[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 176 (Friday, November 2, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1487-E1488]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           CONSTITUENT COMMENTS ON SOBER LIVING HOME PROBLEMS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. DANA ROHRABACHER

                             of california

                  in the house of representatives

                        Friday, November 2, 2018

  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise again regarding the hearing held 
by the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice on 
September 28, 2018, on the issue of sober living homes. At that 
hearing, I had the privilege of testifying in support of my bill, H.R. 
5724, to restore local oversight over sober living homes. As part of my 
testimony, I submitted to the Subcommittee letters from many of my 
constituents about problems with sober living homes caused by current 
federal law preventing appropriate local oversight. For the benefit of 
my colleagues and the American people, I include in the Record the 
eighth group of these constituent letters below:

       These are examples of what our neighborhood has had to 
     endure since the Sober living home has opened in our 
     neighborhood. As some of the new tenants moved in they 
     introduced themselves as a bunch of college students. These 
     tenants moved out within two weeks. We believe this was a 
     ploy by [REDACTED] get the start in the neighborhood without 
     attracting attention. Since they moved in, our neighborhood 
     has had to put up with cars parked illegally up and down the 
     street. When confronted, the tenants of the house use 
     profanity and extremely rude language and gestures.
       The neighborhood is on constant alert due to activity on 
     our street and in and out of the house all hours of the night 
     and day. Specifically, one-night last week a tenant walked 
     out with a backpack around 1:00 a.m. and met with a stranger 
     who was dropped off in our neighborhood earlier. The two were 
     observed cooking heroin. The police were called and showed 
     up. The two ran off along with a third person waiting in the 
     sober living house back yard. When the police arrived this 
     person and the one doing the drugs went home to home trying 
     to get into houses. All of this was verified and collaborated 
     via the many cameras in the neighborhood. One vehicle kept at 
     the house, which is usually parked on the street, appears to 
     be a drop point. People drive up and place something in the 
     trunk and later a tenant will pick up whatever has been 
     dropped off and bring it into the house.
       Our entire neighborhood has turned into a place where we do 
     not feel safe. Our children must call before they come home 
     so we can escort them into the house. The house has two 
     aggressive pit bulls who have gotten out and pinned a 
     neighbor inside her car unable to leave. When animal control 
     arrived, the dog was put in the house and one tenant said to 
     the officer it's not my dog and left.
       These are examples of what our neighborhood has been 
     dealing with. Some other concerns are the property values as 
     several long time homeowners are already talking about 
     selling to get away from the element that has moved in. This 
     home in question is less than 1000 feet from a school. The 
     school has been notified and parents that drop off their kids 
     for school will be notified about this house. This can 
     negatively affect the attendance of the school.
       The local police say there is nothing they can do, the city 
     council tell us there is nothing we can do, this is our 
     neighborhood and should not be driven out because of greed, 
     or loopholes in the laws and insurance scams. We would hope 
     Congress would give the local city's authority to regulate 
     and set rules for these kind of houses, and the ability to 
     shut them down for illegal activity.
                                                        Less Tait,
                                     Huntington Beach, California.
                                  ____
                                  
       My parents purchased their home in Huntington Beach, CA in 
     1977. I grew up in Huntington Beach, went to college and 
     returned to the city to build my life. I purchased my 
     residence in Huntington Beach in 2000. My family has loved 
     living in Huntington Beach. However, our lives drastically 
     changed in the last year.
       The couple that lived next door to my parents purchased 
     their home 41 years ago as original owners. They raised three 
     children in the home like my parents. They unfortunately 
     passed away recently, and their children sold the home in 
     November 2017. For months the home was under construction, 
     but my parents didn't think much of it. Then earlier this 
     year we noticed the neighbor had a large white commercial 
     style van outside, installed a fire sprinkler system with a 
     red bell above the front door, and divided the bonus room 
     into two rooms. We discovered from the person renovating the 
     home that instead of a large family, it was going to house 
     single people. The property records show the home was 
     purchased by a lawyer representing a LLC business and that 
     LLC business was owned by a business called [REDACTED]. We 
     assume it is a sober living home for men, but it may be some 
     other type of facility operated by [REDACTED].
       On February 24, 2018 was the first time I experienced a 
     problem. I went over to visit my parents from 8:30 am to 9:30 
     am. I sat in a chair in the family room. We had the windows 
     closed. I smelled a strong smoke smell in the home. I didn't 
     know where it was coming from. I left after one hour and had 
     a headache for six hours after.
       From February 24, 2018 to April 8, 2018, I visited my 
     parent's home about ten times. Every time I visited I smelled 
     smoke in the home, backyard and/or front yard and experience 
     health symptoms (burning eyes, coughing, shortness of breath, 
     headache and/or feeling of sickness). I did not smell smoke 
     or experience health symptoms prior to February 24, 2018. I 
     experienced these symptoms even with the operation of 
     multiple HEPA filters purchased to get rid of smoke.
       On Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018, at about 10:30 pm I came 
     to pick up some food. During the ten minutes I was at my 
     parent's home I coughed the entire time. I was not coughing 
     before coming to the home and didn't cough after I returned 
     to my car.

