Aug. 2 meeting planned to address Fair House disturbances

Les Ralston used to sit on his porch with his wife on summer evenings, but the yelling, arguments and threats of some of his newest neighbors to kill each other have him fearful. He’s since moved inside.

Ralston lives across the street from Fair House, the one-time mansion on Fair Street that, after falling into disrepair, sat vacant for years before being bought by the House of Hope. With grant funds the House of Hope restored the mansion’s grandeur and built an addition, now used as long-term housing for people who would otherwise be homeless. The House of Hope took on a similar project converting the adjacent George Galen Wheeler House historic home for similar use five years ago.

Ralston, who has lived in the neighborhood for 30 years, assumed the new residents of the Fair House, would assimilate to the neighborhood as smoothly as those who moved into the Galen Wheeler House. That hasn’t been the case.

“They’re adjusting to a whole new way of living,” said House of Hope executive director Laura Jaworski. She said the tenants – the tenth and final tenant moved in this week – were all homeless and are unaccustomed to their new situation. She said some tenants are “working through a stabilizing period right now.” Police have been called, although there have been no arrests.

Jaworski said the House of Hope has taken a proactive approach. While there is not a live-in supervisor, a case manager is assigned to work with tenants. The hours of the case manager have been adjusted so that they are on-site later into the night and, at times, on weekends. Also, Jaworski has arranged for a community meeting – Fair House residents are invited but not required to attend – next Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the basement meeting room of St. Peter Church.

Jaworski has also been in contact with police and Ward 1 Councilman Richard Corley.

“It’s a forum for everyone,” Jaworski said of the meeting. “It’s an open platform to share concerns.”

Ralston said the neighborhood used to be a “paradise.” He said shouting matches that bordered on what he thought might become fights have occurred on several evenings on the grounds outside the house. He thinks visitors, rather than tenants of Fair House, might be involved. He called the mission of the House of Hope “wonderful,” although in this case it is disrupting the neighborhood.

Corley has heard complaints. He’s talked to Col. Stephen McCartney, read the police report and called Jaworski.

“I want this to work,” he said, “to make sure there is a supervisor.” He assumes Fair House has a no smoking rule and that tenants are gathering outside to smoke.

“The residents have to be aware they are living in a neighborhood and live accordingly,” he said. “That kind of behavior,” he said of the shouting, “needs to stop.”

Jaworski said there was a time when the homeless faced a number of barriers to housing, including an extended period of being drug free and having a job. She said the intent is to get to the heart of the problem – homelessness – and unless that’s addressed some of these people are going to die in the street.

“This is not easy, but we’re committed to making this work,” she said.