION & DEVELOPMENT u SMALL BUSINESS STRATEGY SESSIONS The Industrial Arts Roundtable connecting youth with local industry and design in the arts here in Santa Ana. AMIGAS SOCIAL CLUB Building an inclusive community of Amigas who are there to inspire, support, educate and connect consumers to women owned businesses. "We should always have three friends in our lives. One who walks ahead who we look up to and follow; one who walks beside us, who is with us every step of our journey; and then, one who we reach back for and bring along after we've cleared the way." -Michelle Oboma. DOWNTOWN BRIDAL ASSOCIATION Downtown Santa Ana's Bridal and Quinceanera shops understand that for your special day every detail matters. Downtown bridal shops showcase amazing dresses and offerings from 10 of our Bridal and Quinceanero stores including Ara's Bridal, Cassandra's Bridal, Celene's Bridal, Jessica's Bridal, Nino's Bridal, MPs Bridal, Mi Made, Veronica's Bridal, Midnight Glam Boutique and Omar Valle Photography. DOWNTOWN ARTIST REGISTRY Welcome to the largest index of Artists and Arts Organizations in Santa Ana. Find Local Artists" if you are looking to hire an artist or find artists to collaborate with. Find "Arts Organizations" to learn more about local organizations "Add Your Profile" to add yourself as an Artist or Arts Organization to the Santa Ana Arts & Culture Registry DOWNTOWN RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION An award -winning dining destination, with 50 restaurants, Downtown Santa Ana is a walkoble historic downtown district In the heart of the Orange County. In Downtown Santa Ana, restaurants hum in historic buildings, new restaurants mingle with long-time locals, and art and color line the streets. You can find new culinary adventures around every corner, and experience the district in just a few blocks. With a diverse business mix and a thriving restaurant scene, there's a lot to discover. SOME EXAMPLES OF BUILDING LOCAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP PIPELINES FOOD BUSINESSES Pop up Vendor to Brown Box-Blackmarket Bakery Pop up Vendor to Brown Box -Munchies Diner Food Truck to Brown Box Restaurant - Playground Restaurant Food Prep & Incubator Kitchen - East End Kitchen HEALTH & WELLNESS SERVICES Cindy Nunez Flores with otherapaz Nicolette Gallen with @evolvenicolette Dom Gutierrez with edesertbeautystudio_ BEAUTY PRODUCT LINES Local Beauty Product to International Brand - Suavacito Pomade Local Beauty Product - WNB Lotion Local Beauty Product -Soaps N Such RETAIL,CLOTHING& JEWELERY PRODUCT LINES Local Clothing Line Local Clothing Line Local Clothing Line Local Clothing Line Arenas Curb Appeal Honey+ Rose Apparel - Santanera Living - COX Apparel - Urth Jewelery SANTA ANA COFFEE ROSTERS Coffee Roasted and Sold in Santa Ana -The Coffee Muse ARTS MARKET Santa Ana Arlwalk Find Artist Santa Ana Artist Registry Experience over 30 Galleries with Art in Downtown LITERARY ARTS MARKET Latina Breath of Fire Ensemble Makara Center for the Arts Libromobile Bookstore Libromobile Literary Festival Santa Ana Literary Association Boca de Oro Festival Annually t -- MEALS m. EEK 7 EASE END KITCHEN SHOP FROM THESE JEFAS IN BUSINESS 1 SWEET LIFE BY SALLY 21 XTYLE IT 2 POP N LITTLE TREATS 22HONEY + ROSE APPAREL 3 CASITA MICHI 23WITH LOVE BY HAYDEE 4 PURA ROZA 24MAMA'S PLANTS LLC 5 SOAPS N SUCH 25A LITTLE CREATIVITY 6 WNB LOTIONS 26DESERT BEAUTY STUDIO 7 TWISTED VIDA 27BEAUTY BALANCE BY JO 8 28 JEWELS 28AMOR POR VIDA 9 KRAFTS BY KC 29ADELITAS SALSAS 10 LATINA HUSTLE 30CALIFAS VELA CO 11 OGX APPAREL 31 GRATITUDE JOY CANDLES 12 URTH JEWERLY 32SWEET TREATS BY MELL 13 MARBELLA & CO 33VALERIE R. LEGAL SERVICES 14 CHAMPOY LOCA 34IMPERIUM METAL PRODUCTS 15 LILITH'S GARDEN LA 35THE VITALIZE COMPANY 16 ARENAS CURB APPEAL 36SANTANERA LIVING 17 ANA KAREN LOVES PAPER37MAD GLAM BOUTIQUE 18 KARLITAS FRESITAS 38MARYPOSA ESSENTIALS 19 CORDOVA CREATIONS 39MINI MICHOACANA 20 AMOR Y DOS LATINAS 40 AND MORE! AMIGASSOCIALCLUB.COM 4?w 13 4�4 29 30 10 PEACEMAKING PROJECTS PLACEMAKING PROJECTS These three spaces in Downtown Santa Ana are under the jurisdiction of Parks and Recreation. What this means is that all space activation must be permitted before use by the Parks Department. What this also means is that when this space is underutilized it is typpically because, 1. The space feels unsafe. 