[[Page E1488]]

     There was some pollutant entering my parent's home and garage 
     from next door that caused me to cough. During this visit I 
     didn't smell smoke, so it may have been a different chemical 
     coming from next door.
       I am very concerned about the health impacts of the second-
     hand smoke and chemicals I am being exposed to in my parent's 
     home. I filed a complaint with the City of Huntington Beach 
     code enforcement on April 8, 2018 following my Easter Sunday 
     experience. Due to the symptoms my parents were experiencing, 
     my mom contacted the South Coast Air Quality Management 
     District (SCAQMD) and filed multiple complaints about the 
     smoke; however, SCAQMD inspection staff stated they cannot 
     take action against a residence, even though the sober living 
     home is a business. Typically, SCAQMD will issue a notice of 
     violation for businesses causing air pollution and nuisance. 
     My parents also filed complaints with the City of Huntington 
     Beach code enforcement. In addition, they have been filing 
     complaints with the operator of the home, [REDACTED]. The 
     operator has made small changes, but my family is still 
     significantly impacted by the smoke and/or chemicals (a sweet 
     smell presumably vapes from e-cigarettes) nearly 24 hours a 
     day, every day.
       My parents are elderly, have medical conditions that are 
     known to be exacerbated by smoke and chemicals (which are 
     also covered under the Americans for Disabilities Act), and 
     are constantly being exposed to indoor and outdoor air 
     pollution from the smoke and chemicals originating from next 
     door. I am worried about my parent's health and if the 
     exposure from the sober living home will cause premature 
     death. My niece and nephew are toddlers and I am concerned 
     about their health when they come visit their grandparents. 
     We smell the chemicals in the living room and kitchen where 
     we spend most of our family time. We are unable to use 
     bedrooms in the home because those rooms are filled with air 
     contaminants and are now unsuitable for sleeping. The sober 
     living home next door has caused significant stress and 
     caused emotional toll for my family.
       Second-hand smoke has proven health impacts and according 
     to the Centers for Disease Control ``There is no risk-free 
     level of second hand smoke exposure; even brief exposure can 
     be harmful to health.'' In addition, the California Air 
     Resources Board has identified second hand smoke as a ``Toxic 
     Air Contaminant''. Reports are now coming out about the 
     health impacts of e-cigarettes.
       In addition to having a sober living home next door to my 
     parents, eight homes down the street is a detox home owned by 
     [REDACTED]. The neighbor of this home is the child of another 
     original family in the neighborhood. The current family has 
     young children and has been negatively impacted by the detox 
     home from smoking, bad language, and too many vehicles 
     parking. In addition, the parents have found needles at the 
     local park, so their children no longer visit the park.
       In the last couple months, I have noticed groups of people 
     standing on the curb in my condo complex smoking. In eighteen 
     years of living at my residence, I have never seen this 
     before and the general population smoking rates in California 
     are decreasing. I would not be surprised if there is a detox 
     or sober living home in my condo complex, but my homeowner 
     association says they are ``not allowed to ask.'' The 
     property next to mine is currently on the market and I have 
     decided if a detox or sober living home moves next door, I 
     will sell my property and ``cash out.'' I do not want to 
     handle the stress of another detox or sober living home.
       Yesterday, I was driving down [REDACTED]. (a major street 
     in Huntington Beach). In a one mile stretch between 
     [REDACTED], I saw three addiction treatment centers on one 
     side of the road. Most likely each one of them has a network 
     of detox and sober living homes nearby. Huntington Beach is 
     now known on the Internet as the national ``Rehab Rivera.''
       Huntington Beach property values are going to be 
     drastically impacted. Realtor Magazine published an article 
     on October 17, 2014, stating there is an eight to 17 percent 
     reduction in home values when homes are within one-eighth of 
     a mile from a residential treatment center. When my parents 
     attempt to sell their home and they disclose there is sober 
     living home next door and a detox home eight homes down the 
     street, it is common sense that the home will have a lower 
     value. If they don't disclose the location of the homes, they 
     can be sued by the buyer for non-disclosure. It is a lose-
     lose situation for the large number of families that have 
     detox and sober living homes in their neighborhood.
       When the health insurance runs out or a person is kicked 
     out for breaking the house rules, they are left on the 
     sidewalk. Many of these people become homeless since they 
     don't have the money to pay for transportation home. In 
     addition, when addicts relapse they can commit crimes to get 
     money for the next fix. I have noticed a significant increase 
     in number of homeless people in the city and heard reports 
     from neighbors of an increase property crime. Huntington 
     Beach used to pride itself as being one of the safest cities 
     in America and that was a major reason my family chose to 
     live in this community.
       The sober living home next door to my parents has totally 
     changed my family's quality of life. Detox and sober living 
     homes should not be in residential areas. They should not be 
     able to destroy other residents' health, quality of life, and 
     property values. In addition, Huntington Beach should only 
     have the necessary facilities to serve our local population.
                                                    Preeti Ghuman,
                                     Huntington Beach, California.
                                  ____
                                  
