The Fort Bend Women's Center (FBWC) plans to open a 104-unit affordable rental housing at 20.325 acres at the northeast corner of Skinner Lane and West Bellfort, named Magnolia Gardens.  This will be a transitional facility that will help the families victimized by domestic violence to rebuild their lives.    The property will contain 6 Buildings, with the following units: 16 - 1BR1BA, 56 - 2BR2BA, 32 - 3BR2BA and 193 parking spaces.  We the undersigned are firmly supportive of this purposeful use of the property at this location, for the below-listed reasons.

·         FBWC is a non-profit organization in Fort Bend County that “empowers survivors of domestic or sexual violence and their children to achieve safety, heal, and begin a new independent and self-sufficient life, while also striving to prevent violence against women.”

·         All tenants will be domestic violence survivors from the Fort Bend Women’s Center and other local domestic violence agencies in the area.  The tenant selection criteria will be used in conjunction with memorandums of understanding that FBWC has with other domestic violence agencies (and no one else).

·         Magnolia Garden’s is not an emergency shelter, residents will be past the “emergency” stage and in the “rebuilding” stage (starting a new, violence-free life). 

·         This will be a secured, gated community.  There will be staff on site including staff for the educational and emotional development of the children. 

·         Shuttles will be provided to assist them with travel in the local area.

·         These families are not involved in criminal activities, they are in life rebuilding process and the shelter will have their own security on premises.

·         Magnolia Garden’s will NOT cause any additional danger to children in the neighborhood.

·         A recent petition based on misinformation and fear was initiated by several members of a local community.  This petition is an attempt to offset that misinformation and show that many people support this project.