2. There is no park programming. 3.The park is not set up for everyone to be included in the space. VISION FOR URBAN PARK ACTIVATION PLACEMAKING PROJECTS People seek out parks because they provide contact with the natural environment and a social environment which offers opportunities for meeting with friends, watching others and being seen - all of which help to establish a feeling of comfort and security. Well - designed and well -used parks and recreation areas are a great asset for local communities. But that asset can quickly become a liability when parks become unsafe and as a result, lose their value and benefit to the community. Keeping park and recreation facilities safe is a key to community wellness and has a direct relationship to their usage rate. Kiosk not only provide opportunities for Entreprenurship they also put eyes on the street. "The safety of a street works best... Most casually, and with least frequent taint of hostility... precisely when people are using and most enjoying the streets voluntarily. -Jane Jacobs VISION FOR URBAN PARK ACTIVATION P L A C E M A K I N G 4: PROJECTS NIGHT LIGHTING AND ELECTRICITY IN THE PARK Principles 1. GREAT ACTIVITIES & D 2. SAFE 3. INVITING AND RICH IN 4. DESIGNED FOR LINGE 5. INTERACTIVE AND SO, 6. UNIQUE 7. ACCESSIBLE 8. FLEXIBLE -Project for Public Space VISION PARK FOR URBAN ACTIVATION qF d. Vic ---- ROVE46iE t®r SENIOR WALK GROUP..'�,_� 11911111101 771C P LIA4 do' _. ,, .s �t r IL , IL I ALAR WEEKLY EXERCIZE CLASSES (CURRENT) 0 CLIMATE ACTION& ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE PLACEMAKING PROJECTS Downtown Santa Ana Floods When It Rains ❑❑ ❑-71 ❑ ❑❑El P111 Local Youth From SAUSD Circulos XQ Super School Tackle Climate & Sustainability Issues SABC Connected Circulos High School students with Downtown Architecture Firm Visioneering Studios to study LED sustainable urban environmental design, their focus is on transforming 4 Downtown Alleyways in Santa Ana into Sustainable Greenway spaces. Check out thier designs CLIMATE ACTION GREEN ALLEYS INITIATIVE PLACEMAKING PROJECTS Architect's statement By Jaahaa Davis and Jasmine Villasenar The lheam for nor It .11 1Ilryq,mlern11. lease an Ideal lumpon fapeople mgo On JamsThe Pulp meolgnnuepvay amoral¢ a peaaelul andsafe enwrgnmenr (Mill oleo hNN people mgeNerne amm otor Th at butd W alley a pro. a purpose. and mate them ammore appeallN wvalry. NDlnnlydlal hul It wtllmake a plea where Deapleon amewMN.r t�irSrgnllO[Mn 111tl501 $q lap. wNhrhelrhlemL(WewameSin WfaQIDallOne Boardtlrlwlati, la IOpro DCWI MR age loosbuilde ree."m rare 041ne wpuld w➢ultl oaand aye Neu pmaurtal Inoureueyaays my our al Thewry, Nn wdea da, .11"sst'.a .putpaaerveWere, Oat a vdfbe able llM two Neff our aneywar, fu .fun peenspas Nanpeoplew1.1f1lblea sae fora valley emul.l ournad, m51WInRBerns,a payana Narruld MN k'eur Inenm. O .,ad lltlnlwe woadhave rmmlu, darcing a1W ee a arms paatlbemdselarge Mput her alleyway. Thesmatter pan ostler allrahvaVwmatl have a waltinA path and a howermnml On tlwwle, due .lane Oat are warned rq Inrlutle In our aueywaywen.lasmine.Mss paves, box bushes, razes, andwMnW. a�. Mw�•� rr`\. i 4, a Architect's statement By Nara Sanloyo mid Min Meza oar pm,M n aW", ue'll. N ou. W zron geghualw narea sniing area xte' peoPlaw nude r nanput. wax'amm atltlsome phntt aM Aawers, aru 3D zf br peaplea at�t ad,tertud had .—yra,hadat eboffal s aa - t arouW al Ndrt tenth. Ne bare'some other mareraI, ea reed am HD glass paeral or glwrodn, N atldmmu, solar energy xWl be le, .red no net wup al W& In wryclaiaor, our pommy pwrld are paler manatmen— In help wth am cart offora Architect's statement By Aagel gainonez and Bread. Hernandez our Design N fo,.r. on a,, theme ofuulmreww ale Jesryning our apeywayas an ."gallery, weave III In luvethe rw bee plate where family Nad blends aald have. grearllme there .1111. be areas where people tau Id all and mler, For¢.ample. w itul .a,, anenvlranm ad, wtN Up swlN JWrs where people could eryzy Ne relew of dltterent murals anal desArn din Is 91 to help the coranyorl, by knowing more .both Ne Odd. oBanm Ana ald dlsp.wng apparent klMa Of puhlm e,t waft tlW lmpur, people CLIMATE ACTION GREEN ALLEYS INITIATIVE PLACEMAKING PROJECTS THE BURNING OF SANTA ANA'S CHINATOWN AND THE MURDER OF ANAHEIM'S MOCK LAW FAT Chinese grave marker in Anaheim wit, • A 4P 0►' F. mb CHINA TOWN MEMORIAL P L A C E M A K I N G .