So So So So So So So So Good evening everybody I would like to welcome everyone and I will now call to order the august 26th 2025 special input meeting of the social services and public safety committee I would like to especially thank everyone in the public for being here today In addition, I want to thank the staff for being willing to stay here late And my colleagues that were able to join us today for this special meeting Before we go into the overview and the ordinance I just wanted to thank the administration for working on an ordinance on recovery residences and um And council member morton for setting up a work group to look at the local ordinance Council member lynch and shan as well as myself serve in that group And today we wanted to provide a chance for public input I wanted to remind everyone that we will not be able to respond to specific comments today Uh, and then i'll remind you more about public comment in a minute And now I will turn it over to council member morton for any other introductory Remarks before looking at the ordinance. Thank you. Thank you chair reynolds So over the past several months my office in alongside with three other council members council member lynch council member She and a council member reynolds have been meeting weekly with stakeholders Neighborhood leaders and individuals in recovery to carefully work through the recovery residence ordinance this these conversations have been honest And honestly, they've been a little bit difficult at times, but they've been also productive. We've heard concerns from neighbors We've listened to the lived experience of people in recovery and we've taken guidance from experts to make the ordinance reflect both compassion But also accountability the goal of this work has always been to strike the right balance Protecting the dignity and rights of those in recovery while also ensuring the safety stability and quality life in our neighborhoods Remain the balance takes time input and collaboration and I want to thank everyone who has stayed engaged through the process Tonight we want to provide the opportunity for our community to give public input regarding the creation and adoption Of the recovery residence ordinance as i've always emphasized community input should be at the forefront when making decisions And I want to express my gratitude to everyone here today for showing up It is a full house and this is exactly what we need when we make decisions as a government so with that being said Your input is valuable and it should always be a part of this process with that I'd like to hand it over to attorney cravens for a brief overview of the first Draft ordinance that's been that was been brought forward as a framework and highlight the fair housing laws that may Hinder some regular regulations from being added to the ordinance. So with that let's get started and the ball's in your court attorney cravens Good evening council members I will try to keep my remarks brief because you've got a room full of people and you want to hear from them and not Me, but I did but councilman morton did suggest That we give some context to the conversation tonight so I just wanted to briefly and I won't read every single slide, but I wanted to give an overview of At least the ordinance that's on the table right now what it does and what it doesn't do. So Why are we here tonight why now Well, the why now is because as part of the 2023 and 2034 regular sessions The kentucky general assembly enacted new law and the new law does two things for our purposes for this discussion Number one it prohibits the operation of recovery residence unless the operator has been certified And number two, it gives local governments the authority and legal standing to impose civil fines and initiate legal actions against recovery residences Aka sober living homes that operate in violation of state law So we can regulate now but We also need to be mindful of the legal guideposts and the legal landscape that we are operating in that we're regulating in. So I kind of want to give context with regard to two federal laws briefly that have bearing on this One is the fair housing act which generally prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of disability And for our purposes disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities and physical or mental impairment means alcohol includes alcoholism and drug addiction so That's one guidepost Guidepost number two is the americans with disabilities act Which requires that our public program services and activities are accessible that reasonable accommodations be made That discrimination by local government against qualified individuals with disabilities is prohibited and Again for our purposes qualified individual with disability is defined by the ada in a manner that doesn't exclude individuals who complete supervised drug rehab individuals who are participating in supervised drug rehab Or individuals who are otherwise been or being rehabilitated and not engaged in the illegal use of a controlled substance so bottom line of all that is Individuals in recovery from substance abuse disorders generally qualify as disabled persons protected by both the fha and the ada so Because of that federal law prohibits lfucg from prohibiting or significantly regulating recovery residents in a manner that would Discriminate in housing on the base of disability Deny equal housing opportunity on the base of disability or treat groups of persons with disabilities less favorably than groups of non-disabled persons so That's all context For what we're here to talk about which is the draft ordinance that that we've prepared and presented to council So mindful of those guideposts the draft ordinance. Here's what it does It adopts the state law requirements for recovery residences including certification It requires operators of recovery residences aka sober living homes to provide proof of that certification to lfucg It requires a license renewable annually With supporting documentation and information for purposes of making sure that recovery residence operators remain in compliance and and and the licensure is really the vehicle by which We're administering the the and overseeing the certification requirement It requires recovery residence operators to obtain a zoning compliance permit And requires operators to provide notice to abutting owners upon application for a permit It creates an enforcement scheme That authorizes civil citations and civil penalties against operators who violate the ordinance including the remedy of recording liens But it also countervails that with an appeals process. That's protective of due process and we built into the ordinance a six month period kind of a grace period or a A come into compliance period following passage to allow operators to have adequate time to comply Now what it doesn't do is almost as important as what it does do As I said the legal the legal guideposts that primarily concern me as the attorney for the city is the fha and the ada and so mindful of our requirement to To comply with the ada and the fha The proposed ordinance does not regulate recovery residences differently from a land use perspective. I aka Where they can be or how they can operate? This is a residential use and should be treated the same as other residential uses from a zoning and land use perspective and so Bear in mind what we're talking about when we say recovery residences aka sober living homes They're like residential uses of groups of individuals who are otherwise protected by the fha and the ada It also doesn't regularly or the proposed ordinance also doesn't regulate density aka spacing requirements And again, that's because the fha and the ada prohibit treating groups of protected individuals Less favorably than groups of non-protected individuals The idea of that that the example that I used when I presented this back in april I think was if if a campus house of four students Wouldn't be subject to a density requirement. I had trouble defending a density requirement for a sober living home because it's four unrelated people living together in a residential home, so Again, what we're not doing in this ordinance mindful of both the fha and the ada Is treating these houses as like a land use that we can regulate and prohibit in certain areas or regulate density aka we can require that they be spaced a certain way because again What I would have trouble doing is defending How we're treating sober living homes differently than other groups Of individuals who live together so who are not protected by the ada or the fha So that's kind of the the high level overview of what we're doing and what we're not doing Again, as I think I said when I presented this earlier I don't have the hubris to believe that i've presented you a perfect ordinance. It can certainly be improved upon And hopefully the feedback you get tonight will help you do that. So That being said that's that's kind of where we are Thank you very much, mr. Cravens All right Now we're going to move on to the public portion of our Meeting and As you know, this is a digital sign-in process as as we Advertised this meeting will only go till 8 p.m We might not get to everybody on the list Looking at the list and there's a possibility that we won't if not, we still want your public feedback I'm going to share this link at the end of the meeting, but also now we have formed an engagement Opportunity on our engage lexington Like page and that is engage dot it's on the screen engage dot lexington ky.gov Recovery residences or you can scan the qr code and if you go there directly after the meeting at 8 p.m You will be able to put in public input in a written form And we will all be able to see that so just know we still value your opinion and your input If if for some reason you don't get to come to the mic this evening And I would also like to remind everyone that there can be no clapping yelling or insulting during public input When I call your name, please restate your name and your council district for public record You will have three minutes to speak and there's a timer there that will ding When it is time for you to end and just know that you're not allowed to continue after the beep uh And so once again, I will end the meeting at 8 p.m And then I will go over this. We'll put this up on the screen again at the end of the meeting uh, please know once again that we're not allowed to Interact with you or give specific answers to any questions that you might have but we're taking your feedback And we have it for the record Uh, thank you again for coming and now we are going to get started So I am going to call um at times a few names So if you hear your name, but you're not the next person Please uh stand in line behind the podium so that you're ready to go. It just helps the meeting go more smoothly All right. So the first person that we have this evening is chasity griffin franklin The next person to get ready will be carl burgess and it looks like is uh Is mary riddle here? Are you ceding your time to carl burgess? Okay, so then Carl burgess will have