Discussion of “sober living homes” has been a hot button topic in town for nearly a year. It’s a controversial issue that stirs up a bevy of emotions.
Your Town Council must weigh several factors when deciding on controversial issues, and it’s more than just listening to a contingent of folks who are fired up at public meetings. Surely good governance and being responsible stewards of public finances include avoiding unnecessary lawsuits we’re virtually guaranteed to lose as well as other factors. This issue of being automatically covered for lawsuits by our municipal risk pool with a $10,000 deductible is much more complicated than what’s being portrayed. It’s not an automatic slam dunk.
A joint statement of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Justice concerning application of the Fair Housing Act states, “…municipal zoning practices or decisions that reflect acquiescence to community bias may be intentionally discriminatory, even if the officials themselves do not personally share such bias.”
Do we have community bias here?
I’ve been troubled by some of the attitudes concerning those suffering from substance abuse disorders. These are real people who have parents, brothers and sisters, children. I feel negative emotions have been perpetrated by a vocal group of citizens who have stirred up heightened levels of fear and paranoia.
Addiction is a disease, not a character flaw. Sure, certain choices are made along the way, but those who ultimately seek recovery face a difficult path ahead of them. Overcoming a substance use disorder is not as simple as resisting the temptation to take drugs through willpower alone. Those who are using detox facilities or residing in a sober living home are on the long road to recovery – this is a positive thing.
I’m fully aware of the negative issues surrounding the world of detox and recovery. Trust me – my family knows firsthand the devastating impacts of addiction.
I’m not the only one in our community who is suffering or has suffered through this issue. We’ve had drug overdose deaths out here, and we’ve had families dealing with alcoholism and drug abuse at all levels since Fountain Hills was founded. Yet my personal experiences don’t cloud my duty and outlook as a councilman representing the entire town. I understand that no one wants increased crime or lower property values. If sober living homes are operated properly, there shouldn’t be negative issues. And that’s the key, isn’t it?
I agree some text amendments are needed. I, too, moved here in 1990 for the small-town charm, overall safety and high quality of life to raise my children in a family-friendly town. I get it. Yet I don’t live high up on a hill in a glass house totally insulated from the real world. We have the same issues here that every other community in America does, just to a lesser degree.
Don’t misconstrue my words – I’m not advocating for additional sober living homes or a detox facility. I’m not putting group homes above the citizens’ desires. We need additional regulations, but they need to be reasonable. Ones that will stand up in a court of law. We’ve had plenty of solid legal advice and there is plenty of precedent to put something reasonable in place.
But there is no denying these types of establishments have a legal right to exist as well. I agree it’s absolutely imperative that all local, county and state regulations should be followed by these homes.
I seek an attitude of willingness to help in some fashion rather than just dismissing all recovering drug abusers as potential violent criminals or vile humans.
I’d like to issue a challenge – how many readers have been to a drug coalition meeting, where the focus is on drug prevention, so our families don’t have to deal with substance abuse disorders and all the associated problems? How about joining the mentoring program and help struggling students in our school system?
This would go a long way to improving our community rather than writing three-minute call-to-the-public diatribes, letters to the editor or pithy Facebook comments.
Finally, stigma is a very real thing surrounding addiction and substance use disorders. Stigma hurts everyone by creating more fear or anger toward ordinary people instead of focusing on the disease that is causing the problem. Stigma can also make people more likely to hide issues, keep them from seeking health care immediately, and prevent individuals from adopting healthy behaviors.
Stigma can negatively affect the emotional, mental and physical health of stigmatized groups and the communities where they live. Stigmatized individuals typically experience isolation, depression, anxiety or public embarrassment. And you can see how those factors will likely lead to even more drug use for someone with an abuse disorder.
Let’s overcome our fears. Let’s stop stigmatizing a certain element of society and instead work together to pass a text amendment that is reasonable, can forestall challenges and protect our community all at the same time.
