Our Reality: Living with Sober Living Homes in Costa Mesa

If you see something, SAY SOMETHING

It Takes a Village

United We Stand

Knowledge is Power

Never Give in, Never, Never, Never, (1941 Churchill)

Thank God for the Register’s OC Watchdog series (http://www.ocregister.com/tag/oc-watchdog/ ) exposing the sober living industry which invaded our quaint Costa Mesa a few years ago.  

The article may be the answer some of us have been waiting for to inform Costa Mesans about the complexities of the sober living home industry. A few years ago, a few brave residents united to try to oppose the takeover of once safe and quiet neighborhoods. However, to silence their free speech, residents received cease and desist letters warning them they could be sued if their actions showed discrimination towards the rehabilitation clients. Residents were hushed.  Who could risk a lawsuit and losing their home?

The City hemmed and hawed, doing nothing, citing possible lawsuits if there was discrimination towards clients, but in 2014 an ordinance was passed.  It was never strongly enforced. For several years only one code enforcement officer handled any citizen complaints about nuisance behavior or building code violations or lack of required permits from the sober living homes.

Now residents should be interested in reading through an update to the ordinance passed recently by the city council and taking effect June 2. Reading it and printing for future reference, residents will be able to understand better how the City, in context of ADA nondiscrimination laws, is trying to regulate and require permitting of sober living homes: http://www.costamesaca.gov/ftp/council/a...

There is a key paragraph on Page 8, if you don't want to read the whole ordinance: v. “The sober living home shall have a good neighbor policy that shall direct occupants to be considerate of neighbors, including refraining from engaging in excessively loud, profane or obnoxious behavior that would unduly interfere with a neighbor's use and enjoyment of their dwelling unit. The good neighbor policy shall establish a written protocol for the house manager/operator to follow when a neighbor complaint is received.”

Beginning on Page 5 are requirements for a City permit. Key point:  If a resident has a problem with a sober living home, the resident should contact the city to see if the operation is permitted or if it is a State licensed home.   

It is hoped all operators would apply for permits and follow all rules, but that is part of the challenge, many homes are unknown to the city.

“Curbing” has been the biggest problem in the last few years.  Clients are kicked “to the curb” when they “fall off the wagon,” or break other rules. Many of the clients are young people who came to Costa Mesa to get sober from places all over America. Getting them home isn’t easy. Many wander our streets, black trash bag or backpack hanging over their back.

Note on Page 6 of the Ordinance are the NEW requirements for eviction. "(6) At least 48 hours prior to eviction from or involuntary termination of residency in a group home, the operator thereof shall: i. notify the person designated as the occupant’s emergency contact or contact of record that the occupant is no longer a resident at the home; ii. contact the Orange County Health Care Agency OC Links Referral Line or other entity designated by the City to determine the services available to the occupant, including but not limited to, alcohol and drug inpatient and outpatient treatment; iii. notify the city’s Network for Homeless Solutions that an occupant is no longer a resident at the home, determine the services available therefrom; and iv. provide the information obtained from ii. and iii. and any other treatment provider or service to the occupant prior to his or her release on a form provided by the city and obtain the occupant’s signed acknowledgement thereon; v. provided, however, that if the occupant’s behavior results in immediate termination of residency pursuant to rules approved by the city as part of the special use permit for that facility, the operator shall comply with i. though iv. as soon as possible".

Just how many operators know about these new rules is anyone's guess. I’m not sure how the City plans to hold operators accountable since many homes are not registered.  

But with these rules residents are now empowered to report violations through Costa Mesa Connect, the Code Enforcement Department and the police department.

Should a certain address accumulate many reports of rules’ violations in addition to other types of nuisance behavior, it is possible the City could declare the property a nuisance.

Knowledge is power and City ordinances and reports are not always easy to understand, but I wanted to share this ordinance highlighting important parts hoping that neighbors will meet with their neighbors and work together to develop their own strategies to defend and protect their families, property and quality of life.

I love this quote from Winston Churchill: “I am addressing myself to the School - surely from this period of ten months this is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy. We stood all alone a year ago, and to many countries it seemed that our account was closed, we were finished. All this tradition of ours, our songs, our School history, this part of the history of this country, were gone and finished and liquidated.”

Costa Mesans are courageous and strong folk who love our city and the life we enjoy here. I've raised 5 kids here and hope to die here.  We can’t give up. We must do all we can to defend and protect our families, homes and our quality of life.

(For the entire speech see: https://www.nationalchurchillmuseum.org/never-give-in-never-never-never.html) 
Looking forward to the new movie "Churchill".