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v� vY ORANGECOUNTY <br />SOBER LIVING <br />COALITION <br />City Council <br />City of Santa Ana <br />20 Civic Center Plaza <br />Santa Ana, CA 92701 <br />June 21, 2016 <br />RE: PROPOSED EMERGENCY ORDINANCE ADOPTING A45 -DAY MORATORIUM ON THE <br />ESTABLISHMENT, OPERATION OR EXPANSION OF ANY BOARDINGHOUSE, LODGING HOUSE, ROOMING <br />HOUSE USE OR MULTIPLE TENANCIES IN A SINGLE APARTMENT UNIT <br />Honorable City Council, <br />The Orange County Sober Living Coalition sets standards for, certifies and supports independent sober <br />living homes in Orange County. Coalition membership identifies houses as being safe, clean, well- <br />managed and ethical. Members also share in the decades of collective experience of some of the best <br />sober living providers today. They have the means to stay current with best practices nationwide. <br />They're informed about legal and regulatory events affecting their operations, and the lives of the <br />recovering individuals they serve. <br />Coalition member homes enjoy a positive reputation as quality housing providers. Member homes are <br />known to have met the requirements set for membership. The quality of member homes is assured <br />through regular inspections. Member operators and staff sign a Code of Ethics governing conduct <br />toward each other and their residents. <br />Member homes stand out from non-member homes, which are not governed by any set standard of <br />quality. Various legal jurisdictions and service providers are beginning to recognize the difference in <br />referring clients to homes that are certified by the Coalition. <br />The Orange County Sober Living Coalition along with The Sober Living Network actively monitor political <br />and legal issues that affect sober living homes. It acts as informed advocate on those issues, and has <br />standing to be heard before legislative staff and local regulators. <br />We were alerted to your pending moratorium, which creates immediate penalties for perhaps hundreds <br />of existing Santa Ana landlords. In reviewing the proposed ordinance, a few things raise concerns. Sober <br />living households operate as single family -like units, and are protected in their access to housing by <br />California and Federal law. Although most sober living homes are sited in single-family dwellings and <br />neighborhoods, many utilize multifamily dwellings. Fair housing laws are applicable regardless of the <br />dwelling type. The proposed ordinance fails to distinguish between uses that are protected by law and <br />1650 Adams Ave. Costa Mesa CA 92626 <br />