To the Menlo Park City Council Members and Tom Smith, Principal Planner,
My name is Carolyn Shepard and I am President of Solutions for Supportive
Homes, a non-profit organization founded by parents in San Mateo County who
are supporting their adult children with mental health disabilities. I
attended the Council meeting last night and heard the comments regarding
the RFP proposal. Clearly, Menlo Park has strong voices both for and
against this housing plan. I briefly introduced myself to Tom Smith
following the discussion and vote, and let him know that I would be sending
this comment today.
As I wrote last June, the majority of our parents are aging and worried
about where their children will live and who will take care of them once
parents become incapacitated or pass away. This is a population that is "at
high-risk of homelessness" unless cities plan and prepare permanent
supportive housing.
Solutions for Supportive Homes is in support of the Downtown Parking Lot
Housing Proposal which seeks to address the needs of a variety of
low-income populations. In particular, your Development Objective, 3.2; D,
specifies that "Special Needs Housing Priority will be given to proposals
that address difficult-to-achieve housing priorities, including units for
people with special needs or disabilities...on-site services should be
included as part of a proposal."
While we recognize that not one size fits all needs, two parents called in
last night and expressed how this plan would meet the needs of their
children, who could live independently provided there is on-site support.
The Support Services are critical to ensure successful living for those
with mental health and other disabilities. As I mentioned in my June 3
letter, one of our parents has a son who was living in Menlo Park without
on-site support and became, and still is, homeless since January of this
year.
The downtown location near transit and shopping is ideal, particularly for
those who dont drive. If the on-site support services include community
activities, it helps to prevent isolation. In addition, the support
services can provide assistance with resources for a persons personal
needs.
It is our hope that Menlo Park residents will vote to move this project
forward. Your inclusion of Special Needs is so desperately needed not only
in Menlo Park, but in the entire county.
Thank you for your vision.
Sincerely,
Carolyn Shepard
President
Solutions for Supportive Homes
cshepard@s4sh.org
