Lower property values?
For the consecrated women in this Gwinnett County subdivision, the day starts early and follows a familiar schedule of prayers and volunteer work. Whether that routine continues will be decided Tuesday night when the county commission votes on a permit that would let a Roman Catholic order continue using the house as a dormitory.
The Legionnaires of Christ needs the special-use permit because the group home is located in the middle of a residential neighborhood.
It's been there for two years, but not until March did the county or surrounding homeowners know about it. They found out when the Legionnaires began drafting plans to triple the size of the house so up to 25 women could reside there.
That angered homeowners, who feared the expansion would overwhelm their neighborhood and hurt their property values.
The religious women were perplexed at the resistance, saying you couldn't ask for quieter neighbors.
"We eat, sleep and pray," explained Dorrie Donahue, who serves as a mother superior of sorts for the household of 10 women. (source)
Known as 
Peace, Jeff.
Homeowners tend to be very pleased when a Catholic school opens in their neighborhood. Home values can rise as much as 20 percent. Maybe schools and other Catholic bodies need to get together and package a zero-sum collection of things to add to a neighborhood. In other words, if you don't take our dorms, halfway houses, and soup kitchens, we'll take our construction kits and move our schools elsewhere.
This doesn't make a lot of sense. If a house of 10 religious wasn't even detected in a year and a half of existence, I can't imagine they'd be much more visible with 25 there.
How property values would drop is beyond me, unless their main buyer market is composed of atheists and agnostics.
There goes the neighborhood.
If they don't like religious than there's always enough property in hell.
I live in Gwinnet County. I'm not sure where I stand on this. To triple the size of a house would cause the house to no longer fit in with the neighborhood. What happens when the consecrated women outgrow that expanded house and move on? What will become of the house then? Does it become a dormitory or apartments? I think these are legitimate concerns.
I really do live in Gwinnett county lest you suspected differently since I spelled it wrong.
Hey Jeff!
Just read your conversion story in "This Rock" Magazine, and it was EXCELLENT! :)
When I read the bicycle accident, the words of St. Augustine popped into my head: "Too late have I loved Thee". Too bad a life alterating experience makes you better understand the Lord, eh? Oh well... all part of His Divine Providence. :)
~Andrew
Peace, all.
I've heard these from homeowners associations before.
"What happens when the consecrated women outgrow that expanded house and move on? What will become of the house then? Does it become a dormitory or apartments? I think these are legitimate concerns."
I suppose if it became a country club, there would be no such concern.
You wouldn't believe the stupid things that cause poperty values to drop! (Well, actually, you probably would.) Apparently having neighbors with lower than average IQs can do the same!
If property values were to drop because a family from Nigeria moved into a primarily WASP neighborhood, we'd never stand for it (and rightfully so). But Heaven forbid we have a harmless convent full of nuns (or a CLA!)!
Regardless of home values, religious beliefs, or any other reason that the neighborhood wants to site, chances are the expansion breaks several ordinances, convenants, etc. While I agree that the women are harmless, the size of the house would be intrusive - and UNLIKE a country club, not used by other homeowners in the neighborhood. And in reference to the Catholic school comment - once again, the house would not be a service to the public - therefore, it would not be inclined to help raise property values. The question is not a matter of whether the neighbors feel the women are harmful, it is simply a matter of ANY homeowner not wanting large businesses being built right in the middle of our neighborhoods.
EAC - also a Gwinnett County resident, but not in the neighborhood in question.