The city of Bellevue is planning to seize several homes in a residential neighborhood to build Fire Station 10.

There are plenty of non-residential sites they could have chosen. But it’s cheaper to evict residents of single family homes and take their lots. If this is the approach the city is going to take to site selection, nobody is safe in their home.

While my house is not on the site the city wants, I recently learned that it is part of another site that was also under consideration for Fire Station 10. I suppose I should be thankful that we missed the bullet this time. But I’m sure the city will always have new projects to do. When will they come for us?

After this story broke so close to home, I’ve come to realize that the No. 1 concern a resident can have — more than parks, bicycle lanes and all that other good stuff — is that we can stay in our homes without fear that it will be seized by the city.

I hope the residents of Bellevue will vigorously oppose this terrible decision by our city, and send a clear message that our residential neighborhoods are not up for grabs.

Ben Mathew

Bellevue