Dear Editor,

After recently moving to the Wabash/Union neighborhood,
I heard through this newspaper and roommates of Teen Challenge
possibly moving to the neighborhood. I really appreciate The Eureka Reporter keeping me up to date on what’s going on with this issue.

As of now, I feel mixed about their moving in.

From September 2002-August 2003 and October 2004-June 2005,
I lived at Campus Apartments. The latter period was when Teen Challenge
occupied part of the opposite side of the building, in what my neighbors and I affectionately called “The Dungeon” because it was below street level. I have no complaints whatsoever about my time there with respect to Teen Challenge. My questions about their occupying the former Pentecostal Church of God are as such:

1. What will you do when there is crime in the alley between Wabash and West Del Norte? My roommate recently called Eureka police because she heard of people getting extremely violent in the alley adjacent to the church. Will Teen Challenge turn a blind eye? I ask this not in jest, for I am a believer in God, but what would Jesus do when “tweakers” are beating each other up? Will you call the cops?

2. What is the rate of recidivism when it comes to patients/clients? How many people go back to using drugs? How successful is the program? In other words, if someone decides to drop out of Teen Challenge, what will be the impact on neighbors? If it isn’t obvious, Wabash/Union is in a neighborhood filled with methamphetamine.

In short, the above questions are ones those planning this project ought to consider.