extra time. It looks like uh, and we'll have a total of six minutes, so Oh, it looks uh Are you charity chastity chastity? I'm, sorry. Yeah, they crossed us. Okay Um, I first off I forgot my glasses so I can't see. Um But um, I am the sole owner of bluegrass recovery and currently we have um, seven sober living homes In the community currently, we're trying to put one in mount rainier. So first and foremost when we started this we didn't realize the um For better for better terms the backlash that we would get with coming into the community Because the community that i'm from in lexington Is welcoming and open arms and loving instead Just this past week we got told and no one even lives in the house yet That we are trash Unwanted and not needed in the community by the neighbors I find that appalling because I can't think of one person that sits here today that isn't affected by addiction And that's really what sober living is about It's community living putting people together that struggle with the same disability That want a hand up not a handout Now, is there some that's not doing exactly what we are doing probably Now, maybe they need a slap on the hand or a fine But not every one of us need to be punished for what someone else isn't doing And I really think that's what this is all about the ordinance is like I don't want you in my community I'm going to tax you as much as I can tax you with this or that So I can make sure that you're not in my community And you have to ask yourself if you have a family member that struggles with addiction What makes them any different from the person that are living in these sober living homes? Nothing I can't think of one thing Bluegrass recovery is what I own and it was founded on the back of my sister overdosing august 19th of 2021 And when she passed away, she was in a sober living and she got kicked out because she failed a drug test That's accountability And some sober livings not all but they do hold you accountable And they do make it a better place for our community because you have to really think if they're not holding them accountable who is Because if you take a look right now downtown the homeless population is crazy. I worked street outreach for eight years And it's everywhere and most of them want help, but they don't know how to get help That's all I have to say Thank you So next is carl burgess who will have six minutes And then after that is brandon franklin if you would please Line up. Thank you Good evening, please say your name and your district. I'm sorry carl burgess district gate and I'd like to Welcome district members for this evening uh what I'd like to uh Bring to the point our particular area on mount rainier, uh, we're a local neighborhood that is quietly and consists of Mostly seniors and a few families with small children and we like to keep it that way uh I'd like to tell you what many things that we'd like to know is what is the reason? That the local residents in our area were not notified of this business we found it through word of mouth uh, we also Like to know who is responsible For protecting our neighbors because of possible threats from residents of within the business Also, we would like to know will the these residents be wearing monitors or ankle bracelets And how many occupants will be uh within this single family home And who will be accountable for the loss of property values of this home living in our neighborhood? And also there's things that we would also like to know Is these residents in this home be regulated or monitored? And also From many members in the neighborhood are asking Are these uh people within the residents are going to be pedophiles? drug abusers gang members Or other such crimes that endanger our local neighbors including families with children And also we would like to know Has there been incidents with these type of homes in the neighborhoods that they been in And what is the percentage? We would like to request Some ordinance be placed Also to keep in guidance with the federal and state law But we would like to Have mandated a license and permits on this occupancy and also we would like to have Uh Bear with me every second And when these people are being monitored who is going to check on them And what repercussions And I yield the rest of my time, thank you Thank you And next is brandon franklin and after brandon franklin will be john de rossett if I said that right Uh, good evening, my name is brandon franklin with the eighth district I am the husband of mrs. Chastity franklin. Uh I struggle Too as well i've been struggling with alcohol and drug addiction for majority of my life and I know I was kicked out Thrown out and I was in and out of jail um a lot And these recovery houses and these sober livings They really helped me in my journey today There was people in these programs That taught me how to live life You know, they held me accountable and they provided me with a structured environment and I believe our team Has done the same thing with bluegrass recovery, you know, we have house managers on site um, and basically we treat them like family as well because I don't think there's a day that goes by That we aren't at the house or at any houses, uh, we're in constant communication with them, um, We drug test them regularly uh There are no sex offenders or registered sex offenders in the houses in our sober living homes I don't know if i'd be here today if there wasn't Any sober living programs, uh when I was trying to get sober so I'm truly grateful For sober livings, you know places like the shepherd's house and the walker's house and primary purpose and i've used And chastity we've used some of these things to to kind of Set the tone in our program I think we do pretty good, you know But that's all I got Thank you Next is john de rosa and then it will be odell Hager and please remember to say your name and district. Thank you Thank you Good evening. I'm john de rosa from the 12th district in the blackford oaks neighborhood in hamburg I live at a house that abuts one of these houses And I didn't know that I was supposed to be notified about any of this. So just to point that out um I'm not i'm here to comment about i'm not here to comment about the individuals that live in my backyard But this is more about land use neighborhood integrity and our legal covenants Our neighborhood was deliberately zoned and developed as a single family residential We all bought homes here with the expectation that their area would remain consistent with those restrictions Our recorded covenants specifically prohibit uses that create a nuisance or that change the character of the neighborhood a sober living home By definition functions as a group home or a boarding house This is not the same as a single family dwelling and it violates the intent and spirit about the zoning laws and our neighborhood covenants Second introducing a commercial style group facility in the single family subdivision raised serious concerns about safety parking noise and increased traffic These are not speculative sober living homes typically involve multiple unrelated adults as i've experienced as they're in the backyard all the time Rotating staff or supervisors which are there all the time and higher vehicle usage than single family homes generate This directly impacts neighbors quiet enjoyment of their property and i've personally experienced this for the past six months Third allowing a sober living facility to operate here sets a precedent if we continue to allow this what prevents additional group homes boarding houses Or other commercial style operations from entering our neighborhoods That would erode property values and diminish the residential character. We all relied upon when investing in our homes and all our neighborhoods Finally must uphold the covenants that bind us all they're in place to protect the stability safety and residential nature of our community Approving or ignoring a use that clearly conflicts with those covenants undermines the very foundation Of our neighborhood standards and so we talked about the federal laws understanding all that but some people live in hoas and some people Commit to those rules that we have to commit to and those annoyances So we should be more protected than people who don't live in things like hoas That have to deal with that already And in closing i'll just urge this body to reject Future proposals and go with an ordinance that is fair for everyone again This is not about denying people support or help It's about ensuring that such facilities are located in areas appropriately zoned and designed for them Not in the middle of single family neighborhoods. Thank you Thank you Next we have odell hager and then michaela key Hello odell hater, um, i'm assuming district four. I just moved here recently, but i've worked here for the last five years with recovery sober livings and street outreach Um All right. I just want to talk about comments pretty much on the benefits Of what recovering housing and sober livings look like in the communities and the city as a whole Recovering housing and sober living programs play a critical role in strengthening the fabric of lexington kentucky These homes provide individuals in recovery with stable environments They need to maintain sobriety rebuild their lives and rejoin the community as productive citizens We as a city invest in and support recovering housing it reduces homelessness Decreases the strain on the criminal justice system and saves taxpayers dollars that would otherwise be directed towards incarceration emergency health care and shelter services Unfortunately the push for stricter ordinance and regulations can unintentionally harm the very people these policies aim to protect Overregulations often make it more difficult for organizations To open or maintain recovery residents leaving fewer safe spaces for individuals seeking sobriety Which housing opportunities are reduced more people are left without support increasing the risk of relapse overdose and homelessness This cycle does not just affect those in recovery in impacts the entire city by raising the likelihood of crime public health concerns and greater social service costs We all recognize that accountability is necessary This is why many well-known and reputable programs have come together to form a recovering housing and sober living coalition in lexington Let's see This coalition works not only to hold bad actors accountable But also to teach and educate organizations that want to do the right thing but may not know where or how to start By uniting in this way recovery providers in lexington are taking responsibility into their own hands to ensure quality transparency and safety for residents and community The positive impact of individuals in long-term recovery is undeniable These are people who have walked through the darkest parts of addiction and chosen a new path In doing so they become some of lexington's greatest assets Many return to the workforce filling much-needed jobs across various industries and contributing to the economy Others use their lived experience to mentor