We, the undersigned, are close neighbors of 16 Williams St. who have been shocked to hear that the town has decided to sell the building for use as transitional housing for people with substance use disorders. This decision was made without prior notice or any opportunity for broad community input.

We respectfully write to protest this decision, as it poses significant risks to a neighborhood primarily composed of seniors and schoolchildren. The safety, well-being, and character of our community must remain a top priority.

We strongly support the alternative proposal to develop the site for workforce housing, including for health-care and school aides, which we believe better matches the town’s long-term goals and serves pressing community needs.

Should that option prove unworkable, we urge the town to proceed with the pending sale to a developer for condominium construction, which would be a far more suitable and lower-impact use of the property.