Putting a group home for mentally disabled men in the middle of Carlsbadistan’s Stepford Bressi Ranch doesn’t seem like the best idea we’ve heard in a while. But that didn’t stop TERI, Inc. of Oceanside (a non-profit that works with mentally disabled children and adults) from buying a $1 million home at 6205 Alverton Drive, according to a story in the North County Times.
Here’s how ZIllow.com describes the house:
Charming cottage style single story Canterbury model highly upgraded both inside and out. Resort style yard with salt water pool and spa, play area for children, plus additional side yard. Built In BBQ and dining area.”
We would never suggest that six mentally disabled men don’t deserve a salt water pool, hot tub, and a built-in BBQ in their resort-style back yard, nor that anyone would notice six more mentally disabled men in Bressi Ranch. It just seems that TERI, Inc.’s could have done much more for their program if they’d been more efficient with their million dollars rather than spending it on an overpriced four-bedroom track home in one of Southern California’s premiere planned communities.
Then again, maybe TERI, Inc. is trying to make a point and what better place make it than in Bressi Ranch.
[Link: North County Times]
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{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
TERI Inc’s purchase of a 1 million dollar home in this economy and real estate market shows an unexpected and disappointing level of incompetence. How can they be entrusted to help those with mental health disorders when a convenient store clerk could have told them that they are wasting their money? Furthermore, it certainly would have been appropriate for TERI to have some sort of representation (perhaps a realtor or $40/hour lawyer) before making such a substantial purchase as it clearly violates the HOA covenants and a lawsuit is surely to follow.
It’s really sad to see such ignorance in this day and age. The company has published answers to the questions and concerns of the neighbors at Bressi Ranch, even inviting them to tour one of their ten homes located in different neighborhoods of North County.
http://www.teriinc.org/news_events.php?parent_id=5&top_cms_id=28
TERI INC has been a vaible and solvent organization for decades.They are under the leadership of Cheryl Kilmer, who is an intelligent business woman and life time advocate for the disabled. They are experts at securing and using grant money to serve their clients. They should receive an award for providing such a wonderful home in a great community for the disabled, instead they get grief! NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED!
I have personal knowledge of these fine young men, and would welcome them as neighbors!
As a Bressi Ranch resident, I welcome the Teri house. Their work with these men is inspiring. We should all take this opportunity to teach our children that diversity exists and some of our felllow neighbors need a helping hand. Bravo Teri and welcome to the neighborhood!
It is sad to see how small minded, selfish and uninformed people who are supposedly educated can be. A marketing mind, an attorney and a real estate agent could do such good if they would only educate themselves. Also, when Miss Dana said “how can I get in on this deal” in the meeting, I wish I had been there to tell her you only need to have an autistic child. Want to sign up??
TUCKER is completely inaccurate. they have violated no laws. It is considered a small group home and therefore deemed a “family” residence, no violating any HOA rules. It’s 4 young men and a live-in staff. The residents in Bressi ranch who have been oppossed are violating the law and walking a thin line.
Bravo to TERI for standing up for the rights of the disabled to live in a nice home in a planned community.
I found out today that TERI issued an invitation to the Bressi group back in December BEFORE there first HOA meeting to come and visit their other group homes and schools and everyone in the group declined!!!!!!
So, their allegations that TERI was secretive and not forthcoming are totally lies. If the Bressi people say they are not against individuals with Autism then why does the website they created, theconcernedhomeowners.org, contain links to only two articles about autistic individuals. The two links are to news articles about autistic individuals in Puerto Rico and Australia who murdered people. Real nice!! This website has got to go!!!
I am not against the home itself. What I find disturbing is the fact that I have lived here for 3 years and we have never received anything telling us that this was happening, nor giving us the opportunity to vote for or against the proposal. So does that mean that if the city wants to drop a sexual preditor in our backyard they have the right, what about our rights, the homeowner. I purchased my home for $1,300,000 and I feel that I have the right to be notified when something like this is happening in my neighborhood. We should have all been sent a vote notice and let the community decide, not the city. We pay our taxes to live and live safe where we want, not just to give it to the city to possibly create an unsafe neighborhood for our kids. I guess we will just have to wait and see if issues arise. Oh, well.
Why should people be told and allowed to vote on whether disabled people can move into their neighborhood? Did your neighbors vote to let YOU in?
Why do you leap from the disabled to sexual predators? Reasonable people know that the disabled are no more a threat to kids than we so-called normal people are. Reasonable people generally agree that sexual predators remain a threat to kids.
What other “rights” came along with your $1.3 million purchase? To keep people of certain ethnic minorities or religions out? Atheists? How about gay people? Homeschoolers? People who sell Amway? Chiropractors? People who sing in the shower? And did you pay $1.3 million cash or finance it because I think that would impact your equity in said “rights” to be notified and keep people out.
