Read the March 21 meeting.

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Thank you.

Thank you.

Cut the cart out of the cart Cut the cart out of the cart

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I just made sure everything was made out of the garden. I just made sure everything was made out of the garden. I just made sure everything was made out of the garden. I just made sure everything was made out of the garden. I just made sure everything was made out of the garden. I just made sure everything was made out of the garden. Thank you.

Thank you.

I just made sure everything was made I made sure everything was made I made sure everything was made I made sure everything was made I made sure everything was made

Thank you.

Thank you.

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Thank you.

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Thank you.

Can you guys hear me in there?

Thai Viet Phan

Yes, we can hear you.

Awesome. You guys want to do the mic tests now?

Jennifer L. Hall

Mic test one, two.

Sounds good.

Jennifer L. Hall

Okay. Testing. Testing.

Sounds good.

Jennifer L. Hall

Mic test.

Sounds good.

Testing. Testing.

Sounds good. Testing. Sounds good.

Jennifer L. Hall

Mic test.

Sounds good.

Mic test. sounds good mic test sounds good yeah they're going around testing every single night right on right on oh you did my test mike sounds good sounds good

Jennifer L. Hall

yeah we don't need to test everyone i like testing before the meeting

it is fun three or four is great thank you all right i'm gonna bring the music back and then just let me know when you start youtube okay

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I just made sure everything was made out of the garden.

Thank you.

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so

Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out.

so

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I just made sure everything was made out of the себя.

Thank you.

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I just made sure everything was made out of the garden. I just made sure everything was made out of the garden.

Let's get started.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Recording in progress.

Thank you.

Jessie Lopez

Madam Clerk, please start the meeting.

Jessie Lopez

Meeting live? Perfect. I hereby call the special closed session meeting to order. Good evening, everybody. This meeting is taking place with in-person attendance and by teleconference via Zoom. The public may access the meeting via the Santa Ana YouTube channel or the city's website. Please bear with us as the technology may disrupt the flow of the meeting. Madam Clerk, please conduct the roll call.

Jennifer L. Hall

Council Member Penaloza?

David Penaloza

Present.

Jennifer L. Hall

Council Member Fan?

Jennifer L. Hall

Mayor Patel Lopez. Council Member Vasquez.

Benjamin Vazquez

Present.

Jennifer L. Hall

Council Member Becerra. Council Member Hernandez. Mayor Emesqua. Present. Let the record show we have four members present.

Jessie Lopez

I'm sorry.

Jennifer L. Hall

We have four members present.

Jessie Lopez

Perfect. Thank you. Do any council members need to announce their abstentions on closed session items at this time?

Jessie Lopez

If there are no questions. No, none. Madam Clerk, do we have any speakers for closed session?

Jennifer L. Hall

Madam Mayor, there are no in-person speakers. There is one member on Zoom. If they would like to speak, please dial star 9 from your phone or raise hand.

Jennifer L. Hall

Perfect.

Jessie Lopez

I'm not seeing any. We'll now recess this portion of the meeting to consider the items listed on the closed session agenda and we will be back. Thank you.

Recording stopped

I just made sure everything was made out of the garden. I just made sure everything was made out of the garden. I just made sure everything was made out of the garden. I just made sure everything was made out of the garden. I just made sure everything was made out of the garden.

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I just made sure everything was made out of the garden.

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Let's get started.

I just made sure everything was made out of the себя. I just made sure everything was made out of the себя.

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I'm sorry.

I just made sure everything was made out of the garden. I made sure everything was made out of the garden. I made sure everything was made out of the garden. I made sure everything was made out of the garden. I made sure everything was made out of the garden. I made sure everything was made out of the garden.

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I just made sure everything was made out of the garden. I just made sure everything was made out of the garden. I just made sure everything was made out of the garden. I just made sure everything was made out of the garden. I just made sure everything was made out of the garden.

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A CIDADE NO BRASIL

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so

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so

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so

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I just made sure everything was made out of the garden. I just made sure everything was made out of the garden. I just made sure everything was made out of the garden. I just made sure everything was made out of the garden. I just made sure everything was made out of the garden. I just made sure everything was made out of the garden.

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I just made sure everything was made out of the garden.

Cut the hole out of the hole. Cut the hole out of the hole. Cut the hole out of the hole. Cut the hole out of the hole. Cut the hole out of the hole.

I just made sure everything was made out of the себя. I just made sure everything was made out of the себя. I just made sure everything was made out of the себя. I just made sure everything was made out of the себя. I just made sure everything was made out of the себя. I just made sure everything was made out of себя.

so

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Cut the floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral floral

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AVAILABLE NOW

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Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out.

Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out. Cut the hole out.

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Transcription by CastingWords

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Piano music

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so

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I just made sure everything was made out of the garden.

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Cut the生生生生生 Cut the生生生 Cut the生生 Cut the生生

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Recording in progress

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Thank you.

Jessie Lopez

We'll be starting right now in a few minutes. Thank you all very much for being patient. We really appreciate it. We're good? Okay. I'd like to call this meeting to order, please. We will now reconvene the special closed session meeting. Did I say that? Oh, yes. Let's do the Pledge of Allegiance first, right?

Jessie Lopez

Yes. Oh, I'm so sorry. We have to do this. I apologize. It's been a long day.

Jessie Lopez

Madam City Attorney, do you have anything to report out of the closed session?

Sonia R. Carvalho

Mayor, members of the City Council and members of the public, there's no reportable action.

Jessie Lopez

Thank you so much. With no further closed session business before us, I hereby adjourn the special closed session meeting. Madam Clerk, please start the meeting. Yes, ma'am. Go ahead, please. Ready to go? Yes. Perfect. I hereby call the regular open meeting to order. This meeting is taking place with in-person attendance and by teleconference via Zoom. The public may access the meeting via the Santa Ana YouTube channel or the city's website. Please bear with us as the technology may disrupt the flow of the meeting. Madam Clerk, please conduct the roll call.

Jennifer L. Hall

Councilmember Becerra?

Valerie Amezcua

Here.

Jennifer L. Hall

Councilmember Hernandez? Councilmember Penaloza? Present. Councilmember Fan? Here. Councilmember Vasquez?

Jessie Lopez

Present.

Jennifer L. Hall

Mayor Pro Tem Lopez? Mayor Emescova?

Jessie Lopez

Present.

Jennifer L. Hall

Five members present in the chamber?

Jessie Lopez

Madam Clerk, before we proceed to the Pledge of Allegiance, please make any announcement.

Jennifer L. Hall

To request to speak during public comments on agenda or non-agenda items within the city's jurisdiction, please dial star 9 from your phone or click the button labeled Raise Hand from Zoom at this time.

Jessie Lopez

Thank you. DC Henry, can you come up please and lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance?

I can have everybody please stand, place your right hand over your heart, and please welcome the greatest symbol of freedom in the world. Ready? Begin. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you.

Jessie Lopez

Sir, thank you very much.

I'm sorry.

Jessie Lopez

At this time, I'd like to call up Police Chaplain Rupert Vega. Would you please stand for words of inspiration?

You would please bow your heads.

Gracious Heavenly Father, we come before you today, giving you honor, glory, and praise. Lord, you are the source of all that is good, and we are grateful for all the blessings you've bestowed upon us. We thank you for our wonderful city of Santa Ana, our honorable mayor, city council, city staff, and all first responders. Lord, we thank you for our freedom and the opportunity to unite and gather together this day. We ask for your hand of blessings to be upon tonight's meeting and proceedings. We thank you for your grace, your unending love and wisdom. And we thank you, Lord, that you will guide tonight's meeting.

And Father God, that it would be of wisdom and it would be productive with integrity, accountability, and with respect towards one another. Thank you, Lord, for helping us to accomplish our work and our goal this day. City of Santa Ana I leave you with a scripture found in the book of Numbers chapter 6 it says may the Lord bless you and keep you and protect you may he sustain you and guard you may the Lord make his face shine upon you with favor and be gracious to you surrounding you with his love and kindness may the Lord lift up his face and continence upon you

with divine approval and give you peace and a tranquil heart and life. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen and amen.

Jessie Lopez

Thank you very much.

Jessie Lopez

We're going to do two presentations today. I believe Mayor Pro Tem, are you not doing yours tonight? No, you're not, okay. So we're gonna do one, Council Member Becerra and Councilman Hernandez will be after that.

Jessie Lopez

Just before we do Councilman Becerra, Madam City Manager, I'm gonna do public comments or excuse me, Mr. Mendoza. I'm gonna do public comments before we go into staff presentations, okay? Thank you, because they've been waiting a long time. Thank you.

Valerie Amezcua

Thank you, Madam Mayor. If I could have Nick Sabayan and if I could have Chief Henry join me up here as well.

Valerie Amezcua

Come on up here. So now we all know that firefighters perform many acts of heroism, but tonight I wanted to recognize one particular firefighter's heroic act. So with me tonight here is Nick Sabayan, who has been a member of the Orange County Fire Authority since March of 2022, when he was hired as part of OCFA's Recruit Academy 54. Now Nick comes to us from the City of Los Angeles' Fire Department, where he served for three years. Now, Nick is always looking out for others, but little did he know that on the evening of February 9th, his selfless nature would be put to the test.

Valerie Amezcua

So as a firefighter and a paramedic over at Station 78 off of 5th and New Hope, which is not too far from where my father's side of the family grew up, Nick and the rest of his crew frequently transport patients over to Fountain Valley Hospital. So on this particular evening, Nick found himself waiting to speak to a nurse over in the ER, and with the patient that him and his team had just brought in. Now while he was waiting across the hall, Nick witnessed an ER being violently shoved by another patient.

Valerie Amezcua

So Nick promptly walked over, as a good firefighter would, to check to see if that nurse was okay. But at the same time, the patient who had shoved the nurse walked back into the room he had come from and lock the door. So hospital staff quickly requested that Fountain Valley police, because again they're over at Fountain Valley Hospital, that Fountain Valley police respond over to the hospital. So a single Fountain Valley police officer shows up into the ER. When the patient noticed that the police officer was approaching the room he was locked in, he abruptly opened the door

Valerie Amezcua

and rushed at the police officer and punched him in the face, causing the officer to fall against the wall. So without any hesitation, Nick springs into action and quickly grabs the large assailant. So now looking at Nick here, and this gentleman is not to be reckoned with, but let's just be clear. The gentleman that he decided to go at was at six foot two, 250 pounds. So I'm not a mathematician, but do a little math there, okay? And he took him to the ground. This guy took the six-foot-two guy to the ground. Yes, please.

Valerie Amezcua

So now Nick's action allowed the police officer to get away from that patient and regain his composure and the police officer then of course took that individual into custody. So Nick's quick thinking and selfless action undoubtedly helped save that Fountain Valley police officer but also the other nurses, doctors, and patients that were in that ER as well. So Nick's courageous and decisive action took place one month. Now get this. So here he is. He's on the job. He's come from the city of LA. He hasn't even got through probation yet. He hasn't even got through his one year yet. So a month later,

Valerie Amezcua

a month later, he finally becomes a full-fledged OCFA firefighter after, you know, taking down some crazy guy over at Fountain Valley Hospital, right? So obviously we have proof here tonight that the toughest firefighters around are here in Santa Ana so sorry for any of the OCFA guys that are not from Santa Ana just know the toughest ones are here in Santa Ana so and I've got proof of it here tonight so as Santa Ana's representative on the Orange County Fire Authority's Board of Directors and on behalf of the Santa Ana City Council I want to thank you personally Nick for what you did and

Valerie Amezcua

for your extraordinary bravery and her heroism performed in the line of duty that night thank you very much

I'd like to thank you guys all for being here tonight. The mayor, city council, Orange County Fire Authority, and also my wife for all the support. I'm glad to have been at the right spot at the right time and I was just able to give out a helping hand when needed. Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you.

Valerie Amezcua

So tell us some embarrassing stories about this guy. Just kidding.

We had to order him to come here tonight because he didn't want the award. So that's how humble he is. So we're very lucky to have him.

Valerie Amezcua

Well, thank you, guys.

Valerie Amezcua

My colleagues would like to come down and join me. Would like to take a picture with this bureau that we have tonight? All right.

Oh, we're going this way?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Johnathan Ryan Hernandez

all right councilman Hernandez if I could have Ray Diaz join me here up here in the front thank you let's make some noise for Ray

Johnathan Ryan Hernandez

all right well first and foremost uh thank you everybody for being here today um very very much humbled and empowered to be presenting this proclamation today declaring march 3rd 2023 as ruben salazar day this proclamation i have the honor of presenting it to ray diaz who is a community member was born and raised in our community is very much a product of san anna schools and is now a freshman at UC Davis and let's make some noise for that.

Johnathan Ryan Hernandez

Before I present the proclamation and I acknowledge the historic individual who has contributed to many of our lives, I want to first thank you Ray for having grown up in this community and your understanding that education is freedom work. The more that we learn the more liberated we become. So I want to thank you and I want to urge my my neighbors here to give them a round of applause because this young man will be the future of Santa Ana. So without further ado it is an honor to present this proclamation. Allow me to tell you a little bit about Ruben Salazar and how

Johnathan Ryan Hernandez

he impacted each and every one of us here in this room today. Ruben Salazar was a pioneering journalist and an investigative reporter. He was born in Juarez, Mexico in 1928. He spent his childhood in El Paso, Texas before graduating from Texas Western College. And shout out to our Parks and Rec director. We do got some Texas people in the house in the city of Santa Ana, so we love Texas. In 1959 he joined the Los Angeles Times as our first Latino columnist and further into his career became the newspaper's first international correspondent and foreign bureau chief.

Johnathan Ryan Hernandez

In the late 1960s, he also joined Spanish language television station as a news director. And that news station is a news station we're all very familiar, Univision, Channel 34. As a husband and father of three children, Salazar settled in the beautiful city of Santa Ana, and he made it his duty to amplify the Mexican-American civil rights movement. Ruben Salazar served as a bridge between the Mexican-American and white communities in the Los Angeles area. After feeling the Mexican-American communities were being ignored, he made it a mission to tell the truth and bring light to the injustices.

Johnathan Ryan Hernandez

He reported on the Chicano movement in the Southland of the late 1960s and was part of a series of articles in East Los Angeles, which was the Mexican part of town during this time. As he progressed through his career, he contributed to the Los Angeles Mexican-American community by spotlighting many taboo issues, and he created conversations that challenged the status quo. On August 29, 1970, Ruben Salazar was in East Los Angeles covering the National Chicano Moratorium against the Vietnam War, which consisted of a peaceful protest regarding Mexican-American

Johnathan Ryan Hernandez

casualties in the Vietnam War. It wasn't until law enforcement showed up to the 30,000 person protest when the event turned into chaos and violence. At just 42 years young, he was killed by an LA County Sheriff's deputy who fired a tear gas projectile that struck Salazar in the head. This devastating loss was felt by many, especially Latino journalists and the Mexican-American community. Ruben Salazar has left a lasting inspiration for many generations of Latinos. He serves as an iconic figure who led with integrity and truth.

Johnathan Ryan Hernandez

The city of Santa Ana is proud to recognize residents who contribute to the amplification of Latino and Chicano voices and promote the mission of equity and equality. Now, therefore, we, the mayor and city council of the beautiful city of Santa Ana, do hereby recognize March 3rd as Ruben Salazar Day. And we encourage residents to take this day to appreciate, celebrate the incredible contributions that he has made to the Latino and Chicano community. And we also encourage you to reflect upon the impact that he leaves behind. Thank you. We very much look forward to celebrating Ruben Salazar Day.

Johnathan Ryan Hernandez

Without further ado, it is our honor to present you with this proclamation, Ray Diaz. Thank you for your efforts to highlight a pillar in our community. Thank you, sir.

Thank you, Council Member Hernandez, and thank you, Honorable Mayor and members of the council, for proclaiming March 3rd, Ruben Salazar Day. I especially want to give gratitude to the victims and to the family of Ruben Salazar, who unfortunately couldn't join us tonight, but it is a historic day to say the least. Philosopher George Santayana once said, those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Though the killing was ruled a homicide, the deputy was never prosecuted. Salazar was awarded the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award in 1971. and Laguna Park was renamed into Salazar Park.

Together, we honor and commemorate the good as well as the bad aspects of local history to residents so that it may serve as a window for the public to understand how and why such injustices occurred. So I want to thank again the council member for proclaiming March 3rd Ruben Salazar Day, and I encourage the public to also look into how many more investigative journalists are paving the way for how holding our institutions accountable and making sure that our elected officials are held accountable to the highest standards so thank you very much councilmember and I look forward to working with the city

Johnathan Ryan Hernandez

and the rest of the county I think I think guarantee you this man will be a councilmember one day I'm gonna hold you to it sir you're doing great work

Jessie Lopez

All righty, thank you very much. I'd like to make a comment, please. There are two staff presentations tonight, and we're going to put them off after public comments. But before we proceed, noting for the record that there were two additions to the agenda. One is the Travel Santa Ana presentation, and one is a commissioner appointment. We always want to make sure we're in compliance with the rules, and so I needed to let you know that there has been two changes to the agenda. Okay. At this time, public comments. THIS IS THE TIME OF THE MEETING FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO RECEIVE COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON

Jessie Lopez

AGENDA AND NON AGENDA ITEMS PURSUANT TO THE BROWN ACT. THE CITY COUNCIL MAY NOT ENTER INTO DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME. WE WILL NOW HEAR FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM ZOOM FIRST. THERE'S THREE THAT ARE PHYSICALLY, THAT ARE ON ZOOM AND THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM THOSE THAT ARE PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS. MADAM CLERK, DO YOU HAVE ANYONE WAITING TO SPEAK ON THE CONFERENCE CALL OF ZOOM? I BELIEVE YOU HAVE THREE CALLERS.

