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SAY NO TO WAREHOUSING THE HOMELESS IN SALEM!

SAY NO TO WAREHOUSING THE HOMELESS IN SALEM!

335 signatures 165 to reach 500
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Started by John Hermanski 1 year, 11 months ago

Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo and the Salem City Council want to allow Lifebridge and its partner Harborlight Homes to build a massive shelter and Single Room Occupancy “transitional” housing complex facing Riley Plaza.

It will make Salem the homeless center for the North Shore.

Lifebridge follows an outdated approach that the federal government and advocates for the unhoused have rejected. It is INEFFECTIVE AND INHUMANE. It's an approach called "warehousing."

How can they get away with this? Under the ploy of creating more affordable housing, the Mayor and the City Council want to adopt new zoning called 40R and apply it to the Lifebridge property. It was devised by the state to give control to developers and take it away from residents.

BUT THIS IS NOT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SALEM DESPERATELY NEEDS.

Once 40R zoning is passed, you will have no power to change or stop a project.

This project is bad for the homeless, bad for residents, and bad for Salem’s business and tourism economy.

We are the citizens and businesspeople of Salem and we:

Say No to Warehousing. Say No to 40R.

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WANT TO BE SURE YOUR VOICE IS HEARD? WRITE A LETTER!

The City is accepting responses to the proposed 40R Zoning Amendment and the Special 40R Zoning for the Lifebridge and Harborlight project.

Deadline is Friday, September 6 at NOON.

Send your letter to Senior Planner Elena Eimert at [email protected]

Be sure to send copies to:

Mayor Dominick Pangallo ([email protected])

City Councilors ([email protected]

State Sen Joan Lovely ([email protected])

State Rep Manny Cruz ([email protected])

For more info:

One neighborhood response: www.gesna-salem.com (scroll to the bottom for links to even more info)

City 40R information: https://imaginesalem.org/40r/smart-growth-overlay-districts

Please note that any donations solicited on subsequent web pages are for the ipetitions website, not for Citizens for a Better Salem.

Thank you!

Updates

Reached 250 supporters

September 4, 2024

September 3, 2024

We are approaching two hundred and fifty signatures and need a final surge of momentum right now. I refuse to watch our city leaders hide behind these zoning laws while ignoring the people who actually live here. Please get this link in front of your neighbors because we cannot let this pass without a fight.

September 2, 2024

Seeing this kind of movement confirms that our neighbors refuse to let City Hall push through a plan that ignores the well-being of our community. I am truly overwhelmed by the intensity of your response because it proves we are not alone in fighting for the future of Salem.

Reached 100 supporters

August 30, 2024

125 Comments

M
Martha Bishop Pitman MD
1 year ago Featured

While I have compassion for the homeless, I do not favor concentrating this problem in one city, especially at a site which is the gateway to the city adjacent to the historic district. There have to be better, smarter solutions.

D
Dominick Takis
1 year ago Featured

Building a warehouse for the homeless in a historic district of Salem is not the answer. More outreach, mental health and drug abuse facilities are needed to transition the already large number of homeless in Salem into housing. Salem should not become a destination for more homeless people than they already have.

P
Peter Pitman
1 year ago Featured

I support Life Bridge and it's mission, BUT this is putting an outrageous burden on the neighborhoods, city, city services and in the end taxpayers. Without social services this is just a warehouse, that will overflow into our streets, it fixes nothing!

K
Karyn Reardon
1 year ago Featured

Please No to this project. Within 2 miles we are entertaining not only this project but 250+ units @ Bertini's and 497 at Harrison Ave. Is the new train station going to trolley us around our own neighborhoods. Please rethink this.

A
Anonymous
1 year ago Featured

24 year old Salem resident. I want to feel safe with my girlfriend walking our dog alone at night. And I want to be able to go to Wendy’s past 5pm without being harassed… or idk city hall for that matter.

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Perry Hallinan
1 year ago Featured

40R changes are coming Statewide. The issue for me is that Lifebridge's model is not sustainable for the people it serves and the city. Bigger is not better when it comes to people centered services. Voicing my opinion against 40R is the only way my feelings about Lifebridge's flawed approach will be heard.

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Nadine Hanscom
1 year ago

Salem is the dumping ground for all the homeless in Massachusetts (yet the biggest donors come from the sounding communities that do not have homeless) elected officials are disgraceful!!

A
Alexis K Zarkades
1 year ago

This project is bad for the homeless, bad for residents, and bad for Salem’s business and tourism economy.

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