You feel that you have the right to be notified when “something like this is happening” in your neighborhood. If you took the time to find out personally about the autistic, about the disabled, about TERI, you might just come away with a different view of “those people” and welcome “something like this” to “your” neighborhood and “your” community. It might warm your heart to see how accepting autistic and disabled people generally are…in my experience, much more so than “normal” people.
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2009/04/18/news/coastal/carlsbad/z66dd6ed9a74aeab38825759c001715a9.txt
As a former employee of from TERI, Inc. (I quit my job due to poor employee treatment and pay) I am very shocked to see the company can try to justify the purchase of this home based on the LOW budgeting funds they claim to have for 2008-2010. How can this company even begin to see a $1million home as within reason?
I made my decision to leave this company after being denied pay-raise after pay-raise, a decision the company claimed was due to “severe and drastic budget cuts”. Imagine my shock in even hearing of plans for opening a million dollar group home!
This is a company which uses bait-n-switch tactics to lure in new employees (promises of competitive pay, hire-on bonuses after 1yr, health benefits and regular raises in pay) all of which are never given…and has a high turn over rate due to their dishonesty.
My warnings to the residents of this community are this:
This is a company you cannot trust to follow thru on any promises made, just ask their non-salaried employees who have gone without raises for years and never gotten promised bonuses.
You will see a constant stream of “new” employees coming and going, all of whom will park their beat-up cars directly in front of your homes. After all, poor employees drive less than new cars, so expect to see the clunkers all around you.
Beware of a company that lies to its own staff(who are making on average 75 cents above the hourly minimum wage) like this 1 does. If TERI, Inc. cannot keep a promise to their own staff, just imagine what the promises they give your community are worth.
Sell your house and move, this company is just plain old BAD NEWS!
I am also a TERI employee, and I love where I work. I am an active residential worker and will probably work at this Bressi House. To Jason X, I must be an acceptance to the rule, because I drive a 2010 Camry to work, and all of my fellow employees also own relatively new cars. So you will not find any “clunkers” on your street. Also, these people and clients are polite and nice, and TERI is one of the best companies to be involved with, if you dont agree please visit teriinc.org
I would also like to thank all the positive comments. Thanks for the support!
TO TROUBLED
YOU ARE A VERY MEAN PERSON…..I FEEL SORRY FOR YOU MY FRIEND.
I HOPE YOU WILL NEVER HAVE TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, SINCE YOU WILL BE THE SATEN FROM HELL…NO LESS THEN HITLER HIMSELF.
I WISH YOU NOTHING BUT MISERY IN LIFE…..MAY YOU FEEL ONLY SORRY FROM YOUR MONEY. AND GREAD.
THOSE ADULT WITH SPECIAL NEEDS ARE ANGELS FROM GOD….NOT A KILLER OR SEX AFFENDER..YOU ARE A PIECE OF WORK …..I AM SURE THAT YOU ARE AN UGLY PERSON INSIDE OUT.
IF GOD IS LISTENING TO ME NOW,,,,I HOPE HE WILL TEACH YOU A LESSON AND TAKE AWAY THE SMILE FROM YOUR FACE. FOR EVERRRRRRRR.
Troubled, Get a grip. What do you think you are dealing with here? These are fine upstanding citizens (I would say just like youself – but I do not believe you are fine and upstanding to make such a comment). Thank our Heavenly Father you did not have a child with a mental disablility. I would grieve for that child if you did!
This is great! To all of you who think Teri is so great………….. Well I live 2 doors down from Teri and here is what has happened in the past 2 years since hey have owned this above the top home. 1) Th owner/cfo of teri (the one with hundreds of thousands of dollars of plastic surgery and a 100,000 dollar car) has has many many parties there. You name it, bday parties, baby showers, pool drinking parties, cocktail parties etc etc etc.
There have been zero rennovations made to the house to accomadate “special needs” and they only person i have seen there is the cfo and all her drunken troop of friends.
So, taxpayers- how does that feel to give her the money to buy this house and 2 years later- still not one special needs or autistic person in sight.
Hilarious! ANd absolutely maddening at the same time. If it smells fishy- it probably is! I wonder how all those bleeding hearts feel about this purchase now? What a joke- with my tax dollars.
Diana you are so wise but yet a moron at the same time! The CFO has the things you speak of but, was independently wealthy before she founded TERI. She actually used her own money to start the agency that serves a population of individuals that seriously need
help. If you are wondering why it takes so long to open up a group home, please ask your local government and red tape perpetuators. I would love to know, what have you done for your community lately?
I would like information regarding the cost of this home. I am a mother of a 35 year-old young man who has mental disability.