and guide those still struggling with addiction reducing stigma and building pathways out of despair Long-term recovery doesn't just heal individuals. It builds stronger families safer neighborhoods and more compassionate community All we ask is the opportunity to help those whom everyone else has turned their backs on Let us do what we know what works Providing safe housing peer support and chance at redemption Which lexington supports recovery instead of restricting it we create a healthier safer and more prosperous city for all. Thank you Thank you and next is Michaela key and followed by Miss key we have joseph smith Hi, my name is michaela key, um I'm district eight. Um, i'm actually a client from bluegrass recovery um, I can say that They have helped me tremendously. I've only been here three weeks and i've already progressed so much. Um If it wasn't for chastity and brendan Franklin, I don't know where I would be They're actually still in the process of helping me even get my children back And If it wasn't for them, I really don't know where I would honestly be as I have struggled with drug addiction in my past, um So, yeah, i'm just thankful for them Very thankful That's all I got Thank you Next we have joseph smith and then steve Hensley Hi, i'm hi i'm joseph smith Uh, I actually work for bluegrass recovery I've i've went all the way through what's your district? I'm sorry. Do you know my bad? I'm sorry. Thank you I've uh, i've actually went through the program And started working for bluegrass recovery and uh, i've watched it change a lot of people's lives I've watched it help a lot of people and you know, there is people that come through here and don't make it through I'm, you know, I mean they go into other programs and do other things But for the majority of it i've watched it change a lot of people's lives and do a lot of like really really good for people uh There's always ups and downs to all of it, you know There's good and bad and all everything you do in life But uh, if I had to stand behind anything, like I said And I work for them that i've made a career path to actually work for them and stay with them I wouldn't change it for anything You know, I mean I really like what I do and I really like helping people and I feel like Given an opportunity we could help a lot more people. That's all I got Thank you Steve hensley is next and then heather brannum Uh being in sober living I can say could you state your name and your council district My name is steve steve hensley and i'm with district eight Um, I can say that being in sober living opened up a lot of new opportunities for me and joseph is my house Manager, so I will say he does hold everybody accountable. Nobody steps out of line And we we actually attend class every every day if not every other day of the week. So we are regularly regularly Checked, you know, we we have to stay in line and For that, I mean i'm very grateful. It it has given me a lot of structure in my life If it wasn't for these guys, I don't know where i'd be there they come excuse me, they come with a lot of resources, I mean just They help us find sponsors just help us reach out to other people just things that we would not do If we were living on our own terms So for them, like I said, i'm very grateful. That's all I got Thank you next we have heather brannum and then jeff marshall Thank you Hi, i'm heather brannum district 8 Um, I just want to say i'm thankful grateful for being here. They've gave me a second chance and we all don't get second chances We all don't get to live twice a lot of us die or overdose And i'm glad to be here. I'm glad to have them here. They're on our sides. They help us And if it wasn't for their help a lot of us wouldn't be here. We'd be on the streets or dead And so i'm thankful for trustee and brandon and our house managers So that's I mean that's pretty much all I gotta say Thank you Thank you Next we have jeff marshall and then william baker Yeah, jeff marshall district three in this regarding kentucky court Uh, this is an area close to uk campus. My wife and I are very concerned and worried about the safety of our girls I have two daughters that live on that street in separate housing And they feel uncomfortable when they walk out of the house. They feel uncomfortable that they're being watched I've been over there and watched this I've got one that gets up at five o'clock in the morning and runs and she feels uncomfortable coming home and coming back And i've talked to a lot of the parents And if you have a daughter you'd be concerned as well I've had to install alarms on the houses to try to make them comfortable at my own expense And college our areas are not as Proper place for us. So we're living place. I mean they have parties And my family and my wife and I are just really concerned about this We've also heard not saying that this is true I don't know we had heard that they uh, they only applied for the permit on kentucky court after they got caught Thank you for your time Thank you next is william baker and then kenneth marshall Uh Hi, my name is william baker again with third district and again actually kentucky court area Again You know, it's already affecting Income from rental with college, you know students where the parents have actually called and asked to have their kids released from the the lease that they've signed Just based on feeling unsafe You know some of the same points that i've hear from other people uh You know, I definitely agree that i'm sure sober living houses are needed. I feel like location is really important uh based on that, I don't know if you know A college campus area is a place for that just based on the things there, you know, you're trying to set them up for success You know to me when you're around a lot of homes where there's alcohol prevalent most of the time You know, I don't know if that's instantly in that location setting them up for failure So just the safety concern And even property values, you know, just based on the calls i'm already getting from parents that are You know worried about the safety of their kids So, thank you Thank you. Next is kenneth marshall and then barbara talbert You Hello kenneth marshall district three about kentucky court i'm receiving phone calls from we have multiple houses on kentucky court Parents calling us concerned Of what's going on? Yes. I think they're a good idea where I don't know. I don't have the answers They I know even Some of the parents that have boys are concerned of what's going on they're 18 years old and going down there do you and set Have the houses and set them up for success. I mean just like bill said You wouldn't want to put them next to a liquor store. This is all that goes on unfortunately on this college street Also another landlord that i've spoken to he's concerned about he has the uk dance team and also somebody that has put on one of the social media pages at university kentucky saying Be aware don't let your students Or kids live over there. I mean, is it right or wrong? I don't know the answer, but it's affecting Just like people are moving out and had They moved in one day Moved out the next day moved their daughter out so There's another house over there in particular that's set up with You can have eight people in the front of it eight people in the back of it. And that's why I was told by One of the government agencies and set 16 people in a 1200 to 1500 square foot house I mean three is more There's room for that. That's about it Um So I just feel like Find a place. I don't know where it is, but set them up for success and by having them around alcohol the whole time It's not a good idea they're gonna temptation Thank you Thank you next is barbara talbert and then um leon slater District one barbara talbert Good evening. I'm here to talk about um unregulated sober living homes I'm a homeowner in the oakwood neighborhood where I grew up I'm here tonight because I care We all care. We all care deeply about our neighborhoods Therefore we are concerned We are concerned about having Unregulated sober living homes being placed in residential areas that are zoned in r1 through r3 Now flooding our neighborhoods with unregulated sober living homes It can create chaos and danger I say that because it won't be safe for the children to enjoy playing outside like I did when I grew up Or even safe for the homeowners to enjoy sitting out on their porch at any time of the day or night When the sober living homes are unregulated There is no structure No oversight And it's just not safe for our neighborhoods The national institute on drug abuse it reports that 40 to 60 percent addicts will suffer a relapse which can mean They will start roaming our neighborhood being extremely loud outside causing fights Stealing and most of all scaring our children Now we do support recovery But not at the expense of our children Council members Our neighborhoods deserve better Therefore we all are strongly against placing sober living homes or drug rehab facilities in our neighborhoods They do not belong in r1 zones They belong in zones designed for businesses And I can yield the rest of my time to the representative george brown Unfortunately, we we we can't do that but um, but thank you. Um, Well, it's we don't share time. So but thank you. All right Um, we have leon slater and then um, janice jackson Okay, my name is leon slater I'm, sorry. That's okay. And i'm from district one um I came here tonight to really talk to you about the care and the hope For the community where I live And in the process And even sitting here some things came to my heart As I heard members people that have participated in sober living That I think is outstanding When it's done, correct I want to read a passage of scripture to you that is near and dear to my heart It is um Michael Micah 6 and 8 and this is what it says He has shown you old man What is good? And what does the lord require of you? But to do justly To love mercy And to walk humbly with your god I I take that to heart sincerely And my desire is to help anybody and everybody where I can I want to see people help I I thank and praise the lord for how god has blessed me And how he has brought me And with my time running i'm gonna say this to you. Listen Listen to me It's coming to where you live It's coming to where each one of you all live I don't care how much you pay per month on your house. It's coming And if it doesn't come to your community It's gonna come to where your mother your father live. It's gonna come to where your daughter your son live our friend I had an acquaintance say to me just the other day That owns a real nice spacious house He said listen I had a man come up to me from new york city Offered me three thousand dollars a month to rent my house Three thousand he told me he was going to turn it into a sober living house He said the only reason I didn't do it. I could use the money Is I knew what the community would say to me I just need you to understand as you get ready to pass this ordinance think about it's coming I don't care how much money you pay it's coming Right where you