I’ve lived in La Cañada Flintridge for 26 years, and I’m quickly approaching the point where my home/property is more than I can manage by myself.
On a senior’s fixed income, I can’t afford to pay others to do all the housework, gardening and repairs required. I’d like to downsize, but must stay in La Cañada close to family and friends to continue to help take care of my granddaughter.
There are many seniors with needs similar to mine in this community and 600 Foothill Boulevard really is the perfect, if not the only, location in La Cañada for senior housing. It’s walking distance to the post office, library, a variety of grocery and other shopping, doctors/dentists, stylists, restaurants, religious facilities, etc.
Years ago, there was a proposal for senior housing at 600 Foothill Boulevard that sounded perfect for me and many other seniors in La Cañada, but for reasons I don’t understand, it was rejected by this community. Now, instead of seemingly perfect and much-needed senior housing, we’re faced with a proposal for a building consisting of a less desirable mixture of offices, hotel rooms, and apartments probably not even for seniors only. As a senior, I’m not comfortable and wouldn’t feel safe living in the mixed-use building currently proposed for 600 Foothill Boulevard.
Senior housing is desperately needed and would be good for our community. And for those of you not yet seniors yourselves you may have parents who need to downsize and want your parents in a nice and safe environment close by. Why can’t we come together, encourage/incentivize the current developer to revisit that initial proposal and build senior housing, preferably with assisted-living services at 600 Foothill Boulevard?
La Cañada seniors need and deserve an affordable, nice and safe place to live in the city where we’ve lived and contributed for decades. We need and deserve to be able to stay in a city familiar to us and close to family and friends. The 600 Foothill Boulevard location is the best place to do that, and it’s build-ready now. Senior housing in that location could be a win-win for the community and the developers.
Pamela Woncik
La Cañada Flintridge
First published in the October 5 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
