An Orange County Grand Jury published a report (pdf) in June raising concerns about the impact of group homes, including sober living homes, in the Southern California county and recommended cities come together to better regulate the homes.
The jurors said cities should develop a model ordinance and pool resources together to defend against potential lawsuits surrounding the operation of the homes.
Since 2008, Newport Beach has racked up nearly $10 million in litigation costs related to a lawsuit over its sober living home regulations, and Costa Mesa has spent over $10 million in litigation due to a similar ordinance passed in 2015, according to the 42-page report titled “Welcome to the Neighborhood: Are cities responsibly managing the integration of group homes?”…