Jennifer L. Hall

Yes, Madam Mayor. There were three callers. Prior to calling them, I'll announce the e-comments that were received. All comments received by 2 p.m. today have been scanned into LaserFish and uploaded to PrimeGov. Related to item number eight, the general plan annual progress report, 30 residents in support of the item. Related to item 17, architectural design services for the historic Cypress Fire Station, eight residents in support of the item, and one resident not in support of the item as is, recommending postponement. and then two residents on non-agenda items concerned with gentrification of 4th Street.

Jennifer L. Hall

The first speaker on Zoom, Mary Cameron.

Jennifer L. Hall

Please unmute yourself or dial star six from your phone.

Can you hear me?

Jennifer L. Hall

Yes, ma'am. Go ahead.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen of the City Council for giving me the opportunity to comment, although I wish I'd been able to submit a written comment. Your deadline is very arduous.

Jennifer L. Hall

2 p.m. was not an easy thing to do.

My public comment is not related to any agenda item. I'm directing my comment mostly to the audience that is listening. This is regarding the OC Housing Authority Commission. Their next meeting is this Thursday, which is the day after tomorrow at 10 a.m. sharp. We have been having issues with the OC Housing Authority holding meetings in secret in order to obviate comments from the public. And for good reason. There is a commissioner.

His name is James Mai. And that's M-A-I for the record. This individual has been engaging in hate speech online and bragging of committing hate crimes and cyberbullying and doxing private citizens. This is obviously a grave concern. He was previously a commissioner in the city of Irvine, and we were able to successfully remove him from his post. We are now seeking to achieve the same results on the OC Housing Commission. please if you have the time show up at 601 North Ross Street and that is the

County Administration Building South room 103 Thursday morning at 10 a.m. if you wish to speak please arrive 15 minutes early to register we need all the help we can get I how much time do I have left sorry

We need all the help we can get. We will be having handouts and we will I wanted to email more details but I had missed the cutoff time. I was not aware of it but we will be having plenty of flyers and handouts and you can look them over and if you feel called to do so. We hope that you will join us in speaking out against racism and misogyny because there is no room for this type of hate in Santa Ana, in the County of Orange, in California,

or anywhere in the world. Once again, Thursday morning, 10 a.m., please arrive early to protest OC Housing Commissioner James Mai at the regularly scheduled meeting of the Housing Authority, 601 North Roth Street. It's right across from City Hall.

Jennifer L. Hall

Thank you, Ms. Cameron. Next speaker, OC rapid response.

Hello, everyone. Thank you for allowing us to give comment. I want to comment on item number 17, the proposed building or repurposing of a building in Santa Ana near Main and Bishop Street for a PAL, Police Athletic and Activity League. I'd like to oppose that. I'm a longtime resident of the city of Santana, and I am a brown woman. My name is Laura Hernandez. And the amount of money that we

are giving and investing in more police, it just seems a little bit, not a little bit, it seems overdone. We have so many programs in Santana to help our youth grow and to become better people. I was a recipient of one of the programs. I remember when I was 15 years old, I participated in the youth job training program in Santana. Now I think it's called Say Employment. these programs are the programs that are already built that are the structure is already there and if we were to use that money and filter it into these community-based programs I think that

our youth would be happy and grow into good adults that was one of the best experiences of my youth in Santana I was able to work at the public health care agency on 17th street and I got amazing job experiences. I had terrible experiences with the police in Santana for simply being brown, had terrible experiences with the police in school and I just feel that the city council has the power to navigate these funds right to funnel them where they should be and where they should go and time and time again community members have expressed their desire for these funds to go

to community-based programs and we continue to try to implement more policing when we know already that there is a fear of police in our community. And I understand that the thought here is that by creating PAL would build the relationships between community and police, but that's the wrong way to go about it. These funds can be used in better alternatives. I think if we want to build on the trust of police and the youth then we need to deal with the police and with their egregious behavior

Jennifer L. Hall

against dipot community members thank you next speaker on zoom danny please unmute yourself

hello can you hear me go ahead um hello my name is danny vega resident of war three I am a brown man. I don't know if I need to mention that now. I'm calling in support of agenda item 17 and having a power program senior center and police substation at the historic Cypress fire station. Improving police community relations is something that as far as I know, is something everyone has been advocating for for some time. What better way to achieve this than to have a program like PAL, where Santa Ana kids can build a strong bond with our law enforcement and do it through education, fitness, and activities.

I listen to school board meetings, and they often mention the mental health crisis of our kids, especially after the pandemic. And being active is arguably one of the best ways to improve mental health. I can personally say, as a father with a child in PAL, that I'm very satisfied. and I see firsthand how much the staff at PAL care for kids. The smiles that I see when I go in to pick up my child on not only the staff but the kids are genuine. Our police officers can be terrific role models for our children, especially when we have to compete with gangs who are just waiting to snatch our kids into that life.

I know people will say that we need more libraries. Cool. You will hardly ever hear anyone oppose that. but the reality is we need to make sure our kids are safe first having more libraries unfortunately will not make us safer just ask anaheim they have 10 libraries and their crime rates isn't much better and depending on where you look it's actually worse than santa anna so please vote yes on item 17 and let's continue the conversation and let's get one up in here at ward three because i NO RESIDENTS HERE WILL LOVE THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

Jessie Lopez

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT WE'RE GOING TO GO FOR THE AUDIENCE NOW. THERE'S A BUNCH FOR ITEM 17 SO I'M GOING TO LUMP THEM TOGETHER. AS YOU NOTICE IF YOU WATCH THE COUNCIL MEETINGS SINCE I'VE BEEN SITTING UP HERE I DANCE AND I MOVE THINGS AROUND SO that people don't have to wait all night. So Ana Laura Padilla, followed by Jeanette Sanchez, if you can please come up and line up, followed by Sean Makani, and we'll do those three first, please.

Good evening, sorry. Good evening, Madam Mayor and members of the council. My name is Ana Laura Padilla, and I'm a proud resident of Santa Ana and an owner of two businesses in downtown. I am here today to express my deep concern about the recent loss of businesses in downtown Sanana and the impact that the OC Streetcar has had in our community. Although this OC Streetcar project has been approved by a past city council, it is now the responsibility of this council to address the consequences of its construction in our small businesses.

Unfortunately, it is now clear that the construction of this car has led to the closures of many businesses that were once the heart of Santa Ana. These businesses were a source of pride to our community and provided much needed jobs and services. Not only have we lost our businesses, but we have also lost our sense of community and our own identity.

Our customers are telling us today that they once felt downtown was a destination, or as someone would say, a happening place. But they no longer feel welcome. They feel our Latino culture has been punished aside. They feel our Latino community is being marginalized. As business owners, we never asked to be put in this position. And now we feel we find ourselves struggling today to make ends meet. And it is disheartening to see the very essence of Santa Ana being lost.

Because this is a problem that is not new, I've been here several times. I'm here to propose a solution. Today, I call on you to set up a task force that is made up of council members, city staff, and business owners in the downtown. The goal of this task force is to have a focus on public relations and marketing that re-engages our community. It is the responsibility of this council to uplift our community and help us save our businesses. We need your support to make sure that the businesses that are still standing have the resources they need to stay afloat.

We need your help to save these businesses that for years have served Santa Ana and have brought growth to our community. We urge you to take action and make small businesses your priority. We need you to listen to our concerns, but most importantly, we need you to work with us. In conclusion, we ask you to take responsibility for addressing the consequences of this project and work with us to meet the immediate needs of our community through strategy, partnership, and sustainable systems of growth. Let's work together to create a Santana that is prosperous, vibrant, and inclusive for all,

where everyone feels welcome and valued. Thank you.

Jessie Lopez

Thank you.

Good afternoon, Mayor Mezqua and City Council members. My name is Jeanette Sanchez. I think you guys already know me. I've been here a lot of times. I'm a proud Latina merchant in the downtown. I have two businesses, and I'm here tonight to talk about a few problems of many that we have here in the downtown. We all know the ongoing OCTA construction impacted our businesses, and some, unfortunately, went out of business. But I truly feel that these changes began a few years back, and let me explain to you why. I started to notice less and less people were filling the streets of downtown. My long-time customers not coming back.

When some of them did return back, I would ask them, why aren't you guys coming back as often? It's always the same feedback. Everything looks different. Everything has changed. I didn't even think you're still in business. And we just don't feel welcomed anymore. That breaks my heart to hear my customers say that, that they feel as if they're not good enough anymore. to come back and that's not okay with me and it shouldn't be with you either. The big question is why do people feel that way, right? Our Latino community, our events have been pushed back to Flower Street.

Fiestas Patrias, Noche de Altare, Cinco de Mayo Fair, it's completely gone. And I want to know why our Latino community has been marginalized. Some people even say they feel discriminated by these changes. Just these two events were a huge success and would bring the majority of the community and outside people to the downtown. Mr. Jonathan Hernandez, you're a culture guy. I hear you all the time. Why don't we bring the culture back? They're down the street. Let's reach out to our neighbors.

We are hardworking merchants that came to open business to provide our families. We don't want free money. We just want to work. But you have taken our tools away. The downtown is a ghost town. How are we supposed to stay afloat when you have destroyed that? We didn't do it. You guys did. You did. Now help us fix it. Solutions, I bring a few ideas. I'm sure you have more. Bring back our Latino community. Reach out to them. They are the very essence of the downtown. That's what it's known for. Bring back Fiestas Patrias. Start promoting our businesses. I get this all the time. I thought

you were out of business. People think we're closed. And just stop sabotaging and just let us work. We have gone through enough already. We are here to stay we aren't going anywhere we're going to fight to be here and we deserve to be here and we worked hard to be here in conclusion we need the city to take action now our lives depend on it i invite you all to come to the downtown and walk and see for yourselves our downtown businesses were thriving before we would produce revenue for the city but how the hell are we going to provide revenue after all that we've been we've been through typham i've heard you say that a few

times you're by the books I get it but how are we going to produce revenue when we've been slaughtered ma'am your time is up thank you very much thank you

Sean Madam Mayor City Council members good evening and happy no rules Persian New Year we as merchants on the 4th Street in downtown Santa Ana don't know what we have done to deserve such a treatment from our city. Why everything you do, any policy, every action you take is against our businesses? Not only with your wrong policies, you scared away our community and our customers, but also raised our sales tax higher than anywhere in the country. And interesting enough, you expect us to provide high revenue for the city.

For years you charged us for the bid. And without any accountability you gave away our money to these two unelected non-profit organizations and as much as we cried and complained that they are not our representatives, you never listened and you never made any attempt to audit them for abuse of our money and wasting it. After we canceled the bid, the city officials said, they are going to take whatever money is left and give back to us. But surprise, surprise, now you say you can't take our money back and it's their money.

And you will still allow them to abuse and waste our money. Tonight again, we demand full investigation and deep audit of these two organizations who have wasted our money for years under your watch.

At the end, it is because of our downtown merchants' hard work that we are going to receive financial assistance from State Senator Mr. Tom Umbert for the merchants who lost businesses and income during train to hail construction. And now we hear from the city that you have decided to distribute this money to 600 businesses in the Bid area who were not affected by this project. I am sorry, this time it is our money and you cannot give it away to people who have not been affected.

The money should and must be distributed to merchants on 4th Street only. This is our money who we work for it and it is our decision how to be distributed. Thank you so much.

Jessie Lopez

Paul Guzman followed by Janelle Hardy.

Thank you Madam Mayor, City Council. I stand before you just to remind you that you received an email from me this past week. And I was very happy with the reply. my impression was that you as City Council members do not understand your position when you leave this council and virtue of your position here attend other boards within the county in the state especially this one Orange County Sanitation District two persons the council represent the

City of San Diego they do not run the Orange County District Management but they represent us the city person in all these functions your vote is my lifehood

I was very upset when I got the reply. You can read my email, and you can read the reply I sent back on that email I got from the council. I won't tell you who I got it from. But then I questioned the people in the community on my email and Facebook. who knows that Orange County Station District is proposing a $100 increase in the property taxes

right here if I ask I probably get about two so I'm asking the City Council when you are represented us me in other boards I want you to realize that you represent me my feelings not your feelings not that board feelings but I that's all I want you to understand thank you

Jessie Lopez

Thank you. Janelle Hardy.

Good evening, Honorable Mayor and City Council. My name is Janelle Hardy. I'm a Historic Resources Commission Commissioner. I am Henninger Park Neighborhood Association President, and I am a South Main Street resident in Ward 2. and item 17 affects a building that is in Ward 2, although it is in the Eastside Pacific Park neighborhood.

And I believe that Eastside Pacific Park neighborhood as a neighborhood needs to have a meeting about the use of that historic building in their neighborhood.

I know I can give you a for instance in Heddinger Park we had city-owned lots in our neighborhood. We had many meetings related to the use of the property and after that even after an HR

RFP was being looked at as a possibility, we were able to tweak that RFP to have it represent what we wanted as a neighborhood. We were able to look at landscaping, parking, location of garages, the look of the building on the exterior, even the entryways where the property was entered from the front and the back. So I don't think Eastside and Pacific Park neighborhood have had that

opportunity. We also were able to look at the floor plan, the proposed floor plan, how the space was used and I don't think they've had opportunity to look at that either it seems to all be a mystery and they need to see actually what is being proposed before you vote tonight for funding so I hope you you do postpone your vote tonight until the neighborhood has an opportunity to meet and actually look at

Jessie Lopez

what's being proposed it shouldn't be a mystery thank you thank you followed by dale helvick

mayor if i could make a point of clarification i think this would be helpful for the residents and the viewers item 17 is not about what program should go into the historic firehouse. It is the council making a decision if we're going to approve services with this architectural firm. Thank you. Correct. And I was going to say that when we're done. I didn't want

Jessie Lopez

to interrupt public comments because there's a lot of them. So, but thank you for clarifying that.

So you have three minutes. Yes. Go ahead. Hello, Mayor and City Council. I am Sandra Pena Sermiento, Pocha Pena. I'm a neighborhood leader of Pacific Park Eastside, and I'm over 50-year resident of Pacific Partey site. And a point of qualification about what this item is about, item 17, how can you approve an architectural or any kind of construction plan when you don't have clear the wants and desires and needs of the neighborhood for which this adaptation and construction is being done? If you don't know what the uses are, then you don't know what the layout

us we have seen nothing we've gotten zero presentations we've had zero inclusion we've had a zero voice we've never had one meeting to talk about this project or proposal in our own neighborhood where it's located other people have been shipped in from other neighborhoods over 40 the last big drama time from another part of town but only three of those 45 speakers were from our neighborhood so we've been greatly disenfranchised and I want to continue

I'm writing to you to urge you to vote no on today's City Council Item 7, or at least table it, the discussion, until we can have a meeting convened to confirm our neighborhood wants and needs. The residents of the Eastside Pacific Park neighborhood have been fighting to save the historic Cyprus fire station, Santa Ana's oldest fire station since 2016. We have been fighting. We, the residents. Not the PALS, not the SAPT, not Celica Diaz. We, the residents, have been fighting and luchando for this.

In recent years, our neighbors have proposed many vital and much needed programs and staff has promised us a public opportunity to voice our desires for the highest and best use of this firehouse. And we have received zero, zero meanings about this. I will tell you, the monkeys at Prentice Park get more consideration for their built environment than the human beings residing in Eastside Pacific Park. I can't believe your consideration, considering over half a million dollars of a program

that only serves barely 25 people and is already in our ward, okay? They already have a place that has athletic facilities and everything. Once you put the PALS weight systems and their arcade into our tiny little fire station, there's no room for anything else. And still we have been given zero voice, zero input. Although we have asked for it repeatedly in writing, repeatedly in reports, we have been monitoring the safety and well-being of this house. Because SAPD will not answer calls to service. We have been doing the police reports. We have been videotaping. We have been asking for cameras.

So please treat us like the human beings, like the taxpayers that we are in our neighborhood. Don't treat us like the bottom, like subhumans. Give us a chance to have agency and a voice. Gotcha, your time is up.

Jessie LopezItem 7

Thank you so much. Your time is up.

Good evening, Mayor, Councilmembers, City staff. First off, I'd like to talk about item 8 before I get to 17. And I'd like to commend the City for meeting their goals for regional housing needs assessment, or at least making a good stride to meeting those goals for this cycle. My concern is that this rate of progress that we have right now, we are going to shortchange ourselves in the next reporting cycle. We have enough projects on the books to meet the cycle six requirements as it is right now.

And I say this because if we're not able to get credit for excess of homes and houses that we build in this cycle, we're shortchanging ourselves. So my request is the city needs to start now in working with the SCAG people to revise the methodology of calculating how many houses we need to build for cycle seven. If we're not going to get credit for getting an A-plus rating again, then we ought to stop at the number that we're supposed to build on this cycle, no more, no less.

So I encourage you to start now in working with SCAG. As far as item 17 goes, as Councilman Lopez mentioned, this is for architectural design work. It's not for deciding what goes in there. my understanding last year the decisions were made to make it a PAL program in that facility along with a senior aspect to it and so this is just for architectural design work. My concern with 17 is we had six firms submit proposals for building there or for doing the

architectural design work so we don't know what the floor plans are at because the architects haven't done anything yet. This is to give them money to work on it. The issue is there was only one Santa Ana firm that submitted a proposal and they weren't selected. It was an outfit up in Los Angeles. They may be a fine outfit as well, but I'm just wondering why once again, like the automobiles that we purchase out of the city, we need to provide work for the Santa Ana residents that live here. And I talked to the people at this company,

Itzen Architects, and they don't understand why they had such a low rating, and it'd be nice if they got feedback on that, but even if they got low rating, they're still the Santa Ana residents and they should have been considered a lot more seriously to do the architectural work so again I support the the work that's going on and the proposal for how it's going to be used

Jessie LopezItem 7

thank you thank you Vanessa Serda followed by Josh I apologize if I say Jaylin Verdon Vanessa Serda followed by Jaylin Verdon

Good evening, Mayor, and good evening, City Council members. So I'm here to support my daughters, actually. They are, this is not their first time speaking in public comments, but they're here on that agenda item 17. So I'm just here to let them know that I'm proud of them, and I encourage other parents that are out there to also do the same with their kids. Thank you. Have a good night. Thank you. Thank you.