       I live next door to a home rented out to [REDACTED], a 
     sober living business, in Huntington Beach, CA, for one year 
     & seven months. The clients are brokered from all over the 
     United States. The owner is making $9,000 in monthly rent 
     compared to the average of $3500.
       A second home just sold in August on my side of the 
     street--three doors down and is also a so called sober living 
     home.
       Never know who is coming and going--more than 6 in the 
     home--not counting the manager (who has a job and is not 
     monitoring the group on a regular basis). Fourteen last 
     summer.
       One death in March--went unnoticed in the house for eight 
     hours before authorities were notified. Two drug overdoses--
     last one in July called 911 himself.
       Drug deals--at night
       Needles thrown in my backyard
       NOISE--any time--day & Night
       Loud music, talking, screaming, cursing
       Physical fights spilling onto street
       Cars/motorcycles--on the street (3-7 at any given time)
       Sex in cars
       Cigarettes butts thrown all around my property.
       Cigarette smoke--cannot sit outside, front & back
       Trash overflowing from trash cans--maggots, flies, stench
       Gum-wads spitted on my driveway
       Trash in front of our house/street
       House across the street fell out of escrow twice after 
     learning of SLH presence--Our property values going down
       No longer live on a beautiful, peaceful, quiet street where 
     my grandchildren can visit.
                                                 Jeanne Kulpinski,
                                     Huntington Beach, California.
                                  ____
                                  
       1) All of them involve sketchy loud and obnoxious yelling, 
     or very loud talking.
       2) They are up late hours.
       3) Others have saws going at 7 am to cut gates in fences. 
     They don't care about neighbors. Not invested in neighborhood 
     since they're transients.
       4) And the 3 are ALL together with the corporate office in 
     one of them too. So, the other 2 are acting in their BEST 
     BEHAVIOR so they're not bothering the boss and get kicked 
     out!
       5) Biz belong in commercial areas, not residential!
       6) And they need Local control & regulation like ALL BIZ 
     have to have! Why do they get special exception?
       The law needs to be changed to fix the lack of supervision 
     & abuses!
       1) Require city code enforcement & PD to monitor and cite 
     violations for abuses.
       2) 3-Strikes & ur out of biz! SLHs would bring the hammer 
     down on violating clients to avoid losing that free $ gig.
       3) Ban leaving those clients who run out of insurance $, 
     being kicked out on the curb. Use that obscene $ to pick them 
     up and transition them safely back to the real world. Sober 
     transition houses.
       4) Ban more than 1 SLH in a single-family tract home.
       #NoBizInResidential!
                                                      Bruce Wareh,
     Huntington Beach, California

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