Sober Living Homes in Balboa

Some years ago, as existing Irvine Ranch residents strongly opposed any new residential development near them, The Irvine Company conducted a survey to determine if there were any types of new residents the existing residents would tolerate.

Top of the list of desirable neighbors was “an older couple with no children.” Next on the list was “a young couple with small children.”

Last on the list was “a family with teenagers.” But no one surveyed volunteered that they wanted a neighboring home to house recovering drug or alcohol addicts.

Yet, over the past years, at least 76 “sober living homes” housing recovering drug and/or alcohol addicts have cropped up along the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach.

The rental homes house up to six residents who are in 90-day rehabilitation programs. Interestingly, although the sober living operators could rent for far less cost in inland Orange County or in the Inland Empire, they can get far higher payments from occupants if they are near the sea.

While nearly everyone agrees on the value of such programs, few of the residents along the Balboa Peninsula want the homes to be near them.

To stop the spread of additional such facilities and to gain some control over existing ones, residents formed a committee called Concerned Citizens of Newport Beach and pushed the city council into taking action.

As a result, the City of Newport Beach has enacted controls on future homes which are called the strictest in the nation. But the companies operating these homes are contemplating legal action against the City.

Certainly to be continued.

Posted on Friday, February 29, 2008 in Permalink