“The township building code inspector is in the process of facilitating a safety inspection of the sober living home with a focus on sleeping arrangements and fire safety,” solicitor Robert Iannozzi s
Towamencin Township’s solicitor announced at the supervisor’s session last month that the owners and operators of the “Pross House for Women” sober living home in a residential neighborhood on Pross Road have applied for licensure that is not necessary in the operation of their facility, in order to better comply with recent township resident concerns over the home.
“The township was pleased to hear the owner and operator of the Pross Road sober house is working on obtaining a recovery house license with the Commonwealth’s Drug and Alcohol Programs, in accordance with the Drug and Alcohol Recovery House Law,” solicitor Robert Iannozzi said at the May 22 meeting. “Complaints about the sober living home can be made by any individual and directed to the Commonwealth Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs.”
Iannozzi said complaints and questions can be anonymous. The department will investigate each complaint, including an inspection, if needed, and then at the conclusion of the investigation, a summary of findings is provided to the individual who made the complaint, he said.
“The township building code inspector is in the process of facilitating a safety inspection of the sober living home with a focus on sleeping arrangements and fire safety,” Iannozzi said. “We anticipate that will be conducted in the early portion of June.”
Iannozzi said he is working in concert with special counsel in identifying and analyzing the next steps necessary to move the matter forward and “will look to take actions likely by month’s end.”
In early April neighbors first turned out to the township to voice concerns about ‘Pross House for Women,’ a facility run by Sunlight of the Spirit House, an Eagleville-based operator of sober living houses for individuals who have completed treatment and wish to live in a sober environment.
After initial alerts from the neighbors to the township in early April that the house was about to open, residents reiterated their worries weeks later, citing concerns about safety, traffic, visitors to the neighborhood, and whether the type of treatment and living situation was best for those involved.
Resident Anthony Zanolli, whose property is behind the sober living home in a development located behind the Allen-Forge Shopping Center, asked supervisors how the facility can operate without proper licensing in place.
“If I started a business,” Zanolli said, “out of my house without proper permits, I’m sure the township would be on me very quickly and shut me down. These folks have gone the route of asking for forgiveness and they are operating. There’s upwards of 10 people in the house at this point, that I can see.”
Iannozzi told Zanolli the sober living house operators do not need a license in Pennsylvania to operate such a facility.
“In 2017, certain regulations were put in place that the individual that wants to receive the funds have to make themselves available for compliance with those requirements to receive that licensure,” Iannozzi said. “So, the overarching wall that we have to be mindful of is the Fair Housing Act, under which the occupants of that home are a protected class.”
Furthermore, the individuals residing in the recovery home and who are part of the program are considered handicapped individuals, because one aspect or more of their lives is severely inhibited through addiction, Iannozzi said.
“They are living together in what we would believe to be a single-family unit, so they comply with that aspect of the law,” he said. “What we have been doing is getting as much information to hone in on what reasonable accommodations they are entitled to, namely the deviation from the zoning code.”
Iannozzi said the new code defines “family” as no more than two unrelated individuals.
“They can get zoning relief for up to three unrelated individuals, and now we have in excess of three,” he said. “We have to ascertain to what extent (the protections) are given by the federal law. How do we get them that reasonable accommodation to allow them to do what they are doing, but remain complaint with the law and also not to adversely impact the surrounding area?”
Back in mid-May, the board of supervisors approved a special counsel to ensure the township complies with and does not run afoul of federal law, as far as the Fair Housing Act and the American With Disabilities Act is concerned.
According to The Reporter, Sunlight drew similar feedback from residents when they sought approvals for a home on Montgomery Avenue in North Wales throughout 2015, that town’s zoning board denied their request for more than three residents in the home, prompting Sunlight to file a lawsuit against the town in 2016.
Sunlight has also worked with a similar Quakertown-based recovery foundation to develop standards for such facilities across the state, and Sunlight currently lists one home in Lansdale and two in Hatfield as being in operation, according to The Reporter
Per the article, Sunlight has not responded to the questions from neighbors, and recent posts on their Facebook page include photos from a visit to a horse rescue shelter, and an article from NPR entitled “There is life after addiction. Most people recover."
