Costa Mesa's Not Alone In The Rehab Battles

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO DEALING WITH REHAB HOMES
Late last night online and in today's print edition the Orange County Register published an article by staff writer Fred Swegles buried on page 4 of the Local Section titled, "San Juan seeks freeze on rehab homes".  Click on that title to read the article.

THE TEXT SOUNDS VERY FAMILIAR
This timely piece summarizes what's been going on in that South County city as it deals with the infestation of rehabilitation homes - a problem exactly like the one Costa Mesa has been wrestling with for a few years now.  Costa Mesa residents have been asking for a moritorium on rehab homes for several years - San Juan Capistrano is poised to do exactly that.

OUR PROBLEM IS SIMILAR, BUT BIGGER
As you read through that article you'll get the sense that you're reading about Costa Mesa, except our city has been mired in this problem longer, and to a much greater extent.  It's been estimated by some that Costa Mesa has nearly one-third of all the rehab homes in Orange County.

RECENT MEETING - DANA CLUELESS
The article also mentions the March 18, 2016 meeting in Irvine attended by many elected officials - Sandra Genis was the only elected official from Costa Mesa based on reports from the scene - in which the issue of the proliferation of rehab homes throughout Orange County was discussed.  And, Congressman Dana Rhorabacher apparently has been quoted as saying something like "I've just become aware of this issue.", or words to that effect.  OK, there are a couple ways you could interpret that.  Since he's a resident of Costa Mesa - a couple blocks from me - it seems virtually impossible that ANY person with ANY political position could actually NOT be aware of this situation.  He is either clueless or not truthful - neither option seems satisfactory to me.

STATE-WIDE SOLUTION SOUGHT
There is a group in San Clemente - San Juan Capistrano's neighbor - that is attempting to generate signatures on an online petition to force the folks in Sacramento to DO SOMETHING about this problem.  A local organization, Take Back Our Neighborhoods (TBON) has been working with the San Clemente group and has provided a link on their web page that will take you directly to that petition.  The TBON page can be found at www.tboncostamesa.com.  The large red alert banner at the top of the homepage includes a link to the petition.

TWO ORDINANCES - NO ENFORCEMENT

Costa Mesa has passed two (2) ordinances in an attempt to regulate the way these rehab homes operate.  The first, pertaining to R-1 residential neighborhoods, is currently unenforceable due to litigation.  The second, for all other residential neighborhoods, should just about be going into effect now.

STAY ALERT AND SPEAK UP
Costa Mesa residents should continue to be vigilant because the proliferation of these homes appears to be adding to the spike in crime in our neighborhoods.  We should continue to require our elected leaders to look for solutions - including lobbying state and federal officials for a comprehensive solution -  and hold their feet to the fire until they do.

Update On Sober Living Home Invasion

TBON HAS NEW INFORMATION
Our friends at Take Back Our Neighborhoods (TBON) have updated their information on the ongoing invasion of Costa Mesa by the sober living "industry" and the results are more than disappointing.

INFESTATION GROWING
Go to their website, HERE, for all the information.  Our city, which already accounts for something like 28% of all sober living/rehab homes in Orange County, has gained another 5 licensed facilities since the State report in November.

 

BE SURE TO CLICK ON THE MAP
When you get to the TBON page, review the information provided along the right margin, then click on the map to be taken to a zoomable/interactive map to get a better idea of just where these places are located in your neighborhoods.

THANKS...
Thanks to the folks at TBON and others who are tracking this data and making it available to us all.  This issue affects most Costa Mesa neighborhoods and it's not going to get better unless our elected officials continue to work diligently on this problem and enforce the laws they've enacted.  Keep reminding them of that.

Costa Mesa To Help Fund Group Home Amicus Brief

NEWPORT BEACH ASKS FOR HELP
Today the City of Costa Mesa announced, HERE, that, in response to a request by Newport Beach City Manager Dave Kiff, it will contribute $10,000 to help fund an amicus brief to support Newport Beach's attempt to get its group-home ordinance reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court.


ONGOING EXPENSIVE PROBLEM
Newport Beach has been dealing with group homes - primarily drug and alcohol rehabilitation homes - for many years and has fought extensive, expensive legal battles trying to find a way to mitigate the impact of those kinds of facilities on their neighborhoods.



PRESERVING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
Costa Mesa has recently had a very sharp, significant increase in the proliferation of such homes, to the extent that Mayor Jim Righeimer has formed a Preserve Our Neighborhoods Task Force, HERE, comprised of residents that, guided by city staff, conducts their meetings privately - not subject to the Ralph M. Brown open meeting law - to attempt to find a solution to the problem.  This "secrecy" has riled many residents.

NUISANCE ABATEMENT ORDINANCE
The recently-enacted the Nuisance Abatement Ordinance HERE was another step planned to help exercise some control over the negative impact of such facilities in neighborhoods throughout the city - which seem to be opening primarily on the Eastside.

TBON PETITION
The grass roots group Take Back Our Neighborhoods (TBON) has produced an on-line petition requesting the City issue an immediate moratorium on such homes, including so-called "half-way houses" for prisoners recently released under the State of California's AB109 program, HERE. A moratorium will be highly unlikely, since under current law such facilities with six or fewer "residents" are considered "families" and are governed by the same rules as any other family home in our city.  Still, with more than 100 signatories to the petition based on last reports, if nothing else it demonstrates the growing concern by residents of this city about what is becoming a very big issue.

HOPING FOR BROAD SUPPORT
According to Communication Director Bill Lobdell, it is hoped that many more cities throughout our region and the state will participate in the amicus brief on this issue in an attempt to convince the United States Supreme Court that this is an issue worthy of their consideration.  It seems like $10,000 well-spent toward the resolution of a problem that affects many communities.