Deerfield acts to tighten rules on sober homes

Deerfield Beach took its first step Tuesday toward tighter regulation of sober homes — joining a growing list of South Florida cities to do so.

Homes with more than three unrelated adults living together because of disabilities will now have to provide the city with information about the setup every year, according to an ordinance the City Commission unanimously approved Tuesday.

Delray Beach passed a similar ordinance in March. Both Delray and Boynton Beach are also considering other rules that would limit the number of sober homes allowed within residential neighborhoods with single-family homes.

Deerfield city leaders called the increased registration requirements “Step One.”

“This will let the people who own these (know) that they have to be good citizens not just to the public, but good landlords to the disabled people who have been put in their trust when staying in their homes,” said Mayor Bill Ganz.

South Florida cities have been largely unable to control the booming drug-recovery industry because fair housing laws prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities.

But the proliferation of sober homes among singlefamily residences has prompted complaints about traffic and crime. And recent raids have revealed some unscrupulous operators.

“At this point there is no accountability, so this is a significant step,” said Andy Maroudis, Deerfield’s attorney, on the new ordinance.

Most cities have ordinances that prevent more than three unrelated adults from living together — rules that are rarely enforced. Even so, “special accommodation” rules allow companies to be exempt from that ordinance when setting up sober homes, or any kind of housing for people with disabilities. And, once they register, the special accommodation is in place in perpetuity.

Jeffrey Lynne, an attorney who represented sober home operators, applauded Deerfield’s move.

“It’s not only fundamentally responsible, but necessary for the cities to do so,” Lynne said.

Ken Wayne, who campaigned for a moratorium on new Deerfield sober homes in his unsuccessful bid to be Deerfield’s mayor earlier this year, said he was glad to hear the city was doing something about sober homes.

“My feeling is that anything we can do within the law and within our power to do so, I’m 100 percent for it,” he said.