Jessie LopezItem 7

Judy, can you pull the mic down there so we can hear you?

Good evening, Mayor and City Council members. My name is Jaitlyn Verdeen and I am 12 years old. I am a Santa Ana resident and I would like to discuss item 17 regarding the Cypress Fire Station. I would like my voice to be heard and taken into thought of the Cypress Fire Station to become a digital library for youth with resources to restore of part of practices I see I see the need I experienced the great need that our city faces with policing that this and the distrust of us of us youth feel I urge you for all

for all the Cypress fire station to continue to stay in the community community thank you and have a good night

Jessie LopezItem 7

thank you very much Irma Hadagin followed by Carolyn Killian I know I'm saying that wrong I apologize

hello mayor and honorable council members lovely to see you in this weather I have I'll try to be brief I have one comment from dr. Kanet Bailes she could not make it and or have time to email she is a member of Santa Santa Ana community in Wilshire Square she has more than 40 years of experience as an educator and has served in the as the president of the Los Angeles probation Commission she for the design she fully supports the PAL program let's see some time ago she came and she saw the program she fully supports it not just for the children but for the parents in the area because of the education the

program and how they both become a system of trust when you have the role models of the parents, the positive police force, and the children working in such a supportive program. I visited that place on McFadden and Sullivan four times. I will not support something. I'm not fully aware how successful it is.

I have seen that program blossom in speaking to the director. There's 2,500 children already in the program, 800 ready to go into the fire station, but the key and the flagship that will be will be the combination of children with a senior program and in the back of substation because we, I represent the Santa Ana Healthy Neighborhood Alliance. I am a co-founder, I have lived on South Main for 43 years. If you don't have safety and you don't have health, education will not blossom. That neighborhood, we are all tied together.

All the six neighborhoods are very tied together to the health and safety of our neighborhoods. And having a stellar program like that, a flagship program, would really re-energize not only the South Corridor, but it will be fully blossoming for other children. Yes, there should be design and discussion, but that's the highest and best use. My background is in construction, my family. I've been a realtor for 33 years, and I fully analyze the use of real estate. It is one of the best. I've been on boards of Wilshire Square for three years in a row. I've been on the South Main Merchants board. So I really understand the life,

and so I want to really support going forward. I know it's the architect, but that program would turn around. It is such a legacy program that you, It's amazing. Thank you very much.

Jessie LopezItem 7

Thank you.

My name is Carolyn Killian, spelled K-I-L-L-I-O-N, like billion. I'm representing several groups tonight. The first, myself, as an Orange County resident. The second is the general manager for Hutton, a 217,000-square-foot commercial Class A office building located at Hutton Center Drive. The third is the manager of the Hutton Center Association. It has 11 different owners of mixed-use community within Santa Ana, South Ward 4. And finally, is a member of South Coast Metro Alliance, who is a nonprofit organization of property owners and major businesses

and managers that work collaboratively with the varieties of entities within Orange County, Santa Ana and Costa Mesa, the city councils and their respective departments for police and fire, where we live to work and make our communities a better place. So three topics. The first is the item 17 on the agenda. We strongly support the architectural amendment going forward. We've had the pleasure of visiting the McFadden location, and we're amazed by the service program that has graduated many individuals who have gone on to serve our communities in higher situations,

such as nurses, fire department fighters, IT specialists, technology experts. Through the collaboration with the police department and teachers and mentors, they've had this place to grow and become better individuals. This would be wonderful in the new location, we hope, fingers crossed. and is not pushed down by other community members. There are several reasons that we want to see this moved into the Cypress Fire Station. Number one, the architectural keeping the historic value of that building on the outside. And number two, creating this community of growth on the inside.

It's so important that we continue to do what has happened at McFadden, but embrace the community for all ages. Second, we want to thank the Santa Ana Police Department, all these fine men and women in our community that are responsible and have been helpful. We want to make sure that you as board members coming up on the new budget year, make sure that you include monies in their budget for the 23-24 budget year. We were pleased that Councilmember Phil Becerra was able to get the eight additional officers last year with the vote in with all of you.

We know that you all have to work hard and put your names on the line for this. And these men and women do a lot to support us in our communities so our businesses are able to run and function properly. We know that your yes votes will mean a lot to all of us in this community. So we look forward to seeing seven yeses.

Finally, we would like to, while you're doing time is up. Sorry, I'm doing your time is up. Oh, sorry. Sorry.

Jessie LopezItem 7

Jada Lee Verdon followed by Victor Pan.

Jessie LopezItem 7

Please be mindful of the clock. Three minutes, please.

Jessie LopezItem 7

Aren't you adorable? Can you pull the mic down?

Good evening, Mayor and City Council members. My name is Jaylee Verdeen and I am 10 years old and I am a Santa Ana resident. I am here regarding the agenda, item number 17, the Cypress Fire Station. I would like my voice to be heard and taken into consideration on restoring the Cypress Fire Station with a huge space that gives us access to a digital library and programs that are available for us if possible. seven days a week provided with free Wi-Fi tutoring and create a safe heaven for me, Jay Lee Verdeen, and my friends in my community. Thank you. And I also want to say that one time I was pulled over

with my stepdad and there was guns pointed at us and I was really scared. Thank you and have a good night.

Jessie LopezItem 7

Thank you.

Jessie LopezItem 7

Victor Pan, please.

Hello, counsel. I'm also here to talk about the issue on number 17, and I want to clarify that this young Ward 2 resident, the guns that were pulled on her and her dad were pulled on her and her dad by SAPD. So let's talk about who is SAPD, because we hear you talk about how great they are, as if we don't all read the same paper. Remember, SAPD, frivolous lawsuits against the city, recalls, constant recalls against council people that stand up to them. The POA is under investigation.

Although they do excel, the SAPD is number eight in police shootings in the country. They are also responsible for the bad state of the building that they're going to be occupying because they did not protect it for six years. in two thou up until 2013 it was a national nonprofit that rehabilitated housing so for that building to have this this end this ignominious end and have the SAPD walk-in is disgusting so SAPD is not your pal you know to get to the numbers I don't know where this number of 8500 kids are we called pal today and they said that the the main space serves 75 kids and they're open

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 2 to 6 p.m. And that's a huge building. That's a former library. We have a space. It was a fire station. We talked about how a fireman is a hero. They don't go shooting people. They don't go pulling guns on kids. So we need a space that serves the community. And we did not, you guys did not vote to give it to PAL. If you remember last time I was here, we were talking about how the residents were excluded from participation, that we were denied our voice, and that we submitted to a city process recommendations for the building that were not even included

in the things that you guys had on the agenda. Those are digital library and technology resources, community technology center, programming accessible to all ages, from children to seniors, technology to access social services, job and civic resources and opportunities, technology training and bridging the digital divide, public meeting spaces for community events, classes and gathering, arts and culture events and programs. These ideas were not just presented by us. They were presented by almost every person who was brought here by the police to talk about Powell being such a great place. Even the Powell people wanted this stuff.

And we were told at that meeting that you didn't vote on it, that you would go back and you would sign to staff to come up with other ideas and see how we could work some of these ideas. And the answer was to have the police do seniors. We don't need a space where police indoctrinate our children. We don't need a place where anybody who goes in there is afraid to hold the police accountable because the police are taking care of their kids. So SAPD is not your pal. So we're here today to demand that there be community input that was denied us at the very beginning, that was denied us at that meeting, and it's denied us today.

So the only option is to table this agenda item 17 until we can come together or you'll see more of these. We will not back down. We were denied participation.

Jessie LopezItem 7

Thank you, your time is up. Thank you. Ray Diaz, followed by Maribel Gomez. Ray Diaz,

Jessie LopezItem 7

followed by Maribel Gomez. No Ray Diaz? Maribel Gomez? Go ahead.

of the Calle 4. Today I thank Mayor Miscua for the first time I can see her in this place and the rest of the Council Members. Today I thank you for every one of you, your commitment to the small businesses of the Calle 4. I'm here for 40 years already and we want our Latin community to come back, that we want We are more than anything. We are going to be able to come back to us and that for you it is a priority, please, for us to help us to be able to help us.

The income of our lives, I can say in general, is of what we live in these businesses. That is the income of us, of the small businesses. I am going to ask you, please, that we consider and really help us to continue our open doors. abiertas. Muchas gracias a todos. Buenas noches.

Thank you.

Good evening to all. My name is Maribel Gomez. I'm a business owner in Fourth Street. Thank you, Mayor Amesco. It's my first time here. It's great to see you, to see you all here. And I want to thank you all for your commitment to support the small businesses on Fourth Street. I've been there for over 40 years and what we want is very simple we want our Latino community back we want this to be a priority for you this is our livelihood this our income there is what we used to to live so we're asking you to consider this to help us keep our doors open thank you very much

Jessie LopezItem 7

Thank you. Juliet Castro, please.

in the 4th Street Street. Since more than a year my business has been affected by COVID-19 and then months after the OC Train. This is the only means of work that I do every day. I have been affected by everything that is happening. As a student in downtown for more than 20 years, this is the first year in which I have been a loss of 80%.

Aparte, estoy muy decepcionada que cómo no hemos recibido tanto apoyo suficiente de todos ustedes.

Santana es conocido como un México pequeño y miro que está siendo desaparecido. Les pido que no sigan aprobando más construcciones en la calle de Santana. Aparte, no es posible que no puedan mirar que si los edificios están muy viejos, no vaya a pasar de repente un derrumbe.

Si ustedes no pueden ayudarnos en lo que necesitamos, entonces ¿a quién debemos de acudir? Esto es algo muy serio para mi economía y mis pérdidas están siendo vistas ahora.

Ahora yo les pido en el concilio que nos ayuden más y que no permitan que los eventos sigan pasando cada ocho días. This is affecting my clients. I have clients who live here in Santa Ana, they live in different places. It's my only job. I ask you to help us now. If you have this possible way to the 4th Street, they repair it and help us. They also promised a help that we were going to give the year. We have received anything and the loss. I invite you to go to my business and that I can see how I am doing my work every day.

And that compare the year, the year, the year, the year, and this year, how it is affected. Every day I am from 10am to 6am, 7am. So, don't forget about us. Another thing, the construction that they did is full of water. That is not a good construction. If they did, they do it. Thank you.

Jessie LopezItem 7

Thank you.

Jessie LopezItem 7

Can I just ask a question? Señora, que dice su t-shirt, por favor, su blusa? Que dice allí?

Pay business in downtown San Antonio.

Jessie LopezItem 7

Thank you.

Jessie LopezItem 7

Thank you very much.

Good evening all. My name is, my name is Julia and I am a business owner at Medusa's Beauty Salon and it's a a year during COVID and because for a few months because of the construction of the OC train and we work there every day we have been affected I work there every day in downtown Sanana I've been in my place of business for over 20 years and this is the first time I've seen this big these big losses over 80 percent we are you're not doing enough to support to support us to give

give us support. Santa Ana is known as Little Mexico and now it's disappearing. So we're asking you not to approve any more construction projects in Santa Ana and if you have all these old buildings there, be careful because they might crumble or fall down in the future. So if you are not going to help us, who can help us? I've seen lots of losses recently and I'm asking you for help, for more help for us. Don't have events every week and we need to help us fix this, what you're doing in 4th Street. We were promised help some time

ago and it's not here yet, so I invite you to come to my place of business. There's a big difference between what happened two years ago and what's happening now. I'm there every day from 10 to 6 or 7 p.m. and in the construction there's a water around the construction and if there's water around the construction is not well built or well done so you built it you need to

Jessie LopezItem 7

fix it thank you thank you very much we're gonna end public comments I'm gonna go into one presentation before everybody leaves because I know it's of great interest to everybody so we're gonna do a homelessness update at this time and then we will go into consent and you actually have two presentations yeah I know but I'm gonna do homeless so then if people want to leave then we're TO DO CONSENT AFTERWARDS.

CERTAINLY, HONORABLE MAYOR. SO DOING THE HOMELESS UPDATE THIS EVENING IS KEN GIMINSKI, OUR HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISION MANAGER. AND IF YOU'LL JUST GIVE US A FEW SECONDS, WE WILL LOAD UP HIS PRESENTATION.

Jessie LopezItem 7

Yeah.

Good evening, Mayor, Councilmembers.

Jessie LopezItem 7

You look so good in a suit. Wow.

It's cutting off the blood circulation.

It truly is an honor again to talk to you this evening about what the city of Santa Ana continues to do as it relates to homeless services within our city.

Where did it go?

Jessie LopezItem 7

Daniel, you should stay closed.

I broke it. I always do. It's always my fault.

So tonight we're going to be talking about the Navigation Center, the City's Quality of Life Team response to homelessness and effects of homelessness on public and private property, as well as the Homeless Management Information System, which is also referred to as HMIS.

As far as Carnegie, our navigation center currently has 157 total occupied beds. That's 95 males and 62 females. Mayor, I know that you're really interested in what's going on with the families, so for you and the members of your ad hoc committee, there are currently 11 families with 29 children currently residing in the shelter.

Since the site opened, 114 individuals have exited to stable settings which include permanent supportive housing, traditional housing, moving in with family or friends, and or other treatment facilities. Homelessness continues to grow in California. While it's not illegal to be homeless, the effects of homelessness are causing concerns not only in Santa Ana, but across the state.

In addition, the longer people live on the streets, the more their health deteriorates, and addiction and mental health problems deepen. The 2022 point in time count for Orange County showed that 41% of the unsheltered population on our streets have substance abuse issues, and that no less than 29% of the unsheltered population suffers from some type of mental health disorder. The City of Santa Ana's response to homelessness attempts to include a balance of compassionate

resources and services to assist the individuals in need, as well as provide corrective actions to address the impacts of homelessness on behalf of our residents and the community.

In 2022, Santa Ana Outreach Services included over 9,000 contacts to individuals on the streets of Santa Ana that resulted in over 1,000 individuals exiting from those streets. Many of these individuals accepted shelter at our navigation center or found housing with family, friends, permanent housing, temporary supportive housing, or were connected to treatment facilities or hospitals where transportation was generally provided by one of our outreach teams the my santa anna app continues to provide an opportunity for residents and businesses

to contact the city for assistance this past year the city received six thousand four hundred and seven reports of encampments and one thousand eight hundred and forty six reports for homeless outreach of which the quality of life team and the smart team program responded the city offers tips for businesses commercial properties and residents who have concerns regarding issues of unwanted persons or activity up to and including criminal activity on their properties a more

Our permanent solution is the City's investment in 489 supportive housing units, either completed or in the pipeline.

Permanent supportive housing is a type of service that provides long-term rental subsidies and intensive case management services to individuals who have experienced chronic homelessness and have disabilities, chronic medical conditions, and or behavioral health conditions.

In addition to resources available, the City of Santa Ana also uses a strategy that includes corrective actions to address the impacts of homelessness such as encampment cleanups and code enforcement citations and fees.

The City has jurisdiction to address all homeless related issues on public property owned by the City but not public property owned and maintained by other government entities such as other cities, the County of Orange, Southern California Edison, the railroads. Jurisdictional issues often arise on public property as entities routinely push complaints to other jurisdictions or fail to address the issues that occur on their property. The city must

consistently work with outside entities such as SCE, Caltrans, and other government entities to maintain their properties. Unfortunately, we find that on many occasions, other government entities do not place the same sense of urgency on these issues as you as a council and our residents and businesses expect. This leads to frustration among our residents and the city as a whole. Illustrated on this slide is the quality of life team cleaning up at Birch Park. The Colt team provided outreach, including shelter and connections to

mental health services for those experiencing homelessness. In 2022, the Quality of Life team provided 14,591 encampment cleanups and issued over 1,290 arrests or citations.

As I stated before, private property is always an issue when we address these problems. The city doesn't have the authority to enter private property to address homeless-related issues unless we're specifically requested or have some form of legal mandate to enter. The City works with our business community in an attempt to educate them on small minor alterations they can make at their properties that make their properties less desirous or homeless people to congregate and sometimes cause problems.

The City of Santa Ana consistently works for private property owners in an attempt to provide a safe environment for all of our residents. Both Code Enforcement and the City Attorney's Office pair to bring about necessary changes on private property.

The Quality of Life Team's current enforcement efforts on private properties include evaluation and enforcement action at abandoned, vacant, and unsecured structures, including the 322 registered vacant properties within the city. It also deals with commercial, industrial, and main arterials. Currently, focuses are set on the East First Street Corridor, including motels and commercial centers where accumulations of trash, debris, and unlawful occupancies have been found.

South Bristol Street continues to also be an area of increased attention.

That area includes commercial centers who are dealing with the accumulation of trash, debris, lighting, and various different security concerns.

At various locations along both of these arterials, we find property owners who have deferred maintenance and code enforcement continues to work with them to bring them up to code.

As you're all aware, the railroad continues to be a problem that we continue as a city to address.

So far this year, code enforcement has issued fines to the railroads in excess of $10,000 as we continue to urge the railroad to act as any other property owner in the city and maintain their property.

The Homeless Management Information System. HMIS is an online database used by homeless service providers to record demographic and service usage data to provide an unduplicated count of the people using these services. This system led by 211 in Orange County is the response to the HUD-mandated implementation of a database that collects and reports client-level information about persons who access the homeless service system.

And this is how HMIS works. Participating agencies gather and enter standardized client level and demographic data into HMIS, such as first names, last names, dates of birth, various disabilities, races, genders, and whether or not the individual is chronically homeless. Agencies record services and target achievements. The collected data is compiled into reports to better understand the demographic and geographic scope of homelessness and the needs of Orange County. All organizations receiving funding to address homelessness by the City of Santa Ana are

required to enter data into the HMIS database and tracked via the interactive link here. What that link will show you is households served, clients served, household compositions, genders, age groups, demographics.

It's important to remember that these numbers are for unduplicated individuals.

