Sober Living Homes are small rental residences reserved for those recovering from substance abuse.
And while there's little debate over the value of the residences, some neighborhoods in Lexington — most notably in the Oakwood area — have raised concerns about unsupervised homes and a growing concentration of them in historically Black neighborhoods.
"No one thinks that these types of homes shouldn't exist. It's just kind of a question of how densely populated they are in certain areas," CivicLex's Adrian Bryant says.
That's led the city to investigate how it might balance the interests of sober living home residents and operators with worried neighbors. Federal law limits how such residences can be regulated, but Tuesday saw the first discussion of a draft ordinance that would require licensing of the homes by the city.
Asked what would trigger action against the operators, city attorney Michael Cravens stopped short of offering specific hypotheticals, but had this response.
"We're going to want to act with more urgency if there's a threat of harm to public health, safety, or welfare," he explained.
At the moment, the city does not know how many of the homes even exist in Lexington. Bryant says adding another layer of certification accomplishes a couple of goals — even if it doesn't regulate density.
"The city will have kind of a comprehensive list of where all these homes are, and we'll have a little bit of a way to make sure that they are well-managed and are safe for both the residents and the neighbors around them," he said.
No action was taken on the draft ordinance Tuesday, but committee members said the conversation will continue.
"There are some things that we still have questions about, but I'm sure that we will get to a positive resolution and put something in place that is fair," Councilwoman Jennifer Reynolds said.