Melrose California neighbors come out in force over planned expansion of Sober Living homes in the area - 5/31/2012

In what is becoming a big trend in California, the residents of Melrose in Los Angeles California are fed up with the expansion of Sober Living homes in the area, lowering their quality of living and housing values. Recently at the end of May 2012 there was a heated Melrose Area Town Hall Held where they voice their concerns.

Melrose Area Town Hall Held

by peter | Thu, 05/31/2012 - 4:21pm

Over 100 neighbors gathered at the NCJW/LA office for a standing room only town hall meeting to hear about recent crimes in the area as well as continued frustration over the operation and possible expansion of sober living and nursing care facilities into the area.

The meeting began with introductions from LAPD Wilshire Captain Eric Davis, Senior Lead Officer Art Gallegos, Senior Lead Officer Hector Marquez, Sgt. Gonzalez, Detective Vargas, Officer Teddy Williams, and others. Council member Paul Koretz's field deputy John Darnell was also at the meeting and spoke about Koretz' support of a new ordinance regulating some aspects of the operation of the sober living homes.

Watch the video: http://melroseaction.com/node/296

Of course this problem is not new and was also covered when around 30 people showed up a meeting om May 23, 2012.

Planned Sober Living Facility Ignites Uproar

By Sylvia Cochran | Yahoo! Contributor Network – Wed, May 23, 2012

Thirty neighbors objected to the opening of a sober living facility for women on the Mesa in Santa Barbara, Calif., the Santa Barbara Independent reports. Fearing this type of facility was not a good fit for the neighborhood, residents succeeded in getting the facility owner to cancel her plans.

How did elected officials react?

Council member Cathy Murillo noted the majority of sober living facilities offered adequate supervision. Council member Randy Rowse was unable to persuade residents to change their minds but promised to work on legislation that would prohibit local governments from burdening facilities with fewer than six residents with rules and regulations.
Where are these facilities located?

Sober living homes are located throughout California. The San Diego County Sober Living Coalition highlights how neighborhoods, available facilities and costs vary. Some homes only serve men or women, while others are coed facilities. Costs range from $450 to $3,000 or more a month. Facilities in Cardiff by the Sea or Carlsbad charge the most, while Sherman Heights residences are far more modestly priced.

How does the law treat California's sober living homes?

The Valley News explained in 2008 that small facilities not providing detoxification or counseling services fall under the auspices of the Federal Fair Housing Act, which designates recovering addicts as disabled residents. Cities cannot limit access to these facilities in residential neighborhoods, as long as the sober living homes do not have more than six residents. Orange County devised a voluntary certification process for the facilities, but "no sober living facility shall be required to apply for or obtain certification under the Certification Guidelines," the officials state.

Does the absence of regulation create problems for some recovering addicts?

The Desert Sun has criticized Victory Life, a group home sponsored by the Living Word Church, for requiring homeless parolees and recovering addicts to spend their days selling chocolate bars in parking lots. There is no counseling involved. "They get you out selling chocolates as soon as possible. Selling chocolate is more important than anything else. They've made a business out of it," a former resident alleges.

Sylvia Cochran is a Los Angeles area resident with a firm finger on the pulse of California politics. Talk radio junkie, community volunteer and politically independent, she scrutinizes the good and the bad from both sides of the political aisle.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/planned-sober-living-facility-ignites-uproar-21320...

This type of story is breaking all over the US on all coasts as can be shown by:

Residents of Lido Isle, Newport Harbor, California are trying to stop the growth of Morningside Recovery Center. http://orange-papers.org/forum/node/1749