The Pelham Grand: Just The Facts, Please

Over the past few months there have been many concerns regarding our new neighbors who are residing at the Pelham Grand. As a Community Board member, Member of the Pelham Grand Advisory Council and as a resident of the community I can easily understand the concerns. Like everybody I too want details about our new neighbors and hope that they will be a positive asset to our community. Quite often when new residents or a new facility moves into a community people overreact, hear rumors and act on them and do not know the facts. Emotions flare and that can cause problems that are not needed. Fact finding has to be done in a very deliberate manner without emotion and false fear. I do understand my friend of many years Egidio Sementelli’s desire for information. I do feel he and others need to allow the Community Advisory Council and others to ask questions, observe and report back. To spread unfounded rumors is not good for anybody. We need to work together for the community and for all of our residents including those now living at the Pelham Grand.

Please keep in mind that one can have much more impact by sitting inside than by throwing stones from the outside. The Pelham Grand is not a residence for individuals who are addicted to drugs or are in the recovery stage. Any who were on drugs have had to be clean for six months to a year. We can discuss a longer period of being off drugs for future residents. The people who live at the Pelham grand are New Yorkers who have been diagnosed with chronic conditions such as Hepatitis C, Diabetes, Asthma, and HIV/AIDS. No different from illnesses of many of our friends, relatives and neighbors who live in private homes or in other residential buildings in our community. Those at the Pelham Grand do not earn enough money to live alone at this point. Many work or go to school. They want to be part of our community. Let’s give them that opportunity.

The Pelham Grand offers housing care, care management, escorts to appointments if needed, financial workshops and other needed support services In order to be able to live at the Pelham Grand a person goes through a vigorous background check. Are there any residents with criminal records? Probably a smaller percentage than are presently living in our private homes and apartment buildings. Anybody with a record of a sex offence at any time cannot live at the Pelham Grand. The administration has set a very high standard of rules for behavior within the building and beyond. No criminal activity is tolerated. If rules are broken action is taken leading to possible eviction. There are presently 30 residents. The maximum is 70. The priority for future residents is for those who are elderly. After the September CAC meeting I and other members were able to see the apartment of one resident and to speak to her. She had just come home, carrying groceries from one of our local supermarkets. Her apartment was clean, well organized and there was less messy than my apartment is. I hope that people will observe and report and ask questions rather than shouting and spreading rumors which are unfounded. If there is an issue please feel free to contact members of the CAC. If you feel threatened or see an illegal act call 911. Feel free to speak to the administrators at the Pelham Grand At this point they appear to want to work with the community. There had to be more transparency. The CAC and the community has to know details on funding. Hopefully that will come shortly.

I will continue to monitor before making any final judgment. So should you, with an open mind.