Neighbors sue Region Ten for documents

The next chapter in a local development saga unfolded last week, when the Little High Area Neighborhood Association (LHANA) sued Region Ten, a mental health support agency, to obtain documents. LHANA was specifically looking for correspondence between Region Ten and City officials, documents which LHANA hopes will support its position that a housing community for the mentally disabled requires public debate and a Planning Commission review.
LHANA has been clamoring about the project, called “The Mews,” since the apartment complex on the 1100 block of Little High Street was sold to Region Ten in August, 2005. LHANA objects to the planning of the project and says Region Ten hasn’t been forthcoming about the details of the project, expected to house about 40 Region Ten clients.
The Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) allows the public access to any documents that are held by public bodies. LHANA requested all documents related to “The Mews” on May 10, and again on May 22. Under FOIA, Region Ten had five business days to fulfill the request. But when LHANA President Mark Haskins received no response, he called, finally getting an assistant, who “told us if we heard anything it would be from their attorney,” he says.
Caruso Brown, interim executive director for Region Ten (and the agency’s third since the controversy began), says his agency was late because they are inexperienced in dealing with FOIA requests. He says his assistant referred Haskins to their attorney because she didn’t feel comfortable speaking on behalf of the organization. “There was no malice and no intent to not respond timely,” Brown says.
Last Friday, a judge found Region Ten to be in violation of FOIA, but they were found to have no willful intent and were not fined. Region Ten has since provided LHANA with heaps of documents. If LHANA is satisfied, no further hearings will be necessary. Otherwise it’s back to court June 30.—Meg McEvoy