- I Working With Community to Create A China Town Memorial For Downtown Santa Ana The history of the City of Santa Ana victimizing the Chinese immigrants who lived withing the city by burning down China Town was a horrific act. The deaths and pushing out this community who relocated West of the City was part of a wave of anti -Asian violence that swept across the 19th- century—and unfortunately reverberates to this day. The aim of this project is to recognize publicly that in order to effectively address anti -Asian racism we must work to end all forms of structural racism leveled at Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color. One of the ways to rectifying these wrongs is through acknowledging this history and memorializing the communities that have been a pivotal part of building our city. CHINA PROJECTS TOWN MEMORIAL BI P L A C E M A K I N G PROJECTS Regularly, cities understand that hcving vacant lots especially, in a downtown represents blight, disinvestment, and lowers surrounding property value while also diminishing tax revenue, increasing crime and graffiti, and often leads to high management costs for the city and it's police department. Therefore, to alleviate this problem of vacant space, when local resident Ruben Salazar first saw the BLUE LOT in Downtown, rather than a vacant lot he saw an amazing opportunity. Ruben imagined the lot filled with people enjoying their weekend. He imagined his own Reggae Band performing live in the lot. He could imagine mural programs on walls around the lot to keep youth from getting involved in tagging and gangs - Ruben saw a space where youth would become place defining muralists who their community would admire for their talents and leadership in the arts. Needless to say, the BLUE LOT motivated Ruben. So what did he do? He found and connected with the owner of the lot to share his vision. His vision being accepted by the property owner allowed him to formed a partnership. Since the start many amazing things have happened in the transformation of the BLUE LOT into a downtown community center. Through the activation of the lot, Ruben learned that this lot is a key competitive asset for implementing a number of economic development strategies: creating jobs, increasing tax revenue, improving transportation infrastructure, and attracting residents to enjoy safe and fun activities. Ruben stated: "I have been working for many years to make this vision come true. The BLUE LOT space has since provided many opportunities for business incubation like Gente Night Market, Musical Performances, Art Projects with Santa Ana College and SAUSD, it has been used by churches and other nonprofit groups to fundraise, donate gifts of backpacks and food for the community and more." What Ruben has shown is that these types of uses for other vacant land and abandoned structures represent an unparalleled opportunity for the economic growth and recovery in urban areas like Downtown. Many of the brick and mortar businesses in Downtown like Blackmarket Bakery and Munchies Diner started as vendors. Munchies in particular started its business at the BLUE LOT and is now a full fledged Brick and Mortar in Downtown. Ruben has been working with PlacemakingUS Leadership to develop the lot plan for this site. BLUE LOT PROJECT P L A C E M A K I N G FESTIVAL KEYNOTES ALTHORS - W HTS -N'111 Tfl6 2018 Luis J. Rodriguez N ISLAL & PEItEOHV ISf. InTS 2019 Justin Torres 202C Zara Raheem N, 2021 Pete Souza PROJECTS BOCA DE ORO FINALE 2018 PERLA BATTALLA 2019 BANDA MAGDA 2020 LATI\A BREATH OF FIRE THEATER ENSEMBLE 2021 MARC BAMUTHI JOSEPH In the minority majority community of Santa Ana, Colifomla we understand that it is very Important that there are many opportunities for youth, as well as all members of our community to experience the art and literary work of