09/27/2011
By Heather Turner
CORVALLIS - They say good fences make good neighbors, but in the case of one Corvallis neighborhood that might not be true.
Construction on a new fence was completed Monday afternoon at a home that houses three sexual offenders. One of them is a sexual predator. But neighbors say all the fence does is give a false sense of security.
- And the sex offender registry and residency restrictions are a false sense of security as well.
A fence typically provides security and privacy, but for Maria Juarez, who lives right next door, it might as well be invisible.
"The fence is not making me feel safe at all. I am standing here in my door and I still see them and even as they're sitting I can see their face and I know that they can see me," Juarez said.
For her, the fence doesn't do much. She's even given up gardening.
"Very unsafe, and very fearful, I've been feeling very sick physically," said Juarez.
Others who live nearby agree.
"I think that some people may feel a false sense of security. I don't feel any security at all with the fence," said Ramona Fricke.
So Tuesday, the neighbors took their concerns to the Benton County Board of Commissioners for a second time.
"I'm just asking for more help from the commissioners to try to get the state and Renew Consulting to be proactive and help address the situations," said Peter Fricke.
Renew Consulting managers are surprised that their new fence hasn't eased the concerns of neighbors. They hoped it would provide a sense of security and privacy for all.
On the other side of the house, Sandra Lyn Care Homes is having problems of its own with the sex offenders next door.
"My residents, they won't leave their bedroom windows open anymore, they don't want to go for walks, they don't like being out in the yard because of the neighbors gawking at them from the porch," Sandra Altheide, Sandra Lyn Care Homes owner.
Some of her female residents have even talked about moving elsewhere if the three sex offenders with mental illnesses continue to live next door.
