Residents unhappy with restrictions
By Melissa Muntz Contributing Writer

Shrewsbury - Francis Gardens Residents Association (FGRA) President Judy Belsignore's job usually consists of making sure there are enough desserts at the annual Christmas dinner.

But now she has found herself in the center of a heated battle between residents and the Shrewsbury Housing Authority, which oversees the complex, about residents' rights to use the property as they see fit.

A vote by the Shrewsbury Housing Authority Sept. 11 prohibited Francis Gardens residents from having any personal property on their porches and patios, including the tables and chairs many have had sitting out there for years.

"It was never a problem before, but now it's apparently a hazard," Belsignore said.

The issue began this summer when a handful of porches were deemed too cluttered to allow for a safe exit in case of emergency.

A memo from Housing Authority Director Dennis Osborn dated July 12 ordered residents to clear all exits, which Belsignore said all residents but a few complied with. Now she said everyone is being made to suff er because of the actions of a few.

"Yes," she said, "rules were broken and we tried to fix them, but it didn't matter because the ban was already adopted."

Members of the FGRA were allowed to speak at the Housing Authority meeting, but not until after the vote was taken, Belsignore said.

The Housing Authority cited safety concerns and the need to comply with state regulations as the reason for the ban on personal items on porches and patios, but Belsignore said the sweeping restriction goes further than necessary.

"Many of us have porches that are big enough to meet the five-foot radius needed by any exit door and still have enough room for a small table and chair," she said. "But they went with a blanket rule because it's easier to enforce."

The Housing Authority ruling did not prevent people from sitting on their patios, but rather prevented people from leaving chairs outdoors when not in use.

Francis Gardens is home to a mixed group of residents that includes the disabled and the elderly. Belsignore said moving a chair in and out of the building every time a person wants to sit down is an unrealistic expectation, and not even a possibility for some.

"For some people this is the only fresh air they get," she said. "And not everybody can stand for long periods of time, and not everybody is capable of carrying a chair in and out every time."

Belsignore said the ban has negatively impacted the quality of life at the complex for many members of the tight-knit community.

"This is just overkill. Before, people were often sitting outside. You walk by and say 'Hi,' and that's how you get to know people," she said. "Now you look around and there's not a single sign of life."

Osborn declined to comment about the new restrictions; however Patti Sheehan, a representative from the building inspector's office, said she believed the Housing Authority had no choice but to restrict the items kept on porches and patios.

"Dennis Osborn has to comply with the Department of Housing and Community Development, and he has received a memo that all balconies and porches must be free of all items," Sheehan said.

Residents had until Sept. 17 to empty their porches before the items would be removed and stored for them at the direction of the Shrewsbury Housing Authority.