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01 /19/2024 <br />City of Santa Ana Sanitation Services User Charge <br />Name: Mihi Chen <br />Property: Santa Ana, CA. 92703 <br />Vote: NO to increase Sanitation Services User Charge <br />Signature: - <br />Dear City Council Members of Santa Ana, <br />This letter is regarding the potential increase for the City of Santa Ana Sanitation <br />Services User Charge. As a housing provider, I understand the importance of street <br />sweeping, abandoned item collection, sidewalk cleaning, power washing, addressing <br />illegal dumping, and cleaning alleys in our community. Maintaining our neighborhoods <br />provides a quality of life that we all deserve, especially as tax -paying citizens. <br />Unfortunately, the current rent control has interrupted many of the necessities <br />our neighborhoods require. As a small business owner, rent control has limited my <br />ability to maintain my property and to get a fair return due to inflation and economic <br />pressures mentioned in the letter issued by the City of Santa Ana and the reason for <br />this potential increase. <br />The allowable rent increase for September 1, 2023, through August 31, 2024, is <br />2.54%. This amount does not allow me to recover the increase in my water, gas, and <br />trash bills due to inflation. Property tax, insurance, and maintenance cost are also <br />higher, and now housing providers must pay a Rental Registry Fee. My rents are far <br />below market rent, which was not an issue until rent control prevented me from <br />recovering the cost of inflation. <br />The City of Santa Ana is now asking property owners to foot the bill for <br />another expense that will make them fall further behind. I do not believe this increase <br />should be placed on the shoulders of property owners who have been limited from <br />recovering costs by reasonably increasing rent. It is unfair to housing providers to <br />enforce rent control and increase fees simultaneously. I do not agree with charging <br />property owners for this potential increase. <br />Sincerely, <br />Mihi Chen <br />