This is a response to Steve Goulet’s letter (June 4). I am not, nor have I ever been, in favor of the St. Laurent project which would create 29 new units of Section 8 housing.
The first time the project came before the City Council for approval, I cast one of the three negative votes. Currently I am collecting signatures to place a people’s veto of the project on the November ballot.
I have been told that currently Lewiston has 300 vacant apartments throughout the city. The city’s goal is to identify available programs and funding sources in order to help local landlords rehab, upgrade and fill those apartments. That, prior to any consideration of building additional Section 8 housing projects.
Community activists are now trying to convince the public that the “homes” of those displaced by the series of fires must be replaced. Those were not homes; they were Section 8 apartments, owned by Phyllis St. Laurent. Those displaced now occupy new “homes.”
City officials have just cut city services and laid off employees. We do not have the money to expand our school and city services to meet the needs of any additional people the project could draw to this city.
Robert Macdonald, Lewiston
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