San Ana projects currently ongoing are street outreach, including both smart program and Heart Program, the Emergency Shelter at Carnegie, Rapid Rehousing, and Homeless Prevention Services. I know you guys had a lot of questions last time. I'm here to answer whatever questions I can, and if I don't have it in my book, I'll go get you the answer. Thank you so much for the

Jessie LopezItem 7

presentation, and I really appreciate you coming to the council meetings as I request. I think it's important for the community that is here and those that are watching at home that they see and hear from the city of what we're doing to address the homeless problem. It is a very important issue. So let me start on this side. Councilman Panalosa, go ahead.

David PenalozaItem 7

Thank you, Madam Mayor. Thank you, Ken, for the presentation. Always great to hear from you. And the only questions I had were in regards to the shelter. I know you mentioned that there were 11 pets on site, and I was kind of started thinking in my head, you know, the public health aspect of that, because it is congregated living. Are we requiring any, like, rabies vaccinations with these pets that are coming in, flea baths? I could just see that becoming a problem for us.

So when a person is brought into the shelter, both they as a person are evaluated, their animals are evaluated. It's my understanding that they sometimes get together and have group dog washes.

David PenalozaItem 7

Okay.

Whether or not they require rabies vaccinations at entry, I'm not sure. However, as the client progresses through the system, the service provider works with them to ensure that their animals are licensed, and they have to be vaccinated to be licensed, and that's so when they leave and become more self-sustained, nobody will take their animals away from them as part of that process. When the animals are inside, so the animals are only allowed to be sheltered in the exterior part of the shelter. When the individual is off the property, we'll say had to go to a doctor's appointment or something like that.

Anytime that they are, anytime the person is at the shelter, they're responsible to care and maintain their animal. Anytime a dog is inside the shelter, they're required to keep that dog muzzled.

David PenalozaItem 7

But they're allowed inside the shelter, right?

Oh, they actually sleep in the beds with their owners.

David PenalozaItem 7

Which I'm okay with because...

Most of these animals, when you consider some of the trauma that some of these homeless individuals experience, right? We're not talking about just like your best buddy. We're talking about something that has seen some of them through some of the darkest points in their life, right? So when they go to bed at night and having that with them, I honestly believe it's a big deal.

David PenalozaItem 7

I agree. I didn't mean for this to be a longer conversation than needed to. Just wanted to make sure that we're helping these individuals get their pets vaccinated, the needed vaccinations. And if we need to offer flea baths for them, my dog's pampered every week and then he has fleas. I don't know how he gets them, but he does. And so I would hope that we're trying to maintain that because I could see that becoming a problem, especially during the summer months. So whatever we're doing, let's make sure that we accommodate and make whatever resources we can available.

I will check into that and make sure that's done.

David PenalozaItem 7

And the other question I had is in regards to the $10,000 that we've fined Union Pacific Railroad Company as of today, to me that number is really low. When you're talking about a conglomerate, a billion dollar that had like a $20 billion profit year after year over the last couple of years, $10,000 in fines. If I'm, who is it? Warren Buffett, I think, who owns a majority stake in Union Pacific Railroad, to me $10,000 is pocket change and it's the cost of doing business. which is why we find ourselves providing housekeeping for the people that are taking over the rubber tracks.

David PenalozaItem 7

We come in, we clean within 30 minutes, they're back there doing the same thing, cooking their drugs. And I see it daily and I hear from a lot of residents throughout Ward 6 of this reoccurring issue where it's within a matter of minutes. They wait and then as soon as the police and the public works and everyone is off the tracks, They come back and we're back to the same. So we're just providing a housekeeping service. So I would hope that we work towards increasing those fines if we can with Union Pacific, because only that way we're going to get their attention and have them act on permanent solutions

David PenalozaItem 7

when it comes to keeping people out of their railroad tracks. Along the Orange County Health Care Agency, off Grand, they're fencing, and I'm not sure if that's Union Pacific property or the county property, but their chain link fence has slits, multiple slits throughout that butts up against the parking lot for the Orange County Health Care Agency. And I've heard from numerous county employees, hey, there's people running through our parking lot, costing us when we're leaving work, when we're coming into work, breaking into our cars while they're inside their building. And the sheriffs are there, but they're inside the building.

David PenalozaItem 7

They're not patrolling the... So I see that becoming an issue because of that fence as well.

I believe that is railroad property fence.

David PenalozaItem 7

And that's something that through code enforcement, they should be fixing that fence. I'll check into that. I appreciate it. Thank you for that update, but let's just work towards... I mean, is there anything we could do to increase those fees?

So I can tell you that the $10,000 is from January 1st. It's not talking about any of the money that they've paid in the past. and code enforcement has taken them to task in the past, and I think we had gotten up to about $150,000 at one point. I can tell you that the manager, Alvaro Nunez, has created significant difficulties for the railroads through this process because not only do we mail all of these fines locally, but they're all going back to their corporate headquarters.

And every time he sends them a bill, the phones at City Hall ring from the railroad company saying, okay, what do we got to do now? What's the new problem? What's the issue?

I think we all agree the railroad tracks are one of our biggest issues within this city. I also believe that the railroad knows what can be done to fix their problems, and it is only a matter of them deciding to spend the money. It is only my opinion that they're afraid to fix our problem, because if they do, other cities will hold them accountable. That's why Alvaro Nunez is working very hard to stay consistent and constant and keep the pressure on them to force them to do what they need to do, just like any other property owner in this city is held accountable for.

David PenalozaItem 7

I appreciate that. And again, Warren Buffett, $20 billion profit. We got to do what we can.

So, Council Member, just to make sure I don't want you to misspeak, Warren Buffett doesn't have anything to do with Union Pacific. He's Burlington.

David PenalozaItem 7

So that's a different railroad company. Okay. We never have problems with that. I think when we sued them, you mentioned that it was Warren Buffett who had a majority, regardless. Whoever it is, I'm sure it's another billionaire, so let's just address it. Thank you.

Jessie LopezItem 7

Whoever owns it. And to piggyback on that, can't we find them every single day, $1,000 every day?

So there's a process that code enforcement has to do, right? They have to go out there. They have to notice it. Then they have to send the notice. Then it has to wait for the time. Now, after the city finds them, then Alvaro Nunez sends his staff out the next day to start it again and start it again. But remember that once they go out and they do provide a cleaning, and they are coming out here several times a week still,

our issue is they come out and they clean, and then they leave, and then they come back a couple days later or a week later, and it builds back up again. What we're expecting them to do is be good property owners that maintain their property every day. That's right. And so Mr. Nunez has his staff on a pretty tight leash, making sure they go out there quite often and trying to keep this on a schedule, ma'am.

Jessie LopezItem 7

Thank you. Council members on the side. Councilman Becerra.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 7

Thank you, Madam Mayor. Well, first of all, Ken, thank you for taking my call on Sunday morning. we had a person that I would say we were trying to get housing assistance for and they were placed in the shelter and I know that you and I know Terry has been working with them so I wanted to thank you for that. So you mentioned flood control channels and yes we have outside agencies that manage or own them and are supposed to maintain them. You kind of stayed the obvious. My residents down ward for we know that i mean that's you didn't really shed too much more light on what we

Valerie AmezcuaItem 7

already see day in and day out so i'm going to try and go a little further into the story and say so what now so what is the plan from the city of santa anna to compel the county to do more than once a week cleanups along the flood control channels that they own so it is my hope and i

can't speak for the city as a whole but i can sit i can speak to it from my point of view where i sit and try to coordinate things. My hope is that as we continue to work with our new Board of Supervisors member who has a good understanding of what our problems and issues are, that we continue to have a focused campaign from our residents in that area to continue to alert the county not just every other day not just once a week but every day like I see those emails coming through every day county you have a problem you didn't fix

it county you have a problem you didn't fix it I did get an opportunity to read an email today from supervisor Foley who said that she was looking into that specific issue to see if there were ways that maybe she could expedite the process on some of those complaints. As a city and as an elected body, as you continue to work with your partners across the street, I think that that will in fact help. I know that the city manager continues to work with the CEO on that specific problem. but having been a former law enforcement officer and somebody who gets complaints a lot

I believe the county would react much as I would have in the past. The squeaky wheel gets the grease and as long as we continue to bring light on their problems and continue to bring the issue to their door I believe we as a city are going to force them to be more aggressive in solving their problems in our city.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 7

Well, thank you for that. And I think you, as you've read certain emails from my constituents, they're not shy about alerting the county about the issues in there. And I'm sure it is daily that they're alerting the county on that. You mentioned permanent supportive housing. And of the entire presentation that you made, I would say that that's one thing I am proud of in the fact that Santa Ana has provided that. You know, shelters are human warehouses. They're not solutions. and permanent supportive housing is a way to address the root issues related to the homeless,

Valerie AmezcuaItem 7

whether it's mental health issues or whether it's drug addiction issues. One thing I would say, though, before anybody starts going gangbusters on permanent supportive housing here in Santa Ana, Santa Ana comprises 11% of the total county population. We should not be providing more than 11% of what the county needs when it comes to permanent supportive housing. We will do our part, but I would not advocate for doing any more than our part. So I just want to put that out there for public consumption.

And if I might say something real quick, when you talk about permanent supportive housing or options as it pertains to moving people out of homelessness through the system, the biggest roadblock that any housing agency, housing authority in the county of Orange or I believe anywhere has is we have housing vouchers that we cannot fill. We have people that were ready to move and transition, but we can't find rental properties that are low enough rent for them to move into or to get through some of the issues like they have an eviction in their past, and it's very hard for a landlord to look and say to overcome that, right?

So as we talk about this issue and you talk about this with your colleagues across the county, we do have a tremendous amount of permanent supportive housing. But if we are in fact going to move the needle, we need to have permanent supportive housing everywhere in the county because that's the roadblock we have with our housing vouchers.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 7

Yeah, and Ken, you make an excellent point there because I would argue to any other city in the county that if they had the option to provide shelters or provide permanent supportive housing with on-site personnel to make sure that the property is being maintained, to make sure that there aren't disturbances to surrounding residents or other stakeholders, all day, every day, I can't imagine somebody not wanting to have permanent supportive housing over a shelter. So, yes, hopefully our fellow council members throughout the county will become more educated on this issue and look at what they can do in their own jurisdictions.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 7

And I'm not going to steal the mayor's thunder, but I know that when she speaks, I know we've talked about, her and I have talked about what they've done in San Diego when you talk about vouchers and how we really need to look at, you know, it's not one size fits all, you know, when it comes to these vouchers. And as you mentioned, Ken, whether it comes to certain personal impediments to actually being able to get a unit, whether it's units being available that accept the vouchers.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 7

I mean, there's what San Diego has done and has shown some success in is having that concierge type service with the individuals to check in on them, make sure that they are not just simply getting into a unit, but making sure they're maintaining the unit. And I mean maintaining as in still living in that unit, making sure that the landlord is treating them fairly and respectfully. Jumping to another thing real quick, I wanted to thank the police department for placing the 602 form more prominently on the website. For those that don't know this, the 602 form is a limited authorization arrest form for trespassing.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 7

So this allows folks to file the form, which unfortunately it's every six months that one has to file this form for businesses, but then PD is able to enter the property if there is somebody trespassing, they don't need to contact the owner directly as they would have to without it. But could you shed some light on what Santa Ana PD is doing to promote this program? Because I appreciate that after I requested that the 602 form be made more prominent or at least more easier to find on the website, I've encountered more and more businesses that when I tell them about the 602 form, it's the first time they've ever heard of it,

Valerie AmezcuaItem 7

and these are long-term business owners or property owners here in San And.

I can speak to the police department's community service officers that generally attend community meetings, that that is generally one of the items that they bring the paperwork, but let me go back, check with the police department, find out what their current mechanism is, and see if there might not be a way to add some more light on that process and see if we can't bring it to more individuals.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 7

Well, I'm hoping that as officers are responding to calls for service at these businesses, especially as they relate to homelessness or whether it's the Colt team going out there, that they're also providing that information. Because a lot of these businesses aren't waiting for the next community meeting to find out what's going on. They're being impacted, they're getting fed up, and so I think for them to be educated on some of the tools that are available. Now, the 602 form, before you say it, Ken, I'll say it doesn't solve everything, but it is a tool that is at their disposal. So I'm hoping that we can better promote that.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 7

You know, I wanted to ask you, because I didn't quite catch it. What did you say the percentage of homeless that are impacted by drug addiction are in the city?

41% of the unsheltered population has substance abuse issues. 29% have some type of mental health or behavioral health issue.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 7

Well, let's focus for a second on the 41% because you also mentioned South Bristol and you talked about some of the property issues. And as someone that frequents South Bristol daily, I can tell you right now, there's a drug problem down there. There's drug criminal activity, okay? And we're not, I mean, there's been much more attention paid to South Bristol, and selfishly as it should be, it's the second largest sales tax generating area in the city, second only to the auto mall. So I would expect a little attention paid. Anaheim doesn't neglect Disneyland. Costa Mesa doesn't neglect South Coast Plaza.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 7

So for everybody that keeps coming to the council and saying we want things, things cost money, and that means we need to protect the revenue generators in the city. and South Bristol, again, is number two, second only to the auto mall. So another area, though, and talking about just kind of keeping consistent on the drug-related criminal activity, 7-Eleven at Main and Dyer. And I want to thank PD for providing me stats. So I asked PD to provide me stats from March 1st of last year to March 1st of this year. So keep in mind, 365 days in a year, San Ana PD for that little itty bitty area received 213 calls for service.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 7

213. But according to San Ana PD, 13 of those were categorized as narcotic activity.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 7

I feel like that might be a little underreported there. 46, though, were categorized as disturbances. 23 were related trespassing. Now, with all those numbers, only eight citations were issued by PD. 365 days in a year, 213 times Santa Ana PD personnel had to go out to that site. And yet, eight citations were issued. If I was going to do drugs, this is the place to do it. You're not going to get bothered. It is smooth sailing. You know, people say, well, why is it not happening in Irvine or Coast Mesa or other places? Because they're not being bothered.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 7

And I've heard the whole thing about, well, the state laws, they don't allow you to do as much. the judges aren't cooperative, but for some reason, officers in other cities, they're going out and they're citing these guys. They're not making it easy. They're not ignoring them. When you have 213 calls for service at one place in the city, now I'm sure as staff has provided us information on other hot spots in town, but 213 calls at Main and Dyer at a 7-Eleven, that Del Taco, The neighbor, 213 calls for service.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 7

Eight citations. Let that all sink in for a second. 213 calls for service and eight citations. I mean, a matador puts his cape over a bull more often than that, for crying out loud. So, you know, when we talk about having a homelessness update, I know staff goes, oh, gosh, to talk about this issue again. You're right. Let's now start talking about the drug issue that's impacting our city. We have fentanyl on the streets that is significantly cheaper than heroin, 50 times more impactful, and coming down from that, as the LA Times recently reported, is one of the worst things that an individual can come through or could experience,

Valerie AmezcuaItem 7

worse than the worst flu that they experience, right? And it's on our streets. The narcotic activity is prevalent. That's what we're seeing in South Bristol. That's what we're seeing in a lot of parts of the city. but when you're only citing eight times for 213 calls for service and go down and look at Maine and Dyer. I mean, Ken, I know you have, but anybody else, look at Maine and Dyer. Trust me, you would sit there and go, really? Eight citations only? So I would just say, as much as we have a homeless problem and as much as what we're doing with the shelters and permanent supportive housing,

Valerie AmezcuaItem 7

we need to address the criminal drug activity that is happening. So I won't continue to beat this from any longer.

Jessie LopezItem 7

I was going to cut you off right now.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 7

Understood.

Understood, sir.

Jessie LopezItem 7

Are there any comments on this? Yes, Mayor Patel.

Thank you, Mayor.

Are we going to get the homelessness report? Should we expect to receive that every year?

It will be my goal to ensure that you get that annually. Okay, perfect. Thank you. So I will receive it every year. Thank you.

And can we have Cal Optima come to just give a presentation about the new streaming fund that they have to develop a street medicine program? Okay, I heard have Cal Optica come and have a discussion. Cal Optima come about a discussion. Yeah, to present about the funding they received to develop the medicine street program. Because I would love to learn more about that and how they're implementing that in the city of Santa Ana. Certainly, Council Member. Thank you so much. We can invite them. Yes. And then the fact sheet that you have here, is that something that I can be sent, please?

The very last part? Yes. Yes. It should be up on the city's website, but if you don't have it, I will send it to you personally. Okay. Thank you. And then, Ken, can you remind us how many beds are available right now? at Carnegie 50.

Okay, and then city manager, are we working with the county? It's been really cold and it's been raining and I see people out in the streets. So are we working with any of our shelters to kind of, I know we've been very stern this entire time about only allowing Sanana residents or people that have ties to the city to be able to enter, but because of the weather, have we relaxed any of our rules to kind of...

I'm going to defer to Ken because he has more specific on that. But in general, for the entire county, there is a cold weather shelter that has been opened in the city of Fullerton. And I know Yale right now, they claim to be at capacity. I was able to tour that facility just about a week ago. So I'll let Ken speak to how we're attempting to address due to the weather. Okay, thank you.

I do not believe that anybody that wishes to go into the Carnegie Shelter has been turned away. Gold. And we understand that people need a place to be.

That would be my response to your question. Okay, thanks, Ken. That's going to be it.

Jessie LopezItem 7

Councilman Fenn?

Thai Viet PhanItem 7

thank you thank you Ken I appreciate the presentation a couple questions I know some of our residents because council member Sarah and I our districts kiss right by the Fairview channel and we all get those emails or hug okay let me say use that but you know one of the things that we've talked about before is that the city does not own the channel we spent a lot of money thanks to Nabil and Public Works to put up fencing. I know there was some very minor discussion about our code regarding electric fencing, but I know there's some state

Thai Viet PhanItem 7

laws that may or may not allow it. I would like to continue down that path if it's possible to help protect it. It's really to prevent people. It's an alarm system really. But I know residents and some staffers have brought up to me this MOU that we have with the OC Sheriff's Department regarding the channel and just overall the police departments jurisdiction over the channel having read the MOU whether it seemed to me that the reason why we have this MOU as long as well as other cities with the Sheriff's Department is to ensure that calls for service are directed to Santa Ana PD rather than the

Thai Viet PhanItem 7

sheriff's is that correct or are you familiar with this It's from like 2000, so it's 23 years old.

