RI housing project upsets some neighbors

Font Size:

By Dustin Lemmon | Tuesday, August 19, 2008 12:07 AM CDT | () comments

Steve Stanton plans to move now that the Rock Island Housing Authority has decided to build a 70-unit housing complex behind his house for people with disabilities.

He said the Rock Island City Council’s recent decision to approve the project, which he spoke against at a Aug. 11 council meeting, will lower his property value at 2730 9th St.

“I’ve got my house up for sale, (and the housing authority’s project) is one of the reasons,” he said. “I’m not saying these are bad people coming in there, but it’s low-income and statistically there is going to be a problem.”

Stanton said city officials told him they didn’t want any more large, low-income apartment complexes in the city, then surprised him by approving the project, which will include multiple units at 2821 and 2827 5th St. and 2738 and 2760 9th St.

The housing authority plans to build three two-story residential structures with units for people with mental and developmental disabilities. The largest building will have 33 units. They will also renovate an existing one-story office building at 2821 5th St. and take down a building at 2827 5th St.

Residents will move to the units from Spencer Towers, 111 20th St., which will be converted to mixed-income living as part of a $12 million project. Robert Young Center for Community Mental Health will offer 24-hour supportive medical services and case management to residents at the new units, according to the city.

Gail Brooks, a spokeswoman for the Rock Island Housing Authority, said construction will start in October and should be finished by late spring or early summer of 2009. She said funding is still needed for the redevelopment of Spencer Towers, which will make it a mixed-income property.

Brooks said the special needs facility will also be for mixed-income residents and will offer better access and more space than residents have at Spencer Towers. They will also have balconies and walking paths around the buildings.

“This is going to be a significant improvement in the quality of housing,” Brooks said. “It’s going to be a lovely, lovely complex.”

Brooks said that over the next 20 years the housing authority wants to convert all of its properties to mixed income.

She said there won’t be much additional traffic in Stanton’s neighborhood and the residents will all be qualified to live independently.

“There seems to be a stereotype for people with disabilities that isn’t fair,” she said, noting some residents work, go to school and raise children.

Paul Phares, manager of residential services at Robert Young Center for Community Mental Health, said the center will provide services to those who need it and will provide any treatment needed before problems occur.

“If people are living independently and don’t want or need our services, then there won’t be any need for us to be there,” he said.

Kyle Rick, executive director of The Arc of Rock Island County, thinks the facility will be too big and said housing for those with disabilities should be limited to eight units, if not four, which is preferred.

“We’re opposed to the clustering of a large number of individuals with disabilities,” Rick said. “It’s just way too large. We run several group homes, and any new one we build won’t be larger than eight” units.

Brooks doesn’t think the number of units is a problem.

“We have more than that (70 units) living at Spencer Towers,” she said. “They’ve been living here for decades. That’s not new. I do understand Arc’s concerns, but we’re dealing with a different population (than they are) with people who don’t need as much hands on care and live independently.”

Rick said residents need a setting where they can intermingle with the general public and be a part of the community and shouldn’t be segregated.

Jennifer Pauley and Nakisha Bragg, who are self-advocates with The Arc of Rock Island County, said they wouldn’t want to live in the new units.

“I think it’s wrong for them to do that because I don’t think it’s the right choice,” Pauley said. “It’s isolated. It’s too many people. It’s too crowded.”

Bragg thinks giving residents the chance to associate with other community members would be best for everyone.

“I think you should spread everyone around so that people won’t be afraid of them,” she said of the residents.

Alderman Stephen L. Tollenaer, 4th Ward, voted against the proposal along with Alderwoman Margie Mejia-Caraballo, 5th Ward. He shares Rick’s concern about grouping people with disabilities together.

“I was looking for more for the residents there, more intermingling,” he said.

Dustin Lemmon can be contacted at (563) 383-2493 or dlemmon@qctimes.com.