To the Members of the Menlo Park City Council,
I am writing to you again this week, but this time in support of Menlo Parks Downtown Parking Lot Affordable Housing Proposal for plazas 1,2,and 3. As a reminder, my name is Carolyn Shepard and I am the president of Solutions for Supportive Homes. We are a non-profit organization made up of a large group of families in San Mateo County who are supporting adult children with mental health disabilities who require permanent supportive housing. The majority of our parents are aging and are worried about where their children will live and who will take care of them if they become incapacitated or when they pass away.
We support this plan as it includes a priority for “special needs” units which fall in the category of the Extremely Low-Income household. As you evaluate the RFQ responses, it is critical that on-site support be a part of the development for special needs units to ensure successful living for those with mental health and other disabilities. As one of our parents has sadly discovered, housing alone is not enough without on-site support. Her son recently became homeless in Menlo Park.
This particular site offers the unique opportunity of being located close to shopping and transit which are needed for those with disabilities and who may not drive. I would also recommend that the on-site support service provide opportunities for community activities which prevent isolation as well as assistance with resources for a persons personal needs.
We are pleased to see that Menlo Park recognizes the urgent need to provide housing for those with special needs. We ask that it come with support that will provide a safe and permanent home that is desperately needed for people with disabilities to sustain their housing.
Sincerely,
Carolyn Shepard
President
Solutions for Supportive Homes
cshepard@s4sh.org