live if people from new york can come into our community and just offer any amount of money To start a sober living home. I guarantee you one day is coming right next door to where you live you think about it Thank you janice jackson is next and then vicki mitchell My name is janice jackson I reside in oakwood and have been a homeowner for over 40 years greetings vice mayor wu And members of the council I live in the first district. Mr. Tyler morton is my council I rise this evening to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves our children and our elders We support recovery We believe in healing and in second chances But we also believe that in the battle of the most vulnerable the innocent and the aging our children and our elders must come first Unregulated sober living houses are being placed in residential zones Areas where seniors live quietly and depend on stability and where children live play and grow These homes are unhosted Unregistered and unlicensed they are being placed in neighborhoods already burdened by red lining crime illicit drug activities This is not support It's disruption Relapse happens. We know this you know this But should it happen next to a playground? next to a school Next to homes of our elders Recovery is important it is But recovery needs rules Neighborhoods need safeguards. Would you put a rehab facility beside a school? Then why Place a rehab home beside homes where children and seniors deserve safety safely and play and peace Good intentions alone aren't enough Reckless placement puts lives at risk We can and should Support recovery But not at the expense of our most vulnerable Let's protect our elders. Let's protect our children Let's protect our neighborhoods Thanking you in advance for your time And any consideration in the title on which I have spoken to you this evening. Thank you Thank you next is vicki mitchell and then arty green You Good evening madam chair council members My name is vicki mitchell and i'm with the first district the best district I have lived in the oakwood subdivision for 61 years zoning matters Why sober living houses must be treated as businesses i'm here tonight to speak about something fundamental Zoning, it's the backbone of how we organize our city It's how we protect families foster growth and ensure that businesses operate where they belong Sober living houses, especially those that are private for profit and unregulated are businesses They charge rent they provide services they operate for profit and under the proposed ordinance They would be required to pay a business tax Let's be clear Homeowners do not pay business taxes non-profits don't businesses do If it looks like a business Operates like a business. Guess what? It's a business and businesses belong in business zones We're not here to oppose recovery we're here to oppose reckless placement hospitals are necessary So are sober living homes, but not next door to me Not beside swing sets not in the heart of family neighborhoods Our neighborhoods are facing a growing threat unhosted Unregistered and unlicensed sober living houses are being placed into areas that have long long Suffered Neighborhoods are for families businesses belong in business zones Charging rent Isn't charity. It's commerce And commerce belongs where it can be regulated monitored and be held accountable We support recovery But supporting recovery doesn't mean supporting reckless placement. No oversight. No structure. No safety We can do better Let's pass this ordinance. Let's protect our neighborhoods. Let's honor our zoning system And I thank you very much for your time Thank you next we have arty green and is evelyn beckman here just want to make sure Okay, and then is norman beckham here Okay, then, um, mr. Green you will have uh, nine minutes And then after Mr. Green will be uh Let's see a robin connor Is ronald barry here? Okay, and Charlotte butler Okay, then, um after This speaker then robin connor will have nine minutes as well Thank you. I'm, sorry now you may begin Thank you. Madam chair council members My name is arty green. I'm the second district council district And I rise this evening to reinforce what we're our community is saying about sober homes in our neighborhoods Um I have seen many disruptive businesses that are that are really Interfering with the peace and dignity in the community that we're in uh, the sober living house that i'm familiar with has traffic of multiple people multiple cars Day in and day out. We don't know who they are where they're parked across the street from us and what they're doing There's a Unfortunately for one of them The homes that i'm talking about we believe there was a convicted sex offender there But that person was removed this community was not told about it But we found out about it um There appears to be a lack of oversight in some of the sober living homes that i'm familiar with Uh, it it lacks the control of who the people are as they come and go And i'm going to give you an example of that in just a second One resident was seen urinating in the yard front yard of one of my community members Then he dropped his pants walked over to a house with a young mother and a child and try to walk through the front door She stopped and she repelled him Then he staggered to the sober living house Now what i'm saying is that i'm i'm not trying to make anything up what i'm trying to say is that When they're unregulated no one is watching them our children and our grandchildren are going to be victimized By this kind of activity on the street So What i'm asking the the council to do Is that if we want to have them have some restrictions on who's there and what they're doing? Someone needs to be monitoring them Because we don't want to do after the fact that they've done something because it's already affected our children and our grandkids and our neighbors so we need to have processes for this business operation, so We don't mind the business operation, but it can be more productive somewhere else It doesn't have to be in our neighborhoods doing that Is it something more? Better for them a place for them to be So that they can do what they need to do in terms of being able to treat the people Who need help? But what we're saying is is this is impacting us And so I'm asking that the that the council make sure That there's monitors there there's controls that that is restricted by density Because if you put too many there Then that's going to be just as disruptive Many of our faith community and many people in our community want them to be treated But the problem is is that we're having to suffer The labor and the concerns in our neighborhood by our kids and our neighbors Now that's that's so that's what we're asking about so we're Definitely asking that you all do something to control them Because we're it's getting to the point where we don't know what's happening at those places Uh, we're not told Uh, we just basically have to watch out for each other to make sure nothing happens to us Until you all help us out here. Thank you Thank you Thank you next is robin connor who will have nine minutes and then It will be jeffrey baity Hi, i'm robin connor and my district is district one tyler morton Good evening council chair council members and fellow citizens um We have a confusion on zoning interpretation because residential zoning is just that residential There are state laws regulating sober living homes that surrounding counties Abide by but for some reason fayette county does not As for me i'm here to talk about what has been happening far too long In north lexington the historic residential communities Somebody thought it was a good idea To build an eight-story apartment building for students in lexington's oldest black neighborhood To connect a new trailer park in the oldest black suburb To put a homeless shelter between a housing complex full of kids and the ymca To put a sober living house across the street from an elementary school And to put more than 10 Sober living homes on ohio street and more than 10 sober living homes in highlands Somebody thought it was a good idea To shut down the mayor training center. They help poor and unemployed people get jobs To expand eastern state mental health facility behind a neighborhood park To put a 24-hour trucking operation That puts out electric fence and barbed wire between the subdivision and their property Somebody thought it was a good idea To remove the park supervisors in the summer who provided summer programming for our youth Somebody thought it was a good idea These are not isolated decisions. They are a pattern a pattern of planning To that sees black neighborhoods as expendable They are counting on silence as an agreement They are taking our home Our staying at home as a sign of good But we're not good We are not good We are tired of being the testing ground of every risky idea We are tired of being the place where oversight disappears and accountability goes missing Our black historic neighborhoods are facing a growing threat unhosted Unregistered and unlicensed sober living houses Are being placed in areas that have long suffered from redlining already And now struggle with illicit drug sales And that's based on police reports Sober living homes near crack homes How does that help recovery? unregulated sober living homes equals unpredictable dangers Recovery does matter. We want everybody has a member that needs recovery. We want recovery. They need recovery But we need them to be documented regulated and ran properly We are asking to stop pretending that these these are good ideas We are asking for you all to listen We are asking you to protect our neighborhoods Because Somebody thought it was a good idea to put these unregulated unlicensed and unsupervised sober living homes in residential communities We are asking you to follow the laws and regulations Not overlook them We all know someone who has addiction and wish sobriety for them We do think that it is a good idea to provide actual structures support licensing testing All the things that make a sober living home actually supported to sobriety In a location that's appropriate For such a business Now that is a good idea Don't y'all think that is a good idea. Thank you Thank you Thank you next we have jeffrey baity and then uh After that will be scott mulkey Uh, and then uh is dolores done here Okay, are you yielding Okay, then scott will have six minutes, thank you, mr. Beatty Good evening My name is jeffrey baity I am A member of first district tallah morden is our council person. Good evening council. Good evening, madam chair I'm here tonight speaking about The sober living and from a lived experience and historical memory because what happens in our neighborhood is not new It's part of a long painful pattern Unsober Unregistered and unhosted licensed houses are now in our community. We see this These sites are not positioned to where they can best help those in recovery They are instead ripping apart the very fabric of our community Our community that's most affected is the black neighborhood So, let's look at history history says that