City leaders in Mission Viejo are pushing forward new rules for sober living homes, requiring a new permitting process and distance requirements for these transitional facilities.

Sober living homes — also called group homes — are meant to provide residential space for people with alcohol or drug addiction so they can stay clean and participate in a recovery program. 

However, these facilities can often draw complaints from locals about noise and other disturbances in residential neighborhoods.

The city is following the lead of Costa Mesa, which won a legal battle in December defending its ordinance requiring sober living homes to obtain a special permit from the city.

“We didn’t want to put the city in being at the head of the parade,” City Attorney Bill Curley said during the March 25 meeting. “We let Costa Mesa do that, and we are using the benefit of their experience for our good.”

Costa Mesa was sued by a sober living home after denying the organization’s permit because it was too close to four other group homes. The city’s ordinance was eventually ruled legal by the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. 

[Read: Costa Mesa Scores Legal Victory in Sober Living Home Court Battle]

The Mission Viejo City Council unanimously approved the new rules for group homes at their council meeting earlier this month, although a second vote is required for the changes to officially take effect, which is scheduled for a future meeting. 

The new ordinance will require all sober living homes — new and old — to apply for a permit through the city.

That application must include contact information for all property owners, operators and house managers at the facility.

Additionally, a house manager is required on-site at all times.

Other changes include updated rules for parking, noise and buffer requirements.

Garages and driveways for sober living homes must be used for parking only, and street parking must be within 300 feet of the home.

Sober living homes must also be at least 1000 feet away from other group homes.

“It has truly been a hardship for a lot of our Mission Viejo residents,” Councilmember Trish Kelley said during the meeting. “I’m excited about this. This is going to be a great tool in our toolbox.” 

Kelley also encouraged residents to report noisy neighbors to the city — especially for sober living homes — since code enforcement can issue fines for excessive noise.

“If you hit them in the wallet, that will usually help,” she said.

In 2022, the city of Mission Viejo created a sober living task force, co-chaired by Councilmember Wendy Bucknum, Assemblymember Laurie Davies and OC Supervisor Katrina Foley.

Bucknum said this new ordinance was drafted through the task force and could serve as an example for other cities to follow.

“All cities could use the same template that has been tested, tried and true, through legal machinations that we’ve gone through and our sister cities have gone through,” Bucknum said.

Tonya Wills, a 12-year Mission Viejo resident, told council members from the public comment dais on March 25 that she lives down the street from two different group homes that affect her life on a daily basis due to noise, profanity and the presence of drugs.

“My children don’t play out in front of the house,” Wills said.

“As soon as my kids are of an age, I’m out of there.”

Other cities like Fountain Valley and Buena Park have already tightened regulations on transitional homes in recent years.

It also comes after an OC Grand Jury Report from last year called out how group homes have become a growing problem in the county.

Jurors found that many group homes are located too close together and cause disruption in cities. Jurors also found that some cities with laws to regulate group homes aren’t enforcing them.

[Read: Orange County Cities Grapple With Drug Treatment Facilities]

A statewide ballot measure from last year’s primary election is also bringing up questions about group homes in California.

The measure, known as Prop 1, authorizes $6.4 billion in bonds to create more housing for homeless people and drug treatment centers and was narrowly passed by voters in the March 5 primary election last year.

[Read: Does Prop 1 Mean More Group Homes for Orange County?]

“It is definitely about protecting our residents here in the city of Mission Viejo,” Councilmember Cynthia Vasquez said, “and it’s also about protecting the residents that are in these homes.”

Angelina Hicks is a Voice of OC Tracy Wood Reporting Fellow. Contact her at ahicks@voiceofoc.org or on Twitter @angelinahicks13.