(Picture Courtesy of the O.C. Register)
One thing that really irked me when I was on the Santa Ana Housing and Redevelopment Commission was the fact that the City of Santa Ana had purchased dozens of lots in the downtown area, near the train station, and had bulldozed them, leaving barren lots behind. Many of these lots were purchased with money intended to help increase affordable housing.
Now the O.C. Register has exposed Ream’s real plans…and the fact that his policies have turned the area in question into a ghetto.
“Santa Ana has bulldozed dozens of homes and uprooted scores of mostly low-income people here, pursuing a vision of urban renewal that has instead gutted entire blocks. The city has spent more than $22 million in the past decade to create nothing out of the something that Carol Blair remembers,” according to the O.C. Register.
Eminent domain was used to force many people out of their homes. Moreover, the Register revealed that many property owners bought these lots for cheap and then flipped them to the City, making a ton of money in the process. I wonder how many of those guys were Pulido allies?
Government money and power should not be used in this fashion. Ream should be called on the mat for ruining a huge swath of our city. But, as usual, he will get away with it because our lame City Council is afraid of him.
I wonder where that money came from? Could that 22 million dollars been used for street repairs?
“THAT USE TO BE MY OLD NEIGHTBORHOOD”, I LIVED THEIR FROM 1994 TO 2001.GOOD TIMES! THOSE THAT LIVED IN THAT NEIGHTBORHOOD IS KNOW CONSIDER “NO MANS LAND” .
Can someone explain why David Ream is still being allowed to ream us hardworking SA taxpayers? Why does one single man have so much control over the continuous turmoil that permeates our city?
Oh…while I am on a tirade…again…thank you one and all you ‘smart voters’ who again voted for re-election of one of the lamest clowncil’s in the southwest region of the US.
Had the Renaissance Specific Plan been adopted by the City of Santa Ana I have no doubt that the City would have used the same threat of eminent domain to force property owners to sell.
This would have begun the creation of an even larger and uglier empty lot ghetto.
Watch for the Renaissance Plan II coming soon to a slum near you.
Keoniana said: “thank you one and all you ’smart (SA) voters’ who again voted for re-election of one of the lamest clowncil’s in the southwest region of the US.”
You are right Keoniana – Also thanks to the many “smart” SA voters who voted for and passed Measure D – which extended the term limits of those same clowncil members
How about making some empty lots into parks? I mean there must be some way to use this land other than pricey homes and lofts that this current economic climate does not afford.
Strange, some of those properties have been held by the city and its subdivisions for more than 10 years.
The properties are being traded between the city and it’s redevelopment subdivision and its other housing subdivision for the purpose of not going over the ten year cap. The mayor has even said this at the council meetings.
I don’t understand why this is not a crime of conspiracy to evade the law. There is not an arms length transaction in any of those property transfers. The city council, city staff, city attorney, are the board members and staff that votes on each side of these transactions.
Who is responsible for checking to make sure these complicated transactions are on the up and up?
The council members don’t have their own staff to verify the information and reports given to them.
It is alarming that the council, according to the Register’s investigation, did not vote on spending $22 million for land in the Downtown.
Is it the same situation with properties bought for the widening of Bristol? What is the amount spent there ?
According to the Register this spenditure was not given to the council for a vote because it was not a plan. This explanation was given by the city deputy city manager in charge of development- Cinthia Nelson.
She said it was a strategy not a plan so apparantly no need for council consideraion on spending $22 million in this case.
Of interest is that by definition, “strategy” is the art of devising or emplying a plan.
The double speak is so SCARY. This is a local example of how mismanagemet by politicians will screw up your day and your future.
Cook is exactly right.
Many of these properties were purchased roughly 10 years ago by the City of Santa Ana Redevelopment Agency, using Redevelopment Agency funds.
Within the last year, many of these properties were at the end of the 10 year cycle Cook speaks of, and were then purchased from the cities Redevelopment Agency directly by the City of Santa Ana.
At the August 18, 2008 Santa Ana City Council meeting, by a vote of 6-0 with Bustamante absent, the City bought 626-628 E Santa Ana Blvd, 809 1/2 E Santa Ana Blvd, 630 Garfield St and 604 N Lacy St from the Santa Ana Community Redevelopment Agency for $ 373,000.
Or back on May 7, 2008 when the Santa Ana City Council meeting, by a vote of 7-0, the City bought 715-719 North Concord from the Santa Ana Community Redevelopment Agency.
Or back on March 3, 2008 when the Santa Ana City Council meeting, by a vote of 7-0, the City bought 809 E Santa Ana Blvd from the Santa Ana Community Redevelopment Agency.
How many jobs could have been saved if the City wasn’t playing 3 card monty?
How many citizens commissions could be spared from closure if the City was more honest, open and frugal?
Sounds like fire sale prices… isn’t gummerment sposed to be more capitalistic in the corporatist/libertAryan world view? A good investment unlike these boondoggling communisticalmissions.
Question for you well informed from an ignorant guy looking to get his family back into Santa Ana, put down roots and ride the next 40-50 years out there.
We’re looking at a place in “Logan Park”. I started researching what was going on there and am even scared to go forward with an offer on a house that suits our family just because it seems like the city doesn’t know what it’s doing there and there’s nothing specific about the new development.
Has anyone heard any word on what is happening with the Renaiisance plan, changes in zoning, HOA’s coming into effect,when this plan is slated to pick up again etc? Or turn me around to a good source of info?
Thanks,
Roman
roman@muertehc.com
……………..WELL U GUYS IT IS WHAT IT IS SANTA ANA NO SURPRISES………..
We are not trying to be like New Port. They wish they could be like us…