adamstown and south hill vibrant black communities Have now been gone because of the fact of uk's athletics Okay, davis bottom It was carved up to make an entryway for the university's entrance Now we look at davis bottom Not only davis bottom but pearl town and st. Martin village have been pressured and reshaped for UK housing. And also Oakwood Estates. I've lived there most of my life. Oakwood Estates is the only subdivision in Lexington, and please hear me, that has, in the backyards of homes, commercial property. I'm saying this is that because in the back of our park that they just spoke about is that there is a trucking company. It does have an electric fence with 7,000 volts of electricity on it. Not only that, in the back of our park is where Eastern State Hospital is. Now, this is what I'm saying is that everybody talks about redlining is over with. This is subtle. Because if we go right down the street to Masterton Station, I see none of that in their community. But yet their property value is way up here. But our property value? Why? So I'm saying is that I'm not against recovery. But I want this council to be fair about properties that everybody has worked hard and trying to pay for and that it gives them value just like everybody else. And I'm saying all that is that because every place I've been is that, yes, in Masterton Station there are sober recovery homes. But you can't tell. In ours, you can. I've seen them walk around with beer cans in their hands. I've seen it. I've seen them walking around high on drugs and they don't know. I've seen it. This is from personal experience. Not from what I'm making this up. I've seen it. So I'm asking the council to be very, very fair about the new ordinance and make it fair for us because we work hard just like everybody else. Thank you. Thank you. Next is Scott Mulkey and you'll have six minutes. Council members, good evening. My name is Scott Mulkey and I am a resident of Lexington Second District. I come before you not only as an individual homeowner but a voice of families, property owners, and concerned citizens across our community. We all share a fundamental expectation that our local government will act with fairness, responsibility, and oversight in shaping policies that impact where we live, raise our children, and build our futures. Let me be clear from the outset. The regulated residential housing ordinance which I've presented to you guys for your review and contains case law on every section in it is not a dismissal of those working to overcome addiction. It is instead a thoughtful framework for ensuring that recovery housing remains safe, lawful, integrated, and sustainable for both residents and the neighborhoods where they operate. This ordinance is not an innovation. It is a response. Cities across the country have faced similar challenges and many have adopted effective court-affirmed policies to regulate the sitting, oversight, and density of recovery residents and group homes. Consider Mission Viejo, California adopted a 1,000-foot separation model after Costa Mesa's 650-foot rule. Both were upheld by juries and the Ninth Circuit under the Fair Housing Act and ADA. I'm wondering if you guys, if your attorneys have done their complete homework about sitting. I'll get to more of that in a second. Scottsdale, Arizona implemented a 1,200-foot buffer and licensing under their zoning code. Daytona Beach, Florida requires comprehensive inspections including fire safety and ADA compliance prior to occupancy. In our own state, Somerset, Kentucky, Ordinance 2411 requires annual certification of public registry and quarterly reporting including enforcement through a designated recovery residence compliance officer. These municipalities aren't pushing people out. They're creating systems of accountability and they're doing it without violating civil rights laws. Council members, you have both the legal authority and moral obligation to act. Courts across multiple federal circuits, the Second, the Sixth, the Eighth, and the Ninth have affirmed that zoning regulations, licensing, and space requirements are not only permissible but expected of municipalities seeking to comply with Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. So long as the regulations are neutral, evidence-based, and applied uniformly. This proposed ordinance does just that. Let us not ignore the realities. One well-placed recovery home can be an asset to a neighborhood, but when clustering occurs, when multiple facilities operate on a single street or within a few blocks, they are tangible, documented consequences. Increased emergency calls, parking congestion and overcrowding, market hesitation as reported by realtors and appraisers under oath in federal court. Community pushback is not against recovery but against the lack of oversight. These findings have been submitted in court records supported by peer review studies and acknowledged by HUD and the Department of Justice in their joint guidance. Let me highlight several key components of the proposed ordinance. Licensing and insurance requirements to ensure accountability. Background checks for operators to protect residents and neighbors. Monthly and unscheduled inspections to enforce safety and prevent abuse. Spacing and density limits. 1,000, 1,500 feet between regulated facilities prevent harmful clustering, which I believe is the essence of the Fair Housing Act. A case-by-case accommodation process ensures compliance with ADA and FHA without creating blanket exemptions. What we must do now, given the current unregulated environment, I respectfully request that this council very, very soon take two immediate steps. First, require mandatory registration and licensing of all new regulated residential housing units operating within Lexington-Fayette County. This is basic standard procedures. Second, enact a temporary pause, a narrowly tailored moratorium on approval of licensing and expansion of recovery homes. And this is backed up by Highview Properties Incorporated versus Town of Monroe, Southern District of New York in 2022. The court upheld that. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Is Glenn Casey here? If I said the last name right. Casey? I think they were yielding their time, but the person that they were yielding their time to did not sign up. So if you would like to speak. Gerald Jackson. Did you sign up, sir? Okay. I'm not seeing your name. I'm sorry. Let's see. We're looking to see if we can find you. I don't see you on the list. Did you sign on the thing? Okay. All right, sir. If you would make your way to the podium. And then, Glenn Casey, you gave up your time? Okay. That is six minutes that you will have, sir. And then the next person will be Dwight Lewis. Good evening, Madam Chair, council members, and fellow citizens. So why are we here? Could you state your name and your district? Gerald Jackson. I don't have it here. All right. Gerald Jackson, Council District 1. Thank you. So why are we here? We're here tonight with a clear purpose. To make Lexington fully aware of a growing issue facing neighborhoods without deed restrictions. And why Lexington needs fair regulation of sober living houses. Many of us didn't know anything about sober living homes until one arrived on our street. We didn't get a notice. We didn't get a vote. We got a sober living house, unregulated, unregistered, and unhosted, placed in the middle of a residential zone. Tonight, we present a petition signed by concerned citizens who oppose the placement of any and all for-profit sober living homes or drug rehabilitation facilities within neighborhoods zoned R1 through R3. These signatures represent voices that have seen the impact firsthand and fear what will happen if this issue is not adequately addressed. Our neighborhoods are facing a growing threat. These facilities are being placed in areas that have long suffered from redlining and now struggle with illicit drug sales. They are not positioned where they can best help those in recovery. They are instead unsettling the very fabric of our communities. We are not here to oppose recovery. We are here to demand that recovery be done responsibly. We need recovery to work. I think each of us knows someone that's in recovery, or you're praying to God that they will find themselves that way. Right now, people desperate for care are being exploited by facilities that operate without accountability. Recovering addicts already battling immense challenges are being placed in environments that jeopardize their hard-won progress. That's not healing. That's harm. We need laws to be fair and just. Even parts of town are being unfairly burdened with these facilities while others remain untouched. This is not equitable. It's not sustainable, and it's not right. Our cherished communities are being weakened and threatened. The stability and growth we've nurtured for generations is being undermined by oversaturation, poor planning, and lack of oversight. We must ensure safety for all. Children and the elderly, our most vulnerable populations, are at a heightened risk. Exposure to fraud, harm, and unsafe conditions is rising. Basic theft and desperation-driven crimes are increasing when communities face relapse without proper support. This is not just a neighborhood issue. It's a citywide issue, and government is the only entity with the power to fix it. So what are we asking for? We're asking for a full survey of all sober-living facilities where they are currently located. We're asking for adequate notification to all residents within a one-mile radius of any meetings or plans pertaining to such facilities being placed in residential areas. We're asking for a reasonable limitation on how many sober-living houses can be placed within a designated radius. We're asking for restrictions on placement in areas statistically recognized as prone to illicit drug sales and usage. We're asking for the dedication of personnel and resources to ensure compliance with all state and local laws. We're asking for public recordkeeping of any offenses involving sober-living houses and their operators, records that are made available to the public with direct notification of violations sent to neighboring residents and applicable neighborhood associations. These are not radical demands. They are reasonable, responsible, and necessary. We are asking for transparency, for accountability, for fairness. We're asking for action. Let us act now. Let us pass this ordinance. Let us protect our neighborhoods. Let us support recovery the right way. Thank you. Thank you. Next, we have Dwight Lewis and then Jeremy Ford. Good evening. My name is Minister Dwight Lewis. I'm from District 1. Currently residing in Gallatin, Tennessee. Gracious and Growing Gallatin, Tennessee. Former employee of Sumner County Drug Court there in Gallatin. I've ran halfway houses. I've been in treatment houses and I've been clean and sober now for 40 years. God has truly blessed me in that aspect. Let me start by saying this. God granted me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. Courage to change the things that I can and