So having discussed this with Chief Valentin on several occasions, and it's my understanding that Chief Valentin has spoken with Sheriff Barnes,

if there's an emergency situation that is occurring on the bike trail,

Thai Viet PhanItem 7

I mean on the flood control channels, right?

If somebody's screaming, if some emergency is occurring, the Santa Ana Police Department will respond and address that issue. without question. If it's not an emergency and it's a normal call for service, it's my understanding that the two departments have an understanding that it is the sheriff's jurisdiction to address. That's why the city put out the flyer saying if you have issues or problems in the flood control channel, contact the sheriff's department and the Orange County flood control district for maintenance related issues however if there's somebody who needs help and

there's an emergency occurring there Santa Ana PD will go and solve the

Thai Viet PhanItem 7

emergency thank you and that's kind of the clarification I wanted because the maintenance and this cost of maintenance and the personnel cost to maintain the channel is still with the county the city is not paying for that we are only responding to emergencies and it's important that we have that ability because it could be someone involving our resident in that area and we want to handle it quickly before anyone gets hurt. So I just wanted to bring that up because rescinding that MOU or renegotiating that MOU or that conversations existed, and I think this gives some clarification as to kind of the limited nature of the MOU.

Thai Viet PhanItem 7

The other thing I wanted to bring up, and this might be toward the city attorney's office and Madam City Manager, as you know, I think it's Johnson and Johnson, no, Janssen, now CVS, TEVA and all these other pharmaceutical companies are settling with different states regarding their, well, their opioids that they've been pushing on residents and people who have, you know, experienced pain, right, over the several decades. And so these are multibillion-dollar types of settlements. And so to follow up on Councilmember Becerra's comment about narcotics use and other things,

Thai Viet PhanItem 7

You know, I leave it to staff to continue or brief us regarding these settlements, but I do know that these dollars are meant to help alleviate and educate regarding narcotics use and opioid addiction and whatnot. So hopefully some of those dollars can help go to alleviate some of these concerns that we have. And finally, I just want to say that, you know, we heard the percentages, 29% with, I I assume some type of diagnosed mental health issue, 41% with an addiction issue, but the entire community of people who are homeless are people who have no homes. Homelessness is a housing issue. What we see are states like West Virginia,

Thai Viet PhanItem 7

which have the highest rates of addiction and drug use, do not have the highest rates of homelessness and the cost of living there is lower. So I encourage our community members, the county and the state to continue to fight for housing development including supportive housing including affordable housing all types of housing so that we can address this situation and it's not just a Santa Ana issue we should not be the ones bearing the brunt of this we're doing our part I just wanted to reiterate and I appreciate Attorney General Rob Bonta for fighting for

Jessie LopezItem 7

these housing developments throughout the county thank you thank you I'm gonna ask a couple questions and then we're going to move on. Okay. So thank you for the presentation again, and I appreciate you. We all appreciate you coming out and giving these presentations.

Jessie LopezItem 7

So homelessness in our city, that is one of the biggest things that everybody talks about. Every door I knocked on, everybody I talked to, every meeting I go to. So thank you for all the work that you're doing and that the shelter is doing and that our law enforcement is doing and our code enforcement. And I know every time I meet with Mike Garcia, with you, with others in the housing department, an hour meeting turns into a four-hour meeting. And we just met with the county to look at some housing, how we can work together with Katrina Foley's office and Supervisor Sarbiento and what the county can do and what we can do.

Jessie LopezItem 7

So I'm looking forward to continue those conversations and also look into some type of housing.

Jessie LopezItem 7

When I first got elected, I sat up here and we started talking about First Street. I want to thank Santa Ana PD and code enforcement because First Street really is starting to look different. You had indicated it was a narcotic issue and so Santa Ana PD was out there all the time. I was driving by late at night or in the morning. I was seeing them. I'd stop them. I'd say hello. This last week I was coming down Bristol. They probably all think I'm a little crazy. I have now I flash my lights at them, so they don't think I'm some crazy person. They pull over. They know my car.

Jessie LopezItem 7

I say thank you. They were cleaning up down Bristol by First Street. They were moving them out. There was a group, but the groups are getting smaller and smaller. And I know due to the weather, they're probably going underneath somewhere and, you know, we can't see them all because it is cold and I understand that. But on Sunday, and the reason I bring this up because on Sunday, we're moving people down First Street and I appreciate that, Santa MPD, immensely and thank you. I don't care what anybody says about it, they can bash you all day long, you guys out there working hard.

Jessie LopezItem 7

I was on 2nd and McClay, and I got called by a family to come out there and stand on the corner of 2nd and McClay and watch the activity. And I did. And I was supposed to be at Costco, and I wasn't. I was at 2nd and McClay. And I called in the watch commander, I think his name was watch commander, Aceves was his name, I believe. And I explained about the homeless and that the woman that was standing on the corner naked, practically I could see everything, was engaging in prostitution. And hopefully she was, they were going to send out a unit. Because there's children around there. And there's families.

Jessie LopezItem 7

And so when families call me and say, can you please come to my house? I want you to see what I see. Yeah, I go out there. And that's why I ask for these reports every month. Because it's not just the shelter. And I thank the shelter and for all the work that the staff do. It's not just building more housing. It's exactly what you shared earlier about the stats around mental health and drug addiction. We're not going to get rid of it overnight. It's going to take years and it's going to take all of us together. You may have brought up CalOptima. Not only are they doing the program she's talking about, but they're also now going

Jessie LopezItem 7

into development, right? So are we meeting with them to look at what type of housing are they developing? You know, we should be working, and I know we are, with BYLOC, and we should also be holding the county accountable. We hold them accountable. And I was at a meeting with the school district, the county, the sheriff's department, and Santa Ana PD when we were talking about with Councilmember Sarah, and we were talking about the channels where kids are watching adults have sex and overdose and run around naked and goodness knows what else. And so the sheriffs were very clear that day to say, just call us, we'll come.

Jessie LopezItem 7

I don't know who calls them because I don't see them coming. What I do see is our officers out there. And again, it takes away from our officers' time. And so when people say, well, I called them, they don't come. First of all, somebody mentioned earlier about, well, we approved, they approved the council before I joined eight new officers. Those eight officers have not been hired. and then 20 will retire this coming year i don't know the exact number i'm sure it's going to be double digit and then we're going to have to hire that double digit of officers again

Jessie LopezItem 7

so we're already behind the curve so when councilman panela sarah is talking about the 7-eleven you have restaurants around our city that are closing closing early closing their indoor dining they're being assaulted i mean they're it's just awful so i do thank you um and i thank you for working with Project Kinship. I know we took a tour and now you're when they get out of 550 North Main out of the jail Project Kinship meets them there. You guys had worked something out where they can take them to the shelter and that way they're not on our street. So we're making progress. There are baby steps and for

Jessie LopezItem 7

Project Kinship that's huge because they meet everybody that walks out of the door of Orange County Jail and they say how can we help you? And so the number one issue is housing right so the city graciously offered our services to them to say please bring them to our shelter and not everybody will go and not everybody wants to go but those that do they are going to our shelter and I'm glad that Penelope's have brought up the animals because I was concerned when I saw 11 pets because if somebody gets bit so I'm glad to hear they're all muzzled and please get back to us about shots and things of that nature

Jessie LopezItem 7

because we don't need a lice breakout or animal issues. And I'm focused on the homeless in general, but the 11 families, I know we went to 15 to 12 and now we love it. I think last week we housed a family with four children, so thank you. I can't wait to hear about this week, what family we house with how many children because children do not belong in shelters. They do not belong there. And so I really thank you for these presentations. I know every month it's a lot for you to come out. But I want the community, we want the community to hear what we're doing here in Santa Ana.

Jessie LopezItem 7

A neighboring city who I won't mention said, we've done more for homeless than any other city around us. Rah, rah, rah us. We've done a great job. And I didn't respond because it wouldn't have been a nice response. So, but I did remind them that please look at what Santa Ana has done. I just joined the council and I've just become the mayor. But please look at the work that Santa Ana has done because we are on the right path, but we need to hold the county accountable. We need to give our officers what they need. We need to give code enforcement what they need. We need to help our businesses. And it's a lot.

Jessie LopezItem 7

And so I'm looking forward to as time goes on and the community gets more engaged on helping us do the work, that it's going to get better. And I really like, and I'll close with this, that you put in here the dusk to dawn lights. I live up against like a little channel there. At dusk, my house lights up like the Honda Center. And nobody comes in my backyard or in front of my house unless you call first. Because I can see you coming a mile away. So I highly recommend dusk to dawn lights if you own a business or a home and put them in your backyard. Your neighbors may not like you, but it's okay.

Jessie LopezItem 7

Nobody will come in your backyard or come to your front yard. So thank you, Ken, for everything. And thank you to the council for all the questions. I really appreciate it. Thank you.

City manager, the next presentation will be Travel Santa Ana.

Jessie LopezItem 7

And then we'll go into consent.

Okay. Honorable mayor and council members, We have a special guest joining us today, and I don't know if Executive Director wants to, oh, okay, I will do the introduction. So you have Wendy Haas. She is the President and the CEO of Travel Santa Ana.

Good evening, Mayor and City Council. Thank you for the opportunity to present. I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge Travel Santa Ana staff, Board of Directors, and Tourism Marketing District hoteliers in the audience. Thank you for your support. members of city council in your packet you received a 2022 travel santa ana annual report which highlights the destination marketing organization lists our board members and staff and includes information on our budget however I know there are new city council members so I wanted to give a quick overview of the destination marketing organization travel santa ana is an

independent 501c6 we are funded by a two percent assessment from 17 santa ana hotels which is paid by guests staying at those hotels and we have an 11-person board of directors we report monthly and we meet quarterly last year we went through a branding initiative which involved extensive engagement with the community and stakeholders as a result we recognized that a traditional destination logo would not resonate with the community so we partnered with four local artists to create four distinct interchangeable signatures each signature represents a different aspect of the community our branding efforts our branding efforts

also provided us with our promise our voice and our values and direction on how to position and promote Santa Ana here are a few examples of some of the design elements that resulted from the branding initiative our proud Santanero campaign featured eight Santa Ana business owners. In our campaign we asked what makes them proud to be a Santanero and what would they recommend to a visitor. You can view the video via the QR code in the annual report. It is also on our new website and on our YouTube channel. The highlights of our 2022 sales and marketing efforts are also featured in the annual report, however I

wanted to point out a few. We produced a Santa Ana points of interest map which distributed throughout Orange County and at key tourism-related locations. The LA Magazine campaign promoted Santa Ana as a destination to celebrate the holidays. The campaign ran October through December and included special hotel rates. We also partnered with Brand USA to launch both an individual and an Orange County co-op campaign to promote Santa Ana internationally. This year we partnered with Orange County Restaurant Association to garner exposure for Santa Ana's restaurants and the destination's culinary offerings during OC Restaurant Week.

The partnership allowed any Santa Ana restaurant to participate in the event free of charge. As a result, 20 Santa Ana restaurants took advantage of the opportunity in comparison to only three Santa Ana restaurants participating in 2022. Earlier this year, we published the Inaugural Visitor Guide. Throughout the year, copies will be distributed to the 17 Santa Ana hotels, John Wayne and Ontario airports, visit California Welcome Centers and other key tourism related locations. There is also a digital version of the guide and a Spanish version of the digital guide is currently in production. Last week we

launched the official destination website. For those of you in the audience you can scan the QR code on the screen to explore. The new website is a valuable resource for visitors looking to discover where to stay, play, eat and meet in our city. It can be translated into several different languages with Spanish being highlighted at the top. We also launched Travel Santa Ana social channels and we encourage the City Council and everyone to follow and tag us. In addition to attending trade shows, we are members of the West Coast DMO Alliance and we participate and visit California's roadshows to attract meetings and

conferences to Santa Ana. We've partnered with Orange County Sports Commission to attract sporting events to the city and join Student Youth Travel Association to promote the destination to student travelers.

With the approval of our board of directors, we have allocated money in this year's budget for a meeting incentive to attract meetings and conferences to Santa Ana from competing cities and an event sponsorship opportunity to help support events that bring overnight visitors to Santa Ana hotels.

Over the next few months, we'll be adding a mural guide, a culinary passport, and an age-gated cannabis tourism page to the new website.

Great thank you. Thank you for your time. There are any questions up here? Yes

David PenalozaItem 7

Councilman Penelosa. Just a quick comment mayor. Hi Wendy thank you so much for all the work you've been doing the last couple of years. Very happy with what I'm seeing so far in regards to your content, your social media, your website. The The only, not a complaint, but just kind of comment that I have moving forward is as much as I love highlighting all our great restaurants in downtown and around Main Place Mall, the city's 27 square miles with lots of points of interest. Down South Main, down South Bristol, West 1st Street, a lot of the west end of Santa

David PenalozaItem 7

Ana, there's a lot of great restaurants and businesses that aren't highlighted. and even in the map of points of interest, it's heavily concentrated in downtown and main place mall area. So as we move forward, let's just be cognizant of just the large footprint that our city is and the great, great restaurants and businesses throughout every edge of the city so that we're encouraging people to visit all ends of our city and not just one specific area. That's the only comment I had, but I'm very happy with the way that it's laid out,

David PenalozaItem 7

with what I'm seeing, the businesses highlighted, all great. So looking forward to seeing Travel Santa Ana grow as we move forward. Thank you.

Thank you, and I encourage you to visit the new website. There's an extensive list of restaurants, and if we're missing one of your favorites, please let me know, and we'll add it right away.

David PenalozaItem 7

I did this morning, and it's very reflective of the same map that is in this brochure. So I clicked, I clicked, I looked, but if I'm wrong, please send me a link.

There's over 200 and some restaurants on the website.

David PenalozaItem 7

Okay. I'll look again, but thank you.

Councilmember Fran.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 7

Yes, thank you, Wendy, for a fantastic...

Jessie LopezItem 7

I'm sorry, Councilmember Fran, and then I'll go to Councilmember Fran.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 7

Apologies.

Thai Viet PhanItem 7

She's looking at the same direction. Thank you. Thank you so much for the presentation. And first, I want to just echo what Councilmember Penelosa mentioned. growing up on the west side, you know, we have Jiu Jiu, we have Fabry, some really old school businesses that have been here my entire life. And so I'd love to see them highlighted. And the other thing I wanted to mention is that I want to commend you on the success of your marketing and business work because I was scrolling on my Google News one day and I saw a list, an article about

Thai Viet PhanItem 7

the five best places to visit in Santa Ana. I was like, whoa, that's cool, who wrote this? And I look, I look, and you go down to the very end and you see it was written as a travel Santa Ana item or something, and I think that was really cool that I organically stumbled upon something that you provided and really highlighted our city, and it was just a really fantastic way, because I know if I got it, others have seen it too. I wanted to also ask that I know we have a lot of merchants from downtown who have you know are asking for support and whatnot and you

Thai Viet PhanItem 7

know we voted to get rid of the bid at the request of Santa Ana businesses or in downtown and but I do think it's important that as we highlight these businesses in downtown and throughout the city that if there's some way that we can work with or you can work with our downtown businesses I do know that there are some representation from downtown property owners on the board and I think that's great but if we can work on that relationship I think it'd be really wonderful yeah otherwise

thank you so much you're welcome thank you it's a work in progress and we are adding businesses it's if they're attractive to meetings and conventions and visitors they can certainly be on the website at no charge we're funded by the hoteliers and so we value the uniqueness of Santa Ana and all of its businesses and the people that make

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 7

up this community councilman Hernandez thank you mayor mesqua wendy fantastic presentation fantastic work excuse me I'm gonna just go through a couple of recommendations as to how we can improve the presentation and have more diversity when it comes to this brand. First and foremost, I want to thank you for diversifying the logo of Santa Ana. I think it looks amazing. The only challenge that I see here is the majority of the artists that are tasked with branding

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 7

aren't native to Santa Ana. They absolutely call Santa Ana home, but But there are artists who have been here for generations that aren't having the same opportunities. And it's important that we include them as well because the oldest murals in Santa Ana and Santana were made by Chicano people. There are zero Chicanos involved in branding this. And I am all for diversity, but I also don't want to exclude the people that created the foundations that you are highlighting today. So it's very important that when we talk about being a city that has cultures of culture,

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 7

that we don't forget about those who opened the doors for muralists to be in the city, to paint these beautiful murals on these walls. It was brown men and women who were being criminalized, who created murals without permission at parks like El Salvador Park. Marina Aguilera was one of the first female muralists in all of Orange County from Santa Ana, born and raised. It's unfortunate that somebody like her could not be a part of this branding opportunity because she was the first muralist, female muralist in our city. I think that would have been amazing. Yes, but I mean as an artist to be included for branding.

The signature project is ongoing. We see that evolving. We had to start somewhere and those four artists were involved in our branding process. They took the time to meet with us and have a conversation about the branding initiative. So we had to start from somewhere. And it's an ongoing project where we'll be adding different signatures. We see adding a signature from the LGBT plus community and other representatives of the community as well.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 7

Absolutely. Please ensure to include immigrants as well as the Chicano people who, it's very important that we include those narratives since Santana's majority immigrant in Latino Chicano community, it's very important that they're also involved in these conversations. We've got to start somewhere, which is why my public commentary is starting here. Following up, I love we are a culture of cultures. And again, I just need to see more diversity of all of our cultures that reflect through this art. There's a thriving Chicano, Latino immigrant community.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 7

There's a black community as well that has contributed to amazing murals in the city. So it's important that we also include all of those cultures. I want to highlight that I'm so happy that you guys are working with downtown businesses. I see a couple of them in the proud Santaneros, Alta Baja, Charlie's Tattoo, Logan Crow with Frida, Nora Briseño. I would love to see more of our businesses in downtown get the love and respect that they deserve through Travel Santa Ana. If we can bring more people to downtown, it is the center of Orange County. there's businesses who desperately need it however my office can facilitate an

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 7

introduction to amazing businesses that we have please let me know I'd love to help I am really happy with what you highlighted the sales and trade shows the appointments the leads and the potential hotel revenue of 2.9 is is amazing and I was really happy to see the lists of restaurants visitors guides the social media channels. I follow you guys. You guys have a really amazing and captivating page. And I'm just happy to see more of these presentations come to the council. Wendy, you're doing a fantastic job. And I hope that you take into account the feedback we give you today.

