Letters

Fodor Homes

Integrity of residential neighborhood is gone

We want to commend you for exposing the dramatic negative effect Fodor Homes has on the Shoreline School District. There is also another aspect of Fodor Homes that should be brought to your attention.

We are residents of 40th Avenue or neighbors of the expansion homes that Susan Fodor has established in Lake Forest Park. Fodor Homes has completely destroyed the integrity of a Lake Forest Park residential community. Lifelong residents or new residents do not expect to be taken over by a compound of group homes. Some of us are surrounded by Fodor group homes. We are positive that no one in Lake Forest Park would like to have a situation like this develop around them.

This atmosphere decreases the enjoyment we should have in our homes. It is quite clear that there is a huge amount of money being taken in by Fodor Homes, $78,171 per month, nearly $1 million per year. This certainly has the appearance of a business in a residential community.

There must be a reduction of Fodor Homes to return the neighborhood to a residential quality. Anyone can have an invasion such as Fodor Homes come into their neighborhood if this is not stopped now. She has created a “de facto institution” and this is not in keeping with what is expected from a residential community. It is difficult to imagine that the Department of Social and Health Services would want to destroy the integrity of a neighborhood by permitting numerous group homes; however, this is exactly what has happened.

CHRIS and DIANE SHEEHAN

Lake Forest Park

Homes provide great service for needy kids

We felt the article last week, “Group home expansion impacts schools” was unfair journalism. The article gave the impression of an “invasion” of autistic children in our schools without mentioning the great service that Susan Fodor provides for these children.

No doubt the Shoreline public schools would like to see these children shipped to some other location. We have seen this in our own neighborhood where Shoreline public schools tried to discourage a student from attending high school with his classmates because of his disabilities. He was able to successfully complete all graduation requirements.

Certainly children with disabilities require more attention in the schools, but they are worth it. We should praise Susan Fodor in her efforts to work with autistic children instead of promoting intolerance. The fact that some of the parents have purchased homes in the area and have leased them to Fodor Homes should indicate the quality of care these children are receiving.

Oddly enough, in another front page article, Youth Awareness Disability Assemblies Director, Laurie Fike, stated of her children, “We want these kids to understand that the disabled are just people like anybody else.”

Don’t we have room for these children in our community?

KAROL and GLEN MILNER

Lake Forest Park

Keep growth industry out of neighborhoods

Our neighborhood has been destroyed. In the Foder Homes article, the reporter only covered half of the story. As Fircrest is being closed, DSHS has allowed and is promoting a cottage-style institution to develop in neighborhoods with no input from the city or neighbors.

Foder Homes now has 10 houses in Lake Forest Park. Eight houses are on the 40th and 178th block. They buy these at greatly inflated prices and have the state pay for them by charging $3,000 to $6,000 per resident per month. This is a million dollar business right in the middle of our neighborhood.

The Shoreline School District has been impacted by this development as well by costing thousands of added expenses from the special education budget that the state does not fund.

This cottage institution is not regulated by the city, county, police or fire departments. No permits are necessary. We have been told that there is nothing the city of Lake Forest Park can do. From what we understand this can happen in any neighborhood in the state. This is just the tip of the iceberg – a new growth industry putting a de-facto institution in neighborhoods with no oversight or local control.

RON OTTELE

Lake Forest Park

What’s school district’s agenda against Fodor?

The article in the April 15 Shoreline Enterprise regarding Fodor Homes was an attempt to single out a select group of children who often times have no voice to defend themselves. Having a developmental disability in no way diminishes a person’s right to fully participate in all aspects of life; including going to school.

Every child in Washington state generates Basic Education Allocation dollars. Special education children do not deplete the basic education systems. The Shoreline School District receives $7,671 on average per student who qualifies for special education. Safety Net dollars are available to districts for high cost students – has Shoreline applied for Safety Net? What is the exact percentage over the cap of 13 percent, as Sue Walker states “We have already exceeded 13 percent by quite a ways.”

As a parent who has a child at Fodor Homes I wonder what is the agenda of a school district that would go to the media to single out these children? List their address, put down the dollars it takes to support them; to me it feels like discrimination. Would the school district go to the media if a large minority group of students who didn’t speak English moved into their district and required translators to be with them during the full school day? These children and young adults have a right to an education and to live in the least restrictive environment.

The support Fodor Homes gives is nothing less then a miracle too many families, ours included. Yes, it is expensive to serve these children and thankfully we have Susan Fodor and her wonderful staff to do this and I hope that Fodor Homes expands and others learn from their work. These children are increasing in numbers in all school districts and we need to work with legislators to fund programs not single out this program and these particular children. As citizens in the Shoreline community, you should be proud of what Fodor Homes is doing – remember being disabled is the only minority group anyone at anytime can join.

LORI FLOOD

Bothell