the wisdom to know the difference. We have to know the difference between what we can change and can't change. We can change this. This does not work. In Tennessee, we have situations where we've created sober living communities, not in residential neighborhoods. It doesn't work like that. I'm not saying every house doesn't work, but I'll tell you what to do. Go visit one unannounced and see what's going on. We've shut down several houses in Gallatin and surrounding areas simply because we've showed up and what they say they were doing, they were not doing. Everybody speaks a good game, but everybody's not playing right. Rules and regulations have to be in place before these things work. Relapse happens, but let me share with you about relapse. Relapse is a choice. Cocaine sitting right there is not bothering anybody. It's only when I reach for it that it becomes a problem. That's what the problem is. I guarantee you every dope dealer in Lexington knows where the halfway houses are. Every prostitute in Lexington knows where these halfway houses are, and they frequent them. I'm not going to get too graphic. I was running a house, and the curfew was at 11 o'clock. This guy was in the house, but he was getting service through the window. He was in the house. He beat curfew, but he was getting service through the window. We find ways around these rules and regulations. We find ways to get our drugs without being caught, without being seen. Did it for years. I OD'd on crystal meth back in 1977. Somebody said meth wasn't around then. Yes, it was. I knew where it was at. It was right here in Lexington. I thank God that he brought me through that. Every recovery house is not what it seems. I'll leave it at that. Thank you. Next we have Jeremy Ford and then Laura Cole. Is there a Jeremy Ford inside, or I don't know how many people are outside. We'll go ahead. Are you Laura Cole? We'll go ahead with you and give the next person if they're coming to. Thank you. I'm Laura Cole, and I'm in District 8. I have a sober living house right next door to me. It's been there about eight months. They're not bad neighbors. They're pretty quiet for the most part. I believe we need the regulation to ensure that I know who's in charge. I have no idea who's in charge over there. I have no idea who to talk to if there's an issue. Also, the regulation needs to be such that the house is checked to make sure that the residents are being treated appropriately and living appropriately. I have a concern because the house next to us, I've been in there, and there's several rooms in the basement that don't have window egress. I don't think they're supposed to be used as bedrooms. My concern is that that might be happening. I, as a homeowner, would like to know who's in charge, what are the rules, and how many people should be there. That would be very helpful. I really think it's something that needs to be regulated. We need oversight. Code enforcement needs to make sure that things are being done properly. It's an okay place to live. We just don't do enough of that here in Lexington, I think. We really need to. Thank you. Thank you. Next, we have, is it, well, first of all, I want to go back. Did Jeremy Ford come in? No? Okay. Next is Rodriguez Ballinger, and then James Walsh. Good afternoon. My name is Rodriguez Ballinger, and I represent some friends of mine from District 1. I'm a non-profit owner, and I'm from Louisville, Kentucky. I've got 20 years of experience in residential programming. What I believe that you guys are missing is the simplicity that there's a big, giant difference between recovery residents' homes and recovery residents' transitional programming. When you have a transitional program, you have rules and regulations that will dictate 20 out of 24 hours of each client's time, and the four hours that he has, more than anything he'll be doing, he'll be asleep. I got so much to say, and I don't have enough time. I'm an impacted person. I've been locked up a whole lot, been penitentiary three times. The only thing that I reacted to and that made sense to me was living in real time, not placing me in a church or a big, giant building, because I got a thing that I got this, I don't want to be in the penitentiary. You put me in a big old building, I feel like I'm being hoarded. But when they put me in a house, I sat still, and I gathered the information and facts that this thing called life, I can live it too. I'm a peer support specialist. I have a business now, and I do outreach. We have built a community, not in one space, but to where a coalition of people that's programming keep in contact with each other, and every resident has somewhere to go, somewhere to be, and it's time. Structure gives people a chance. To inform is to empower. They empowered me with information, and I've seen that I can do it. And it started in the housing. So if I was to get together and come up with the regulations and the rules of the city, the state, and make it a legitimate program, not a business, you know, it's not a business. Life needs programming. I was taught how to retrain my thinking, and my life changed. I hope I'm making sense. Thank you for letting me speak. Thank you. Next is James Walls, and then Judith Burris. Hello, I'm James Walls, District 8. I live on Pipestone Court, which backs up to Mount Rainier. My wife and I have owned the house for 12 years. We worked hard, we saved, and we purchased the house. We own that house. We're very proud of that property. We've raised two children there. My youngest child is in second grade. He's 8 years old. It's 40 feet from my garage to a fence that I share with that backyard, a 4-foot fence. My concern with the owner of that property, it's a money grab for him. He rented the house 10 months ago to an Afghan refuge family, 7 kids, and a mother and father. And the community embraced that family. They didn't have resources. The community gave them clothing, food. That family, those kids would jump that fence every day and play basketball, hit tennis balls, play soccer in our backyard. They were a part of the community. The community embraced that family, and they were renting that place. They came over and said they can't live there anymore. The owner of that house raised the rent so high that they had to move to California. My son cried for five days. So now this is an owner who lives out of state, and to me this is a money grab. He refused to keep the rent to those Afghan refugees. He refused. They wanted to stay. They loved the community. Their children loved the community. They had been in school for the first time at Taste Creek, and they couldn't stay there because he raised the rent so much. So to me, this is a pure money grab. And like I say, my 8-year-old and my wife and myself were in that backyard every single night, jumping on trampolines, playing basketball. I don't know what's going to come there, but I know there's a 4-foot fence separating my 8-year-old and that backyard. Thank you. Thank you. Judith Burris. And then next will be Chuck Schneider. Chuck Schneider. Is there Judith Burris here? I'm here, but I didn't know I signed up. Okay. Hi, Judith. Okay. Is there a Chuck Schneider here that would like to speak? Yes? Okay. And then next will be Senator Thomas. Hey, good evening. I'm Chuck Schneider. I live in the Northside Neighborhood Association, District 1. I love the community. I've been here for three years. A little bit of background about me and myself and my wife. We're all in health care. I've owned pharmacies. I've treated people with addiction with our medications. My wife continues to do that. About 10 months ago, an announced recovery resident opened up next door. That's fine. However, quickly the veil of good neighbor policy that the National Association of Recovery Residents has these homes operate by was pierced. Eight times the police had to call. We had to call the cops due to trespassing. The residents have been caught doing drugs in their driveway. Police have come numerous times. I am all for people getting relief and treatment. I've done that professionally. My wife continues to do that. We have heard from some very eloquent speakers tonight. There has to be an addressing of zoning. Start there. Several communities in Kentucky have figured this out. Khalil Batson in Louisville has figured it out. If you're zoned R1 through 3, those are residential zones. These facilities are businesses, and we should be putting them in different zoning areas. The treatment is important. No doubt about it. However, it has to be done in the right ways. The other things that I will mention is, and we've heard this from other people that have testified, is that there seems to be very lax regulations. So I would propose that we look at the council, look at putting some licensure regulations in place, at least annually, to make sure that these homes are operating safely and are abiding by the appropriate licensures and regulations. There can be a path forward, but right now in the district in which I live, a lot of single family homes there, and people are concerned. My wife has been so concerned that we have hardened our house and put in security cameras and are now constructing a fence because eight times we've had people on our property. So thank you for the opportunity to present my case. Thank you. Next will be Senator Reginald Thomas. And then we have Jacques Wiginton. And I wanted to check, Rolanda Wolfock, are you here? She's up. Okay. I'll need to have her. All right. I'll need to have her come in the room. That's our rule. And then also Stephanie Green. Thank you. Are you yielding to Jacques? Okay. Jacques will have nine. He's next. And now it's all yours, Senator. Good evening, Chairperson Reynolds. Reginald Thomas, 8th Council District. The Honorable Amy Beasley is my council representative. I'm going to tell you what I find most striking about the public hearing tonight. Usually when you have public hearings, committee hearings, you hear from both sides, particularly those that are in charge or responsible for one party or another. It's quite noteworthy, and you should take notice of this, that you don't have a certifying representative here tonight because the statute requires that to have a sober living home, they must be a certified sober living home. And yet no certifying person or party has shown up tonight to make the case for sober living homes. That's quite remarkable. Could you go to them, Mike? I'm sorry. We're having trouble hearing you. That's quite remarkable. I don't know if you've visited a sober living home, but I'm going to tell you, in the last six months, I've been to two of them. One out on Pimlico Parkway, another out on Corral Street. And let me tell you what they consist of. If you go in the bedrooms, there's like 600 square feet, and you've got like 12 beds stacked one above another. You have men literally living stacked one above another. One refrigerator, one small room to watch television, and that's it. When you hear tonight that this isn't about money, don't be fooled by that. When a gentleman testified earlier that someone came to him and offered him $3,000 for rent, that is actually true. Because the owners of these uncertified sober living homes receive about $1,000 in Medicaid payments per month from each sober living residence there. 