Residents of a northeastern Fort Dodge neighborhood recently learned that a home for people with severe and persistent mental health conditions is planned for their area, and they are not happy about it.

Property owners in The Woodlands are going to court to try to stop it.

They also brought their concerns to the City Council Monday.

“We feel that it’s been very much behind the scenes,” said Sydney Pokorny, who addressed the council Monday. “No one has talked to us at all.”

She said the residents of the neighborhood learned two or three weeks ago that Elevate Housing Foundation, of Waterloo, plans to open a home for people with severe and persistent mental health conditions at 2711 27th Ave. N.

“I’m a little bit concerned,” she said.

About 10 residents of the neighborhood went to the council meeting to “ensure that the City Council knows we’re concerned,” she added.

Pokorny said the residents have gone to court to seek an injunction to stop the project on the grounds that it violates restrictions called covenants that property owners must agree to when they buy real estate in The Woodlands.

The lack of communication to the residents about the project has been very concerning, she added. She said no one from the state Department of Health and Human Services, Elevate Housing Foundation or any other mental health agency has contacted the neighbors.

“This has been very under the table,” she said.

Joe Reres, whose house at 2717 27th Ave N. is right next to the proposed group home, expressed another concern.

“No one is going to want to buy my house sitting next to something like that,” he said.

Nobody from Elevate Housing addressed the council.

City Attorney Mark Crimmins said seeking the court injunction is the right move for the neighborhood residents. He said the covenants and restrictions property owners in The Woodlands must abide by are likely to be more helpful than any city ordinance.