The historic home at 1801 Patterson Ave. SW in Roanoke, VA was purchased in April 2020 by Morning Rays LLC with the intention of turning the home into a halfway house for persons recovering from substance addiction. Morning Rays did not do their research prior to buying the property and discovered after the purchase that the zoning does not allow for the institutional zoning designation (INPUD) that the halfway house requires. Morning Rays has filed an application to change the zoning of this property so they can create an in-patient facility for 16 persons recovering from substance addiction who will rotate in and out every three to six months. Morning Rays has chosen this location on the assumption (in their own words) that this neighborhood is well-known for its substance abuse problems and that it will be treating those of us who live here "in (our) own backyards." They also claim that this halfway house will be a symbol of hope in the neighborhood "for generations." Of greater concern still is that once the zoning is changed and when Morning Rays is gone, some other institutional facility will move in and the Mountain View neighborhood/Historic Patterson Avenue will never be rid of its shady reputation as the location of halfway houses, treatment facilities, and drug use. Additionally, there is a halfway house for women literally across the street from 1801 Patterson.

With no shops, restaurants, or a proper grocery store anywhere nearby, another large halfway house is NOT what the neighborhood needs. Houses are being renovated, new neighbors are moving in, and things are progressing in the neighborhood-- THAT is the beacon of hope, not saddling the neighborhood with more treatment centers or housing for people in and out of the penal system. We have our fair share of those. The installation of this halfway house would stall our forward momentum, damage our property values, and keep this neighborhood in the shadow of its troubled past. Mountain View, especially the blocks surrounding 1801 Patterson, was originally a thriving neighborhood largely comprised of immigrants and for decades has been home to a large population of peoples of color. It is currently a diverse neighborhood working hard to shake off its former bad reputation and become a vibrant place to live with a good quality of life. It has been used for far too long as the dumping ground for city housing, treatment centers, and halfway houses. It is time to stop that cycle.

Please sign your name to say no to the proposed zoning change and the installation of a halfway house on Historic Patterson Avenue.

Public comment may be made to the planning commission by sending an email to the Secretary to the Planning Commission (Ms.Tina M. Carr) at planning@roanokeva.gov by Friday September 11 by 1:00 or you may speak to the commission from a remote platform on September 14. Reserve your speaking time by emailing the Secretary to the Planning Commission (Ms.Tina M. Carr) at planning@roanokeva.gov by Friday, September 11 at noon