Prescott Moves To Regulate Sober Living Homes
Prescott has become the first city in Arizona to use a new state law to regulate sober living homes.
This week, the City Council unanimously voted in favor of the ordinance.
Prescott has struggled with a boom in sober living homes in recent years with at one point nearly 200 of them. Usually about half a dozen recovering addicts live in a home, which are basically unregulated by the state. Concerns from neighbors and stories of addicts receiving poor care, or being kicked out on the street, eventually led Arizona lawmakers to pass a law allowing cities to craft their own regulations.
Prescott City Attorney Jon Palidini said now sober living homes will need a license, house managers who are awake 24 hours a day and discharge plans for clients.
“The intent of the ordinance is to protect the vulnerable population, people who are recovering from addiction. We hope there is a secondary benefit that it will have an impact on some of the neighborhood issues, some of the neighborhood complaints," Paladini said.
The city estimates there are now about 100 homes in operation. Many closed in recent months after insurance company Centene launched an investigation into what it called "widespread fraud."
The new ordinance takes effect next year.
