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WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD <br />homes to six residents is part of the State statute; however, confusion arises because <br />the statute does not apply to sober living homes. <br />There is only so much a city can do to respond to the complaints of its residents when <br />- dealing with an overconcentration of group homes in a neighborhood. It is important for <br />city residents to be educated on the barriers faced by cities, and to work with their city to <br />overcome these barriers. <br />Current laws -do not adequately address the need to manage the integration of group <br />- homes into neighborhoods. Courts should not be where the solutions are found. <br />REASON FOR STUDY <br />- Many cities within -Orange County have neighborhoods with a dense concentration of <br />group -recovery and -sober living residences. In most circumstances, cities do not know <br />- where these group homes are located unless the homes generate a backlash from <br />neighbors due to -various- types of disturbances. The Grand Jury examined how Orange <br />County cities are managing the distancing of all types of group homes, and the impact <br />group -homes have on :neighborhoods and group home residents when the homes are in <br />close proximity to one another. <br />Group- homes; -most often Recovery and Sober Living homes, and the nuisances that <br />-are -commonly -associated -with them, are not new to Orange County. Neighborhood <br />- - complaints, -concerns from individuals living in or related to residents of group homes, <br />the litigious nature of the relationship between cities and group home operators, and <br />abuse of. -the healthcare system have been in play in Orange County for well over a <br />decade. <br />The Grand Jury began this study by looking at how cities are managing the influx and <br />locations of group homes -and identifying best practices where they are found. The <br />working-pr-emise was that each city is responsible for the integration of group homes, <br />- -which would serve -to -protect the residents of group homes while maintaining the <br />existing neighborhood atmosphere. <br />-Has there -been success addressing the issues associated with group homes and what <br />does that look like? Are cities going it alone or are there county -wide efforts? Has there <br />_been _progress;m-ade -in this area?_ The Grand Jury approached the topic of group home <br />integration seeking answers to these questions with the expectation that there were <br />some systems in placeresultingin the successful integration of group homes. The <br />investigation took.a winding road which revealed that, despite countless attempts at <br />-- change, many of the -problems that surfaced over a decade ago are still present. The <br />Grand Jury found -that successfully implemented solutions have become even more <br />impactful--in.light of the State of California's heavy-handed entry into the debate. <br />ORANGE COUNTY GRAND JURY 2022 1 2023 Page 6 of 42 <br />