LITE Recovery House

Editor, Times-Union:
The litigation surrounding the LITE Recovery House in Leesburg concerns a house, but its outcome matters to people who need a place to begin again.
I live on West Prairie Street, a couple blocks from the recovery house at 107 E. Prairie Street. I support LITE Recovery as a neighbor who wants this effort to succeed in my own community.
A safe, healthy Leesburg should include a place for people working to rebuild their lives. Women returning from incarceration face difficult choices and obstacles. Having somewhere stable to live, with support from people who understand those challenges, can give them a chance to move forward. Without that support, families may find themselves struggling to meet needs they do not fully understand and cannot manage alone.
My family knows that pain. In my letter to the zoning board, I shared the story of my cousin Missy, who died after returning home from incarceration despite her family’s love and their efforts to help her. Our family carries that loss with them. It is why I cannot look at this debate as simply a disagreement over the use of a property. I think about the women who need help today and the families hoping someone will be there for them.
The court will decide the legal questions. As neighbors, we still have a choice about how we respond to the people at the center of this dispute.
Residents have every right to raise specific concerns and expect thoughtful answers. LITE Recovery should be held to clear expectations for responsible operation, just as any organization serving our community should be. Those expectations can exist alongside a sincere commitment to helping the home succeed.
I hope we can approach this situation with that shared purpose. Ask questions. Listen to Tammy Cotton and the people doing this work. Consider what meaningful support could make possible for the women who would live there. Give them the opportunity to be known for the lives they are trying to build.
We often say that people should take responsibility and turn their lives around. That takes effort from the individual, but a community also has a role in making a fresh start possible. A person needs somewhere to go and a fair chance when she gets there.
I want Leesburg to be a town where compassion is something we practice close to home. Supporting LITE Recovery is one way we can put that belief into action.
As this litigation proceeds, I urge our community to keep the women and their families in mind. Behind every discussion about this house are people whose futures remain unwritten. I hope Leesburg will help them write a better next chapter.
Robert Osbun
Leesburg, via email