First day for panel on rehab homes

Responding to growing concern over drug and alcohol recovery facilities in Newport Beach, city officials today will launch a new committee that includes representatives of residents’ associations and local real estate agents.

Mayor Steve Rosansky will chair the intense residential occupancy committee, which will talk about issues surrounding group homes. Residents have said there’s an over-concentration of drug rehab homes in the city, especially in West Newport, and they say the homes aren’t always respectful neighbors.

Rosansky said the committee will help educate the community and gather input from residents.

“I think it’s going to … hopefully develop some strategies to assist the city in regulating the group home [and] sober living industry a little closer,” he said.

Some of the residents who have pressed the council to take action said they’re skeptical about how much the committee will really do.

Lori Morris said she has doubts, but she’ll check out the first meeting today anyway.

She’s asking for a moratorium on drug recovery homes so the city can get a better handle on how to regulate them. If the city won’t consider that, she said, “that group is going to sit around and talk this to death while every day they open more and more of these” facilities.

Rosansky said he might consider a moratorium, but “I’m not interested in Band-Aids or false hope. I want real solutions.”

IF YOU GOMeeting of Newport Beach’s intense residential occupancy committee

WHAT:

WHEN: 5 p.m. today

WHERE: Newport Beach City Council chambers, 3300 Newport Blvd.

INFO: www.city.newport-beach.ca.us , click on the events calendar