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Revere residents debate housing problem after plans for new homeless shelter to open in neighborhood

REVERE, Mass. — On the North Shore, a housing problem has sparked a fierce debate in one Revere neighborhood. Plans for a homeless shelter have people upset.

“The residents of that community do not want a drug abuse facility, a mental health facility in their neighborhood!” says a Revere protester.

People living on Arcadia Street in Revere making it loud and clear to officials at city hall they don’t want a homeless shelter in their neighborhood.

“People aren’t the problem, the location is!” says a Revere protester.

The plan is to demolish a vacant home to make room for a 24-bed facility providing vocational services, psychiatric help, and drug treatment for homeless people.

“If we are proactive about that we will prevent the Mass and Cass scenario from playing out in other cities and towns that is how you address it. You don’t address it by just sticking your head in the sand,” says attorney Gerry D’Ambrosio.

D’Ambrosio is the attorney for the developers. He couldn’t get through the interview without an upset neighbor interrupting him.

“This is a children’s community!” says an angry neighbor.

She wasn’t the only upset person. Anthony Parziale worries about the safety of his daughter if the homeless shelter goes up.

“I am begging you put this anywhere but, in this neighborhood, next to my little girl. You don’t think there are going to be people going up and down pulling on car doors to see if they can smash and grab something?” says Parziale.

Nicole Andrade walks to school every day, but will be fearful doing that if the new neighbors move in.

“I do believe that these people need help, they do. It’s just this is not the right place for it,” says Andrade.

She wrote a sign and marched in front of city hall hoping it would make a difference, but according to the city, they can’t vote on the issue because of the state’s Dover Amendment. The law exempts agricultural, religious, and educational uses from certain zoning restrictions.

“You know that there is something that you can do because if this was your neighborhood if this was your house you would be stopping this,” says Andrade.

Before the homeless facility gets built, it still needs approval from the Conservation Commission.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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