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Modesto landmark could house people with mental illness. Neighbors raise concerns

Modesto Bee - 3/2/2023

Mar. 2—A proposal for a mental health facility in Modesto's former Sundial Lodge on McHenry Avenue is stirring emotions among nearby residents.

According to details of the rezone proposal, up to 120 adults with severe mental illness would stay at the two-story facility in the 800 block of McHenry, south of Roseburg Avenue.

An original application by Comfort Care Living LLC in January 2021 said it would provide care and supervision to conserved adults with severe mental illness, ages 18 to 59, mixed with people with developmental or physical disabilities. The applicant wrote that a state residential care license would allow 25% of clients to be elderly.

Neighbors including Chyril Turner said the onetime lodge next to McHenry Avenue traffic is not a safe location for care of individuals with mental illness, who would be free to come and go and might try to cross the four-lane thoroughfare.

The proposal to mix in people with developmental or other disabilities, and the elderly, is another concern. "There are so many issues," said Turner, a retired marriage and family therapist.

Turner, who's vice president of the John Muir Park Neighborhood Association, said residents living just east of McHenry already see drug users walking through the neighborhood, as well as foot traffic from rundown hotels. It's increasingly unsafe for the older residents and young families moving into the neighborhood, she said.

Turner said some adults with mental illness take illegal drugs to try to feel better and could seek out drug dealers along McHenry Avenue, contributing to the homeless population.

"It did not seem like they had a good safety plan," said Stanislaus County Supervisor Mani Grewal, who attended a meeting on the Sundial proposal in January. "It did not seem like they had enough plans in place for staffing to meet the safety concerns of the residents. What happens after 9 p.m. if a person leaves and ends up on someone's doorstep?"

Gregory Gordon, the applicant, said Thursday he didn't want to discuss details of the proposal because he's considering whether to proceed further with the application. Gordon said he expects to make a decision in a few weeks.

"We have expressed our side, they have expressed their side, and that is where we stand," Gordon said.

He did say the plan is not connected with any proposal for Care Court, a state initiative that, among other goals, wants to ensure housing for homeless people being treated for mental disorders.

Homeowners near the Sundial say Gordon told them at a meeting last year he was dropping the application due to resistance from neighbors. But the proposal was still in play at a second community meeting in January.

In a Zoom meeting with neighbors, the proponents said the facility would take in clients from San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced counties, so the neighbors don't see how it will reduce the number of mentally ill people on Modesto's streets.

Neighbors are afraid of declining conditions in the south section of McHenry Avenue.

"We have more than our share of high-risk businesses," said Samantha Phillips-Bland, a retired county health services staff member and another neighbor who's cognizant of the need for mental health and homeless services.

Two "adult" shops, seedy hotels and a methadone clinic generate problematic foot traffic in the vicinity, plus the nearby canals are not patrolled often, neighbors said. The methadone clinic, near West Roseburg Avenue and McHenry, is expected to get scores of new clients who transfer over when the county closes its Genesis Narcotic Treatment Program on Scenic Drive.

Phillips-Bland said people with mental illness deserve a quiet and safe setting. The Sundial complex has limited outdoor space. A more rural location with a garden would be appropriate for these clients, she said.

"What is their staffing plan (at the onetime Sundial?) What is their security plan? There is very little parking there," Phillips-Bland noted.

Turner said they try to be good neighbors with businesses on the McHenry commercial strip and appreciated the Stacie's Chalet assisted living center, formerly housed at the Sundial property. During the holidays, residents brought gifts to older people at Stacie's Chalet who didn't have family.

Comfort Care Living LLC is now leasing the property and is seeking the rezone for mental health clients.

Comfort Care, based in Fresno, also has a residential care facility in Modesto's Grape Avenue neighborhood in a house with two wooden fences blocking the front view.

The proposal for the mental health facility is being reviewed by Modesto city staff and no dates are set for a Planning Commission review.

Councilman Chris Ricci said he's trying to find a balance between the need for mental health services in Modesto and the right location for a facility.

"A new mental health facility would be good for Modesto but I'm not sure this is the right place," Ricci said. "I want to make sure the security setup is appropriate for the neighborhood and if the neighborhood is comfortable with the facility."

According to Ricci, the city will talk with the proponents and expects them to address concerns in the neighborhood.

Turner said she wished the southern section of McHenry could be restored to its previous character, where neighborhood residents could walk to a restaurant to have brunch.

The Sundial was a Modesto landmark that over the decades hosted celebrities and community events. Its restaurant was among the top 15 most-missed restaurants in Modesto, according to a Bee story in 2019.

"It's not inviting now for new restaurants," Turner said. "I loved when we used to have restaurants within walking distance."

This story was originally published March 2, 2023, 12:16 PM.

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