HomeMy WebLinkAboutCorrespondence-#3 Middleton, Samuel
From: Nadin Said <nadinsaid@yahoo.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 12:41 PM
To: eComment
Subject: Agenda Item 4 - Homelessness Update
Hello,
I am a resident of Santa Ana who lives at Vantage Town Homes off Main and
Macarthur. This area has become a homeless encampment, in addition to street
vendors selling food on the sidewalk. When I first moved in 2020, we did not have
this issue. Instead, we had drag racing on Columbine and Main, where I called the
police and they responded and stopped the racing. Now, when I report street vendors,
panhandlers, or the encampment that has been established on the ramp of pinnacle
apartments, the City and its officers do not respond. The City says call the police.
However, the police are understaffed and do not have the support they need to arrest
an unhoused person for trespassing, doing drugs on the street, etc. Homelessness
is also a problem the City must address and not leave to police officers to handle on
their own.
As a young woman, I have confronted the unhoused individuals when they are
trespassing. However, my presence alone will not end their trespass. In addition,
the panhandlers disregard traffic laws. For example, I was stopped at a red light which
phased to green. Out of nowhere, two unhoused individuals crossed against the signal
in front of my moving truck.
Please help us make the city a safe, clean place to live. Santa Ana has a lot of
potential. But it is discouraging to see police officers drive by the problem and not
respond, or have to wait an hour and call the police dept several times to force a
response. Please provide more police officers to patrol and hopefully end this issue.
The residents of Santa Ana pay a high tax and deserve to feel safe,just as our
neighboring OC cities feel.
Thank you.
Nay Said
i