Say NO to Housing proposal for Sullivan and 40R

Comments

#2

Not the direction this city needs

Mike Fierro (North Adams, 2021-02-07)

#5

There isn't enough access to the property for 75 housing units. The level of traffic would exceed the capacity of the streets that surround it. A project of this nature was attempted in the eighties on a piece of land that abuts the school and it was killed because if the traffic issues. The Kemp family donated part of that property to the city under the conditions that it remain a recreational area in perpetuity. The building was declared unsafe and " falling off the hill with the roof in danger of caving in due to faulty trusses by the architect who promoted the Colgrove school project.

John Bedard (North Adams, 2021-02-07)

#6

I think this is not in the best interest of the City.

Matt Tatro (North Adams, 2021-02-07)

#8

We DO NOT NEED another affordable housing project in North Adams. The entities that are making out on this are the developers. All the surrounding owners of real estate will suffer and will pay more taxes. Let's look into other alternatives for that parcel that will bring move value to our city!

Julieann HASKINS (Williamstown, 2021-02-07)

#9

We need to support housing projects and new business to grow the tax base.

Jen Barbeau (North Adams, 2021-02-07)

#10

We need more job opportunities, not more jobless people

robert lyons (North Adams, 2021-02-07)

#11

North Adams is my hometown moved because the area where I was living went downhill and got dangerous but I've also seen business after business after business move out and we don't need our we need jobs for the people instead of pushing them down we need to build them up otherwise it's just going to be more drugs more violence common sense

Jackie Garvie (Cheshire, 2021-02-07)

#15

This is not the right fit for this neighborhood or city. The site needs to be marketed in a way that brings individual ownership and real (fair share) tax revenue to the city. The zoning plan and this are counterproductive to real success and financial prosperity for our lovely avenue and city.

Rebecca Cyr (North Adams, 2021-02-07)

#27

I live in this area. My husband and I agree that this should NOT happen. There is enough affordable/ low income housing in the town. The residents of north Adams will have to pick up the tax burden due to the tax break to build the housing unit.

Ellen Richardson (North Adams, 2021-02-07)

#32

My grandmother lives across the street. There is enough low income housing in North Adams. Stop making this beautiful town trashy.

Nicole Rondeau (North Adams, 2021-02-07)

#33

I'm signing this as I am the home owner at 146 Kemp Ave. and moved there in 1969. My parents purchased the house due to the location. It was then and still remains a desirable neighborhood. The people of this community take pride in their properties. Converting the school into low income housing will have a negative impact on property values and would be a travesty to the home owners. The city should be looking at bringing in opportunities to improve the city and property values and include the citizens in which these decisions impact .

Michael Lewis (North Adams, 2021-02-07)

#34

I am opposed

Suzanne Koperek (North Adams, Massachusetts, 2021-02-07)

#39

I am concerned about the increased traffic on my street.

Wendy Matte (North Adams, 2021-02-07)

#40

I live on the Sullivan side of Summit Ave. I’m very concerned about our quiet, beautiful neighborhood losing that charm; not to mention the increased traffic flow. We recently did a huge renovation job to our home and greatly increased our assessed value. Low income housing so close will decrease it. Further we have a neighbor whom just purchased a dilapidated empty house and is doing significant renovations which will only increase the value of the whole area but this housing project will not.
We already have a community that is increasing in drugs, crime, guns etc. Shame on anyone supporting one more tight knit community that is a set up for more of the same. Please vote NO

Mary Rowland (North Adams, 2021-02-07)

#44

I am signing to oppose the Sullivan School Housing Project. This project does not enhance our neighborhood, nor city as a whole. I feel it would be detrimental for the Bradley St/Kemp Ave neighborhood, lowering property values and the neighborhood as a residential environment. I feel it would bring negatives such as; higher traffic in our properties, increased volumes, possibly increased crime, and possible results of increased littering. We purchased our homes based on the neighborhood as it is. Actually, it was disheartening when Sullivan School closed, because I personally chose this neighborhood based on my children going to Sullivan, close to home. Please do not go through with this project and force residents out of the beautiful neighborhood they've invested in.

Melanie Desmarais (North Adams, 2021-02-07)

#46

We don't want low income housing in this beautiful street

Cheryl Witherell (North Adams, 2021-02-07)

#48

I plan to move back to north adams in the near future. My problem with the proposed plan for the Sullivan property is that it would be an example of a corporation fleecing a small town.
The property manager is trying to buy the lot is based out of state. They are paying less than .005% of the value of the property and then they avoid paying property taxes while making large profits of of rent and tax write offs through section 8.
I do not oppose low income housing. I support decommidifying housing and providing it to all in need. The proposed plan does not do this. The majority of the new units will be mid tier housing that the managers can make a kingly profit off of. The tax abatement will allow them to deny the city its due portion of those profits through the property tax system. If the proposed plan is enacted, it will extract value from Massachusetts and add it to the coffers of a NY company. Any plan for the property must benefit the community of North Adams and the great Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Patrick Malloy (Brockton, 2021-02-07)

#49

I don't believe we need more low income housing

Frances Mundy (North Adams, 2021-02-07)

#52

I’m apprised to the proposed Sullivan School project as presented.

Paul Ethier (North Adams, 2021-02-07)

#54

This is my neighborhood and we have right to be included in any discussion regarding this project.

Michael Boucher (Not Hispanic or Latino, 2021-02-07)

#55

I feel this will only hurt the community and those in the surrounding area. The way this is pushed through with no heads up to the people is disgusting.

Kurt Cyr (North adams, 2021-02-07)

#57

This is the wrong time to ask taxpayers to take on this burden. Who's going to pay for police and fire protection and street plowing? And didn't I just read most of the city's hydrants need to be serviced? And now you want to put more burden on the system? If you want to give tax breaks, give it to those of us who have been paying taxes for more than 20 years.

