Residential Recovery Homes OK’d

ORANGE —  The city Planning Commission has approved two drug and alcohol recovery homes, one for women with children, the other for teen-agers.

The two residential centers will be the first of their kind in Orange County.

The facility for women, which may open within two months, will allow each mother to bring her children to the live-in rehabilitation center while she attends a six-month drug and alcohol recovery program. Only about 23 rehabilitation centers in the state allow children, and none of Orange County’s three centers do.

The home for teens, scheduled to open in October, will provide free or low-cost help for young people with alcohol problems who do not have health insurance and cannot afford traditional treatment facilities. Most centers for adolescents focus mostly on drug treatment and teens with alcohol problems don’t get the help they need, a facility spokesman said. Both centers are funded by the Orange County Health Care Agency.

The Planning Commission voted this week, 4 to 0, to permit the women’s treatment center to move into Royer Mansion, a historic two-story building at 307 E. Chapman Ave., across from City Hall. Commissioner Randy Bosch was absent.

The residential program, run by the Southeast Council of Alcoholism and Drug Problems of Downey, will move up to 15 women and 19 children into the building. About 14 businesses now housed in Royer Mansion will need to relocate.

Mothers, some of them carrying infants, told the panel that they are recovering alcoholics and explained the need for the facility.

But business people and homeowners told commissioners that the facility does not belong in Royce Mansion, which is part of a commercial strip on Chapman Avenue.

Jennifer Kushner, owner of SPI Ltd., an import business in Royce Mansion, moved her company to Orange from Santa Monica six months ago.

Kushner said Royce Mansion, built about 1905, is an inappropriate home for young children because it is on a busy corner and has stairways and large windows that could be dangerous.

“I think the (rehabilitation) program is wonderful, but that building is unsafe,” Kushner said.

The second rehabilitation facility, also approved unanimously by the commission, will be a live-in treatment center for adolescents of both sexes at 525 N. Parker St.

The facility, run by Social Model Recovery Systems Inc., will serve up to 24 teen-agers ages 12 to 17.

Just one resident spoke in opposition to that project, saying a recovery center would not be the best use for that property.

Foes of the projects have until July 2 to appeal the decision. If appealed, the projects will be heard by the City Council at a public hearing.