Best Practices for Addressing N.I.M.B.Y. (Not In My Backyard) KATIE JO BREIDENBACH WOODING EDUCATION AND TRAINING COORDINATOR, OHIO RECOVERY HOUSING
A Reminder. . . This presentation and Q&A does not serve as legal If you are concerned about a legal matter, please advice. We are not lawyers and do not have the contact an attorney or your local legal aid office authority to give you legal advice
What we Graduate House Sober mean House Recovery Housing vs. when we say Halfway House “Recovery House” ¾ House
Alcohol and Drug Free Recovery Person Driven LOS Housing Community of Recovery
Re Recovery Ho Hous using i is HOUSING NG no not t treatment
Introduction OHIO RECOVERY HOUSING: BEST THIS GUIDE CAN BE FOUND UNDER THE PRACTICES FOR ADDRESSING NIMBY BEST PRACTICE GUIDES PAGE OF THE GUIDE ORH WEBSITE
Have you had to address NIMBY issues in your community?
Is Recovery Housing Regulated?
HOUSING Local Zoning Code YES! Local Housing Code State Building Code Landlord Tenant Law
Laws and How they Apply to You The Fair Housing Act of 1968 The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Zoning and Land Use Discrimination Landlord Tenant Law Continuum of Care Planning
1. End housing discrimination The Fair Housing Act of 1986 2. End housing segregation
The Fair Housing Act of 1968 Race or Color National Origin Religion Sex Familial Status Disability
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The Fair Housing Act cannot prevent local zoning ordinances that: • Create single-family districts • Preserve open space Zoning and • Prevent overcrowding Land Use • Ensure adequate parking Discrimination • Enforce health and safety regulations and other non- discriminatory laws designed to protect health and safety • Retain historic character and attributes of the community and housing stock
Reasonable Accommodation What is reasonable? ◦ Does not cause an undue financial or administrative burden ◦ Does not cause a fundamental alteration in the nature of the program ◦ Will not cause harm or damage to others ◦ Is technologically possible
Reasonable Accommodation Sample information to include in a reasonable accommodation request letter • A clear statement of request for reasonable accommodation • Who you are requesting reasonable accommodation for and why • The specific policy, rule or ordinance you would like reasonable accommodation for • Give a clear and reasonable timeline for when you would like to hear back
The Facts About NIMBY
MYTH FACT While there is no direct research on recovery housing, data analysis Recovery Housing will lower property values concerning affordable housing found no relationship between affordable housing and property values Peer reviewed researcher found no difference in crime rates in Crime rates will increase neighborhoods surrounding recovery houses vs. neighborhoods with no recovery houses The addiction crisis has brought drug addiction into all our Children will be exposed to drugs and drug communities. Researchers found that people who live in use recovery homes have lower incidents of drug use than people who return to communities after usual care While there is no research on the appearance of recovery homes, The house will look bad, making the you can remind community members that the recovery house will neighborhood look bad be subject to the same laws as all neighborhoods in the community and your commitment to have well-maintained policies Recovery housing, by definition, is an environment free of alcohol Strangers will loiter in the neighborhood or and illicit drug use. You can share your organization’s specific there will be drug deals in the house policies and procedures concerning how you will ensure that you will maintain this environment
Develop a relationship with local leaders Developing a Partner with Other Community Organizations Community Door to Door Communications Outreach Plan How to speak to reporters Scripted Answers to common questions regarding recovery housing
Strategies for Public Meetings Is a Public Meeting Appropriate? / Request an alternative to a Public Meeting Prepare for a Public Meeting
Is a Public Meeting Appropriate? Is the public meeting Is the public meeting being held only because required for all types of you are operating housing and variances? housing that serves people in recovery?
Request an Alternative to a Public Meeting • Request to meet with elected officials and the leadership of neighborhood organizations to respond to community concerns in a controlled atmosphere • Request that a city agency be designated to conduct mediation between operators and concerned citizens to seek common ground • Consider door-to-door communications with neighbors, where you visit each neighbor to introduce yourself and your program
1 2 3 Contact Ohio Prepare statements Determine if it is Recovery Housing for a hearing appropriate to have people in recovery provide statements Prepare for a Public Meeting
(614) 453-5133 WWW.OHIORECOVERYHOUSING.ORG INFO@OHIORECOVERYHOUING.ORG Ohio Recovery Housing
A person from your neighborhood attends a public meeting regarding your recovery home. They stand before the committee and say: Scenario 1 “What you’re doing with recovery housing is great work that our community needs… but why does it need to be next door to me, why can’t you put it somewhere else?”
Your local zoning board or planning commission tells you that because you’re planning to operate a recovery home, you Scenario 2 have to include a sprinkler system that other non-recovery home single family residences in your neighborhood do not have to install.
You would like to request reasonable accommodation from your city planning commission regarding the installation of a Scenario 3 sprinkler system. Your city tells you: “We do not have a process for reasonable accommodation– just apply for a variance”
Recommend
More recommend
