HomeMy WebLinkAboutCORRESPONDENCE- 65FDecember 20, 2016
City Council Meeting
Correspondence
65F. ADOPT THE FISCAL YEAR 2015-16 SURPLUS ALLOCATION PLAN
Date of Sender/Representative Agency
corresp.
1, 12/20/2016 Cesar Covarrubias, Executive
Director
Mtjendas12016 AgendWExhlbits 2016- Current Meeting12016-12-20 Exhibits_ Correspondence_65F,docx
The Kennedy Commission
December 20, 2016 • •
www.kennedyaonunission.org
17701 Cowan Ave„ Suite 200
Irvine, CA 92614
949 250 0909
Mayor Pulido and Santa Ana City Council Members Fax 949263 0647
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza
P.O. Box 1988, M31
Santa Ana CA, 92701
RE: Support - 65F. IA. Option A: Public Safety and Neighborhood Improvement
Committee Initiative for Skate Park and Park Development/Joint Use
Dear Mayor Pulido and City Council Members:
The Kennedy Commission (the Commission) is a broad based coalition of residents and
community organizations that advocates for the production of homes affordable for families
earning less than $20,000 annually in Orange County. Formed in 2001, the Commission has been
successful in partnering and working with jurisdictions in Orange County to create effective
policies that has led to the new construction of homes affordable to lower income working
families.
The purpose of this letter is to express support for the development of a new open space in the
Lacy neighborhood. The Commission has a history of working with community residents in the
Lacy neighborhood in partnership with other community-based organizations to improve the
quality of life. This has included open space, affordable housing, complete streets, increased
programming for children and youth, and the establishment of a Wellness District in the adjacent
business improvement district. Through our work with the Santa Ana Collaborative for
Responsible Development in 2010, we heard very assertively that the residents of that
neighborhood wanted an open space. Since then, there has been great progress with the
construction of new recreational spaces, such as the Garfield Community Center, the adjacent
fitness park, and the Familias Corazones Verdes Park and Community Center.
Despite these new amenities, we continue to hear from community residents that more open
space is needed which prioritizes and programs outdoor activities for youth. In the past year
there have been community input sessions in the Lacy neighborhood regarding the conversion of
3 parcels previously zones as residential into a.42 acre open space. In these input meetings,
residents were very supportive of the idea, and consistently made a recornmendation for open
space that will serve as a place for youth to recreate. Some recommendations included a skate
park, a soccer field, a pool, and urban agriculture opportunities. If you consider the demographic
profile of this neighborhood, you will see that resident concerns and recommendations about
open space are consistent with what data reveals. According to the 2010 Census, almost half
(46%) of residents in that area are under 25 years old. Additionally, the Lacy neighborhood is
one of the densest in the City, with high rates of overcrowded units, and a high rent burden, with
households spending over 40% of their income on rent. It is also a neighborhood with a history
of gang violence and crime. Given these conditions, we still have work to do to achieve the
acreage needed to accommodate the density and the accessibility needed to accommodate the
most vulnerable ages and income levels. We applaud City staff and Council for listening to
resident requests to reevaluate and reconsider the use and zoning of that land into a community
benefit based on community input.
We see the development of a new open space as much needed asset for Lacy area youth and their
families. We remain committed to and look forward to continue to work with residents. City
staff, and local stakeholders to ensure that we collaboratively develop a blueprint and
programming plan for open space in Lacy that will improve the quality of life for residents.
Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions; I can be reached at (949) 250-0909 or
cesarcgkennedycommission.ore.
Sincerely,
Cesar Covarru las
Executive Director
Working for systemic change resulting in the production of homes affordable to Orange County's extremely low-income households