<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "> This sure seems like an important issue for Occupy. Hope we can address it at our next GA meeting on Saturday at Senior Center. richard<br><div><blockquote type="cite"><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><blockquote type="cite"><div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" color="#000000" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>Subject: </b></font><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>[MCN-Announce]- Cypress Ridge again</b></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><br></div> </div><div>Dear Community, The corporation that manages the senior housing property, Cypress Ridge, in Fort Bragg is preparing to enforce a landscaping policy that completely extinguishes any individual expression in the front yards of each resident. Because the care of the common areas in the past has been minimal, the seniors who live there have attempted to beautify the little plots of ground in front of their homes with small gardens, rocks, driftwood, or even a pink flamingo. The former manager encouraged this activity, and even though the "rules" prohibited any decoration of their entrances, recorded in the annual evaluations of the residents that they were "in compliance." New management has taken a different approach, notifying these seniors that any artifacts fronting their homes have to be removed, and had planned to spray the entire property with Roundup. The response from many people on this list a and the greater community was swift, and the corporation backed down on the toxic spray, even denying that it had been their intent. However, they are going ahead with the plan to destroy all plantings, including mature rhododendrons and small trees. No bird feeders, no little wind chimes, not even a thermometer by the door will be allowed. The residents have the right under HUD rules to assemble and organize to try to negotiate a compromise but this is being discouraged, and there is the threat of eviction for those who are most vocal. Nonetheless, the residents are meeting, and trying to circulate a petition, hoping that there might be a way to mitigate the plan and negotiate a compromise. These are people's homes, perhaps the last home for many. Must their dwellings resemble a dormitory? I believe this issue goes to mental health and well-being, and if it is not a consideration of the folks who manage this place, it should be. An adversarial relationship with those elders for whom you have been given the privilege of providing a home is unacceptable. I appreciate being able to share this and apologize for such a lengthy post.<br>__________________________________________________________<br>__________________________________________________________<br></div></blockquote></div><br></div><br>TO UNSUBSCRIBE from this list send an email to <a href="mailto:occupymendocino@lists.mcn.org">occupymendocino@lists.mcn.org</a> put "Un-Subscribe me" in the Subject.<br><br>For listserv technical problems please contact: <a href="mailto:listmanager@mcn.org">listmanager@mcn.org</a><br></blockquote></div><br></body></html>