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' Page 41 <br /> Walter R. Benson <br /> June 10 , 1980 <br /> Page 2 <br /> Below are a few reasons why I feel Orono should have a <br /> senior citizen facility. <br /> l . Geographically, Orono is one of the largest lake communities. <br /> Zoning restricts multiple housing so, at this point in time, <br /> � there is no place within the City where senior citizens can <br /> find adequate housing facilities once the� are forced to give <br /> up their homes for a less complicated life style. <br /> 2. The senior citizen population of Orono is undoubtedly <br /> considerably above the national average of 12�. It is a <br /> meaningful segment of our population. The stability of our <br /> citizenry is high. People do not want to move; however , due <br /> to the lack of transportation and availability to the necessities <br /> of life, our older citizens sometimes have no alternative. We <br /> are losing older citizens with ample incomes to the sunbelt. <br /> We are also losing those on fixed incomes who have suffered <br /> drastically due to inflation and now find themselves in low <br /> or moderate income status. <br /> 3 , Both of the above classes of citizens might be retained in <br /> the community if they had a place to live where they could cope <br /> with the problems of weather, transportation, access to the <br /> necessities of life, and other problems that face older people. <br /> To accommodate both those with ample �o�oseSconside�ation the <br /> low and moderate income category, I P P20� occu anc at <br /> should be given to an 80 unit facility, P Y <br /> rental market value, and 80$ rent subsidy. To meet the' require- <br /> ments for Federal funding, such a facility would have to be <br /> located and designed to solve the problems which basically involve <br /> , (a) , mobility, (b) access to the necessities of life, and <br /> ' (c) public transportation. <br /> I suggest that our City Council appoint a task force to <br /> work with staff to see if an acceptable site can be found <br /> for such a project, and if such a project is feasible. Because <br /> of the annual Federal funds available, it would necessarily be <br /> a two to three year project just to get started. <br /> Suggestion: <br /> The Orono administration' s policy for many years has encouraged <br /> a rather low profile for the Navarre Shopping Center. In doing <br /> so, we have created an ideal shopping f acility for senior <br /> citizens. Within a City block, just about all the necessities <br /> of life are available. In addition, the corner of Highway 19 <br /> and 15 has the best public transportation service in the lake <br />