Hello!

Just following up with you to determine if there were any comments from the civic association. Our report is due to be released tomorrow, and I wanted to be sure and note whether the association had any specific concerns regarding the home and use permit request. Thank you!

Rasheda DuPree McKinney
Urban Planner
Arlington County Dept. of Community Planning, Housing, and Development Rmckinney@arlingtonva.us


The BSCL organized a meeting of the immediate neighbors and provided the input below about their concerns:

Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2008
From: Heidi Wicker
Subject: Re: Borromeo Housing Use Permit Request
To: Rasheda McKinney

Thank you, Rasheda. Following is a summary of the feedback we received from the 9th Street neighbors regarding the proposed Borromeo Housing Inc. purchase of 4624 9th Street South for your report:

The Barcroft School and Civic League (BSCL) hosted a meeting on Sunday, January 13, 2008 for the 9th Street South neighbors to discuss the Borromeo Housing, Inc. proposal to purchase the property at 4624 9th Street South. Eight neighbors from 9th Street attended, including those immediately bordering the property, as well as Joy Myers from Borromeo Housing, Inc.

The neighbors who attended the meeting unanimously determined that they are unable to support the proposal at this time. Concerns cited included that the value of their own properties would be negatively affected by A) a below market sale of the property to Borremeo Housing, and B) the fact that there is a group home on the block.

The neighbors also stated that they do not want to have to "police" yet another property on the block. The neighbors already have concerns about the condition of several houses on their block, including the property adjacent to the property proposed to be purchased here--4618 9th Street--about which several complaints have been filed with both the police and county code enforcement, but which have not yet been resolved by the county. The neighbors also cited as concerns continuing issues on 9th Street South with commercial vehicles parking on the street, high speed cut through traffic, and recent crime in the area. Neighbors were concerned that a group home on their block may compound the issues their street faces.

In addition, the neighbors pointed out that Barcroft already has one large (official) group home, and stated they do not believe another in the neighborhood is desirable.

For the reasons stated above, the 9th Street neighbors at the meeting determined that they are unable to support the proposal for the purchase of 4624 9th Street South by Borremeo Housing, Inc. at this time.

Best regards,

Heidi Wicker
President, Barcroft School and Civic League

This page was revised on: January 16, 2008.