12 there, $12,000. 16 there, $16,000. You begin to see the profitability and why people want to operate these uncertified sober living homes. Your responsibility tonight is to follow the statute. The state statute says that only certified recovery residents can operate in this state. If they're not certified, they can't recover. You've got to follow that rule. And in addition to that, I would submit to you that you need to add one other thing to your ordinance. I would urge you to have at least one unannounced visit every year. And in addition to that, where there have been calls and complaints by individuals, then they can come and review that evidence again. Don't fall for the okey-doke. Understand the money that's involved here and your responsibility. Your responsibility as representatives of this wonderful city to make sure that it's healthy and vibrant and not subject to deterioration. Thank you. Thank you so much. Next, we have Jacques Wingington. And you will have nine minutes. And then after Jacques is Representative George Brown, Jr. Thank you. Madam Chair, to my esteemed colleagues, to my council member, Lynch, and the second district, my name is Reverend Jacques Wingington and I rise as a facilitator that has had the pleasure of working with neighborhoods of NATO, which stands for Neighborhoods Aligned Together or Else. I rise today, not in anger, but in urgency, to witness, to testify, to tell the truth. And the truth is, our neighborhoods are under siege. And to be candid and frank, there is more than a rumbling coming. Folk are saying enough already. Enough of being left out of land use decisions that reshape their lives completely. And in this one case, enough of watching unregulated, sober living houses multiply without oversight, without registration, without regard for our neighborhoods, the neighborhoods that they now occupy. Enough of being told to wait and to trust and to hope while the consequences unfold on their streets. When the system fails, the people do rise. When the government sleeps, the neighborhoods do wake up. When the council hesitates, communities organize. And that's what we have here today. Let me tell you what's happening, not in theory, not in abstract, not in philosophy, but in real time in real neighborhoods. Fifteen sober living houses in one neighborhood, that's a fact. Seven houses on a 12-house street, flip, that's a fact. Having where there are overdoses, fact. Death already, fact. Theft already, fact. Shopping carts pissing in public. Police runs, that's fact. That's not recovery. That's not only Russian roulette. That's real estate roulette. That's addiction turned into property acquisition. That's pain turned into profit. And that is your people, your people paying a price. What's the price of a child's innocence? A neighborhood's identity? A senior's security? A person's peace? Peace literally in terms of what's around them, but also peace of mind. What's the cost of that? What value does it have? The problem is not waiting for the ordinance. The problem is here needing an ordinance. It's happening now. It's having its effects now. And only you can stop it. Kids can't. Elderly can't. HOAs can't. Neighborhood associations can't. And trust me, the police are going to tell you that they can't. Let me be clear. This is not a fight about whether sober living houses should exist. They should exist. They shall exist. The question is not if and when, but where and how. I heard that there are good operators, and I agree that they are. And that they say that they shouldn't be punished by an ordinance. I know a lot of good drivers, but that doesn't mean that we don't have traffic laws. If you're a good driver, you're good. Same thing here. Now to be clear, we're here because of KRS-222 that requires a local ordinance for the regulating structure to work. That's a statute. That's not a suggestion. Much has been said about FHA and ADA. We regret the council rules don't allow us to present videos so the council could hear the likes of Professor Amos Jones, who is a constitutional law expert and attorney from D.C., who was looking to talk about how exactly we are to look at non-categorization of sober living houses businesses and how it is that we're to talk about how the ADA does not limit or does not give protection to those who are currently using. And what neighbors are reporting is not sober homes, but they're reporting where people are in sober homes not being sober. And so they don't have the protection of ADA. And so we need to quit that. Now, I know somebody's going to say, Preacher, how are you speaking against recovery? First of all, let me say I believe in redemption, in second chances, in grace and healing. But I also serve a God of order. And this is not order. This is chaos. This is confusion. And it's exploitation. Surely we all believe in stewardship. And stewardship means structure. And recovery requires good structure. It requires standards. And it requires us to be able to hear every operator say, if I'm serious, if you're serious, we say to them, if you're serious about recovery, then you will surely welcome accountability. Because recovery without responsibility turns into exploitation. And we cannot be complicit in that. To be clear, I'm not speaking against recovery. I'm speaking against exploitation. I'm speaking up for regulation. I'm speaking against a system that says, put the burden on the block that's already broken. Put it on the east side, west side, north side, black side, any side but our side. We're talking about political power, people that don't have it, places that don't have it being exploited. Now, some of you may say, well, here we go. It's another case of not in my backyard. No, ma'am, no, sir. NATO represents many neighborhoods that have paid the price of this city's economic vitality as well as its newfound morality. Let me explain that to you. Where's the Hope Center, phase one, phase two, phase three, phase four? Where's it located, the one that takes care of the homeless and the veterans and addicted? Where's the new Eastern State Hospital that takes care of the mentally ill, not only in Lexington, but in eastern Kentucky and all around the state? Where's it located? Where are the industrial zones that challenge the environment around them but allow for citizens in other parts of the city as well as the region to have good-paying jobs? This is not M-N-I-B-Y. This is S-E-A. Saturated. Enough already. We need that ordinance. We need it to make sure that residents fall within the ADA. We need that ordinance to give parents and residents notification. We need that ordinance to provide regulation that's got teeth for enforcement. We need adequate enforcement. And the ordinance before you today is not a punishment. It's a pathway. It's a way to say if you're serious about recovery, then you'll be serious about standards. Because those who are doing it legitimately are doing a legitimately good job. And they should not suffer because of those who are exploiting and taking advantage of people who are already hurt, already in a bad situation, and are looking to you to do nothing. So let me leave you with this. Let recovery be sacred. Let neighborhoods be safe. Let your legacy be leadership. And let this vote be your voice. Say yes to structure. Say yes to standards. Say yes to people. And let the record show that you heard us. You helped us. You honored us. And the us being all of us. We don't do our jobs as public servants when we care for some when we could care for all. And this is a situation where we need to have to care for all. Because we all want and need good recovery services. And today we don't have it. But tomorrow you can make sure we do. Thank you. Thank you. Representative George Brown, Jr. And then next after that will be D. Heidly. You have three minutes, Representative. Good evening. I think I can use three minutes. Good evening, Chairwoman, members of the council. I'm a resident of First Council District and a resident of Lexington, Kentucky, whereas my at-large council members are Council Member Wolfe, Council Member Brown, and Council Member Ellinger. I can vote for all four of you. So it's real important to remember that. I've heard tonight two things that I would like to address. And I think it's very important. One is covenant. And it's a planning tool that lays out how our city is going to be occupied, how structures will be put in place. And we need to remember the covenant. The covenant that was made with folk in the community as to how their neighborhood would be zoned. So we need to keep that in mind, I think, first and foremost. Secondly, I think we need to recognize and remember that unregulated has come up over and over and over in the people that have testified tonight before you. So I think it's very important that we remember and recognize that there is structure to government. And this government has structure. And we do not need to have sober living houses in neighborhoods that there is no structure. There is no formula for regulating how they will operate. And again, we need to understand this is about money. It is about money. And the thing is, is that people in the north side, and it was made just recently by my friend, Reverend Jacques Wiginton, that the north side of Lexington and the areas of this city that have been redlined over the years in this community are bearing the brunt and bearing the burden of sober living houses in this community. And I beseech you as members of the legislative body of the Lexington-Fayette-Urban County government to rule that we need regulation. We need regulation. We had a gentleman that come from Louisville and spoke to the Oakwood Estates Neighborhood Association. And he gave an outstanding presentation of what they're doing in Louisville. So we don't have to go to D.C. or to Washington or Los Angeles or Texas or Florida. We can go right down the road to Louisville to get sober living ordinance and regulations and to talk about people that would be in place to monitor the operation of sober living houses. So as you all deliberate what you're going to do with this ordinance, let's not make it willy-nilly and flimsy. Let's make it strong and let's make it deal with the integrity and the desires of our communities all over Lexington-Fayette-County. Thank you very much for listening. Have a good evening. Thank you. D. Heidly is next and then Jason Griffiths. And we're almost to the end of our list. Thank you. Before the time starts, I'll hold your clock if you don't mind for just a second. I need to ask a couple of questions. We're not asking questions. No, no, no. These are points of order. And I think they're important to have decided before I start speaking. Because first of all, hold on just a second. You only have me for three minutes. I'm supposed to have at least six and possibly nine. No, I'm sorry. On our list, we don't have anyone else signed up for