LEGAL NUMBER OF SOBER LIVING HOMES IN RESIDENTIAL ZONES

Motion - Sober Living Homes provide a supportive environment for people who are recovering from alcohol or drug addiction. Often individuals live in a Sober Living Home for a very brief period of time while transitioning between rehabilitation programs and permanent housing. They have been flourishing throughout the City of Los Angeles for the last few years, typically locating in single family homes in residential neighborhoods. No state or local license or special permit is required for a Sober Living Home to open in an R-1 zone, (one family zone), in Los Angeles. A Sober Living Home is only required to conform to the same regulations as any other dwelling unit in that zone. Under Building and Safety guidelines, a residential unit of 3,000 sq. ft. could be occupied by as many as 10 persons because for every 300 sq. ft., one person may occupy a dwelling. Because of the high density of residents and the transient nature of the population, a high concentration of Sober Living Homes on a street or in a neighborhood may be detrimental to the quality of life in the neighborhood. THEREFORE MOVE that the City Attorney's Office is conjunction with the Planning Department and Department of Building and Safety report to the Council in 45 days on the legal options available to regulate the distance requirements between Sober Living Homes in residential, single family homes, areas; FURTHER MOVE that these departments report on the feasibility and legal permissibility regulating the number of Sober Living Homes in residential zones.