Locals Protest against LGBT Senior House to Protect Their Much-Loved Garden

SAGE, a well-known advocate for old LGBT people, has laid out plans for a unique housing project for the aged LGBT community, but not everyone approves.

The plans, if seen to fruition, will culminate in Manhattan’s very first LGBT housing for the elderly. The ideas are however contradicted by residents who view the plan as destructive because it can only be possible after a garden, the "Elizabeth Street Garden," one of the locals’ favorite, is cleared off!

"Daily Beast" reports that two of such housing projects have finished in Brooklyn and the Bronx. There were no objections to the plans which made the project hitch-free.

Brooklyn’s is set to open sometime later in summer while that in the Bronx will not open till 2020. Manhattan’s, however, has encountered a significant hurdle and it has become somewhat controversial, with a large fraction of the residents coming together to oppose the project.

According to reports, the buildings already have a long list of people waiting for its completion, so they get to move in. Aimed at providing an environment free of criticism where aged people of the LGBT community can live happily, the project is rather well-thought out.

The almost unexpected objection posed by Manhattan residents is one that is a considerable threat to the execution of the plans.

It almost seems saddening seeing as how many people are looking forward to moving into the houses. Researchers have predicted that the opening will coincide with the widely publicized Stonewall 50th anniversary.

Findings have shown that people who publicly identify with the LGBT community tend to withdraw back into their shells becoming a recluse as they age. It is because of the stigma surrounding them which limits their housing and living situations generally.

Contrary to what one might think on first seeing the headline, the reason for the objection centers around the fact that the locals aren't ready to lose their much-loved garden. It may sound trivial, but it is fast gaining momentum after they filed a lawsuit and formed an opposition group called "The Friends of Elizabeth Street Garden."

The group has hired a lawyer, Michael Gruen who will be their figure of advocacy. Emily Hellstrom, a member of the group, said:

“When you have good urban planning you do not pit two desperate needs against one another as has happened here. This is bad urban planning.”

Hellstrom expressed confidence that their actions will elicit a good response from the court of law. Michael Adams, SAGE’s CEO also expressed optimism about the outcome seeing as the project is of great merit.