Absolutely. I appreciate it. We're a growing destination marketing organization. And we wouldn't be here without the support of the community. So thank you.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 7

Absolutely. Thank you, Wendy. Thank you.

Councilman Vasquez.

Benjamin VazquezItem 7

Just really quick. I love the presentation. If we could mark it to us, to Santana, and for them to come and see as part of it, not give everybody one of these, but online and get the word out of how beautiful it is. Because I don't think everybody knows the wonderful things we have in downtown Santana. Obviously, we're missing out around. I like to do like best day ever, and I'll go to four places in Santana. Best Mexican places. One day, one time I took out Gustavo Arellano. I took Mark from the Old Vine Cafe. I took the owner of Taco Maria, and we went to the four hole-in-the-wall taco places in Santa Ana.

Benjamin VazquezItem 7

So something like that would be also awesome because foodies are foodies, and they enjoy food. Absolutely. You know, wherever it's good.

Jessie LopezItem 7

All right. Thank you. So my final comments are thank you, but I also want to add that you do have some downtown Santa Ana restaurants here. in here. I think it's really important that maybe we can help them now that they've experienced the trolley tragedy. I'm going to call it a tragedy. And everything they've gone through that maybe we can give them a little push for a couple of months so that we can bring back. And not excluding all the other restaurants, but thank you for the work you do. I want to leave you with this comment only because it's my personal comment, and I'm sure somebody will get offended by it,

Jessie LopezItem 7

but I serve all of Santa Ana. I serve, if you're Caucasian, I serve you. If you're African American, I serve you. If you're API, I serve you. If you're Hispanic, Latino, Chicano, Bolivian, whatever you call yourself, I serve you. The one thing I do not use is I don't use the term santanera. I am not a santanera. I am from Santa Ana. Some of my family immigrated here. Some of us were born here. And so it's very interesting how I was raised different than other people.

Jessie LopezItem 7

So whatever term they were directed to use or how you use it, I would just say be mindful that we are a very diverse community. For example, Floral Park. I don't know if people know this, but Floral Park has a group of residents that every month they pick a different restaurant in downtown Santa Ana and they go down there and they spend their money there and they have dinner a whole bunch of them and I don't know if people know that and but they don't go in and call themselves something else they're just Santa Ana

Jessie LopezItem 7

residents and so I am the mayor of Santa Ana so again people may get offended by it it's okay it's my personal opinion we all use different words we all call ourselves different but if you're trying to sell santa anna and i guess if we just use that term it may turn some people away in my opinion because if i'm coming from out of state i may not even know what that means and so we want to bring people in from all areas and from all walks of life we want to bring them in from everywhere so Again, thank you for all that you do. It's good.

Jessie LopezItem 7

I just actually opened up, downloaded the QR and put it on my phone. I can't wait to see the restaurants that you'll be adding on in there and the different events. And I know we've been in the paper. I think we have like one of the top five taco places in the country. And the paper came out in an article. So hopefully that's in here. I don't know. But thank you for all that you do. and I really would like to ask that, you know, if you talk to Mike Garcia and we can give downtown some good PR for a couple months south of Main Street. And I know everybody needs it, but they

Jessie LopezItem 7

didn't all experience the trolley. They didn't all experience the disaster. When my family immigrated here, when my grandmother came here, my father's mother from Guadalajara, she was dropped off on 4th Street. She never called herself a Santanera. She was a Mexicana and she was dropped off on 4th Street. They told her she was in LA. The gentleman that brought her left her here. So to me 4th Street is very special. Downtown area is very special and that's where my family started here. So I'm on my father's side. So again if you send something to me please don't send it if it

Jessie LopezItem 7

as something because i'll send it right back to you so thank you very much thank you

Jessie LopezItem 7

go to the consent calendar consent calendar items number five through 22 are before us council members please announce any items that you'll be abstaining from due to conflict and if there are any requests to pull an item from the set calendar for further discussions. Do I have a motion and a second to approve the remainder? First, let's get some council members. Any items pulled? Councilman Vasquez.

Benjamin VazquezItem 5

17.

Jessie LopezItem 5

17. Any other items?

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

Madam Mayor?

Jessie LopezItem 5

Yes.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

I'm going to go and pull items. I'm going to come this way. Oh, sorry.

Jessie LopezItem 5

Mayor Pro Tem?

Jessie LopezItem 5

Councilman Penelosa?

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 5

Nothing in pool.

Jessie LopezItem 5

Councilman Hernandez.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 5

I would like to see, let me see, I believe this is item 22. I'd like to move forward with the appointment of oversight commissioner.

Jessie LopezItem 5

So you're pulling item 22?

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 5

No, just wanted to see if we could push it to the front of the consent.

Jessie LopezItem 5

We're going to get to it. I'm going to get through this here first. Absolutely. I've been dancing all night. So I'll pull it. Councilman Becerra?

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

Yeah, actually I'll be pulling items 8, 18, and 22.

Jessie LopezItem 5

8, 18, and 22. Okay, and then Councilperson Fan, please.

Thai Viet PhanItem 5

Pulling nothing, but I wanted to state my recusal from item number 16, as Dudek is, I believe, a client of my employer, Rattan and Tucker. You're abstaining from 16? Yes. And if it is pulled, then I will leave the room while you discuss it. Thank you.

Jessie LopezItem 5

I'm sorry. I can't understand.

Thai Viet PhanItem 5

If item 16 is pulled for discussion, I will leave the room while it's being discussed.

Jessie LopezItem 5

So far, it hasn't been pulled.

Can I call on you? David, did I call on you?

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

Okay. All right. So we're good. Okay. Madam Mayor, I'll move the rest of the balance of the consent calendar. I'll second.

Jessie LopezItem 5

Second. Thank you. All right, Council Members, let's cast our vote, or we're going to do a roll call, please, on the remaining items.

Jessie LopezItem 5

It's not working, so you want to do a roll call?

Jennifer L. HallItem 5

Yes, Mayor. For a motion by Council Member Becerra, seconded by Council Member Penaloza, to approve the consent calendar with the exceptions of item 8, 17, 18, and 22, that have been pulled for separate discussion, Council Member Becerra?

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

Yes. Yes.

Jennifer L. HallItem 5

Councilmember Hernandez?

David PenalozaItem 5

No.

Jennifer L. HallItem 5

Councilmember Penaloza?

David PenalozaItem 5

Yes.

Jennifer L. HallItem 5

Councilmember Fan? Yes. Councilmember Vasquez?

Benjamin VazquezItem 5

No.

Jennifer L. HallItem 5

Mayor Pro Tem Lopez? Is this to approve the remaining?

Jessie LopezItem 5

Yes, this is to approve the remaining. So I don't know what. Yes, go ahead. I'm sorry, Councilmember Vasquez, what is it? Yes. Oh, okay. I don't know what was going on here.

Jennifer L. HallItem 5

Mayor Pro Tem? Yes. Mayor Omescua?

Jessie LopezItem 5

Yes. So the rest have been approved.

Jennifer L. HallItem 5

The motion carries 6-1 with Councilmember Hernandez voting no?

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 5

Oh, I'm a yes. My apologies. Yes. Okay. Yes.

Jessie LopezItem 5

Unanimous consent then.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 5

Yes.

Jessie LopezItem 5

I don't know what you thought you were voting on.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 5

You know what? I thought it was item 25. Oh no. Pulling up item 25.

Jessie LopezItem 5

All right. Let's go now. Everybody with me? Okay. Sea City Manager as well. I said no presentation until later. All right. Let's start with item 8.

Jennifer L. HallItem 5

Mayor, if we may, could we do the oaths of office for the board and commission members?

Jessie LopezItem 5

I can't understand you. I don't know what's right with your microphone.

Jennifer L. HallItem 5

I'm sorry. The oaths of office for the appointed board and commission members?

Jessie LopezItem 5

The items have been pulled for one of them, so we're going to have to wait on item 22.

Jessie LopezItem 5

We can do six, but item 22 has been pulled. So let's do yours, Councilman Pham.

Jennifer L. HallItem 5

Okay, thank you. If President, Councilmember Pham's appointed member, please come forward. Michelle Cisneros.

Thank you.

I am Michelle Cisneros. I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California against all enemies, foreign and domestic. That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California. That I take this obligation freely Without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion

That I will well and faithfully discharge the duties

Upon of which I'm upon to enter Thank you so much

Thank you.

Jessie LopezItem 5

Okay, we're going to go now to item 17. I just want to be clear, as Mayor Pro Temp said earlier, this is to approve an agreement with Dunbar Architect for Architectural Design Services.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

Madam Mayor? Yes. I had pulled item 8 before. Yeah, you did.

Jessie LopezItem 5

We just went out. Didn't we do it?

Jessie LopezItem 5

Oh, sorry. Go ahead. ME TOO. I'M ALL OVER THE PLACE. LET'S DO ITEM 8.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. SO THIS ITEM IS THE CITY OF SANTA ANA'S 2022 GENERAL PLAN ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT. SO AS PART OF THE ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT ON THE STATUS OF THE GENERAL PLAN, THERE'S A HOUSING ELEMENT PORTION OF THE REPORT WHICH INCLUDES A SUMMARY OF SANTA ANA'S PROGRESS IN MEETING ITS REALLOCATION FOR THE CURRENT CYCLE WHICH IS 209, I'M SORRY, 2021 THROUGH 2029. Madam City Manager, has the City of Santa Ana's housing element been approved by the state?

We are very proud to announce we are one of the few that has it approved.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

And when did that take place? July. July, okay. So because I took a look at the state's HCD website and less than half of the cities in Orange County have housing elements that are in compliance and only over a little bit or I'm sorry only a little over half of the cities in California actually have housing elements that are in compliance. And according to the progress report that's before us this evening, Santa Ana has fulfilled 52 percent of our total RENA allocation already. 52 percent, 40 percent of our low income unit requirements and 38 percent of our very low

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

income unit requirements. So Santa Ana, I can proudly say, I think we should all be proud, is that we're on track to fulfill our RHNA allocations for this cycle. So, so far early in the cycle, we're already on track to meet them. But so we have a compliant housing element along with our RENA allocations, or I'm sorry, our progress in meeting our RENA allocations, will that allow San And to be exempt from the various housing laws that the state legislature has adopted that allows these developments to ignore our local zoning laws?

There actually is one that we would be exempt from that's commonly referred to as the builder's remedy. However, on other ones, there's some aspects that we're researching, but that is certainly something that we should be working closely with our state lobbyist on because we should, and I know the speaker spoke on that as well tonight, we should be rewarded for that amount of progress, and I'm in full agreement with that. I do not believe the state is giving enough to those very few jurisdictions that are meeting those requirements.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

Madam State Manager, I couldn't agree. In fact, it's truly frustrating, and I hope that our state representatives, you know, knowing, especially for the ones that represent us, knowing that Santa Ana has been amazing, not just this cycle, by the way, in the previous cycle where we built 11 times more affordable housing than what was requested or required of us, excuse me, from the state of California. So we're producing housing. We're not suing the state. We're actually submitting a housing element that's compliant. We are building the units that has been asked of us.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

And I wanted to thank Mr. Helvig for coming down this evening and echoing some of those sentiments because, yes, we are building, we've been building more than our fair share and we're on track to at least build our fair share very soon and hopefully we will stop doing everybody else's homework, frankly. You know, one thing during the general plan update, I supported our city hiring staff to focus on implementing the EJ section of our general plan. And so in reading the report tonight, I'm happy to see that back in October of 2022, we were,

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

we've hired folks. We've had funding for that. We are actually reorganizing part of our planning division to make sure that we have the staff on board to support implementing the goals that were adopted in the general plan update. I'm also looking forward to seeing the formation of the EJ Action Committee, but I wanted to just get a little clarity. Who will appoint the members of this EJ Action Committee?

I'm going to defer to Executive Director Min Tai because it is a committee to assist him.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

Okay.

Thank you for the question. Our approach to the selection process was one that we wanted to make sure that it's organic. It's something that represented all the community, So we evaluated the city and the various areas of environmental justice concerns. They naturally occur in about five clusters, areas that are actually spread throughout the city. Our goal is to reach out to those five areas of the city, ask and market the application process citywide. Once the application comes back, our staff team will review and do the selection of the

committee members based on their familiarity with EJ issues and select five members representing those five clusters. We will include one staff member as well as a member from the Orange County Health Care Agency as they deal with quite a number of issues that are associated with environmental justice in our community. So that is our goal is to have a seven member ad hoc committee representing the city on working on advising the council and our community on implementation of EJ issues as well as engaging our community ongoing for the future.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

Thank you for that, Director Tai. Well, two things I'd like to ask you to consider is one, for the application outreach. I didn't see neighborhood associations as part of the list for the application outreach, so I'd like to see them included. The other I would strongly recommend is to inquire about a state partner or someone from the state to serve on this committee because one of the big concerns in talking to folks about the environmental justice issues impacting our city is that you have a lot of industrial businesses that for them to be able to, I hate to say it, to pollute, right, to produce

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

the byproduct of their businesses, they are receiving permits from the state. It's not the city that enables them to produce a certain amount of certain toxins. It is permits that they receive from the state. And a lot of times there's a lot of ambiguity or just lack of clarity as to what is happening with the state, especially for those that are being directly impacted by the permissions granted from the state. So I would just ask that, you know, I'm not sure if it would be somebody from DTSC, AQMD, whoever it should be, but I would think that someone that understands the state permitting

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

should be a part of this because I think for your staff one of the things that I envisioned for this EJ staff person was to keep the city apprised of what was happening kind of the same way that your planning division staff would do that in regards to alcohol licenses again dealing with the state ABC. Thank you for

that recommendation so our original vision is to have this core committee to be the ongoing ad hoc committee that meets regularly based on the issues that that are proposed to be addressed when they involve outside agencies such as DTSC, such as HMD, there is going to be formation of what we call a technical advisory committee to the large committee so that there could be a small number of group of folks that work directly with those agencies so that we can get their feedback. We would love to have their constant and ongoing improvements. However, I think, you know, the expectation that someone from the state would be able

to meet with us on a monthly basis I think maybe not necessary be something that they want to be involved in but we certainly will involve them in the technical aspect when we have issues that are addressed directly with them and I think that will help to focus their involvement and focus how they can help

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

our city. Perfect thank you for that director Ty you know overall I'm very proud of what we're submitting as our progress report to the state I mean if you look through it from the state approved housing element our city's PROGRESS ON THE RENA ALLOCATION, OUR CITY'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS TOWARD ADDRESSING EJ ISSUES, OUR ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS, OUR CITY'S PARK MASTER PLAN, TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF BRAND NEW PARKS IN SOME OF OUR MOST PARKED EFFICIENT AREAS OF THE CITY. THIS IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF THAT WE'RE SUBMITTING TO THE STATE. IT REALLY IS.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

JUST READING THROUGH IT JUST REALLY MADE ME BEAM WITH PRIDE THAT THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT SAN ANN IS DOING. WE'RE LEADING THE WAY IN THIS COUNTY AND IN MANY ASPECTS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. So I'm happy to make a motion to authorize staff to submit this general plan annual progress report to the state HCD and OPR and direct staff to proceed with the formation of the EJ Action Committee, which we determine that this action is exempt from further review in accordance with CEQA. I'll second.

Jessie LopezItem 8

I just have a comment before we vote.

So do I, Mayor.

Jessie LopezItem 8

Okay. Thank you.

Thank you. Yeah. Min, a quick question on the EJ committee because, you know, this just didn't happen. There was a lot of work that was done by advocates, by members of this council. In fact, I remember when people on this dais made fun of me for talking about environmental justice issues. And so, you know, people didn't think, like, that should be a priority that the city or that members of this council prioritize along with other issues. So when we're talking about this committee, it should not just be, you know, council members' best friends on it.

It really needs to be our partners with UCI, OCEJ, OC Action Plan, the people that have been there from the very beginning that have a really great understanding of the issues that we deal with. I agree that the Orange County Health Care Agency should be part of it. you know one of the things we found out because I still work with them informally is that the county gets money for lab remediation and yet our city has never seen a dollar of that money and we don't know how it's spent and they won't they refuse to tell us how they spend it and so this is very serious because again

this just didn't happen we had to push for this to happen we had to push for amendments in the general plan and I want a committee of people that do this work day in and day out and understand the you know the hardships of our city

Jessie LopezItem 8

so thank you thank you thank you I just have a question and I'm I'm new here and sort of remind you so the West cluster including the Willowick site and Santanita neighborhood can you talk about that a little bit because you're proposing five geographic clusters.

Correct. So in each of the cluster has been identified through the general plan update process as areas that are impacted by environmental justice issue, either economic issues, social economic issues, environmental issues relating to actual physical built environment disadvantages such as contamination, air quality issues. So different neighborhoods have different aspect of environmental justice that touches those issues. However, each neighborhood through our process that we have identified the five cluster, we believe that there needs to be a representation from the noise barrier because they are the most directly impacted

and they would have the most insightful input throughout this process. So that's our goal is to be able to get a person from each one of those areas, including the area you talk about on the west side.

Jessie LopezItem 8

So the Willowick, I just met with the Garden Grove Mayor not too long ago. The Willowick, you'll be chatting with somebody from Garden Grove? No, no.

This is only within the city of St. Anna and our St. Anna residents only.

Jessie LopezItem 8

So I'm new to this and I have some backup I want to clear. So you're going to discuss Willowick from an EJ perspective, but we're not including Garden Grove.

