Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/wellness-district/)
Last June, community activists pushed the Santa Ana City Council to adopt a policy aimed at preserving the city’s Latino identity and supporting community health. More than a year later, they have little to show for their victory.
Council votes to draft a proposal that calls for a series of city policies aimed at preserving the downtown as a center for Latino commerce, by promoting community wellness and supporting local vendors.
Council members attempted to stake out a middle ground, with a majority supporting adding new branding to Fourth Street to reflect its Latino character, but rejecting other aspects of the proposal including subsidies for health-focused small businesses.
The district would affirm the downtown’s Latino character and promote well-being of its working-class residents in the face of gentrification. Critics say it smacks of reverse racism and would be unwelcoming to newcomers.
A local photographer visits the denizens of Santa Ana’s Fourth Street to get their opinions on the ongoing gentrification debate and their visions for the downtown’s future.
The district would affirm a Latino identity for the downtown and focus on “wellness” goods and services, such as groceries, meals, health and personal care products. It could also reignite a years-long gentrification debate.
A new economic district contemplated by city leaders would include micro-farms, businesses that sell Latino cultural and wellness goods, and the rebranding of downtown as “Calle Cuatro.”