Submitted by Carolyn LeBel, Jan 15, 2007 22:13

As the mother of a mentally retarded young woman who moved into a group home in 2001, I was disappointed to hear of yet another instance of discrimination on the part of people who have a stake in the financial and social "viability" of a community. It is indeed too bad that in 2007, ignorance on the part of these stakeholders causes them to act to exclude people from their community who might actually -- and often do --turn out to be good neighbors. When the well-repected agency that manages my daughter's group home purchased a house in Westchester county to house 6 mentally disabled young women who need 24-hour supervision, the neighbors balked. After some court appearances and negotiations, the purchase was completed and the disabled young women moved in. Now, six years later, the neighbors have seen that the residents of this house are well-mannered and friendly -- as are the people who staff the house in shifts -- and the property is well-maintained. The agency, the parents and the young residents of this group home all had high expectations for a chance to live as an integral part of a nice community, and their expectations have been met. Had the initial community response been to hold those same high expectations, there would have been no need for temporary strife. I hope that the editors and staff of the Sun and, more importantly, the managers and board of the Bennet property will take some time in their lives to get to know some hopeful and well-meaning young disabled people who wish to join their neighborhood communities. I'm sure your lives will be enriched.

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