Local Ordinances
The following jurisdictions have adopted local ordinances to strengthen the regulation and oversight of sober living and recovery homes:
City of Anaheim
City of Buena Park
City of Costa Mesa
City of Fountain Valley
City of Huntington Beach
City of Laguna Niguel
City of Mission Viejo
City of Newport Beach
City of San Clemente
City of Yorba Linda
City of Redlands
County of Orange
Ohio House v. City of Costa Mesa
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the City of Costa Mesa’s zoning regulations for sober living and group homes, ruling they do not violate federal or state fair housing laws. The decision affirms that requirements such as conditional-use permits and minimum spacing between facilities apply fairly and may even benefit individuals in recovery by providing special operational pathways not available to other group living arrangements.
Columnist Teri Sforza says Costa Mesa’s hard-earned battles have set an example for others seeking to bring order to a chaotic system.