emerging and established figures who are successful in their fields. While California is the creative capitol of the country many of the jobs within this sector go to artists from other parts of the country and we would like to see these jabs go to our local youth. We have been especially consumers in creating this festival to make sure that the models of success we bring to our community are made up of people who lock like our youth, have stories and bockgrounds like them. Therefore, this festival is very intentional in highlighting BIPOC authors and artists . Having role models who provide positive guidance and inspiration is beneficial not only for adolescents, but for the community as a whole as it brings pride and joy and pride in the acknowledgement that there is possibil'rtles for connection and access to when the community commons becomes a place for building relationships within fields of literary, visual, performing and all the LITERACY AND ARTS INITIATIVE P L A C E M A K I N G BOCA BE 0B0 FESTIVAL IMPACT (2017-2071) 439500 6,675 .....n...m . u.wn wm.o.n.n. 510 12,790 34 INIIn Y1MN1Vm.�MW EOmmum�yM�ry N$90 $3089175 PROJECTS �iAiUUA V Lifci-u Sure Contest Across 18 St-.�D Schools OCA HOSTS J! "" 'OOKFAIR LITERACY AND ARTS INITIATIVE PLACEMAKING PROJECTS LISTENING TO OUR CHILDREN TO CREATE A BETTER CITY. To empower young people with opportunities for inclusion, influence, and deliberation on local issues and local city designs which affect their lives. w�Nwo,Q Nw.e�xww. �aNmevuwx wnnva"m co.v NlbRN!!M htl1lMaWmm etlgElmvLwO Iaupat m[wn MPtt Wd ,n.wae avm�®w¢ma O[ptltm Ne SualabaWe ComMN LaRNoOy NUNNUNonL BW[ONtlAC .yearn. azn�amnage wawnaen�a �"�rzmw mnn.�.�a xeMb�Img m�eoo,veom yrd,we hmx� tmnuges As Tim Gill has described: "...a child - friendly city looks a lot like a sustainable city. A child -friendly city is also a city with a bright future. Any city that fails to attract and retain families is a city whose long-term economic prospects are bleak. only the most heartless would say we should ignore children in city building. But why should we seek to involve them directly? They bring to projects an enthusiasm, energy, creativity, and openness to new ideas that can stimulate fresh, radical thinking. Their voices compel us to confront questions about who and what cities are for. And let's not forget children's right to participate in decisions that affect them, as enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child." The ultimate child -friendly neighborhood (childinthecity.org) 71 First Kid Mayor Kid Mayor and Kid Cabinet KID FRIENDLY CITY INITIATIVE P L A C E M A K I N G PROJECTS ut Kid Friendly Activities in Downtown Santa Ana KID FRIENDLY CITY INITIATIVE Project Cost Project Amount Educational Initiatives 1,000,000 Public Market [development 1,250,000 Placemaking Initiatives 1,300,000 Climate Action Initiative 1.450.000 Tota $5,000,000 Community Benefits • Educational Initiatives: Education -to -workforce pathways: Create flexibility, incentives, and alignment to ensure student readiness upon exiting the K-12 to seamlessly enter and succeed in both career and college opportunities. • Public Market Development: Create a pipeline for local vendors to develop local product lines to develop product replacement and build the local economy beginning with regional exports • Placemaking Initiatives: Build the Social life of the local community through community driven approaches to creating great activities and destinations. Providing a safe environment. Interactive and social, unique spaces that are accessible, flexible and inclusive for all. • Climate Action Initiative: Creating a just and sustainable economy in one place too improve lives in nearby communities while working to build just and resilient cities and to create new economic opportunities for individuals left behind by recent economic booms. Initiating climate change action and preparedness strategies with support from students, residents and community groups, which are designed through inclusive processes that address the intersecting problems of racial, income, and environmental inequalities within cities. 5 9 th t IL CAL" q%- vv a frud) NNA,Cmfmo 4 3