An Invitation from Ellen

Back home, the races of Hobbits, Men, Rohirrim and Elves are gathering to march on Mordor. No, no. Some good people are gathering to go to the DRB meeting to put pressure on those who want to destroy affordable housing. My friend Ellen has sent out an email and kindly agreed to let me post it here:

Hello,

The Brattleboro Housing Authority will be appealing the denial of
permits to units at Melrose Terrace at the Development Review Board
hearing on Nov. 7.
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Brattleboro Municipal Building, Selectboard Meeting Room

Both the residents--who are low-income elderly and disabled
folks--and the BHA are extremely frustrated by the town's action in
denying these permits. The issue is not whether the apartments are
habitable. It has to do with the town's concern that they will lose
FEMA Federal Flood Insurance because, they claim, the repair costs
exceeded 50% of the value of the property. The BHA had a local
realtor (Everett) appraise the buildings and that appraisal came in
higher than the value on the tax books. The town is using the lower
appraised value, not Everett's. There have been articles in the
Commons and the Reformer that explain all this in more detail.

The residents want to go home. The BHA would like to get them home.
You can support the residents and the BHA by being a presence at the
DRB meeting, which is open to the public. You don't have to give
public comment. Simply showing up lets the DRB know that members of
the public care and are paying attention to what they do.

--Ellen