No, Willowick is not necessarily an EJ issue. It's a park and open space discussion.

Jessie LopezItem 8

That Garter Grove plays a key role in.

Right. Right now, our recommendation is to have the input from our Santa residents. Of course, if the council desires to have additional membership, we're here to listen.

Jessie LopezItem 8

All right. I'll talk to the city manager later about the Willowook. We'll have a discussion about it. Thank you.

Jessie LopezItem 8

Any other comments from anybody? Questions? Councilman Hernandez?

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 8

Just wanted to say fantastic work, Director Tai. Thank you, sir.

Yeah, quick question as a follow-up to the requirement that they have to be Sanana residents. Where does that leave the professors that we worked with that we've been in email? Yes. So as I responded to Councilmember Becerra, the core committee will be made up of residents in these areas. The organization that you speak of, we certainly appreciate their input and they significantly impacted our general plan process. Again, our goal there is as we go through each issue, such as lead as you mentioned, that's something we would deal with OCEJ, we would deal as a subcommittee so that they

can advise on the technical aspect and bring it back to the full committee. That's how we intend to involve the different parties that have participated in our process in the past. If we were to include everyone, this committee size would be not manageable. So we intend to have a core committee with subcommittee working on sub-issues that identify by full recommendation to the City Council.

Jessie LopezItem 8

All right, great, thank you. Item 17, please.

Jennifer L. HallItem 8

Do we need to take a vote here?

Do we need to take a vote?

Jessie LopezItem 8

Oh, I'm sorry.

Jennifer L. HallItem 8

So a motion by Council Member Becerra, seconded by Council Member Penaloza to approve item number eight, the City of Santa Ana 2022 General Plan Annual Progress Report.

Jessie LopezItem 8

So you talked really quick and you talked close, so I can't understand, I don't know if I'm the only one.

Jennifer L. HallItem 8

Okay, I'm sorry, I'll try better. the motion by council member becerra seconded by penalosa to approve item number eight the city of santa anna 2022 general plan annual progress report perfect and is the voting system up i can't vote on mine i don't know okay um council member becerra yes council member hernandez yes council member penalosa yes council member fan yes council member vasquez yes mayor pro tem lopez Mayor Mescova? Yes. Motion carries, 7-0.

Jessie LopezItem 8

Item 17, please.

Benjamin VazquezItem 8

Yeah, I called on it. Just to be clear, and we've mentioned it before, this is just for rehabilitation of the building, not to be built out for a purpose of any kind, specific kind? Is it just a general built out?

No, sir. It is actually a built out as indicated in the staff report. It's the hiring of an architectural firm to do the design of the building, but the purpose of the design is that the site is adaptively reused as a police athletic and activities league as well as, as mentioned before, senior citizen programming.

Benjamin VazquezItem 17

Okay, here's why I pulled it. This would be the third PAL program in the city, also the third in the ward. It's the third in the ward. There's a PAL program at Roosevelt Walker with blocks from that space. There's already a PAL program within the walk. So this is three PAL programs with a ward that has one and a half parks. We shared Jerome Park with Ward 5. Three PALs, one and a half parks, no libraries. Zero libraries. It had eight schools. Asmarn Elementary, Roosevelt Walker, Manavista, Pio Pico, Lowell, Diamond, Emeka Hardimery, Circulos.

Benjamin VazquezItem 17

And we have no library. I grew up at the McFadden Library that is now the PAL program. I grew up being a learner, being a reader, became the man who I am as an educator, now council member because of a library. We used to believe in education first in Santana. We used to believe that we have to make our kids resilient and strong and not just a few handful, but many of them. We believed that we were the future and it wasn't about PR with police. That these kids were going to be the ones like my siblings who all became educators and four of my nieces also.

Benjamin VazquezItem 17

I mean, like, we just have educators in the family because of this library that invested in us as people. The neighborhood, what they're really asking for, if you listen to the people who wanted the PAL, what they really want is a police substation. They really just want a police substation. And they're holding the police accountable to sit there and do the reports so they could be visible in their neighborhood. This is why they want that PAL program so bad. they were already at Roosevelt walk they're already there and we could use it look if we're talking about between power library I'm like library I'm not

Benjamin VazquezItem 17

gonna say anything bad about panel because I don't know but I want some I want some measurable outcomes from pal I want to know why their priority over a library because I'm thinking library here pal over here somewhere they only served 75 youth at McFadden, probably 25 at Roosevelt. We need those digital libraries that we're asking and a library in full in in this ward. This is a ward that's impacted by poverty. It's dense, probably the densest part in the city where we have three to four families living in a family unit. This is an immigrant community that needs those books. Those kids need to be educated,

Benjamin VazquezItem 17

need to be able to read where they're there every day, not just three days a week, not just four hours. But the seniors will come and read, the family, the parents, everybody can read six, seven days a week. We really need to invest in us as educators, as learners, as the future, and not just be a program of three days for the limited resources we do have. If we could have like a mobile station outside of the shopping center across, I'm sure the owners of the shopping center would love to have a mobile station across the street from there where we see the problems of drug selling.

Benjamin VazquezItem 17

It would be a better use to have the police across the street in that area and have a digital library for our families just because we need it. Once again, I wouldn't put a POW program in Delhi instead of a library. I'm very proud of David for putting a library at Delhi. I wouldn't take away New Hope Library in place of a POW program. This is things that we wouldn't do. We have to really use our limited resources in this area that has no resources, very little. And this is a very impacted community.

Benjamin VazquezItem 17

This is where, you know, I know this community because I grew up here, I bought my home here, and I live here. And I know and I talk to the kids every day who live in this community and how they live. And to build another whole building for a handful of youth is not equitable. We really need to do better and I hope we can work it out. I'm gonna go ahead and vote yes.

Benjamin VazquezItem 17

You know what, it's no, because you're gonna build it out to the PAL program. I wanna pull and table this, and let's talk about it. So I called to table this. I know, but you gotta, hold on.

David PenalozaItem 17

Go ahead, Kyle. Madam City Attorney, just for point of order here, I wanna remind our colleagues that this isn't to discuss a use for the building. I know staff's been working for over a year now. They've received direction to move forward with previous direction that we discussed here and this is simply to, I want to make sure we're not violating the Brown Act or not properly giving notice to our residents about potential conversation that's now occurring, but this is to approve an agreement with Dunbar Architecture for architectural design services for the historic Cypress Fire Station.

David PenalozaItem 17

Can you chime in, please?

Sonia R. CarvalhoItem 17

Council Member Penelope, you're correct. As indicated in the staff report, council did consider the use of the building on August 16, 2022.

Jessie LopezItem 17

You're going to need to speak louder next time, okay? So we heard you, but just speak louder. I don't know what it is, but you all talk softly like this, and we can't hear you. So thank you for the point of order. This is not about the PAL. This is about the architecture. So, Councilman Becerra, excuse me.

David PenalozaItem 17

May I really quick, and just to clarify, there is not three PAL centers in Ward 2. There's currently one and a temporary location at Roosevelt Walker Community Center. That is temporary until the second permanent center is open. So, there would only be two, not three. And that's it, Mayor. Thank you.

Jessie LopezItem 17

Council Member Becerra.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 17

Thank you, Madam Mayor. If you tuned in and caught Council Member Vasquez's comments a little late, you would think that we were opening up 10 liquor stores in his ward. We're opening up PAL centers. And I'll tell you right now, I don't have a library in my ward. I don't have community centers in my ward. I also don't have PAL centers, but I would love to have some PAL centers. And I know that many of my constituents would embrace them enormously. AND JUST LIKE CONSTITUENTS IN YOUR WARDS, HAS EMBRACED THEM AS WELL.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 17

AND IF YOU WERE HERE BACK ON AUGUST 16, 2022, THIS CHAMBER IS FILLED WITH PEOPLE ASKING US TO BRING PAL TO THIS FACILITY. BUT AS COUNCILMENOR PENALOZA SAID, WE'RE NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT PAL. WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT DUNBAR ARCHITECTURE HAVING THIS CONTRACT. SO I DON'T KNOW IF A MOTION HAS BEEN MADE OR NOT, BUT IF NOT, I'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE THE ITEM.

Jessie LopezItem 17

ANYTHING HAS NOT BEEN. IS THERE A SECOND? I have a question. Yeah, I'm going to do comments first.

David PenalozaItem 17

The only issue that I have with this, and maybe I don't know if it's CDA or Public Works who would oversee this potential contract, but I don't like the five-year, and I know we discussed this during our one-on-one city managers, and thank you, you did. I know it's not saying that they're going to take up to five years, but why give them five years to complete any design process? I mean, that's what I don't understand. Again, private sector, anything's done yesterday. I mean, three years to me is a lot, but here we're asking for five. Can we just go over that detail?

I will ask Executive Director Nabil Saba. They would be involved in the project through the duration, and I think Mr. Saba was being very conservative and not wanting to have to come back with an amendment to the agreement, but I will let him speak for himself.

Jessie LopezItem 17

So before you speak, there might be other questions, so if you don't mind. Councilman Hernandez if you have a question yes thank you madam city

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 17

manager this is a clarifying question councilmember Vasquez goes to both of you there was a motion on the floor by him my clarifying question goes to you if this were something that were pushed down the line to have community input to engage the constituents of councilmember Vasquez's district as a newly elected a member of this council, is that an option that this council does have?

Well, you as a council body, you have that available to you. I would recommend against it because of just the long amount of time. We have been working on this building for several years. We at one point were directed to do an RFP to put it up for sale. Staff went through that process, had a respondent for that. Council changed direction on that. And on August 16th, the staff report that was presented to this council said, would you like us to use it as a PAL, or would you like us to do an RFP and program it with a nonprofit? And we received majority direction to move forward with a PAL.

So delaying it anymore, it's been delayed significantly. And the other reason is we have had vandalism. You've heard about that tonight.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 17

Okay. Council Member Vasquez, I know you have a motion on the floor. would you be open to a sub motion to bring this item back at a later date with community input from from your constituents I do okay I would put a sub motion on the floor if that's something that you're supportive of there is a sub motion on the floor there's comments councilman Bessera I

Valerie AmezcuaItem 17

thought councilmember Vasquez made his motion first he did speak first so I feel like he made his motion first.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 17

Actually, that would be the mayor that decides if it died or not.

Jessie LopezItem 17

Yeah, you don't speak for me. So I just want to be clear. And I don't want this to turn into a huge argument, OK? So we're going to go back and forth. What's up here is you have nobody. Some don't want PAL because it's police. Let's cut all the BS out. It's police. And there's people up here who think police are the problem. When we all know, and those of us that grew up in recreation sites, and that's good that you went to a library every day. I did not. And I'm still a very successful woman. I did go to the recreation center, and I did a lot of other things.

Jessie LopezItem 17

And I had positive contact growing up with the police and negative contact. So this is about police because we don't want PAL and we want something else. The council before I got here, before you got here, Councilman Vasquez, they agreed. I watched the meeting from home. It was voted on. So I'd like council to our city attorney here to talk about where we're going to go next because it was voted on. There was an RFP that went out.

Correct me if I'm wrong. Just one slight correction. There was no vote taken. It was direction. Okay. at the end of the meeting the mayor summarized that i had received the clear direction so you

Jessie LopezItem 17

went put out an rfp that is correct and i heard a community member earlier said even a business from santa anna applied for it so there's all kinds of things happening here and if the community needs to give input i welcome it i'm sure we all welcome it but from both sides not you need to hear from both sides not just the anti-police side and because one person had a bad experience at Powell doesn't mean every I was at the McFadden Powell Center I think two weeks ago with Councilman Penaloza it's a great program and everywhere I go people are asking it to have throughout the city

Jessie LopezItem 17

so I just want to be clear that I don't want this to turn into a debate so I want some direction from you on where we go next

Sonia R. CarvalhoItem 17

Mayor, as I stated before, today we are here to consider this agreement and whether to approve this agreement. I would ask if the clerk could tell us the motions that are currently on the floor.

Jennifer L. HallItem 17

Yes. The first motion I heard was from Councilmember Vasquez to table the item. Did not hear a second to that motion. Then Councilmember Becerra moved to approve the item as presented. Again, no second was yet provided. Then Council Member Hernandez provided a substitute motion to continue to a later date. And again, no second.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 17

Madam Clerk, if Council Member Hernandez provided a quote-unquote sub-motion, it wouldn't be a sub-motion because the previous two motions didn't receive a second. So it would just be a fresh motion, correct?

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 17

And forgive me, Madam City Clerk, I did hear a motion.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 17

I was waiting for an answer.

Jennifer L. HallItem 17

If neither of the first two motions received a second, then there would be no motion on the table.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 17

Well, no, but Councilmember Hernandez. I second Jonathan Hernandez's motion.

Jessie LopezItem 17

Hold on one second. You guys let her speak. If you don't let her speak, then we can't move on. Now, Bill, you can sit down for a minute. We're not going to probably go anywhere right now. Thank you.

Jessie LopezItem 17

have a seat while we figure this out as adults so so you you're gonna get you're gonna give your information and then you as our city attorney is going to give some direction please thank you

Jennifer L. HallItem 17

so yes the first motion to table with no second the second motion to approve with no second the third motion by councilmember Hernandez to continue to a later date now hearing council

Jessie LopezItem 17

member Vasquez seconding that motion okay so just so I understand I heard an amended motion come from councilman Hernandez to amend councilman Vasquez and so did you hear something different and I want to make sure we're doing it

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 17

right so so I have a different account when councilmember Becerra made a motion I heard a second on the other side.

Jessie LopezItem 17

Yeah, it came from panelist. You need a second? I didn't either.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 17

I saw and I heard a second.

Jessie LopezItem 17

This is why we have to have order. And as the mayor, I call on you to speak. You don't just speak out loud because then we have control of the meeting. So again, we can sit all night and debate this issue and look really ridiculous to the community that we can't be adults up here. So let's try this again. City Attorney, what I'm asking you is, what is your direction now?

Sonia R. CarvalhoItem 17

Mayor, if there were two motions, none of which were seconded, and there is a third motion on the floor with a second, that is the motion that should be considered unless there's a substitute motion. Great.

Jessie LopezItem 17

And your motion was?

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 17

To table the item for a later date and to come back with community options from the council member to engage his constituents.

Jessie LopezItem 17

To discuss architectural design, because that's what this item is.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 17

Yes.

Jessie LopezItem 17

It is not about use. It is architectural design.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 17

Absolutely. That's exactly why I was asking for it to come back. Maybe the community has a different look as to what the architecture should look like on the inside.

Jessie LopezItem 17

Architectural design.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 17

Yes.

Jessie LopezItem 17

Is there a second?

I have a comment.

Jessie LopezItem 17

Hold on. You're second.

Second.

Jessie LopezItem 17

Okay. So now we have a first, a motion, a second. Is your comment going to take long?

Do you ask every council member that?

Jessie LopezItem 17

No, but I just want to move on from this issue, so I don't want to be on that.

I will make my comment brief. Thank you.

Jessie LopezItem 17

Go ahead.

So city attorney, please share the rules of decorum with the council. I know that there are new people here, and clearly we need it. I believe that we should all be respectful to one another. And I did nothing to warrant that response. I was not speaking for anyone. I was just giving my comment on what had happened here about the motions. So I do ask that people are respectful because, again, I've done nothing to warrant that behavior towards me or that type of response. and the disrespectfulness that is happening on this council that is

what's making people look silly so please share the rules of decorum thank

Jessie LopezItem 17

you you can share them at another time let's move on with the vote please

David PenalozaItem 17

mayor I will like to yeah yes I would like to offer a substitute motion to approve an agreement with Dunbar architecture for architectural design services for the historic Cypress fire station in an amount not to exceed 434 actually, yeah, $434,880 for a three-year term with an option to come back to us if a two-year extension is required. I'll second that.

Jessie LopezItem 17

Okay. So now we have two motions on the floor.

Jessie LopezItem 17

The sub-motion. Yes. So let's vote, please, on the sub-motion.

Jennifer L. HallItem 17

The vote is for the sub-motion by Council Member Penaloza. seconded by Councilmember Becerra to approve the agreement with Dunbar Architecture for a three-year term with an option to return for an additional two-year term if necessary. Councilmember Becerra? My device is working but yes.

Jennifer L. HallItem 17

Councilmember Hernandez? No. Councilmember Penaloza? Yes. Councilmember Fan? Yes. Councilmember Vasquez? No. Mayor Pro Tem Lopez? Yes. Mayor Emescoa?

Jessie LopezItem 17

Yes. I support it.

Jennifer L. HallItem 17

Motion carries with a vote of 5-2. Nays by Councilmembers Hernandez and Vasquez.

Jessie LopezItem 17

Thank you. Let's go to the next one. It is item 18.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 17

That would be me, Madam Mayor. So thank you. This item is the agreement to extend the license with SoCal Edison for the Bristol Alton bike trail property at the entrance. So the property that's subject to this agreement is in my ward. The stated use of this property is for park and public recreation purposes only. Unfortunately, as we know, that's not the only use occurring on the property. And because of that, we have fencing that Public Works has put up. So we have quite a bit of criminal activity that stages at that particular spot, which sans the activity, it's a beautiful spot. It's got landscaping, it's got trees.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

Unfortunately, the activity that's taking place there is not such that we would see it as park and public recreation. With that being said, so city staff had fenced the property. So what I would like to know, so section six of the proposed license agreement states that the licensee, which is the city, must submit for licensors prior written approval, complete improvement plans, including but not limited to grading, lighting, landscaping, grounding, and irrigation plans, identifying all existing and proposed improvements. So the reason I'm reading that out loud is I'm asking, has the city submitted those improvement

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

plants to socal edison because i pray the chain link fence is not is going to be very short-lived

all right now i will ask executive director nabil saba to approach the mic one more time

member of the city council nabil saba public works agency um council member becerra i believe that we coordinate with edison on what whatever happens in that area i know we fenced it and i just checked with my director, Mike Ortiz, our parks principal engineer, and he just assured me that we do have plans to redo the fenced area. So to answer your question, most likely we do coordinate with Edison according to this

longstanding agreement, but I'll have to come back to you and make sure that we are coordinating. We have not had issues with Edison doing work in that area. I can assure you of that.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

Okay, no, that's wonderful. I'm glad to hear that the city has a good relationship with Edison. So can you give me a timeline so that people can hear when improvements will be made to that property?