speaking for you according to our list. Some people that were called earlier that did not come up, were those the ones that were, because Gerald, were those the ones assigned to me or do we know? Yeah, I'm sorry, sir. They have to be on the list already, signed up to speak for you, and so you will have three minutes. We're not allowed to discuss anything. We're the only ones that are allowed to call point of order. Thank you. These weren't questions. These were points of order, and I think they're important. I'm sorry, I can only do that. This was, I am here representing, my name's Deval Heidly, I represent the third district. On the first part of this, on the second part, I represent all 12 districts on an organization since it's growing that will approach and deal with all 12 districts united, as our state flag says, not divided, as we seem to be doing today. In the beginning, people in this room, you had Cherokees who were the native people. You had Africans who were bonded slaves. You had Europeans who were, excuse me, bound slaves, or Europeans who were bonded slaves, convicts, or chattel people, which meant they couldn't inherit, they could only have things, they could not have land. Why is this important? Because they came here to have a country that was by the people and for the people. You are the representatives duly elected by the people in this room to represent them. Specifically them broadly, not institutions or other entities that are bigger that seem to have taken control. There was stuff in here about, I'm here for Pralton because clearly this has not happened. We are Lexington 250, and yet so many times, the people have been forgotten. We are the beginning, you are the beginning of Lexington 500, and with the cooperation of NATO and the unification of these communities and these people going forward, sober living is just one issue, there are a great many issues. Right now, in Pralton, in part of the history, there was money to be raised to redevelop that neighborhood. It went to build through a state entity, an institute of higher education, Rupp Arena, those funds were diverted. Same thing with South Hill and the Bottoms, this has happened over and over again. Right now, those people were displaced. Adamstown is where Memorial Coliseum sits. It doesn't exist anymore. Those people were displaced, those houses were destroyed. These were the people of this community, of this state, and of this country. And if you forget that, that is on you, and come next election, you will have to be responsible. If you stand up for the next 250 years, then you need to move forward and actually represent the people. Investors, private investors have picked off the people. Governments have picked off the people. Institutions have picked off the people. The next 250 years, it will be about the people uniting and standing. And you need to stand and represent them like you were duly elected to do. Thank you. Next is Jason Griffith and then Christopher Cox. And good evening, Madam Chair and Council. I promise I'm going to keep this nice, short, and sweet. Who are we? I'm sorry, could you state your name and district? My name is Jason Griffith, District 2. Who are we? And why are we here? And why are we concerned about unregulated, sober living homes? We are NATO, Neighborhood Aligned Together or Else. And our thriving neighborhoods has worked hard to build safety, stability, and success. And yet time and time again, sober living homes are placed right in the center. Why not invest in strengthening all these areas instead of concentrating on our recovery homes in the communities that has already been and done the work? Every neighborhood deserves balance, fairness, and a voice in what gets built next door. Thriving neighborhoods shouldn't be the default lending zone for every new sober living home. These communities have worked hard for stability, but instead investing in underserved areas. Developers often target areas that are already striving. So my question is, why is that? Because they assume that nobody's going to push back, and we're pushing back. We love our communities, and I'm blessed to have the relationships within the Frankfurt and DC connections, and my three point of solutions. Spread the recovery resources across all the districts. Enforcing zoning, transparency, and public input, and give our community a real voice in a smart planning decisions. This is very simple. We're not asking for much. Thank you. Thank you. And lastly, we have next Christopher Cox, and then is Cassandra Brown here? Yes, I think there was a mix up, and you'll be last. Thank you. Christopher Cox, thank you. How are you all doing today? My name is Chris Cox. I am the owner of Change Lives Recovery Community, Change Lives Mental Health Substance Abuse and Trauma Counseling Agency. We went into sober living based on the complaints a lot of these people have today, is we didn't see any good sober livings. I now have a 70 bed sober living, and no one's ever filed a complaint against me. None, let me clarify that. Dane Prieston of KR said that somebody called and said that they were upset because I called and asked how they were doing. That's the only complaint I got. I haven't heard anybody ask me or come call me or ask for my input. All my houses are ran extremely well. Landscape, landscaping company comes by all the time, takes care of them. I have housekeeping. I have everybody taking care of all the furniture. Restored two houses in the historical districts in Ashland. Got houses in Hamburg. Got houses in Tate's Creek. Could you please face the mic and face us, please? I'm sorry. Got houses in Tate's Creek. I've got really nice houses. Everybody is taken very well care of. Furniture's wonderful. Backyards are nice. We do a very, very good job. And I agree with you, I like ordinances. And I believe KR, which has now gone into effect, I guess, over the past year, has got all kinds of rules, regulations, certification processes, and all that. It's more than enough. We just have to enforce those state certifications, right? I think that's it, really. Unfortunately, you all have got a lot of bad players in your neighborhoods. If you had me in your neighborhood, you probably wouldn't be here complaining. I'm going to be honest, because those houses would look really nice. Mowed lawns, flowers, you can go look at any of my houses anytime. You don't have to ask me, you can just say I'm heading over there and I'll give you my addresses. They're always on point. I have house managers in every house. So if somebody does relapse, they're out of there in 24 hours or less. Typically, if we catch it fast enough, it's about an hour. And then we move them back into one of our treatment facilities. Very quick, very fast. We don't play games. We're on top of it. We drug test randomly all the time. We're financially stable, so we don't have to keep people in our house that don't need to be there because I'm worried about money. Don't have to worry about that, we're on point. We've got backing, we've got substantial foundation, and we do a great job. So I think the reality is, is that we have to collab with people like us who've got skin in the game, who have little girls who are in school, we're worried about our kids, too. But you can't just abuse people in addiction. And that's basically what you're doing. I'm sorry, sir, your time is up. When you're trying to get rid of them. Your time is up, sir, but thank you. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. And then we have Cassandra Brown. Good evening. My name is Cassandra Brown, I'm a proud member of District 8. And first, I would like to say thank you to all the council members. I express my gratitude for the time and the diligence you have put into this ordinance. I truly support it. I support this ordinance. I support programs that are being ran well. I support programs that are teaching, educating, and loving people back to life. I pray that this ordinance does not come from those and persecute those that are doing right because of those that are not doing right. There are programs out there that attend church every Sunday. They believe in the cornerstone of family. I've heard everyone speak about family, and I truly understand everybody's concern. But I pray that we're not going back to segregation. I pray that history is not repeating itself because of one bad apple. There are programs that are pillars in the community, that are doing the community service, that are giving back day in and day out. There are individual programs that are looking at the underdogs in service, the 501c3s that don't have the manpower. The programs like Food Chain, they're constantly there. There's programs like Voices of Hope. Volunteers are constantly there. Programs like the Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity and the Humane Society. These are individuals that are in programs that are working the programs to better not only themselves, but their families, and to get those families back. We have heard families, and we've heard it, and that's what programs that are being ran correctly are doing. They want to create taxpaying citizens. They want to instill faith. They want to become and make neighbors that you will be proud of. So please, again, I support this ordinance. Murphy, you did a phenomenal job putting the team together and writing it. I support it. But at the same time, I support in giving people a second chance. I support people that want and acknowledge their wrongs and want not to carry those every single day, but say, hey, I'm ready to be the best version of what I am and what I can be. Yes, I am concerned about vulnerable populations. But the communities that I see and the participants that I see, I see them picking up the elderly's garbage. I see them taking the elderly's garbage out to the corner and bringing it back. But sometimes I've often seen them get with our neighborhood resource officers and help do the yards before they get fined. So this is the community that I see and support. Thank you. Thank you. That comes to the end of our public input list right on time, which is pretty amazing. I really want to thank each of you, once again, for being here and for sharing your thoughts. We really put a lot of weight in what everybody has to say and take it into consideration. Wanted to let you know, as I said before, and as Council Member Morton said, this is being worked on in the Social Services and Public Safety Committee. And we hope to have an update at our last meeting. Our last meeting will be October 14th, that's our last meeting of this year. And then, if we still need to continue working on it, we will do that. We want to put as much attention to it as we can. We've been, like I said, working on it in a work group, and we hope to have some sort of update in October. Thank you once again for coming. I also want to thank the staff, and I really want to thank my colleagues, and especially the colleagues that don't serve on this committee that took time to come out and listen. So thank you, we are adjourned. Have a wonderful evening. Thank you for watching!