Paul Moriarty (North Adams, 2021-02-07)

#58

I live on Kemp and am concerned

Charlene Cheesbro (North Adams, 2021-02-07)

#60

I feel this whole idea is not well thought out & also agree that North Adams DOES NOT need anymore low income housing, bottom line.

Kim Miller (Adams, 2021-02-07)

#61

I do not approve of Sullivan School being turned into affordable housing!

Judith Nimmons (North Adams, 2021-02-07)

#62

I have lived on Kemp my whole life and would like to keep the Kemp families values and beliefs alive...they dontated that land to remain a PARK for OUR people to enjoy!

Kara Giorgi (North Adams, 2021-02-07)

#74

I'm opposed to more needless "affordable" housing. Especially in this neighborhood.

Jeffrey Taylor (North Adams, 2021-02-07)

#76

This is the wrong plan for the Sullivan property...the Mayor should be ashamed of supporting this proposal

Richard Birchall (North Adams, 2021-02-07)

#79

I am a resident of the Kemp Avenue Neighborhood and am extremely displeased with the proposed development of Sullivan Elementary School into low-income apartments. Most of us in this neighborhood are long-term residents that have sunk tens of thousands of dollars into our homes and properties. This is not the appropriate neighborhood for a high turn-over, multi-unit, low-income apartment complex.

Such an endeavor will increase traffic on an already busy street (Kemp), add 42 units at the end of an otherwise quiet dead-end street (Summit, south end), and increase the cut-through traffic on another (Summit, north end). It will add residents that will use the city’s schools and facilities and strain its aging infrastructure without contributing an equitable amount of revenue (real estate taxes). This would be the third low-income housing complex within a half-mile radius.

Look around, North Adams is awash in vacant properties. Recent statistics reveal that over 16% of North Adam’s housing units are vacant right now (higher than both the state and US averages*). Why do we need to add 75 more units? And what happens to that vacancy number and the landlord owners once these new units come online?

The city would be selling the school, a prime property with 12.5 acres of good land and outstanding views of the mountains and of the city, for a mere $10K. This is less than 0.5% of its assessed value! Then to add insult to injury, the developer is insisting on a tax abatement that lasts for 30 years! This land could be developed with single family homes on them, increasing the tax base of the city. Instead, this plan would add the burden of many more residents without the corresponding tax income. If we want North Adams to continue to grow in a positive direction, we need to encourage home ownership, not give away a fine property to a greedy developer seeking to take advantage of the city during this pandemic-induced financial downturn.

Do not allow Xenolith Partners LLC to steal this property! The residents of North Adams deserve better than this. You should immediately reject this offer, allow some time for the economy to recover and request bids in a more stable real estate environment.

Melinda Slaving
Summit Avenue

Melinda Slaving (North Adams, 2021-02-07)

#80

No more affordable housing, we have enough!!

Debra DiLorenzo (North Adams, 2021-02-07)

#81

I do not believe that this is of our best interest for our city to move forward with this current proposal...

Cheryl Lefave (North Adams, 2021-02-07)

#105

Further devaluation of surrounding Properties., Applied Taxation to developed structurres as well as those planned, environmental impact, Traffic Flow,CityLiabilityissues.Signage, Salvage

William J Caprari (North Adams, MA, 2021-02-09)

#106

I agree with all of the facts as stated in the petition.

Jean Stone (North Adams, 2021-02-09)

#107

This project is counter-productive the progress we are working towards in our city and severely damaging to the local neighborhood. I ask the Mayor and City Councilors how they would respond if a proposal that would add >100 people, their cars, delivery vehicles, noise and real pollution were proposed a stone's throw from their house? The only win here would be for some outside developer making an insulting bid, asking for a 30 year tax abatement, and tapping into free federal and state money to build their project. North Adams, and the Kemp Park neighborhood in particular, would lose. Not to mention, I don't think the Mayor and City Councilors can bulldoze over significant legal issues (such as but not limited to) concerning such things as ownership of Kemp Park as it overlaps Sullivan School property, let alone infrastructure issues created by turning Summit Ave, Kemp Ave and all surrounding streets into major thoroughfares, issues with plumbing, drainage, etc, This proposal needs to be voted down.

Peter May (North Adams, 2021-02-09)

#111

This is a poor decision and urban renewal in blighted portions of the city should be considered as an alternative site for this project.

Ronald Sage (North Adams, 2021-02-09)

#112

This proposal does not appear to be in the best interest of the citizens of North Adams.
We don’t need to make bad decisions like when they turned Main Street into a K Mart parking lot!
We need deserve better than this idea.

Debra Wood (North Adams, MA, 2021-02-09)

#113

I'm living in the neighborhood of Sullivan School.

Audrey Witter (North Adams, 2021-02-09)

#121

My ancestors built three houses our families were raised here. Houses have been sold and family even still come back to “kempville” to raise their families again. That school since I can remember once upon a time could see the city at night the sunsets were beautiful!!!! Make it moca condos or something better! I’m sorry!!!!!! But it is a beautiful place! I do not want to babysit people kids at the play ground! And the come with animals don’t fix them then we have cats everywhere, noice! Etc. we are all connected here and obviously standing up to this! Thank you Tammy Giorgi

Tammy Giorgi (North Adams, 2021-02-09)

#122

I am signing because I have lived in North Adams my entire life and have owned property at 208 East Quincy St. since 1986. Our cities residents have seen positive changes that have been made over the years within the city, but with this project, I do not see how this project helps the small business owners, the property owners, and the TAX payers of our city.

Paul McDonough (North Adams, MA, 2021-02-09)