“First, as this process moves forward, I hope that all homeowners are respectful to those involved. While this is not a pleasant experience for the homeowner, the company hired by the state for the acquisition process had no part in the plan itself and deserve to be treated respectfully.
Second, we received our offer and decided to contact an attorney. Neighbors on both sides of us have contacted the same attorney. As a homeowner, you have NOTHING to lose by engaging an attorney. Their fee is 1/3 of any additional compensation they are able to obtain over the original offer. Once we were presented with the entire acquisition package and offer, I realized that the amount of paper was impossible for me to comprehend. Engaging the help of an attorney, as far as I can see, is nothing but beneficial to the homeowner. The attorney also has more leverage if he has more homeowners. If anyone would like the contact information for the attorney we have engaged, please feel free to contact me via email at kimturnerbrown@yahoo.com.
Finally, I realize that John and I are lucky because our home is at the north end of this project and our curb will actually be 18 feet further away than it is currently. The construction process will be the worst part for us. As this project moves forward, it is going to be important for us to seek assistance and support from our neighbors and community, including those who do not live directly on Rolling Road. Communication is going to be very important!”