I understand Brandi's point. Yes the people living in the drug rehab home are going through a very hard process to try and live a better, drug free life. It also needs to be understood there are very high probabilities some of these people could relapse or commit unlawful or violent acts they normally wouldn't if they were not suffering the effects of relapse.
A residential neighborhood is not the safest place to have a drug rehabilitation halfway house. If many of you were facing the prospect of one right across the street or beside your house you may change your tune. Especially if you have children living with you.
You shouldn't accuse someone of being judgmental or uncompassionate if they do not want people with drug problems living right next to them. It doesn't mean she doesn't have compassion for these people.
I hope whatever happens in this situation it turns out well for the residents that will stay there and the homeowners in this area.
Kimberly Moore
Logan, UT
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(7) comments
Do these folks deserve a second chance? Yes. Are recovery centers important? Yes. Are some of these "addicts" serious about recovery? Probably. And we recognize that individuals struggling with addiction deserve compassion and the opportunity to rebuild their lives. Recovery centers play an important role in helping people heal, and many residents in these programs are genuinely working toward change.
What Brandi and others are saying and feeling is that these types of facilities do not belong in residential neighborhoods and are not safe places for facilities like these to be located. However, the concern is not about the principle of recovery — it is about location, safety, and community transparency. A high-occupancy recovery facility is not appropriate for placement within a quiet residential neighborhood. These types of facilities must be located and managed in a way that ensures the safety, security, and well-being of both program residents and surrounding neighbors.
These are individuals with serious criminal histories and serious drug use histories — i.e., opioids, meth, fentanyl, etc. There is a reason they have been or are currently in this type of rehab and facility. There is no guarantee what type of individuals are going to be in this house. Are the residents of this neighborhood going to be notified of the type(s) of people that are coming in and out of here? Probably not. I would want to know for sure.
I can tell you that this neighborhood — and the people in it — have been misled throughout this entire process and have not been able to have their voices heard. The City of Providence has failed its citizens, as well as failed to ensure overall safety and security. Further, it appears that this "owner" has not been forthcoming with the residents of this neighborhood. This process has been shady and conducted behind closed doors.
Additionally, I can certainly tell you, based on further research, that this single-family home is not set up to house 8–12 or up to 20 individuals. It has a single kitchen, and several of the rooms have already been identified as "offices." There is no security system on this house. There has been no guarantee that these individuals will be locked up and secure at night, or that they won’t be able to wander around this neighborhood by themselves. There have been no guarantees to these residents. This "owner" has not spoken to any of the community members or residents to provide any assurances.
This is a business being run out of a single-family residence. And as Brandi stated, we all know that this "owner" will not be moving in or living there — especially since the property is listed as an LLC under county records. If this "owner" truly believes that these types of individuals are safe to be around, then why aren’t they staying there with him and his family? Or better yet, why isn’t he moving in with them? We all know why. This is a money grab by this "owner," because we all know he is receiving funds from the state and federal government, as well as insurance and private sources. If the owner genuinely believes the facility poses no risk, it would be reasonable for them to be more transparent and personally accountable to the neighborhood.
We all know that this single-family home is not properly zoned or suitable for this type of business or facility.
All it will take is one single incident where someone is hurt or killed because of this house.
A majority of you have no idea what types of traffic these facilities bring in — or what they do to the immediate and surrounding community and its residents.
This facility is probably run by former addicts or individuals in recovery who will be supervising these residents. That is like putting alcohol in the home of someone who is a recovering alcoholic.
Look at what happened at the Sherwood Hills Recovery Resort in the canyon near Wellsville. If you haven’t, you should educate yourself — because something like that could easily happen here in this situation.
There are a large number of you here who are hypocrites, and I guarantee that if you were in the same situation as Brandi — having a drug rehab house move in next door with 8–20 people constantly coming and going — you would have the same thoughts, emotions, and sentiments. And for those of you who think otherwise, put your money where your mouth is: write us a check for our houses, and you can move in next door.
Hi 5280. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I can see most of what you are saying. What happened at Sherwood Hills? I've followed this a little bit, and the last hearing on this facility was a variance hearing that wasn't open for public comment because that's what variance hearings are. When did you miss your opportunity to speak up about it? I can guarantee that facilities like this one undergo intense scrutiny before they can even begin using the facility for its intended purpose. I was curious where you learned about addicts and the viewpoints that you have of them. Do you have personal experience, or is it more about hearing things from others than firsthand experience? It's very troubling to hear that these people are coming into your neighborhood and might hurt or murder someone you love. Wild accusations, really. Where is your experience? This is a typical response, not in my neighborhood. Everyone loves the idea, but that's it. I hope the facility helps many people who are trying to get their lives back in order. They deserve a second chance to become better humans.
Some may find this information helpful:
https://mcshin.org/resources/sober-living-vs-halfway-house-whats-the-difference/
There are things in life that I would rather just ignore and have nothing to do with. Drug rehab is one of those things. I realize that there are addicts who need a place to live and don't have the self control to be around their own families, but why should that burden be shifted to me? Build a rehab facility if you think it will make you money, but build it where I don't live. I thought the facility they had at Sherwood Hills was a great location. It was in a nice setting and far enough away that the average addict probably wouldn't walk to my house to rob me for drug money. Build it somewhere like that.
So as long as they relapse/recover someplace else? Where would that be? Everywhere in Logan is “residential”.
People fear what they're unfamiliar with; it's a blessing that Brandi and Kimberly have not had to deal with the ravages of what drug addiction does to the lives of those we love. I live in a neighborhood of mostly stable single family homes and there's a drug rehab about two blocks away and we have never had any issues with it. Never. And it's been there for several years. There was also a rehab center located a few blocks in the other direction which has since been closed, yet we never had any issues with that one either. I understand these ladies' fears, yet we need to remember that fears aren't always based in fact.
There is plenty of room out west where those square lakes are. Build it there.
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