Three months.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

Three months? Yep. All right, so we're at the end of March, April, May, June. So the end of June, we're going to see a beautiful remade area over there. You will. I appreciate that. Thank you, Director Salva. With that, I'll move the item.

Jessie LopezItem 18

You said that in public. I'll second. Three months. I'm sorry, go ahead. I'll second. You're second. All right, let's prepare to vote if there's no other comments.

Jennifer L. HallItem 18

A motion by Councilmember Becerra seconded by Councilmember Penaloza to approve item 18 to extend the license with SoCal Addison for the Bristol Alton bike trail. Councilmember Becerra? Yes. Councilmember Hernandez? Yes.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

Yes.

Jennifer L. HallItem 18

Councilmember Penaloza?

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

Yes.

Jennifer L. HallItem 18

Councilmember Fan? Yes. Councilmember Vasquez? Yes. Mayor Pro Tem Lopez?

Yes.

Jennifer L. HallItem 18

Mayor Mesquah?

Jessie LopezItem 18

Yes.

Jennifer L. HallItem 18

VOTE 7-0. Motion carries.

Jessie LopezItem 18

Thank you. Item 22.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

Mayor Mesquah, I pulled this item. So this is a nominee for the Police Oversight Commission. And so when Councilmember Pelosa and I first proposed a police oversight commission here in Santa Ana, it was not to begin a process of dissolving or eliminating our city's police department. It was proposed to strengthen our community's confidence in our police department and to provide a forum for our residents and our businesses to give input into improving how our police department serves our community.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

So when the City Council unanimously approved the ordinance that established this Police Oversight Commission here in Santa Ana, it stated, The establishment of the Santa Ana Police Oversight Commission will support democratic governance and lead to an even more professional, well-managed, accountable, and highly functioning police department. Santa Ana residents and the City Council desire a highly resourced and effective Police Oversight Commission to improve law enforcement operations and sustain community trust. Nowhere in the ordinance does it suggest dissolving or eliminating our police department.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 22

Now those who are nominated to serve on this police oversight commission should understand the intention and purpose of the commission that they wish to serve on. The nominee, Fernando Delgado, does not. It is one thing though to be critical of our police. That's fine. It's another though to share posts on social media, and I'm going to show this briefly because it is vulgar, but in short essence, it says F a cop, F a cop, F a cop, F a cop.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 22

Again, I've spared everybody the full vulgarity of what Mr. Delgado decided to share over social media. So does that sound like somebody who wants our police department to improve its law enforcement operations? So, and if somehow, if that wasn't enough for my colleagues, perhaps this post, which thankfully doesn't have any actual vulgarity on it, but what it does show is this is something that was posted on International Day of the Woman. What is it?

Valerie AmezcuaItem 22

Well, as you can see, it's a communist Viet Cong militia woman with a gun and a bayonet pointed to the back of a captured American soldier on a rice field during the Vietnam War. The communist Viet Cong killed over 58,000 United States service members and thousands more Vietnamese civilians.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 22

This commission is too important to appoint people who have stated such extreme biases against all police and who do not share this council's intention on the Police Oversight Commission of improving law enforcement operations and who has expressed support for the communists who murdered, they murdered thousands of Vietnamese and Americans. So Madam Mayor tonight, I will not in good conscience support the nomination of Fernando Delgado to our city's Police Oversight Commission.

Jessie LopezItem 22

Thank you. Are there comments? Any other comments? Councilman Panalouza?

David PenalozaItem 22

Thank you, Mayor. I just wanted to thank Councilman Becerra for pulling the item. I did receive an email about another post that was shared from the nominated individual

David PenalozaItem 22

that was in regards so when we first brought this police oversight item forward the whole intention in the community has never been to be punitive has never been to be a disbandment of the police department a an attack on the police department it was to build that trust in the community and last fall there was an officer involved shooting outside the DMV at this shooting that the person that got shot or killed by our police department was a big problem on East First Street that was contributing to a lot of the problems that we're seeing there.

David PenalozaItem 22

This individual pulled a gun on one of our officers, and our officers acted rightfully

David PenalozaItem 22

and took care of this individual because there was other lives at threat. And I want to thank our officers because they put their lives on the line every single day. A lot of dangerous people out there. And, you know, sometimes they're not thanked enough. So I want to thank them for that. But I know the email that was sent to me was that the applicant went on a social media negativity rant on the scenario. Before even knowing the circumstances, before even knowing what transpired on that day, and it's unfortunate that our officers had to go through it, and it's unfortunate this gentleman got killed,

David PenalozaItem 22

but, you know, that was a result of something that they're trained to do, and somebody pulls a gun on our officers. I expect them to probably do the same.

David PenalozaItem 22

So I don't want to see someone on the Police Oversight Commission going out and lambasting our officers before facts are even known, before there's an investigation, and just immediately, you know, crying that this was done in ill faith by our police officers. So I want to thank Council Member Becerra for bringing this forward. I also cannot support this appointment.

Jessie LopezItem 22

Thank you. Are there any other comments?

Yep.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 22

I'll make a comment, Mayor Miskwa. And thank you, Council Member Becerra, for bringing this forward.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 22

There's always going to be differences here at the dais when it comes to policy. But one area that I hope we can always have a commonality on is when it comes to injustice. I do not condone what was shared in those messages. I do not condone the murdering of innocent people, whether it be in the United States or whether it be in Vietnam or in other countries that have also been oppressed. I do not condone the loss of innocent life.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 22

I do not condone either as well using messages that can incite violence. But I do want to share why I moved forward with looking to appoint Mr. Delgado. For one, I did not see the social media posts that you guys shared, so I want to be on the record about that. Number two, Mr. Delgado is a resident in our city. He is a father, a compassionate and dedicated father, and is doing a wonderful job raising his son to be the future.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 22

His role as an educator and working with children is part of where my decision came from. His approach to working with vulnerable people in our community as a community organizer is part of where my decision-making came from. I saw him work on the ground over many years, helping children and families during the pandemic, during the 2020 killing of George Floyd. I saw Mr. Delgado bring about many forums so that young people and people from our community can learn about how they can get involved. This is precisely where my decision-making came from.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 22

It was how he went about having the community engaged. And what I think he would offer of value to this commission was a different insight to very complex issues. I can't speak for him, but I am ashamed to see an image that is associated with pain being shared by somebody that I do respect. I don't hold him to that mistake. I do hope that he can challenge himself to be better, to not support somebody that did murder so many people, although that, you know, I don't know what his reasoning was, I can't speak for him, but what I can say is my office does not condone that.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 22

And I'll be the first to tell you that. This certainly is not a reflection of who I have seen him to be. This is certainly not a reflection of what I know him to represent in our community. Many of us here have a different opinion when it comes to the loss of life. I speak as a victim of police violence. I know it firsthand. When my cousin was murdered by Anaheim, I knew that coming out and saying what I saw was going to have a very adverse effect on my career. but I was willing to accept whatever came with that.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 22

So I do want to know that although I don't agree with his language and how he described his dissatisfaction with police, I don't like to use those words when I talk about police. I'd much rather prefer to treat people as human beings, even when I disagree with them. So in this instance, I do want to say that I am ashamed. of what was shared up here. It certainly is not a reflection of Mr. Delgado. I am somebody who believes in redemption and second chances. I would urge my colleagues that this is a learning opportunity

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 22

to have people be better. These conversations need to happen.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 22

Again, I cannot speak for Mr. Delgado. If there's an opportunity for him to speak here, I would like to give it to him.

Jessie LopezItem 22

Mayor Pro Tem Lopez. Thank you.

So we all have, you know, the right to interview people. I don't know what processes each council member goes through.

But, you know, I heard the word professionalism when they were reading the ordinance, right? And in my mind, I'm like, what a joke after what just happened. How can we expect our residents to be professional when we don't set a good example up here? And this is the double standard that I always talked about sitting on this chair. The expectation that this body has of its residents when we know we've discussed issues up here, that council members here are not abiding by the ethical code or are not abiding by the rules of the Brown Act or really basic California state laws that we have in place here.

So, you know, I think a big part of why everyday people hate politicians is because of the grandstanding that they do, the waste of time that they put people through, and really thinking that they're better and that they know better than anyone. and you know it would be this to me is like me telling Councilmember Pinelo say hey you need to remove Tim Rush your commissioner because he has aligned himself you know with mr. Serrano who's trying to recall two principled good council members of this dais but I haven't done that and I'm not going to

do that because I understand that councilmember Pinelo said can appoint anyone that he wants to his commissions. So we have all given each other that liberty to do so and if Councilmember Hernandez has decided that this is the person that he would like to appoint to his commission, I'm going to support that. Because if we want to go down the path of now analyzing every single appointment, then we should do that from the very beginning with every commission for every seat. I don't have an issue doing that. And you know lastly I just want to

say that the work that I've seen Mr. Delgado do along with his son, along with his family, the work that he has done in the community that he lives with his residents, I can tell you right now because I've spoken to them, I've been on the site, they have they do their own movies at night because you know that's a part of the city that has not been programmed. They respect him and they appreciate all the work that he has led in his community. And that is the Mr. Delgado that I know. And so maybe this is gonna be a learning experience for Mr. Delgado, but again, I will be supporting this appointment.

Thank you.

Jessie LopezItem 22

Any other comments? Mr. Vasquez, Councilor Vasquez.

Benjamin VazquezItem 22

Thank you. I also wanna be witness to Mr. Delgado. I know him as a standup man and a great teacher, which he was a teacher and then he was a community activist. And he does good work. And I've seen his work and he has courage.

Benjamin VazquezItem 22

And he's a great father. And I just want to make sure that his character, I think wholeheartedly, he's a good person. and and sometimes when you see death unjustified killings of of young black men or young black brown men on the streets you're gonna have a justified rage when it's systematically happening and it's in our neighborhoods and sometimes you pour it out in a negative way or sometimes you pour it out the right way. I know there was George Floyd was killed. We were all outraged and

Benjamin VazquezItem 22

there Santa Ana took to the streets and we had a council member, I'm not naming names, called the protesters animals and everybody jumped on him. I'm like, no, if he says he's sorry, I'm gonna take it, take him at his word. He'll become a better man and we'll move forward and I was good with that. When he apologized, I was good with his word and we moved forward and that's what I hope we could do with Mr. Delgado because I've seen his work as of late and I'm very impressed by Mr. Delgado and his work as

Benjamin VazquezItem 22

a member of a non-profit here and as a father and I hope we could push this forward. Thank you.

Thai Viet PhanItem 22

Thank you, Mayor. Thank you for everyone's comments. I do have a question, and this might be to the city attorney or Madam City Manager.

Thai Viet PhanItem 22

For the Police Oversight Commission, we're doing specific investigations, right? We're looking for fairness and all of that stuff. is this going to be an do you perceive any potential issue of someone you know like does this give concern to cases that might go before the police oversight Commission if somebody has these types of you know comments in public or anything like that

Sonia R. CarvalhoItem 22

I think that whenever you have anyone sitting on a commission or a committee, potential bias could be an issue. But I think typically that is, you know, on a case-by-case basis.

Sonia R. CarvalhoItem 22

So, I mean, that's...

Thai Viet PhanItem 22

So we're more concerned with, say, if there's a case in front of the Commission and a Commissioner makes comments or posts that maybe seem as biased or unable to make a fair review or decision regarding that case and that might be more of a concern rather than a general free speech type of situation. I think you have to weigh the rights of

Sonia R. CarvalhoItem 22

someone's free speech versus whether or not there is a bias that would not allow

Thai Viet PhanItem 22

them to be fair. Thank you. That's helpful. I asked these questions because when we were looking at doing the police oversight Commission the goal is yes to have community input as well as to ensure that everybody gets a fair shake, right? It's to make sure that when our officers, if they are unfortunately facing such an investigation that they feel that it is fair. I want to reiterate what Council Member Lopez mentioned that we each have our own process for asking, you know, getting applications and reviewing and interviewing folks.

Thai Viet PhanItem 22

In fact, I just did a public post about applications, and I respect that very much. I respect that we all have the reasons for why we want to nominate somebody. And, you know, those reasons can be because they align with your values, ideas, you think they're great. I know Mr. Delgado personally, and he has been a great community rep and leader when it came to parking issues, it came to rent stabilization, and all these other issues. I am really disappointed, however, as the obvious Vietnamese American on this dais.

Thai Viet PhanItem 22

Everybody has their free speech and are able to share what it is that they feel about any type of situation. I support that. but to see the promotion of that kind of violence that is very deep to me and my family that's really disappointing and I wish that didn't happen however I know so I do want to say that in the past we have as this council refused to appoint an individual who we did not feel should be serving on one of our commissions and

Thai Viet PhanItem 22

I think that was mr. Doug Beaver from Cherry Aerospace because he was involved with a company that was sued for water contamination here in the city of Santa Ana in an effort to give mr. Delgado the opportunity to speak for himself and to demonstrate what he feels I would like to make a motion to continue this item and ask that Mr. Delgado may become and if you're okay with that to talk about this issue because I do believe that we all make mistakes and it might not be a mistake it I'm not saying that it is but I would

Thai Viet PhanItem 22

love to hear what he has to say about that item because as council member Vasquez said when somebody spoke honestly and from the heart and apologize for statements or anything else we I hope at least I do take them at their word and try to move on so that would be my motion thank you so

Jessie LopezItem 22

councilor Becerra did you make a motion you were new a second I I had expressed

Valerie AmezcuaItem 22

that I could not support him okay at that time just confirm I'll make so I'm

Jessie LopezItem 22

the last one to speak and then she made a motion so I mean I was gonna make a sub motion okay give me one second and then you guys can so we all have a right to recommend people to be our commissioners and I appreciate the fact that you know in a very short time I've been sitting here I my commissioners were appointed. I also look at all their social media before I appoint them. I didn't find something, anything, so if I missed something please tell me, share with

Jessie LopezItem 22

me. The reason, I'm not gonna touch the one that says F a cup because everybody knows how I feel about that. And no, I'm not preaching, and no, I don't think I'm better than anybody. I'm not a princess. I've been working a long time taking care myself. Well let me just say this. This, and I met Fernando only once. I've never met him before. We had a great meeting. He works for Accord, by the way. He no longer teaches. He works for Accord. I don't think he teaches for Accord. I think he does something else. Mr. Delgado does. I had a

Jessie LopezItem 22

great meeting with the court staff for an hour. So I, when I went to Washington DC for the mayor's conference, I was out there with my staff at almost 11 o'clock at night trying to find my family's name on that wall because whenever anybody in my family goes to the Vietnam Wall, or the wall in Sacramento where the soldiers' names

Jessie LopezItem 22

are, we always go visit, and we take a picture, and we send it to each other. Because as I've said many times on my mom's side, I have so many family members in the military, and some of them have died.

Jessie LopezItem 22

So this one is very personal to me, not because I think I'm better than Fernando, and not because I'm perfect, but because my family was never brought back from Vietnam.

Jessie LopezItem 22

And I don't know who this guy is, and I don't get emotional, but this one's a hard one for me. I don't know who this gentleman is, and I hope it was just a picture. And I mean, I don't know how it must be very difficult for all of us. So I know I was at the wall at 11 o'clock at night taking a picture of my family's name that is on that wall that was killed in Vietnam. And I was a baby, baby, baby, baby. I think my mom was pregnant.

Jessie LopezItem 22

But it was her best friend and her cousin, and there's three of them there. And two came home, and one never came home. And that is why when I stand up to do the Pledge of Allegiance, it's powerful to me because I love my country. Because my family has served and died. And I have family that have come back from the Iraq War. my stepfather my mom's husband died when he came back from one of the wars that he was in the Marine Corps he died when he came home he got cancer so this to me is very personal and Councilman

Jessie LopezItem 22

Hernandez I appreciate your honesty that you didn't know and you have your own pain and I I have family that have been traumatized by law enforcement too. Again, I'm not a Kardashian, I don't come from a perfect family. But I'm never ashamed to tell you where I come from. But this one to me, and I had again, I want to say, I met Fernando, I saw videos when I was running, I got bashed or whatever, I was a puppet for whoever. And I'm not. But it didn't matter. I still met with him for an hour and with the Accord staff and again we had a great meeting.

Jessie LopezItem 22

But because of my personal situation and because of my family and because the pain that it causes me to look at this and think whose whose husband is this? Whose son is this? Whose family is this? And maybe it's just a picture, and I hope it is, because I know in my family, on our wall, my grandmother's house, and on three of my Thea's houses, we have the wall of those who did not come home.

Jessie LopezItem 22

So I cannot support this recommendation as a commissioner. And again, I want to be really clear, I met with your commissioner and the staff from McCord, and it was a good meeting.

Jessie LopezItem 22

But to me, it's too deep and too personal. And for all the people that have served our country, whether my family, your family, friends,

Jessie LopezItem 22

families that died in the Vietnam War, whatever war it was, this is not a picture that I'm willing to,

Jessie LopezItem 22

I'm not willing to vote for. So I'm not willing to accept it. I'm going to stop there. So I'm not going to support it either. And, you know, the thing about social media is, you know, I think sometimes we put things up there and we think that, you know, it doesn't hurt people. And it does. It does. It does. I'm sure I've hurt somebody. But I've never put this because I know how deep it would hurt people I love and people that have

Jessie LopezItem 22

served my country and that's why we're all sitting up here and we're we live the life that we live because so many people died for us so councilman um sarah let me give this back to you because i don't want them and um so i'm not i'm gonna be a no vote so there is a motion um and then there was an amendment so can we Councilman Becerra you made a motion and then you

Valerie AmezcuaItem 22

motioned go ahead I'm sorry just after after you're speaking I just know I I had expressed that I was not going to support him at that point yeah if if I