Lexington mulling new regulations for sober living homes as complaints mount
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Lexington council proposes licensing, compliance rules for sober living homes
- Residents raise concerns over neighborhood impacts; operators warn of limits
- Federal law bars zoning restrictions; city focuses on regulation enforcement
The Lexington council is considering stricter regulations on sober living homes after some neighborhoods have complained about the proliferation of recovery residences.
Under the proposed regulations, sober living homes would have to pay a city licensing fee of $200 for the first home and $100 for each additional home. The new ordinance would also require sober living home operators to show the city they have complied with all state regulations.
Dozens of neighbors told the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council’s Social Service and Public Safety Committee on Tuesday night that some city neighborhoods have been overrun by the private, largely for-profit sober living homes typically used by people who are coming from inpatient treatment centers.
About a dozen people who live in recovery homes told the council that recovery housing has helped keep them sober. Too much regulation could mean too few places for people who need addiction treatment to go, they argued.
Councilman Tyler Morton, who co-chairs a council work group on sober living homes, said the feedback from operators and neighborhoods will be back used to help fine tune the proposed ordinance.
It’s not clear when the council will take a vote on the new rules.
City can’t dictate where sober living homes can go
The city cannot legally restrict where sober living homes go or require special zoning, such as a conditional use permit, for recovery housing, lawyers for the city said.
Under the American with Disabilities Act, people with substance use disorders are classified as having a disability. The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. That means the city can’t make land use rules that only apply to entities that serve people with substance use disorders. That would be discrimination under the Fair Housing Act, said Michael Cravens, a lawyer with the city.
The city also can not dictate how many sober living homes can be in a neighborhood or a certain area, commonly called a density restriction, Cravens said.
Still, the city can make sure those sober living homes are following state regulations, which includes being certified by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, which oversees and licenses addiction treatment.
The proposed sober living ordinance would also:
- Require operators to obtain a city recovery residence license, renewable annually, and provide information and documents in support of the license application for purposes of examining compliance.
- Require operators to get a zoning compliance permit, which would show they have met all state and city regulations. Neighbors would be notified of a filing for a zoning compliance permit.
- Those that do not comply with city regulations could be fined. There is also an appeals process.
Beer cans, noise and other complaints
According to city data, there about 150 sober living or recovery homes operating in Fayette County.
Some neighbors of those sober living homes said they have seen people drinking in the street and have had to call police to help manage disturbances.
Chuck Snyder said a recovery home opened next door to him recently. Police had to be called eight different times because people in that recovery home were caught trespassing on his property.
“The residents have been caught doing drugs in the driveway,” Snyder said.
Snyder, who said he and his wife have both worked in recovery, said he believes there needs to be a balance between access to treatment and surrounding homeowners’ rights.
Jeffrey Beatty also urged the council to try to figure out how to regulate sober living homes so homeowners know what’s going on. Currently, there is no notice given to neighbors before a sober living home is opened. Predominately Black neighborhoods are being overrun by sober living homes, he said.
“I’ve seen them walking down the street with beer cans,” Beatty said of residents of one sober living facility near his home.
Others testified there are some neighborhoods in Lexington that have more than 15 sober living homes.
Laura Cole said a recovery home opened next door to her recently. So far there have been no problems, but she said she wouldn’t know who to talk to if there were.
“I have no idea who is in charge. Who do I talk to if there is a problem?” Cole said.
Operators say regulations will harm them
Operators told the council Tuesday city regulations will mean less treatment options.
“We are trying to put a home on Mt. Ranier,” said Chasity Griffin Franklin, who runs Bluegrass Recovery, which has multiple homes in Lexington. “We didn’t realize the backlash we would get. We got told that we were trash. Unwanted and not needed.”
Franklin, who started Bluegrass Recovery after her sister overdosed in 2021, said there needs to be more options for treatment.
Everyone knows someone who has been affected by addiction, she said. Those people need places to go, she said.
“A lot of people want help but they don’t know how to get help,” Griffin Franklin said.
Brandon Franklin, Griffin Franklin’s husband, helps oversee Bluegrass Recovery’s sober living homes. They are well-managed. The residents are supervised. There are no registered sex offenders, he said.
Franklin said sober living homes helped him get and stay sober.
‘I don’t know where I would be without sober living homes,” Franklin said.
Joseph Smith said he now works in sober living after being a client.
“I’ve watched it change a lot of people’s lives,” Smith said.
This story was originally published August 29, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
