Historic Site or Haven for the Homeless???

Anyone who lives or works near the civic center in Santa Ana has seen the landscape wallpapered with placards urging you to vote for or against Measure "A" on April 5th.

This measure would allow the building of One Broadway Plaza, a 37 story complex called One Broadway Plaza on the property bordered by Washington to the North, Broadway to the West, 10th Street to the South and Sycamore to the East.

The people against the Measure complain that it will create more gridlock, and is "wrong for the Broadway historic corridor" because of the height. They also complain that it will direct traffic through the High School of the Arts and will be across for the El Sol Elementary School.

Now what they fail to tell you is BOTH schools are in converted office buildings that were left empty when commerce left the Downtown Santa Ana area. Several years ago when the High School of the Arts moved in did they take into consideration the traffic problems they would create? Or how about when they had to get the city to block off 10th street between Main and Sycamore, where the students congregate during lunch. What about their crossing guard blocking Sycamore between 4:30 and 5:30 when County Employees are trying to go home, so their students empty their parking lot???

Yes there are several large older homes along Broadway, but they were converted to businesses in the 70s and 80s and now serve as halfway houses or the homeless have broken in and are sleeping in them. I would not want my children to attend a school located in this environment. You are always reading about sex offenders being released to half way houses and the neighbors not knowing.

Yes 37 stories is huge, but do any of you remember the 90s when office building after office building stood empty, in the downtown area creating a virtual office graveyard? Without business the property owners have to pay higher property taxes for the up keep of the city. Also since the city had to remove all the road blocks in the French Park area the traffic is a lot better.

If you need more info check out Smarter Voter for both arguments and the actual wording of the measure.