Clinton residents submit petition against affordable housing project

Upset about a park the city plans to sell to build affordable housing, some residents in Clinton have filed a petition with the city’s mayor.

The residents are upset about a park the city plans to sell to build affordable housing. The project would be built in Dewitt Park, just down the street from City Hall. The City of Clinton voted in favor of selling city-owned land to the YWCA of Clinton for supportive housing.

Shane Pinder is an assistant manager at Clinton Ace Hardware, and the store has sheets of paper on the checkout desk where customers can sign their names to sign the petition. “We had 16 as of this morning,” Pinder said. “We had even more coming in, and we actually had people after they picked it up and still wanted to sign. I think that there should definitely be a better location where it should go.” For some of those people they pass away there, it’s no right for them to have to look at that and have to deal with that when they can’t walk safely.”

Pinder isn’t the only Clinton resident who wants to stop the land from being purchased. “We would just like to have the voices heard of the citizens in the community who overwhelmingly seem to oppose the project,” Clinton resident Cheryl Wilson said. “The way it sits in selling a park that’s original to the plat of the city, and putting it right next to seniors; there are 71 seniors that live in the building next to Dewitt Park. I think there is just too many people in the community that just don’t feel like that is a good option for this project.”

Rhonda Kearns is a Clinton council member and believes finances are another problem. “I’ve asked the Y what they intend to do for future funding,” Kearns said. “They tell me they’re going to get grants. Grants are not guaranteed, and it’s still taxpayer money. But the amount of money you’re going to need to sustain this project is astronomical.”

The petition has been submitted to the mayor’s office, and Mayor Scott Maddasion will decide whether to veto the petition or stop the sale of DeWitt Park.

Our Quad Cities News has tried contacting the YWCA of Clinton sand Mayor Scott Maddasion for their responses to the petition, but calls have not been returned.