June 30, 2009
Sara Green, Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner 4B01 - ANCSaraGreen@yahoo.com
PROPOSED TEXT AMENDMENTS TO THE 2006 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Attachment Four
1. Name of General Area/Location/Site affected by this proposed TEXT amendment
The
communities within Advisory Neighborhood Commission 4B01, including Takoma and
Upper
2. In which of the following "significant change" categories does the proposed TEXT amendment fail? - Other
3. Description of Change and Text of Proposed Amendment
The city should
protect the rights of the disabled as detailed in the federal Fair Housing
Act. However, many group homes are
for-profit, non-profit, or not-for-profit businesses and often impact their
neighbors in ways that are similar to other businesses. The city should
regulate these businesses as they do others by requiring that these group homes
obtain a basic business license and comply with other business standards in addition
to the standards consistent with protecting those who are disabled and fragile.
The city should make
certain that information about group homes and advance notification of the
issuance of a license is publicly available to Advisory Neighborhood Commissions
and the public at large just as information about other businesses is available
to the public.
The city should
actively work to reduce the existing over-concentration of group homes in some
neighborhoods and should immediately establish a task force to develop specific
solutions to over-concentration.
Also, city funds
should not be made available to businesses (both non-profit and profit- making)
that do not work with the community and with Advisory Neighborhood Commissions
to reduce the existing over-concentration of group homes in some neighborhoods.
4. Element, Page, and Citation of Proposed TEXT Amendment
5. How is the
issue addressed in the 2006 Plan? If not
in the 2006 Comprehensive Plan, please state why the issue should be included
in the Plan.
The current policy
does not provide any realistic vehicle to address existing and future
over-concentration and does not acknowledge that these homes are often
businesses that should and can be regulated in conformance with the Fair
Housing Act.
6. Why is the proposed change the best way to meet the public need?
The over concentration
of group homes is significant in ANC 4B01 with over one-dozen homes on a few
adjoining streets. Fern Place has at
least four group homes on one block, with several more on the adjoining
Nearly all of these
homes were established without community knowledge. The operators of these homes often have no connection
to their neighbors and operate the homes as businesses, with similar negative
impacts. These problems include parking
violations, excessive trash and noise late at night and in the early morning as
staff shifts change, and the operators' failure to maintain homes to the
standards of their neighbors.
7. Please describe any other options for meeting this need.
Neighbors need the city to provide relief from the impact of over-concentration. They also need city agencies to make sure that frail residents are protected.
8. Please describe the impact(s) of the proposed TEXT change. Why will the proposed change result in an overall (or net) benefit to the city or community?
Frail and disabled
residents are placed in licensed group homes so that they can live in homes
instead of in institutions. Permitting
four homes on one block creates another institution. Scattering homes throughout the city meets
the goal of giving the disabled a genuine community setting.
Licensed group homes
are businesses, and businesses often have a negative impact on homes. This is why many businesses are not permitted
to operate in many residential neighborhoods.
9. How does the proposed change conform to the goals, policies and actions of the current Comp Plan?
The Comp Plan seeks to provide policies that will improve the quality of residential neighborhoods and ensure the adequate safety and a good quality of life for frail and disabled residents.