HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-15-2016 Item 12, KahnCOUNCILMEETING: tt is_
ITEM NO.: t �.
From: Edie Kahn [ R
ECEIVED
Sent: Friday, November 04, 2016 4:46 PM
To: E-mail Council Website <emailcouncil@slocity.org> 0 4 2016
Cc: Jill Bolster -White <
Subject: Re: Bishop Street Studios Agenda Item for 11/15/2016 Council Meeting TV r -E �i7„
Addressing the Bishop Street Studios Agenda Item
San Luis Obispo City Council Meeting - 11/15/2016
Dear Mayor Marx and San Luis Obispo City Council Members,
I'm writing in response to the appeal that has been submitted regarding the Bishop Street Studios (Appeal of ARC / CHC
Approval - meeting on 9/19/16). I'm living in the Fixlini Terrace area of San Luis Obispo and, as a future neighbor, have been
following the progress of this project for quite a while. I am, also, the retired Executive Director of the former AIDS Support
Network - now Access Support Network (ASN) - here in San Luis Obispo. I am in support of the project moving forward.
Being in the neighborhood of the Bishop Street Studios, I can attest to the amount of information that Jill Bolster -White and her
team at Transitions -Mental Health Association (TMHA) have provided. I have received e-mails, "snail mail", access to their
web page, encouragement to e-mail or call the staff directly with questions or concerns and to tour other TMHA projects that
are operating successfully in the community. I have participated in an informational "open house" at the site of the project, in
which the TMHA Staff and Board, the architect and the landscape architect were all present. At this event, the public was
encouraged to supply input on the architectural renderings and to speak directly with the TMHA representatives with any
questions or concerns. I, myself, spoke with the spouse of one of the appellants (the appellant was also in attendance). There
have been several other meetings / forums to which I was invited, but was unable to attend, each with the goal of informing
future neighbors of the project's progress and educating the public on the need for housing, the general make-up of the client
base and how the project would be staffed and supported long-term by TMHA. I feel that TMHA has been extremely
thoughtful, thorough and proactive in their inclusive outreach to the community.
From my experience as Executive Director of ASN, I have another view of TMHA's housing projects. TMHA became our
next-door neighbor, taking over the beautiful old house next to our office! They transformed a run-down property into studios
for their clients, proving themselves to be great stewards of the house and neighborhood, taking great care in preserving the
look of the original house and how it fit in the surrounding neighborhood. As they had done with their group home on Pismo
Street, TMHA helped their tenants became a seamless part of the neighborhood. The tenants have the support they need from
qualified and caring staff and, while I was still there and now, they are the best of neighbors, caring for their homes, respectful
of other residents (both within their housing and outside of it), and cordial. I know that TMHA will provide the same kind of
care and oversight for the Bishop Street Studios. I also know that the appellants were afforded the opportunity to visit the
Nipomo Street site and experience this for themselves.
I do feel the need to address the tone of the appeal. After all of the outreach and educational opportunities offered by TMHA,
the appellants still seem to cling to a literal "not in my backyard" mentality. The verbiage underlines a dated and demeaning
view of mental illness and completely disregards the track record of similar stellar projects within our own city limits. It also
oversteps the bounds of privacy and fair housing law.
I hope the Council will look at the overwhelming support this project has within the community (as demonstrated at the ARC /
CHC meeting) and weigh that against a fearful and undereducated vocal few. I strongly urge the San Luis Obispo City Council
to move forward with the proposed plan for the Bishop Street Studios, making our community a more inclusive, healthier place
to live.
Yours sincerely,
Edie Kahn
San Luis Obispo, CA