LETTER: Ordinance Will Address Group Homes 'That Have Made Life a Living Hell for Their Neighbors'

Editor,

Most people drive safely and don't cause any problems on the roads.

But we still need stop signs and speed limits to protect the safety of the public, and traffic laws to hold the few reckless drivers out there accountable. The same goes for group homes in residential neighborhoods.

On Tuesday, March 29, the City Council's Planning & Land Use Management Committee will hold a public hearing on the Community Care Facility Ordinance that we spearheaded to address nuisance group homes that have proliferated in residential neighborhoods in the San Fernando Valley.

Contrary to the claims made by sober living home operator Paul Dumont in an opinion piece in the Daily News on March 21, this ordinance will not ban group homes or sober living homes, or discriminate against or single out any particular groups.

The ordinance is very carefully and specifically crafted so that it doesn't single out any groups. It applies to all group homes. It creates reasonable rules meant to protect quiet residential neighborhoods from nuisance group homes by defining what their operations can be.

Mr. Dumont claims that the ordinance would "declare thousands of single-family homes in Los Angeles `boarding houses' banned in single family neighborhoods." That is factually and blatantly incorrect. They must be licensed and meet the requirements laid out in the ordinance, which are based on current zoning guidelines for single-family home neighborhoods: limits on excessive noise, adequate parking, security and supervision on-site, and no overcrowding.

If a group home is licensed and meets those guidelines then they can continue to provide their services without a problem.

We agree with Mr. Dumont's claims that there are sober living homes that are good operators, and that don't disturb their neighbors. We agree that there are many sober living and group homes that provide needed services, and are not nuisances. This ordinance will not prevent them from providing their services.

The ordinance is meant to address the numerous unlicensed, illegal and nuisance group homes that have proliferated in quiet residential neighborhoods and have made life a living hell for their neighbors. We don't know even how many are there because they are not listed or registered anywhere.

We are not acting out of fear of what might happen. It is in response to what has already been happening. In response to growing number of complaints from terrified residents, we began collaborating on a Group Home Task Force with the Volunteer Surveillance Team, Department of Building and Safety, the City Attorney's office, LAPD officers and local stakeholders.

During sting operations, they conducted surveillance and investigated problem group homes in our area. Although this gained valuable information that led to the shutdown of a notorious illegal, nuisance group home that had plagued neighbors for years, it is not sustainable to repeat this for every nuisance group home. We need regulations.

In our district, people out to make a quick buck have exploited loopholes in the law, taken advantage of the weak housing market, and bought up single-family homes in residential neighborhoods at rock-bottom prices. They then crammed 15, 20, 30 even 50 people into homes with four or five bedrooms, with multiple bunk beds in every single room and shared bathrooms.

These nuisance group homes have no supervision, social services, drug or alcohol treatment programs, security or rehabilitation or even adequate parking. The countless horror stories from terrified and intimidated neighbors are bone chilling: three homes on a single block, 50 people living in one single-family home, loud parties, trash, fights, public intoxication, intimidation and frequent police and ambulance visits. This destroys the quality of life in the neighborhood.

We receive complaints from families who have a nuisance group home on their block and will not allow their children to play outside on their own street because it is unsafe. The residents of some homes include parolees, recovering drug addicts and alcoholics, and even registered sex offenders.

These nuisance group homes are unlicensed businesses that open in a residential neighborhood of single family homes, without registering, without notifying anyone, and without being required to have any treatment programs, accountability, supervision or security and are in violation of the zoning codes.

The Community Care Facility Ordinance doesn't change zoning laws, and is totally compatible with our current codes. It gives us the tools to protect neighborhoods from nuisance group homes, while allowing those that are legal, licensed and good neighbors, to continue to operate.

This is common sense legislation to address a real and growing problem.

Greig Smith
Councilman, District 12

Mitchell Englander
Councilman-elect, District 12