Helping disabled seniors to stay in their homes

My name is Kimberly Hartman, I am a Registered Nurse and an assisted living home owner in Mesa, AZ. I am requesting donations to help with the cost of attorneys as I stand up for the disabled and elders in the city of Mesa AZ.

City of Mesa Fire and Protection has recently told me to kick out an 86 y/o resident that is on hospice and has lived in my assisted living home for 4 years as she is not able to walk and they state that she is in an unsafe environment due to the chance of a fire in the assisted living home.

They are enforcing an IFC code that they state has been around for years but yet, most assisted living homeowners have not heard of it. Additionally, I was given a license by the State of Arizona to care for 10 people that are unable to self preserve but City of Mesa fire and protection is superseding that license and telling us residential assisted living home owners and the residents that I am unable to have any one person that is unable to self preserve in a fire without any help.

This code enforcement is heartless and does not take into account the disability/fair housing laws and the fact that they are discriminating against the elderly that chose our homes in hopes that they could remain until "end of life" surrounded by the people that they have now became friends and "family" with.

This code includes any person that is unable to self preserve including cognitive as well as physical. Also includes residents that are nearing end of life. Forcing someone to move at this fragile time in their lives will guarantee untimely deaths as transitional trauma can cause major decline.

We have tried to meet with City Council and City of Mesa fire and protection and received no solutions from them. They are standing their ground and citing "this code has been around for a long time and we are not changing it". Granted, I would not be fighting this if I truly thought my assisted living home was putting them in danger. I have fire sprinklers, heat/smoke detectors, fire monitoring company, 7 exits to my home, fire evacuation drills and awake Caregiver at night. Additionally, my husband and I live on the property and fire department is 4 minutes away with out the use of lights and sirens.

I am fighting for not only my residents and their families but all of the Mesa residents as we too will someday be disabled, God willing and I am hoping to amend the fire code in order to allow the elderly/disabled to age in place but I need help with attorney fees. I would greatly appreciate any help you can give.