John Ashbaugh Response – April 9, 2014

April 9, 2014
Email Response

Hi, Reese and William,

I’m cc’ing this response to Jill Bolster-White, Executive Director of Transitions/Mental Health Association (TMHA). This organization, with my strong support, has initiated the proposed “adaptive re-use” of this historic building and to my knowledge, your concern is the first that has been brought to our attention. For that reason, I want you to know that we will take it very seriously – I’m also cc’ing our City Manager and Community Development Director, as they have been indirectly involved in negotiations concerning this project.

First, I hope you’ll accept my reassurance that development of this project should be no cause for “alarm.” The residents of the proposed Sunny Acres facility will be similar to many of your existing neighbors. In fact, in my own neighborhood, a very attractive block on the upper end of Cerro Romualdo, I am personally aware that there are several group homes accommodating persons with mental disorders or disabilities, very close to my home. The residents of these homes have never caused the slightest ripple of concern for me nor my neighbors.

As to your legitimate concern with encountering people who are begging: It is a common experience in our wonderful town that panhandlers approach “regular people” like you and me, and ask for money or personal items. We’re doing our best to discourage this activity, but absent any evidence of “aggressive” panhandling, we are powerless to prevent it. My usual approach is merely to ignore these individuals or give them a polite “No, sorry…” without engaging them. It may be annoying, but I consider it a small price to pay for the privilege of sharing this extraordinary city with a very diverse population. We are a VERY safe community, compared to almost any other, and your safety will in no way be impaired or threatened by the presence of the new residents at Sunny Acres. I expect that Jill Bolster-White will invite you to tour a similar project they developed recently near Emerson Park, where you can share some conversation with the staff AND residents of the “supportive housing” they have developed there.

I’m hopeful that you and your neighbors living north of Johnson Avenue will embrace this project:  It will bring about a long-sought investment that will rehabilitate a beautiful building, steeped in the history of this community, that has been allowed to deteriorate for over forty years. I am confident that neighboring property values will only improve when this project is developed and occupied.

Thank you for sharing your concerns with me. Feel free to write again or to call, if you wish to meet with me and/or TMHA staff or consultants. I’ll ask that Jill also respond to you separately, so that we can open up lines of communication and (hopefully) earn your support for this project.

Thanks,

John Ashbaugh

Council Member